Designs of LBSC - "Curly" Lawrence

"LBSC" was the pen-name of one of model engineering's most prolific writers. Lillian "Curly" Lawrence was born in 1882 and, the time he died in 1967 had designed over 100 locomotives, building over 50 himself. An enigmatic character, not to mention one who had almost no ability to tolerate criticism of his work, he nevertheless had a natural empathy with his readers and a remarkable knack of making the most complicated workshop procedures sound utterly straightforward.

I am freqently asked to identify locomotives, many of which are LBSC designs. Below I have listed the more common specimens likely to be encountered "in the wild". Drawings and castings for many of these designs are still available, the demand for them a great tribute to the skill of their designer.

If you can find a copy, "LBSC - his life and locomotives" by Brian Hollingsworth is an excellent read and a super reference book.

2 1/2 inch gauge	Description	Serialised
Annie Boddie	Midland style 4-4-0. "Anybody" would be able to build her!	Model Engineer 1933
Austere Ada	War Department 2-8-0 Austerity	Model Engineer 1943
Caterpillar	4-12-2, LBSC's own version was four cylinder, English Mechanics later described a 3 cylinder version. Neither were a pretty sight!	English Mechanics 1932
Canadian Switcher	0-6-0 switcher	Model Engineer 1929
Fayette	Anglo-American Pacific, rather handsome especially with the Vanderbuilt tender which he described. Still a popular engine	Model Engineer 1928
Green Arrow	LNER V2 2-6-2. 3 cylinder with Holcroft conjugated valve gear. LBSC and Holcroft were friends - indeed, an LBSC-built engine was the first one to run in the country with Holcroft's valve gear.	English Mechanics 1936
GWR 1695	Very pretty GWR open cab saddle tank	English Mechanics 1939
Helen Long	4-8-4 express tank locomotive built as a commission by LBSC, later serialised as a 3 cylinder special "for the advanced constructor"	Model Engineer 1927
Kingette	GWR King 4 cylinder 4-6-0. A lot of bits packed between 2 1/2 inch gauge wheels!	Model Engineer 1932
Lady Kitty	GWR 47xx class 2-8-0	Model Engineer 1929
LMS 4652	LMS 4F 0-6-0 tender engine	English Mechanics 1937
Mabel Hall	GWR Hall 4-6-0	English Mechanics 1932
Mary Ann	LNER J39 0-6-0 tender engine	Model Engineer 1934
Olympiade	LMS Jubilee 4-6-0	Model Engineer 1938
Princess Royal	LMS Pacific	English Mechanics 1933
Purley Grange	GWR Grange 4-6-0	Model Engineer 1937
US Austerity	2-8-0 American style WWII Austerity	English Mechanics 1943
Uranus	GWR style 4-8-4	English Mechanics 1932

3 1/2 inch gauge	Description	Serialised
Britannia	LBSC was a friend of Riddles, designer of the Class 7 Pacifics. Serialisation of "Britannia" was started in Model Engineer the day that British Railways launched the class using much information made available to Lawrence during development of the full-size engine - a major coup for the magazine.	Model Engineer 1951
BR 75000	British Railways 4-6-0 class 4 tender engine, the last design he did for "Mechanics" magazine	English Mechanics 1956
Canterbury Lamb	0-4-0 Canterbury & Whitstable engine of 1830.	Model Engineer 1952
Hielan Lassie	Thompson rebuilf of the LNER A1 Pacific. Described with slide or piston valves and both Walshaerts and Baker valve gear. A popular design which produces a very powerful 3 1/2 inch gauge engine.	Model Engineer 1946
Ivy Hall	"Modernised" GWR 4-6-0 Hall class tender engine. Origina obscure, but believed to have been requested by the editor of Model Engineer and designed against LBSC's better judgment. He went on to design a "real" Hall for the competition, which probably hastened his demise at Model Engineer. None believed built.	Model Engineer 1955
Juliet	Classic beginner's 0-4-0, slightly larger than, though somewhat overshadowed by, Tich	Model Engineer 1946
Lickham Hall	This is the one to go for if you want to build an authentic Hall. Designed for Reeves in 1956
Maisie	4-4-0 Great Northern Atlantic, a super looking engine. Popular design, the articles were reproduced as a book of "words and music".	Model Engineer 1935
Miss Ten-to-Eight	4-4-0 North Easter R1	Model Engineer 1939
Molly	0-6-0 "Jinty" LMS tank engine	Model Engineer 1941
Mona	0-6-2 tank engine with inside cylinders and Hackworth valve gear. Attractive, LNER-style engine.	Model Mechanics 1954
Netta	North Eastern 0-8-0 tender engine, described simultaneously in gauge O, 1 3/4, 2 1/2, 3 1/2 and 5 inch. Often wondered if anybody ever built them all!	Model Engineer 1954
Pamela	Southern Pacific	Model Engineer 1950
Petrolea	Great Easter T19 2-4-0. Elegant inside cylinder engine	Model Engineer 1943
Princess Marina	LMS Stanier Mogul 2-6-0. Popular design with many engines built	English Mechanics 1935
P.V.Baker	0-6-0 tank engine. Piston Valve, Baker valve gear. Must have been running low in the names suggestion box (after all, there was a war on)	Model Engineer 1945
Rainhill	0-2-2 inspired by Stephenson's Rocket in its original form	Model Engineer 1941
Tich	0-4-0 freelance contractors tank engine. Probably the most famous of them all! The articles from Model Engineer, reprinted in book form, is still a must-read for all model engineers. Tich comes in small and large-boilered variants, with slip-eccentric or Walshaerts (and occasionally Baker) valve gear.	Model Engineer 1948
Virginia	4-4-0 American, described in both "old time" and modern guises	Model Engineer 1956

5 inch gauge	Description	Serialised
Eva May	0-6-0 freelance tank engine. LBSC's first 5 inch design. There was a tender version as well.	English Mechanics 1933
Maid of Kent	4-4-0 tender engine, "officially" a SECR L1 class they turn up in all sorts of guises, frequently posing as Midland Compounds.	Model Engineer 1948
Minx	LB&SCR C2x 0-6-0 tender engine, described at the same time as "Maid of Kent", representing the goods engine version.	Model Engineer 1948
Pansy	0-6-0 GWR Pannier tank. Very popular, with many engines built to this design.	Model Engineer 1958
Speedy	0-6-0 GWR 15xx tank. Popular design with many examples built	English Mechanics 1950
Titfield Thunderbolt	0-4-2 tender engine based on the Liverpool & Manchester Railway's "Lion", renamed "Thunderbolt" in the film "The Titfield Thunderbolt" - if you haven't seen it, buy the video!	Model Engineer 1953