Although intended for construction in 1939, the first V4, No. 3401 Bantam Cock, didn’t emerge from Doncaster until February 1941, being out-shopped in fully lined apple green.   After initial testing on the main line between Doncaster and Leeds it was sent to the Great Eastern section to be trialed the majority of those lines, including the Southend route; it proved singularly successful on the Norwich expresses and showed the design to be very frugal in terms of coal consumption.

No. 3401, fresh out of the paint shop in 1941

In 1942 No. 3401 joined its sister in Scotland, initially allocated to Edinburgh, Haymarket shed, to work trains in the Perth and Fife areas before both were moved to Glasgow, Eastfield in 1943 to work the west Highland line.  Despite their superior ride quality and better crew comfort, the V4s couldn’t match the K4s for hill-climbing ability, possibly due to their wheel arrangement, and were limited to 250 tons over this road as opposed to the 300 tons the K4s were permitted.  At about the same time as their transfer to Eastfield both locomotives were repainted in wartime unlined black with ‘N E’ initials on the tender.  In 1946 No. 3401 was re-numbered 1700 under the Thompson scheme and regained LNER apple green in 1947/8, albeit with the simplified, un-shaded numbers and letters.

No. 1700 at Ardlui – Ben Brooksbank

With the nationalisation in 1948 Bantam Cock was re-numbered again, this time as No. 61700 although it continued to carry its green livery until 1950 when both engines received BR mixed traffic, lined black livery.  In 1954 the locomotives were transferred again, this time to Aberdeen to work fish trains.  They proved to be useful on the East Coast, being able to operate almost everywhere over the Great North of Scotland routes which were subject to a limited axle loading and on which Thompson’s B1s could not operate.

No. 61700 in early BR livery – Colour Rail

With their boilers due for renewal and there being no appetite at BR to produce two, unique replacement boilers, both V4s were withdrawn in 1957, No. 61700 on 4^th March 1957.

No. 61700 awaits its fate at Cowlairs in April, 1957 – Bill Reed

Although intended for construction in 1939, the first V4, No. 3402 didn’t emerge from Doncaster until March 1941, being out-shopped in fully lined apple green, differing from No. 3401 in being fitted with a steel firebox having a Nicholson thermic syphon.   It was sent straight to Scotland, initially to Edinburgh Haymarket shed to work trains in the Perth and Fife areas before both were moved to Glasgow, Eastfield in 1943 to work the west Highland line.  At the same time as their transfer to Eastfield both locomotives were repainted in wartime unlined black with ‘N E’ initials on the tender.  Stays on No. 3402’s copper firebox kept breaking, so it was quickly decided to replace the entire firebox including the thermic syphon. Hence from 1945, No. 3402 had a boiler and firebox to the same design as No. 3401.  In 1946 No. 3402 was re-numbered 1701 under the Thompson scheme and regained LNER apple green in 1947/8, albeit with the simplified, un-shaded numbers and letters.

The V4s proved to be faster on the easier sections of which failed to flatter the tendency of the K4s to ride more roughly.  Although the Edinburgh crews had few problems firing the V4s, the Glasgow men sometimes struggled to manage the wide grate, being used to the deep grates of the ‘Glens’ and K2s.  With the nationalisation in 1948 the locomotive was re-numbered again, this time as No. 61701 although it continued to carry its green livery until 1950 when both engines received BR mixed traffic, lined black livery.  In 1954 the locomotives were transferred again, this time to Aberdeen to work fish trains; the GNoS section had retained a stud of Gresley-boilered B12/1s because of their low axle load and the V4s were an ideal replacement.

No. 61701, probably at Eastfield, in early BR condition – Real Photographs

With their boilers due for renewal and there being no appetite at BR to produce two, unique replacement boilers, both V4s were withdrawn in 1957, No. 61701 on 26^th November 1957.