The 1948 Locomotive Exchange Trials

Soon after the railways were nationalised in 1948, thetrials were to identify the best aspects of the four
then recently formed British Railways Board (BRB)different approaches to locomotive design so that they
undertook a review of the locomotive stock which hadcould be used in the new BR standard designs.
been inherited from the 'Big Four' independent railwayHowever, the methods used for testing lacked any
companies. It soon became apparent that the wholereal scientific value, and taking Riddles' background into
stable of steam locomotives comprised of a hugeconsideration and other political influences, it was
variety of different class types, vast numbers of whichalmost predictable that LMS practice was largely
were getting close to or in some cases, were alreadyfollowed by the new standard designs regardless, and
life-expired.it is therefore hardly surprising that nearly all of Riddles'
Right from the beginning the government-ownedfinal products would bear much resemblance to the
organisation needed to reduce costs as soon and asdesigns pioneered by the LMS, particularly those
practical as possible. Not an easy task with alocomotives which were designes of Stanier and Ivatt.
war-battered railway. However, work began straightHowever, the trials were useful publicity for BR to
away and in its first year, the BRB had recruited theshow the unity of the new British Railways. By 1950
renowned locomotive engineer Robert A Riddles,the first of the new express locomotive designs had
formerly of the LMS, to take responsibility for thebeen finalised at Derby and in the same year, the
Mechanical & Electrical Engineering department.British Transport Commission placed an order with
Riddles was given the task of developing a new smallCrewe Works for the construction of twenty-four of
range of new steam locomotive designs, the intentionthe type. What came forth from Crewe on 2nd
being that they replace the older pre-nationalisationJanuary 1951 was a 4-6-2 Pacific locomotive looking
locomotives.conspicuously like the Coronation class of engines
Riddles' settled for a plan of action which was to usedesigned by William Stanier, also formerly of the LMS.
the best pre-nationalisation designs and incorporate theThe imposing engine, finished in a plain black scheme
best qualities of each into his standardised locomotives,with no lining, was scheduled for a test run between
thus amalgamating the greatest engineering feats fromCrewe and Carlisle on 11th January 1951, a
all of the former railway companies. The first stepdynamometer carriage being one of the consists of
towards creating the new designs were thethe train it was to haul. Following the test run, which
'Locomotive Exchange Trials'. Riddles started his questproved to be a promising start for the type, the
by selecting a number of express type locomotiveslocomotive, numbered 70000, was repainted into the
from each of the newly-formed Regions and utilisingmuch more familiar lined BR Brunswick Green and
them on ''foreign'' territory. As an example, LMSdelivered to Marylebone station on the last but one
locomotives operated over the Southern Regionday of January to be named. No. 70000 was
where there were no water troughs. To compensateappropriately called 'Britannia', after the female
for this they were married together with four-axledpersonification of the British Empire, and it marked a
ex-War Department tenders with larger water tanks.very promising step forward for BR.
These were specifically given LMS lettering for theTo commemorate the Sixtieth Anniversary of the
occasion. Similarly, ex-Southern Region types used1948 Locomotive Exchange Trials, in 2008 Hornby
elsewhere were married together with ex-LMSRailways produced a Limited Edition Model of a 4-6-2
tenders with water scoops. This yielded someWest Country Class Locomotive 'Bude' No 34006.
important information for the design team on howThis model, represents the classic pairing of a
suitable particular locomotive classes were to certainSouthern Region Bulleid Pacific with a Stanier Tender.
stretches of line.For the collectors out there, the Hornby R2685 West
On completion of the Locomotive Exchange Trials,Country Class 'Bude' with Stanier Tender was only
Riddles' Chief Draftsmen went back to the drawingproduced in a limited run of 2008 and each of the
board and began to formulate the first of the thenmodel trains came with a numbered Certificate of
new 'standardised' steam locomotives. Officially, theseAuthentication.