Steam Locomotive BR built tank engine 41241

Ivatt LMS design Class 2MT 2-6-2T

Heritage & Preserved Steam Locomotive Engines

[Author © Dr Phil Brown PhD plus help from AI these days, railway page updated May 11th 2026]

Photos of maroon liveried 41241 on  Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, 50th Anniversary gala week in June 29th 2018

Steam locomotive 41241 was repainted in maroon livery as part of the KWVR Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, 50th Anniversary gala week in June 2018. The photos were taken on June 29th 50 years after the same locomotive helped haul the first official train on June 29th 1968.

See also BR 41313 Locomotive Ivatt LMS design Class 2MT 2-6-2T tank engine

41241 of the K W V R backing into Keighley station

Portrait steam locomotive 41241

A detailed profile of steam locomotive 41241, a preserved LMS Ivatt Class 2MT 2-6-2T tank engine with a unique place in British preservation history:

Historical Background and Description of 41241

41241 was built at Crewe Works in September 1949, shortly after the nationalisation of Britain's railways. It was part of the LMS Ivatt Class 2MT 2-6-2T series, designed by H.G. Ivatt for light mixed-traffic and branch line duties. The design was influenced by American wartime locomotives, incorporating labour-saving features like grease lubrication and a rocking grate, which improved crew comfort and simplified maintenance.

41241 was one of 130 locomotives in the class, known for their compact size, versatility, and suitability for lightly laid rural routes.

Technical Specifications of 41241

Heritage and Operational History of 41241

• Allocated from new to Bath Green Park, working on the Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway, including local passenger services and banking duties.

• Later allocations included Bristol Barrow Road, Wellington, Leamington Spa, Bangor, Croes Newydd, Llandudno Junction, and finally Skipton, where it was withdrawn in December 1966.

Preservation Milestones of 41241

• Purchased directly from British Railways by two founding members of the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway (KWVR).

• Arrived at the KWVR under its own power in 1968, becoming the star of the railway’s reopening.

• Double-headed the Reopening Special on 29 June 1968 alongside USA Tank No. 30072.

• Passed into KWVR ownership in the early 1970s and became a stalwart performer on the line.

• Overhauled multiple times and remains operational, often seen hauling heritage services on the KWVR.

41241 is considered the most typical original branch line engine on the KWVR, perfectly suited to its gradients and traffic.

Liveries and Numbers of 41241

• No official name has ever been carried by 41241.

• The Crimson Lake livery, though not historically accurate for the class, was chosen to reflect its LMS heritage and to comply with BR restrictions on liveries in preservation.

• In 2018, 41241 reprised its Crimson Lake livery for the 50th anniversary of the KWVR, recreating its original role in the Reopening Special.

41241 taking on water at Keighley station

41241 waiting to depart Keighley station

 

41241 leaving Keighley station with a Pullman train for Ingrow West

 

Keighley & Worth Valley Railway:  Ivatt 2-6-2T tank engine 41241 built at Crewe Works in 1949, carrying the 10C shed code for Patricroft locomotive depot near Salford & Manchester. Photo from October 2011

Technical detail specifications of locomotive 41241: Boiler pressure of 41241: 200 lbf/sq.in., Weight of 41241: 63.3 tons, Wheel diameter of 41241: 3' 0'', 5' 0", 3' 0", Valve gear of 41241: Walschaerts piston valves, Cylinders (diameter x stroke) of 41241: 16" x 24" (O), Tractive effort of 41241: 18510 lbf., BR Power classification of 41241: Class 2 MT

In the depot and workshop yard near Oakworth Station

A brief history of 2-6-2T tank engine 41241

LMS/BR Ivatt Class 2MT 2‑6‑2T No. 41241 is one of the most historically significant small tank engines in preservation—especially because of its central role in the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway’s reopening in 1968. Below is a full, structured, deeply detailed history synthesised from authoritative sources.

Core Identity and Significance of 2-6-2T tank engine 41241

Why 41241 matters:
It is one of only four surviving Ivatt 2MT 2‑6‑2T tank engines, and uniquely, it hauled the KWVR’s first public train in 1968, becoming a symbol of early British preservation.

• Class: LMS/BR Ivatt Class 2MT 2‑6‑2T

• Designer: H. G. Ivatt

• Builder: BR Crewe Works

• Build date: September 1949

• Number: 41241

• Purpose: Light mixed‑traffic and branch line work

• Route Availability: 1 (very light axle load)

Design Background of 2-6-2T tank engine 41241

Ivatt’s 2MT tanks were created to replace ageing pre‑grouping tank engines on lightly laid rural routes. The design drew on:

• GWR 4500/4575 Prairie influence

• American wartime practice (labour‑saving features)

• Stanier and Fowler 2‑6‑2T lineage

Key labour‑saving features:

• Rocking grate

• Self‑emptying ashpan

• Grease lubrication

These made the class popular with crews and ideal for branch lines, push‑pull work, and banking.

Technical Specifications of 2-6-2T tank engine 41241

Working Life of 2-6-2T tank engine 41241 (1949–1966)

📍 Initial Allocation: Bath Green Park (S&DJR)

41241 entered service at Bath Green Park, working:

• Local passenger trains

• Somerset & Dorset banking duties

Later Allocations of 2-6-2T tank engine 41241

Throughout the 1950s–60s, 41241 moved widely across the network:

• Bristol Barrow Road

• Wellington (Shropshire)

• Leamington Spa

• Bangor

• Croes Newydd (Wrexham)

• Llandudno Junction

• Skipton (final shed)

Withdrawal of 2-6-2T tank engine 41241

• Withdrawn: December 1966

• Location: Skipton

Preservation History of 2-6-2T tank engine 41241 (1967–present)

⭐ 1967–1968: Saved for the KWVR

41241 was purchased directly from BR by two founding KWVR members and arrived under its own steam in March 1967.

Because BR forbade preserved engines from carrying BR crests at the time, it was repainted into lined maroon with KWVR lettering.

29 June 1968: The Re‑Opening Star

41241 hauled the KWVR’s re‑opening special, double‑heading with USA Tank No. 30072.

This cemented its place as one of the most iconic locomotives in early UK preservation.

Preservation Career Highlights of 2-6-2T tank engine 41241

1975 – Rocket 150 at Shildon

41241 travelled under its own power to Shildon for the Rocket 150 celebrations, working shuttle trains between Darlington and Shildon.

Liveries Worn in Preservation

• KWVR maroon (1968, 2018)

• BR early crest black

• BR late crest black

2013–2018: Major Overhaul

• Boiler ticket expired January 2013

• Underwent extensive overhaul

• Returned to traffic for KWVR’s 50th anniversary gala in June 2018, again in maroon

Current Status

• Active on the KWVR

• Boiler ticket valid until 2027–2028 (sources vary slightly)

Cultural Footnotes of 2-6-2T tank engine 41241

• 41241 is one of the inspirations for Arthur in Thomas & Friends.

• KWVR once temporarily renumbered it 5972 with a “Hogwarts Express” headboard for a promotional event.

Summary Timeline of 2-6-2T tank engine 41241

Two shots of Ivatt LMS design Class 2MT 2-6-2T tank engines in the 1960s

My Archive Steam Photos from the 1960s

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IMAGES OF PRESERVED STEAM LOCOMOTIVES