When you think of the golden age of British steam railways, few locomotives command as much admiration and affection as Princess Elizabeth. Named after the young princess who would later become Queen Elizabeth II, this magnificent engine has captivated generations of rail enthusiasts with its power, beauty, and royal connections.

A Royal Beginning

Princess Elizabeth was built in 1933 by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) as part of the Princess Royal Class of express passenger locomotives. Designed by the legendary Sir William Stanier, the locomotive was named in honor of the then seven-year-old Princess Elizabeth. The naming ceremony marked a historic moment, intertwining Britain’s royal family with its proud railway heritage.

Engineering Excellence

Classified as a 4-6-2 "Pacific" type locomotive, Princess Elizabeth was designed to haul heavy express trains across the LMS network, particularly on the West Coast Main Line. With its large driving wheels, streamlined shape, and powerful boiler, it could reach speeds in excess of 75 mph—a remarkable feat at the time.

Not only was she powerful, but her design also carried an elegant aesthetic. From her deep crimson livery to the polished brass nameplates, Princess Elizabeth has always stood out on the tracks.

Wartime and Beyond

During World War II, Princess Elizabeth played a vital role transporting troops and materials across the country. Despite the heavy wear of wartime service, she returned to peacetime duties with grace, continuing to haul express services until the decline of steam in the 1960s.

Thankfully, unlike many of her contemporaries, Princess Elizabeth was saved from the scrapyard. She was preserved in working order and became one of the stars of the steam preservation movement.

Preservation and Legacy

Today, Princess Elizabeth—officially locomotive No. 6201—is owned by the Princess Elizabeth Locomotive Society. She has been meticulously restored and often makes appearances on mainline steam tours, delighting passengers and onlookers alike. Whether climbing the hills of the Settle-Carlisle line or storming through rural England, she continues to inspire awe.

The locomotive even played a part in Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012, hauling the Royal Train—a fitting tribute to both the engine and the monarch who shared its name.

Why She Matters

Princess Elizabeth is more than just a steam locomotive. She is a living, breathing piece of British history—representing the peak of steam engineering, the resilience of a nation, and the enduring connection between railways and royalty. For trainspotters, families, and dreamers alike, the sight of her thundering past is a reminder of an era where elegance and engineering went hand in hand.

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Here is some more technical information for railway historians:

Few preserved locomotives so effectively capture the transition from pre-grouping tradition to modern standardization as LMS No. 6201 Princess Elizabeth. Built in 1933 at Crewe Works under the direction of Sir William Stanier, she was one of the early embodiments of Stanier’s efforts to modernize the locomotive fleet inherited by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) after the 1923 Grouping.

Origins and Design Philosophy

The Princess Royal Class was Stanier’s first major passenger express design, heavily influenced by his GWR experience under Churchward and Collett. With its 4-6-2 wheel arrangement, the Princess Royal Class was a significant departure from the smaller, less efficient compounds used by the Midland Railway, which had dominated LMS practice prior to Stanier’s arrival.

Princess Elizabeth, the third of the class, was constructed with three cylinders, Walschaerts valve gear, and a high-capacity boiler (2A type) designed to handle long-distance express work on the West Coast Main Line. She was rated at over 2,000 drawbar horsepower in service and quickly established herself as one of the LMS's most capable locomotives.

Naming and Royal Associations

Unusually for a locomotive of the period, Princess Elizabeth was named after a living royal—Princess Elizabeth of York, later Queen Elizabeth II—marking a rare and symbolic tie between British rail and monarchy. The naming ceremony, held in 1933, was a high-profile event and enhanced the LMS’s public image during a period of intense inter-company competition.

Operational Service

Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Princess Elizabeth operated some of the LMS’s heaviest express services, including the famous "Royal Scot" and "Mid-Day Scot". Her performance, especially on the demanding gradients north of Crewe and through Shap, made her a favorite among footplate crews.

During WWII, the entire Princess Royal Class saw extended service life, contributing to troop and logistics transport under strenuous conditions. Princess Elizabeth was no exception, often running with minimal maintenance due to wartime constraints, yet maintaining solid reliability.

Withdrawal and Preservation

Withdrawn from BR service in 1962, No. 6201 was fortunately preserved privately at a time when many of her contemporaries were scrapped. She was purchased by a group of enthusiasts and eventually became the flagship of the Princess Elizabeth Locomotive Society. Her survival is particularly significant as she was the only Princess Royal Class member preserved—her sister engines, including the prototype Princess Royal, were all scrapped.

A Mainline Performer in Preservation

One of the first preserved steam locomotives certified for mainline operation, Princess Elizabeth became a cornerstone of the UK’s heritage rail movement. She has since been overhauled multiple times, undergoing extensive boiler and frame work to meet modern safety and operational standards.

Notably, she hauled the Royal Train during Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee in 2012, returning full circle to her royal namesake. She remains one of a handful of pre-nationalisation express locomotives still capable of mainline speeds, often seen on railtours and commemorative runs.

Historical Significance

For railway historians, Princess Elizabeth offers a direct link to the transitional period in British locomotive engineering. She encapsulates the shift from Midland conservatism to Stanier’s GWR-influenced modernism—an engineering evolution that would culminate in the later Coronation Class and ultimately influence BR Standard designs.

Her continued operation provides a rare opportunity to study first-hand the performance and mechanical intricacies of a 1930s three-cylinder express engine in real-world conditions. Few other locomotives so effectively combine historical importance, technological relevance, and cultural symbolism.