Star of the opening day, June 1968

Purchased by two pioneering members of the KWVR directly from British Railways 41241, it arrived on the Worth Valley where it was painted maroon and, along with USA Tank No. 30072, double-headed the railways “Re-opening Special” 

On Sunday, 29th June 2018, resplendent in the stunning Crimson Lake livery it carried on the opening day, 41241 rightly took pride of place at the head of the 50th Anniversary Re-Opening Special re-enactment on Friday, 29th June, departing Keighley at the same time as it had departed Platform 4, 50 years previously.

In British Railways service

This class of locomotive was designed by H.G. lvatt in 1946 for the London Midland & Scottish Railway. lvatt had been very impressed with American locomotive designs used in this country during the Second World War, especially with labour-saving devices such as grease lubrication of the engine’s motion and a rocking grate in the firebox. This latter feature, for example, meant the crews did not have to use a long-handled shovel to “paddle out” the fire. He also designed the engines with repair and maintenance in mind, making most of the motion and pipework easily accessible to both crew and fitters.

No.41241 was built at Crewe works soon after the nationalisation of the railways in Britain (1948) and went new to Bath (Green Park), where it spent several years working the famous Somerset and Dorset Railway line. The engine was destined to be well-travelled, being subsequently allocated to Bristol (Barrow Road), back to Bath (Green Park), Wellington (Shropshire), Leamington, Bangor, Croes Newydd (Wrexham) and Llandudno Junction. Its final move was to Skipton from where the engine was withdrawn shortly before the closure of that shed.

Life on the KWVR

41241 arrived in the Worth Valley directly from British Railways under its own power, thanks to the foresight of two pioneering members of the KWVR. The loco was in good running order, having been in storage at Skipton shed since its earlier withdrawal from service. It is perhaps the most typical original branch line engine on the KWVR, making it an ideal motive power for the railway.

When the engine arrived in the Worth Valley it was forbidden by BR to operate ex-BR locomotives in BR livery. The choice of livery was, therefore, decided to be the non-authentic but appropriate crimson lake, reflecting its LMS lineage. Resplendent in its distinctive red livery, 41241 wrote itself into Worth Valley folklore on the Re-opening Special. 41241 double-headed the “Re-opening Special” on 29th June 1968, along with USA Tank No. 30072.

Passing into KWVR ownership in the early ’70s, 41241 was a stalwart performer, carrying the same in-house red livery over the coming months and years. The culmination happened in 1975 with its last outing onto the mainline, from Keighley to Shildon, Co. Durham, for the Stockton and Darlington 125 celebrations.

By the time 41241 returned to service after an overhaul in September 1980, railway preservation had matured, and there was a move towards more authenticity in the scene. To this end, 41241 was outshopped in BR-lined black livery, the only livery it carried on the national network.

Again, withdrawn from service, 41241 was stored and placed in the restoration queue. With the 50th Anniversary of the line’s re-opening looming in 2018, the locomotive was stripped for overhaul and was the subject of an appeal to have her fully restored in time to participate in the celebrations.

On Sunday, 24th June 2018, the first day of the Railway’s 50th Anniversary celebrations, 41241 was launched back into traffic again in the stunning Crimson Lake livery it carried on the opening day. Five days later, 41241, rightfully took pride of place at the head of the 50th Anniversary Re-Opening Special re-enactment on Friday, 29th June, departing Keighley Platform 4 at the same time as it had departed 50 years previously

41241 is now a regular member of the operating fleet and should be seen on the Railway until 2028, when the next overhaul will become due