Hornby R30232 L&MR 57 Lion Liverpool & Manchester Railway Centenary Train Pack OO

£215.99
MRP £239.99
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(Product Ref 111057)
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L&MR locomotive No.57 Lion was built by Todd, Kitson & Laird at their Leeds Works in 1837. An 0-4-2 locomotive with coupled driving axles Lion was one of a pair of engines ordered for hauling goods trains (the other, No.58 was named Tiger) and was stated to be capable of hauling trains of up to 200 tons at speeds up to 40mph.
In 1841, ‘Lion’ was rebuilt at Edge Hill and given a new boiler together with longer frames, new cylinders and valve gear.

The L&MR was absorbed into the Grand Junction Railway in 1845 which a year later became part of the London & North Western Railway (LNWR) and it was at that time ‘Lion’ received the number 116.
‘Lion’ continued in service until 1857, when it was transferred to the 'stores department' as ballast engine No.14. Sold to the Mersey Docks & Harbour Board in 1859 for service on their internal railway system around 1874 Lion was retired and put to use as a pumping engine at the Graving Dock. There ‘Lion’ remained in use electric pumps were installed in 1928 and at that time that the Liverpool Engineering Society became aware of its continued existence.

In preparation for the centenary of the Liverpool and Manchaster Railway the LMS undertook a full overhaul and rebuild of ‘Lion’ at the former LNWR Crewe Works, a new tender being built using a tender from a scrapped Furness Railway locomotive. Other work included a new chimney, wheel splashers, footplate and numerous other parts including boiler tubes. A controversial copper cover was fitted over the high firebox to simulate an arc de cloitre firebox, a design feature that dated back to the first half of the 19th century.
The refurbished ‘Lion’ became one of the star attractions of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway Centenary exhibition in September 1930, running with replica coaches and carriages offering trips around a circular track at the Wavertree Recreation Grounds in Liverpool.

'Lion' was subsequently displayed on a pedestal at Liverpool Lime Street station until 1937, when the engine was again in action for it's first period feature film 'Victoria the Great'. 'Lion' was displayed at London Euston station for the London & Birmingham Railway centenary and appeared in a number of late-1930s publicity films produced by the LMS.
Stored at Crewe works through WW2 'Lion' was reconditioned again for filming 'The Lady With a Lamp' in 1951 and the 1953 'The Titfield Thunderbolt'.

Retiring again, in 1967  'Lion' was loaned to and later purchased by Liverpool Museum.

In 1979 'Lion' was removed from display for restoration by Ruston Diesels Ltd for the 'Rocket 150th' events marking the 150th anniversary of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway. @lion' last operated at the Birmingham Railway Museum, Tyseley in 1988 before returning to display at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester alongside the replica of 'Planet'.
In 2007 'Lion' was returned by road to Liverpool to take it's place in the new Museum of Liverpool.
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