When Stanier joined the LMS in 1932, as their CME, he was expected to
breathe new life into this ailing giant. Since its formation it had
steadily lost ground to its main rival, the LNER. In Doncaster, Nigel
Gresley and his team, with an eye to advancing locomotive design at the
same time as making the company commercially successful, had quickly
begun producing a series of high performance and iconic Pacific engines
to pull their high profile express trains. Their impact left the LMS
trailing in their wake.
Under previous CMEs, the LMS had concentrated on 4-6-0 designs to pull
their express services, but many felt they lacked sufficient power and
had little to offer in performance or glamour when compared to their
rivals.
Stanier, heavily influenced by his mentor, George Churchward, his work
on the GWR and the potential of the Pacific design, saw such a class as
essential to the success of the LMS. And so the Princess Royal Class
came into being, against a background of some opposition and cultural
differences. Despite this, they proved their worth and became popular
with their crew and managers. Within a few short years, however, their
premier position in the company had been taken by a very worthy
successor, the Princess Coronation Class.
Overshadowed and often overlooked, they tend to be seen as a stepping
stone to something better. Yet, in reality they stand up well to the
closest scrutiny, and this book tells the story of these engines through
the eyes of those who came into contact with them. They also best
represent the impact William Stanier had on locomotive design and best
describe the way he changed the culture of the LMS to allow it to grow
successfully. It is a story of great endeavor and courage that can only
be told by revealing and discussing political, social, economic and
engineering issues.
