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Locomotives - Duchess of Hamilton

Duchess of Hamilton

This class of locomotive represents one of the most powerful express passenger locomotives used in Britain. Known colloquially as ‘Duchesses’, the locomotives worked the West Coast Main Line.

There are three surviving "Duchesses", City of Birmingham, Duchess of Sutherland and Duchess of Hamilton. Two of these were saved from the scrap yard as a result of Sir Billy Butlin's efforts to place these fine machines as children's playground exhibits at his holiday camps. Duchess of Hamilton survived at Minehead Holiday Camp and it returned to steam on the main line under the auspices of the Friends of the National Railway Museum. The Museum accepted the locomotive from Butlin's in 1976 on a twenty year loan, and purchased it in 1987.It first ran as the Museum’s flagship locomotive in 1980 and was operational until 1985. After extensive work, it resumed running in 1989 and was finally withdrawn from main line duty in 1996 when its seven year boiler ticket expired.

  • Name: London Midland & Scottish Railway 4-6-2 8P Coronation class No 46229 Duchess of Hamilton
  • Class: Princess Coronation Class (8P)
  • Built: 1938, Crewe
  • Designer: William Stainer
  • Weight: 161 tons (164 tonnes)
  • Cylinders: (4) 16.5" x 28"
  • Driving wheel Diameter: 6' 9" (2.1m)
  • Boiler Pressure: 250 psi (17.6kg / cm²)

Locomotive inventory number 1976-7000
Photograph reference number NRM_CT_932827