WITH FULL REGULATOR LOCOMOTIVE PERFORMANCE THEN AND NOW
“I don’t know exactly what was done to the locomotive to improve the draughting, but what is clear is that Galatea is now a splendid reliable performer. Perhaps the group of dedicated and hard working firemen at Carnforth learned how best to fire this narrow firebox engine, something which many didn’t back in the days of steam when a ‘Black Five’ was often preferred to a ‘Jubilee’.”
I HAVE previously reported on the performance of the LM 5XP 4-6-0 which thinks it’s a class 7, namely No.45699 Galatea. I use the LMS classification of 5XP, though BR had the Jubilees as 6P/5F.
Records of more fine runs by this rejuvenated locomotive have been sent to me by Sandy Smeaton and David Bradbury, without both of whom the content of my column would be very thin. Indeed, Sandy was on the last steam-hauled charter before lockdown was imposed, the‘Cumbrian Coast Express’ which turned out to be a‘Cumbrian Mountain Express’, on Saturday, March 14. There
