LMS Ivatt Class 2 46521
Ivatt 2MT No 46521 was resident on the SVR between 1971 and 2002.
The LMS Ivatt Class 2 was designed by H.G. (George) Ivatt for work on secondary and branch line duties. Locomotives of this class were often referred to as a "Mickey Mouse". It is a 2-6-0 'Mogul', rated 2MT by BR following nationalisation.
No 46521 was one of the final batch of these locomotives built by BR at the Swindon works in 1953. The Swindon batch incorporated certain modifications over the earlier versions (of which the SVR’s 46443 is a Crewe-built example), including an increase of ½in cylinder diameter, blast pipe modifications and a taller chimney.
46521 had a working life with BR of 13 years, based around the Cambrian area including Oswestry, Brecon and Machynlleth. The locomotive was withdrawn by BR in November 1966 and moved to Barry Scrapyard in 1967.
In 1969 46521 was selected for preservation by SVR member Charles Newton. The locomotive arrived at the SVR on 20 March 1971 and entered service in July 1974, becoming the SVR’s first ex-Barry restoration to be completed. The locomotive initially carried the same green livery in which it finished BR service, although in 1975 both 46421 and 46443 were painted into red livery and given modified superstructures for filming of The Seven-Per-Cent Solution. 46521 was eventually withdrawn from service in 1977 for major boiler repairs.
Following completion of the overhaul, a second period of service commenced, this time ending on 24th August, 1984.
A third period of service began in 1991, during which 46521 spent the summer of 1993 on hire to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway, as well as taking part in the London Underground ‘Steam on the Met’ festival the same year. 46521 also featured as ‘Blossom’ in the BBC sitcom Oh, Doctor Beeching!, which was filmed between 1995 and 1997. 46521 was formally named ‘Blossom’ by actor Steven Lewis in a ceremony on 17 February 1997. 46521’s third period of service ended in 2000, and the locomotive left the SVR in November 2001, moving to the Great Central Railway to join 78019 which had left two years earlier.
As of 2017[update], 46521 is still resident at the Great Central Railway.[1] She returned to the SVR as a guest engine during the 2015 Autumn Steam Gala.
See also
References
SVR News
Severn Valley Railway Stock Book, seventh edition.
Links
Great Central Railway 46521 web page Retrieved 25 February 2015.
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