An Appreciation of LMS Patriots
Philip D. Hawkins FRGA counts the LMS Patriots as his favourite steam engines. He has painted number 45506 'The Royal Pioneer Corps' in a scene at Birmingham New Street.
"Of all the locomotive types to cross 'my bank' my favourites were the 'Patriots'. Though not as glamourous as the 'Scots', their straightforward, no-nonsense demeanour topped off by that odd, pinched-in chimney appealed to me and I always think of them as 'proper' engines."
"In 'Birmingham New Street' I have attempted to portray the atmosphere of my 'second home'. The engine is 'Patriot' 4-6-0 No. 45506 'The Royal Pioneer Corps' which is standing at Platform 7 with a train from its home city of Bristol which will be going on to Sheffield, York or Newcastle. It is 1959/1960 and the time is soon after midday with shafts of sunlight forcing a way through the smoke and steam to create the sort of 'light cocktail' that today's photographers of preserved steam would kill for. The painting is now in a private collection in the USA."
Click here to view the railway paintings of Philip D. Hawkins.
