LMS, Royal Scot Class, 4-6-0, 46126 ‘Royal Army Service Corps’ - Era 3

By 1926, faced with a stock book of outdated and unsuitable mainline locomotive traction, the London Midland Scottish Railway had an urgent need for “provision of an improved and more powerful type of passenger engine for the purpose of avoiding double heading and duplication of certain heavy express passenger main line services”. In October 1926, following a degree of procrastination by the management of the LMS, the loan of Great Western Castle class No.5000 Launceston Castle spurred the LMS into action and in December, an order for fifty ‘improved’ 4-6-0 tender engines from North British was placed; the result being the iconic ‘Royal Scot’ class of locomotive.

Entry into service was expected by summer 1927, but with the GWR unwilling to lend drawings for the Castle class, Lord Nelson drawings were obtained from the Southern Railway and North British based their design around these, building them at both its Queen’s Park, and Hyde Park works. Sir Henry Fowler informed the LMS Board on July 27, 1927 that No.6100 was ready for inspection, suggesting that as the locomotive would be working the ‘Royal Scot’ train, it would be appropriate that No.6100 should bear the same name.