Breasting The Slocht

The London Midland and Scottish Railway's Class 5, 4-6-0 steam locomotive No 44871, the class almost universally known as the 'Black Five', is seen here just coming to the top of Slocht Summit in the Highlands at 4.35pm today on route from Perth to Inverness. Slocht summit is 1386 feet above sea level and it's a long, steady hard climb from Aveimore. The class 5 was introduced by William Stanier in 1934 and 842 were built between then and 1951. Members of the class survived to the last day of steam on British Railways in 1968, and eighteen are preserved. This class of locomotive was often a favourite amongst drivers and railway fans.