LMS Patriot Project

After the Great War, three of the then Railway Companies named locomotives to honour the railway employees who had fought and died during the Great War. These were ‘Valour’, ‘Remembrance’ and ‘Patriot’. During the steam days of British Railways a locomotive of this type, usually the first in the class named ‘Patriot’ was decorated with poppies at each and every Armistice day.

The L. & N. W. R. memorial engine, a Claughton class locomotive was named ‘Patriot’. This name was later transferred to the new 4-6-0 locomotive number 5500, which became the new ‘Patriot’ memorial engine for the LMS and after which the class took the name.

There is a project to build a full size steam locomotive of the Patriot class – two of which were named after soldiers who were awarded the Victoria Cross and others were named after regiments that fought in the Great War. The  locomotive will be the National Memorial Engine. It is being assembled in Llangollen with parts being made all over Britain. The total cost will be about £2million to build and is already half way there. It will be ready for 2017 and in 2018 will be used to pull a replica train carrying the coffin of the Unknown Warrior hence the locomotive has already been named “The Unknown Warrior”

The new ‘Patriot’ will be named ‘The Unknown Warrior’ in keeping with the tradition of war memorial engines. The LMS-Patriot Project aims to continue this tradition in memory of all those brave men and women who courageously served their country. It will serve as a permanent memorial to all those who fought and died in the First World War and all subsequent wars.

The LMS-Patriot Project has received the endorsement of The Royal British Legion, and 45551 will carry a Legion crest above ‘The Unknown Warrior’ nameplate, in recognition of this.

The half built locomotive was taken to the National Arboretum last November 11th and has already been seen by many people.

For more information please see the LMS Patriot website