LMS Stanier Class 5

| Technical Data Total Built: 842 Length: 63 ft 6.75 in Build Date: 1934 - 1951 Tractive Effort:25,455 lbf (113.23 kN)
Fuel Capacity: 4,000gal

The London Midland and Scottish Railway Class 5 4-6-0, almost universally known as the Black Five, was introduced by William Stanier in 1934 and 842 were built between then and 1951. Members of the class survived to the last day of steam on British Railways in 1968 and eighteen are preserved. This class of locomotive was often a favourite amongst drivers and railway fans.

The Black Fives were a mixed traffic locomotive, a "do-anything, go-anywhere" type, designed by Stanier, who had previously been with the GWR. In his early LMS days he designed his Stanier Mogul 2-6-0 in which he experimented with the GWR school of thought on locomotive design. A number of details in this design he would never use again realising the superiority of details not used on the GWR. Stanier realised that there was a need for larger locomotives. These were to be the LMS version of the GWR Halls but not a copy, as the Hall was too wide to run most places in Britain. They shared similar cylinder arrangement (two outside), internal boiler design and size, with 6 foot driving wheel diameters.

In their early days the locomotives were known as the "Black Staniers" from their black livery, in contrast to Stanier's other class of 4-6-0, the LMS Stanier Jubilee Class, which were painted crimson (and known until April 1935 as the "Red Staniers"). Later on, the nickname of the former became "Black Five", the number referring to the power classification.