Editing LMS Coronation Class (section)

=== Overview ===
The [[London Midland Region]], compared with some of the other Regions, was slow to discard its "Big Engines". By a matter of a few days, the [[Western Region of British Railways|Western Region]] had managed to withdraw the whole of its [[GWR 6000 Class|King Class]] locomotives before the Coronation Class lost its first.{{r|Roden|p=108}} The beginning of the end occurred late in December 1962 when it was deemed uneconomic to proceed with major repairs required by three locomotives. Nos. 46227, 46231 and 46232 were therefore summarily withdrawn.{{r|Roden|p=108}}

Nos. 46234, 46246 and 46253 followed the next month and throughout 1963 the entire initial batch, Nos. 46220-46224, was withdrawn along with Nos. 46230, 46242, 46247, 46249 and 46252. These withdrawals meant that by the New Year of 1964, there were only 22 of the class remaining. Nos. 46229, 46233 and 46236 followed in early 1964, although two of this group – No. 46229 ''Duchess of Hamilton'' and No. 46233 ''Duchess of Sutherland'' – were destined for preservation.{{r|Roden|pp=110}}

Attempts were now made to find a role for the remaining 19 locomotives. By now many had been relegated to hauling trains in what were once seen as remote outposts of the LMS. Often they were reduced to pulling stopping trains,{{r|Jenkinson|loc=Plates 160 and 198}} empty stock trains,{{r|Jenkinson|loc=Plates 11 and 123}} or even goods trains.{{r|Jenkinson|loc=Plates 26, 81, 95, 100, 145 and 201}} Only one realistic mainline role was contemplated: to replace the [[Scottish Region]] [[LNER Class A4|A4 Class]] on the testing route between [[Edinburgh Waverley railway station|Edinburgh Waverley]] and [[Aberdeen]]. This idea was discarded largely because it would be excessively problematic to train the A4 crews to operate the Coronations.{{r|Roden|p=113}} With no credible role, only one option remained: in July 1964 it was resolved that the remaining 19 locomotives were to be withdrawn from 12 September.{{r|Roden|p=112}}

Accordingly, the remaining locomotives were nominally taken out of service on 12 September 1964 apart from No. 46256 ''Sir William A. Stanier, F.R.S'' which hauled a special train on 26 September 1964.{{r|Roden|p=113}} By October all were officially withdrawn. Up until March 1964 all the withdrawn Coronation class locomotives were cut up for scrap at Crewe Works, but the simultaneous withdrawal of all nineteen remaining locomotives in the autumn of 1964 (one of which was preserved) was too much to deal with and the work was contracted out to private firms. J. Cashmore at [[Great Bridge, West Midlands|Great Bridge]], [[Staffordshire]], accounted for nine of the batch, the West of Scotland Shipbreaking Company at [[Troon]], [[Ayrshire]], dispatched eight and the Central Wagon Company at [[Wigan]], [[Lancashire]], disposed of the one remaining. {{r|Roden|pp=114–115}}<ref name="Hands">{{cite book |last=Hands |first=P.B. |title=What Happened to Steam, Volume Seven |year=1980 |publisher=P. B. Hands |location=Solihull |pages=28, 30}}</ref>