The Midland in the 1930s
In The Midland in the 1930s, Alan Whitehead has produced a very personal view of the Midland lines of the LMS. An enthusiast first and foremost, he noted a fascinating collection of locomotives in this decade - some of the classic classes of the heyday of British steam.
The Grouping of 1923 had seen the amalgamation of Britain's myriad railway com- panies into the 'Big Four' and the creation of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway. Such a major change inevitably led to teething problems, and these were very much in evidence at the beginning of the 1930s. Sir Henry Fowler had taken over the position of CME of the LMS from George Hughes in 1925, and while Hughes' legacy included the fine Horwich 2-6-0 'Crabs', it also left an over-powerful motive power department run by a former Midland Railway man, James Anderson. Anderson adhered to the Midland's small engine policy which, while it worked well in pre-Grouping days, caused considerable difficulties when applied to the wider context of the LMS. Heavier and heavier loadings, especially on the West Coast main line, brought matters to a head and Fowler had to produce his powerful 'Royal Scots' and 'Patriots' (rebuilt from the LNWR 'Claughtons') in rapid time. But it was William Stanier, appointed CME in 1932, who really welded the individual loyalties of Derby, Crewe and Horwich into one cohesive unit and resulting designs the 'Black Fives' and 'Jubilees' for example were classics.
In 1934, just as the new Stanier locomotives were coming into service, Alan Whitehead became a season ticket holder on the Midland main line, travelling from Radlett to St Pancras, and he was able to view at first hand the exciting changes in motive power. He travelled extensively on LMS metals during this decade and The Midland in the 1930s provides a fascinating insight into the variety of LMS motive power from the Thames Estuary to Derby, East Anglia and Northern Ireland.
Hardback with dust jacket, 18x24cm, 112 pages, black & white photographs
Condition: Good/Very Good
ISBN: 9780711012028
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