From 1898, J.F.McIntosh designed a series of standard tank engines for the Caledonian Railway's short distance mineral and passenger trains. The initial design was for 0-6-0T locomotives, then in 1899 came an 0-4-4T design specifically for the Cathcart Circle and the Balerno branch. This was followed in 1900 by the largest and most successful class for general suburban and branch passenger work, the "439" 0-4-4T, a non-condensing version of a design already at work on the Glasgow Central Low Level lines.
These engines had large driving wheels and the standard Caledonian fitting of a Westinghouse air brake, and so they were fast away from station stops and fast into stations as well. The Caledonian built 76 locomotives to this design, and more were built by the London Midland & Scottish Railway after 1923. They were used all over the Caledonian system.
The locomotive (as No.55189) was withdrawn from British Railways service in 1962. As the last example of the class, it held great appeal for the then recently-formed Scottish Railway Preservation Society. The asking price of £750 proved difficult to raise and only a generous donation by Worcestershire farmer Mr W.E.C. Watkinson secured it for posterity.
In April 1965, after restoration at Cowlairs Works and now once again in Caledonian Railway livery, No.419 was delivered to the society's Falkirk Depot. Its first public steaming in preservation was in the autumn of 1971. Since then it has carried the SRPS flag at open days, celebrations and railway events all over Britain, including the Stockton & Darlington 150th anniversary cavalcade in 1975.
To find out more - see the Factsheet.
