44932 steams through Lincoln with The Great Britain XV tour 1Z45 Scarborough - Kings Lynn (22/04/23)

LMS Stanier Class 5MT 4932, is a preserved British steam locomotive. It is one of 18 surviving members of the Black 5 class which had 842 members constructed by five manufacturers. 44932 is the sole remaining member of the class which was built at the LMS's Horwich Works. After completion at Horwich Works it was allocated to Blackpool Central's 24E Shed where it remained for nearly six years until January 1952 when it was transferred to Accrington near Blackburn. Further shed transfers were to follow throughout its career with British Railways including Agecroft - Greater Manchester, Leicester, Annesley and Derby. Its final shed allocation was Rose Grove's 10F shed where it was allocated to in both July 1965 and from March 1966 till its withdrawal in August 1968. Its service life was just under 23 years. After being bought from British Railways for preservation it was used on the mainline between overhauls. It in the early days of preservation wore lined brunswick green.
Acquired in 2008 by David Smith it was based at West Coast Railway's Carnforth MPD base. The engine as of 2018 was undergoing another overhaul with plans to return to the mainline on completion.
In August 2022 the engine returned to service following an overhaul at Carnforth MPD outshopped in British Railways lined black with British Railways lettering on its tender. The engine carried this livery from January 1948 until early 1949 before being changed to the cycling lion crest, in preservation the engine also wore this livery while mainline certified in the late 1980's/early 1990's. The engine undertook its first test run on 10 August running from Carnforth to Hellifield and back, and the engine worked its first revenue earning trip down the Cumbrian Coast and Furness Line while hauling the return leg of a "Cumbrian Coast Express" railtour from Carlisle to Carnforth on 24 September 2022. The London Euston to Carlisle via Shap Summit & Carnforth to London Euston legs being worked by British Rail Class 86 No. 86259 Les Ross.
Following completion of the engines latest overhaul in 2022 the engine is planned to be trialed out with the fitment of ETCS (in-cab signalling) alongside LNER Peppercorn Class A1 4-6-2 No. 60163 Tornado as part of Network Rail's "Pathfinder Project" which is being undertook to assess the fitment of in-cab signalling to heritage locomotives.
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