This week’s Model of the Week is a ‘golden oldie’. Maisie, designed by LBSC, is one of his great designs. Built in large numbers since the design first appeared in the mid 1930s it remains popular to this day built to the original ‘words and music’. A book by the maestro appropriately called Maisie Words and Music is still available as are the drawings at a price of £32.00 from GLR, who can also supply castings. See:

http://www.modelmakingsupplies.co.uk/maisie-3.1-2-.htm

It is a large model, even in 3 1/2in. gauge, and it has been successfully doubled up to 7 1/4in. LBSC’s boilers are legendary for their steaming qualities, and this one with its wide Atlantic firebox is a gem. Maisies are excellent performers on the track.

Maisie is based on the GNR Ivatt Atlantic 4-4-2. It has two cylinders with slide valves and Stephenson’s valve  gear. The engine is 26 1/2in. long, 10in. high, and the tender 16 1/2in long. The excellent example photographed here is a model of locomotive 251 by P  Raybould.

Ivatt introduced the 4-4-2 Atlantic type to Britain with his LNER Klondyke in 1898. In December 1902, he built No. 251 increasing the boiler diameter from 4ft 8in to 5ft 6in. Twenty more C1s were built in 1904, and between 1905 and 1908, sixty large-boilered C1s were built. The firebox had to be slightly re-designed so that there was enough room to fit the screw reverse. Ivatt took advantage of this needed re-design, and deepened the firebox at the front. The greater slope helped to shake coal to the front, aiding firing. Earlier locomotives needed their frames altering to take boilers with this deeper firebox. Alterations started in 1925 and were completed in 1933.

Ivatt’s final development was fitting piston valves and Schmidt superheaters to the last ten C1s of 1910. The addition of a superheater was matched with an increase in cylinder size from 18.75in to 20in diameter.

Four-cylinder versions were tried, but not successful.

Gresley succeeded Ivatt in 1911, and built no further Atlantics. However, he continued to make improvements to the C1 class, and the fact that the original 1902 Klondyke design was capable of so many improvements, delayed the need for the GN to invest in new express passenger locomotives until the early 1920s when Gresley introduced the A1 Pacific locomotives.

The first C1s immediately began working the principal GNR expresses, replacing the Stirling Singles. By 1912, the C1s were divided between Kings Cross, New England, Grantham and Doncaster.

No. 1442 was chosen as the GNR's Royal engine in 1908, and was given replicas of the GNR's coat of arms as well as burnished fittings. It hauled King Edward VII's train from London to Leeds on 7th July 1908, and in 1909 was exhibited at the Imperial International Exhibition at White City, London.

Right into the 1930s, the C1s were capable of feats despite their age. A notable run occurred in July 1936 and was recorded by Cecil J. Allen who said he wouldn't have believed his timings if someone had sent them to him. On at least three occasions he had to check that a second locomotive had not been added. The train was a large train of seventeen coaches and 585 tons running from Kings Cross to Edinburgh. The scheduled A3 failed at Grantham and was replaced by the Grantham pilot, C1. No. 4404. No. 4404 was 31 years old and not in the peak of condition. It was driven by R. Walker, who reportedly was not very experienced with the C1 class. No. 4404 took three attempts to start the train, but managed to reach Selby in 67 minutes and 41 seconds. Over sixty miles had been covered at an average of 64mph. A slow finish brought the train into York at 87 minutes 40 seconds, versus a schedule of 90 minutes. Over two minutes were taken off the schedule when the circumstances would have justified a late arrival of 20 minutes or more.

During wartime, the C1s were seen more often north of York, and occasionally they were seen north of Newcastle. Wartime shortages of staff, materials, and spare parts took their toll on the C1s and their condition deteriorated quickly. Withdrawal of the standard C1s started in 1943. Seventeen C1s survived into BR ownership (1948). The last C1 was withdrawn in November 1950. The very first C1, No. 251, has been preserved.