BR 4-6-0 Black 5 No. 45110 waits to be unloaded at Toddington - 20th May 2026
Well, after much speculation all over our social media channels in recent weeks, the 'coal is now very much out of the tender' so to speak. We are very pleased to reveal the mystery guest and final locomotive for this year's Cotswold Festival of Steam. As you will have no-doubt identified from the opening photograph, it is of course, BR 4-6-0 Black 5 No. 45110, which is appearing courtesy of West Coast Railways. This locomotive has a remarkable place in railway history, having featured in the final days of BR steam in 1968, including hauling the “Fifteen Guinea Special” - the train that marked the end of steam on the British main line.
The 'Black Five' touched down with us at Toddington yesterday evening, with the tender having arrived earlier in the afternoon. A big thank you to Railway Support Services (RSS) for their professional help to ensure that 45110 arrived safely. The arrival of 45110 completes the roster, and will join the previously announced guests (all of which are now on shed): 34070 'Manston', 229, 15189, 78022 & 22. We look forward to welcoming many of you over the gala weekend.
The 'Black Five' touched down with us at Toddington yesterday evening, with the tender having arrived earlier in the afternoon. A big thank you to Railway Support Services (RSS) for their professional help to ensure that 45110 arrived safely. The arrival of 45110 completes the roster, and will join the previously announced guests (all of which are now on shed): 34070 'Manston', 229, 15189, 78022 & 22. We look forward to welcoming many of you over the gala weekend.
Advance tickets for the weekend can still be purchased here: https://gwsr.com/whats-on/cotswold-festival-of-steam-2026/
45110 arrives at Toddington for the Cotswold Festival Of Steam 2026 - 20th May 2026
LMS Stanier Class 5 No 45110 Locomotive Service History
45110 formed part of the third production batch of LMS Stanier Class 5 locomotives commissioned by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway. Constructed by the Vulcan Foundry under works number 4653 in 1934, the engine entered traffic in June 1935, carrying the LMS number 5110 and was allocated to Holyhead depot. During its early career, the locomotive handled a wide range of duties across North Wales and beyond. These included express passenger services and freight workings linking Holyhead with major destinations such as Chester, Crewe, Birmingham, London, Manchester and Liverpool, alongside local passenger trains serving Bangor, Rhyl, Llandudno Junction and Chester.
After the railways were nationalised, British Railways renumbered the locomotive as 45110 in 1949. Although Black Fives were commonly transferred between depots throughout the LMS system and later the wider BR network, 45110 remained based at Holyhead for almost twenty-nine years - an unusually lengthy stay at a single shed. As diesel traction gradually replaced steam operations along the North Wales Coast during the 1960s, the locomotive was eventually moved to Stafford in March 1964. One of only three Black Fives allocated there, it became a regular performer on freight services to Bescot and the Black Country, while also working passenger trains to Birmingham and Shrewsbury.
When steam operations at Stafford came to an end, 45110 was transferred to Bolton in July 1965 as part of the final concentration of steam locomotives in north-west England. The engine quickly became popular with both railwaymen and enthusiasts. It was selected to haul the Williams Deacon’s Bank Club railtour on 17th March 1968, during which it worked alongside several notable locomotives, including 70013 'Oliver Cromwell', 45447 and 4472 'Flying Scotsman'. Maintained to a particularly high standard by a Bolton-based enthusiast, 45110 was again chosen for the “North West Tour” railtour held on 20th April 1968, organised jointly by the Manchester Rail Travel Society and the Severn Valley Railway Society. On that occasion, the locomotive, assisted by 44949, hauled the first steam-operated section of the excursion between Stockport and Stalybridge via Buxton.
In July 1968, 45110 was transferred once more, this time to Lostock Hall depot. Soon afterwards, on 21st July, it participated in the Roch Valley Railway Society’s “Manchester – Southport Steam Excursions”, a special tour designed to cover four separate routes between the two towns. The locomotive handled the final stage of the journey alone, returning the train from Southport to Manchester.
The engine’s final ordinary passenger duty took place on 29th July 1968, when it substituted for a diesel locomotive on the 08:15 Preston to Windermere service and return. Because the turntable at Windermere had been removed the previous day, the return journey had to be worked tender-first. Its last freight assignment followed on 1st August, hauling the 19:14 parcels service from Colne to Preston.
The engine’s final ordinary passenger duty took place on 29th July 1968, when it substituted for a diesel locomotive on the 08:15 Preston to Windermere service and return. Because the turntable at Windermere had been removed the previous day, the return journey had to be worked tender-first. Its last freight assignment followed on 1st August, hauling the 19:14 parcels service from Colne to Preston.
45110 on the low-loader at Toddington - 20th May 2026
45110 & The “Fifteen Guinea Special”
British Railways’ final officially operated steam-hauled passenger service took place on 11th August 1968, just over a week after the end of regular steam workings on the national network. The farewell excursion, designated train '1T57', became widely known as the “Fifteen Guinea Special” due to the ticket price charged for the historic journey. 45110 hauled the opening section of the train from Liverpool to Manchester, where 70013 'Oliver Cromwell' took over for the run north to Carlisle. For the southbound journey, Black Fives 44781 and 44871 worked the first stages of the return trip before 45110 was entrusted with the concluding leg back to Liverpool.
It's quite remarkable what crops up on YouTube. Here are a couple of short films showing 'The Fifteen Guinea Special' that operated on the 11th August 1968.
Footage from the '15 Guineas Special' on 11th August 1968. It was the last steam hauled passenger service on British Railways. The train is travelling from Dent station in Yorkshire north towards Carlisle on the Settle-Carlisle railway - Video © National Railway Museum
More detailed information on 45110 can be found on the SVR Wiki website.
The BR Database entry for 45110 can be found here.
For those of you who use Facebook, here are a number of GWSR related groups which are worth following:
DMLL - Dinmore Manor Locomotive Ltd
2874 - The 2874 Trust
35006 - 35006 Group
76077 - Standard Locomotive 76077
THL - The Honeybourne Line - a GWR mainline in the making
The GWSR recently launched a new website and the various department blogs can all be found here.
Anyway, I know this instalment is rather short, but due to the above it was all rather last minute! I'd better get myself back down to Toddington and carry on assisting with the gala prep, after all, these locomotives don't sort themselves out.
6880 'Betton Grange' stabled with traction engines at Toddington - 20th May 2026
45110 locomotive history based on information from the BR Database, and SVR Wiki.
Alex (the sooty one!).
* Please Note: All locomotives are subject to availability and changes may be made at short notice.
All published photographs and videos are my own unless otherwise stated/credited.
