LNWR Whale Experiment Class

4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)Leading dia.3 ft 9 in (1.143 m)Driver dia.6 ft 3 in (1.905 m)Loco weight65.75 long tons (66.81 t)Fuel typeCoalBoiler pressure175 psi (1.21 MPa)Heating surface2,041 sq ft (189.6 m2)CylindersTwo (rebuilt: four)Cylinder size19 in × 26 in (483 mm × 660 mm);
rebuilt: 14 in × 26 in (356 mm × 660 mm)Valve gearJoy; rebuilt: Dendy-MarshallValve typeSlide valves
Performance figures
Tractive effort18,616 lbf (82.8 kN); rebuilt: 20,232 lbf (90.0 kN)
Career
OperatorsLondon and North Western Railway
→ London, Midland and Scottish Railway
Power classLMS: 3P
Number in class1 January 1923: 105
Withdrawn1925–1935
DispositionAll scrapped

The London and North Western Railway (LNWR) Experiment Class was a class of 4-6-0 steam locomotive designed by George Whale.

Career

They were an extended version of the Whale's Precursor Class 4-4-0, with slightly smaller driving wheels. The first of the class, 66 Experiment was built in 1905 and a total of 105 were constructed up until 1910. The LNWR reused numbers and names of withdrawn locomotives, with the result that the numbering system was completely haphazard. A 19in Express Goods Class with smaller driving wheels was also built from 1906. From 1911, a superheated version, the Prince of Wales Class was built.

In 1915, 1361 Prospero was experimentally rebuilt with four cylinders, Dendy Marshall valve gear and superheated. The conversion was not repeated. Only two other engines were given superheaters; 2624 Saracen and 1993 (LMS 5472) Richard Moon.

All entered London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) stock upon grouping in 1923. The LMS gave them the power classification 3P. The LMS renumbered them into a more logical series of 5450–5553 according to date of construction. An exception was made for 1361 Prospero which became 5554. Not all however survived long enough to receive their LMS numbers — withdrawals had started in 1925. In 1934 the thirteen then remaining were renumbered with the addition of 20000 to their numbers make room for Black Five, Patriot and Jubilee class locomotives. The final engine was withdrawn the following year and none were preserved.

Fleet list

Table of locomotives[1]
LNWR
No. 		Name Crewe
Works
No. 		Built LMS
No. 		With-
drawn 		Notes
66 Experiment 4505 Apr 1905 5450 Jul 1931
306 Autocrat 4506 Jul 1905 5451 Dec 1930
353 Britannic 4507 Jun 1905 5452 Dec 1930
372 Germanic 4508 Jun 1905 5453 Sep 1928 Renamed Belgic from October 1914
507 Sarmatian 4509 Jun 1905 5454 Sep 1932
565 City of Carlisle 4550 Jan 1906 5455 Jun 1925 LMS number never applied
893 City of Chester 4551 Jan 1906 5456 Aug 1935 Renumbered 25456 in 1935
1074 City of Dublin 4552 Jan 1906 5457 Sep 1934
1357 City of Edinburgh 4553 Jan 1906 5458 Dec 1933
1669 City of Glasgow 4554 Feb 1906 5464 Dec 1930
165 City of Lichfield 4555 Jan 1906 5459 Dec 1930
828 City of Liverpool 4556 Feb 1906 5460 Oct 1934
978 City of London 4557 Feb 1906 5461 May 1934
1405 City of Manchester 4558 Feb 1906 5462 Nov 1934
1575 City of Paris 4559 Feb 1906 5463 Sep 1928
1986 Clanricarde 4620 Sep 1906 5465 Oct 1925 LMS number never applied
1987 Glendower 4621 Sep 1906 5466 Nov 1934
1988 Hurricane 4622 Sep 1906 5467 Sep 1928
1989 Lady of the Lake 4623 Sep 1906 5468 Dec 1929 Name removed in December 1928
1990 North Western 4624 Oct 1906 5469 Mar 1932
1991 Palmerston 4625 Oct 1906 5470 Feb 1928
1992 President 4626 Oct 1906 5471 Dec 1933
1993 Richard Moon 4627 Oct 1906 5472 Dec 1933 Superheated December 1926 to January 1932
1994 Scottish Chief 4628 Oct 1906 5473 Sep 1935 Renumbered 25473 in 1935
1995 Tornado 4629 Oct 1906 5481 Sep 1925 LMS number never applied
61 Atalanta 4630 Nov 1906 5474 Dec 1933
222 Ivanhoe 4631 Nov 1903 5475 Jul 1935
291 Leander 4632 Nov 1903 5476 Aug 1931
667 Mazeppa 4633 Nov 1903 5477 Dec 1933
1304 Prometheus 4634 Nov 1906 5478 Aug 1931
1676 Prince of Wales 4635 Nov 1906 5479 Nov 1934 Renamed Shakespeare from July 1911
1709 Princess May 4636 Nov 1906 5480 Feb 1928
2027 Queen Empress 4637 Nov 1906 5482 Oct 1931
2052 Stephenson 4638 Dec 1906 5483 Dec 1930
2269 William Cawkwell 4639 Dec 1906 5484 Aug 1931
496 Harlequin 4680 Sep 1907 5485 Aug 1930
830 Phosphorus 4681 Sep 1907 5486 Jul 1925 LMS number never applied
902 Combermere 4682 Sep 1907 5487 Oct 1934
937 Princess Alice 4683 Sep 1907 5488 Mar 1934
2112 Victoria 4684 Sep 1907 5490 Dec 1930
1014 Henry Bessemer 4685 Sep 1905 5489 Mar 1928
1135 Prince George 4686 Sep 1907 5491 Jun 1934
1361 Prospero 4687 Oct 1907 5554 Jun 1933 Rebuilt with 4 cylinders in March 1915
1526 Sanspareil 4688 Oct 1907 5492 Nov 1928
2161 Jeanie Deans 4689 Oct 1907 5493 Aug 1925 LMS number never applied
322 Adriatic 4770 Dec 1908 5494 Jun 1929
884 Greater Britain 4771 Dec 1908 5495 Dec 1930
887 Fortuna 4772 Jan 1909 5496 Mar 1932
1020 Majestic 4773 Jan 1909 5497 Nov 1934
1483 Red Gauntlet 4774 Jan 1909 5498 Dec 1933
1490 Wellington 4775 Jan 1909 5499 Dec 1933
1553 Faraday 4776 Jan 1909 5500 Oct 1931
1571 Herschel 4777 Jan 1909 5501 Jan 1929
2076 Pheasant 4778 Jan 1909 5502 Oct 1934 Renumbered 25502 in 1934
2116 Greystoke 4779 Jan 1909 5503 Jul 1925 LMS number never applied
2621 Ethelred 4780 Feb 1909 5504 Nov 1934 Renumbered 25504 in 1934
2622 Eunomia 4781 Feb 1909 5505 Apr 1928
2623 Lord of the Isles 4782 Feb 1909 5506 Mar 1934
2624 Saracen 4783 Feb 1909 5507 Feb 1928 Superheated from February 1926; LMS number never applied
2625 Buckland 4784 Feb 1909 5508 Aug 1935 Renumbered 25508 in 1935
2626 Chillington 4785 Feb 1909 5509 May 1935 Renumbered 25509 by LMS
2627 President Lincoln 4786 Feb 1905 5510 May 1928
2628 Banshee 4787 Feb 1909 5511 Jul 1935 Renumbered 25511 in 1935
2629 Terrier 4788 Mar 1909 5512 Feb 1928
2630 Buffalo 4789 Mar 1909 5513 Mar 1932
1406 George Findlay 4830 Apr 1909 5514 Aug 1935 Renumbered 25514 by LMS
1413 Henry Cort 4831 Apr 1909 5515 Sep 1925 LMS number never applied
1477 Hugh Myddleton 4832 May 1909 5516 Apr 1928
1498 Thomas Savery 4833 May 1909 5517 Sep 1925 LMS number never applied
1566 John Penn 4834 May 1909 5518 Dec 1933
1603 Princess Alexandra 4835 May 1909 5519 Dec 1930
1649 Sisyphus 4836 May 1909 5520 Aug 1932
1661 Wordsworth 4837 May 1909 5521 Jun 1928
1781 Lightning 4838 May 1909 5522 May 1930
2022 Marlborough 4839 May 1909 5523 Apr 1934
2637 Babylon 4840 Jun 1909 5524 Jan 1932
2638 Byzantium 4841 Jun 1909 5525 Jun 1934 Renumbered 25525 in 1934
2639 Bactria 4842 Jun 1909 5526 Apr 1934
2640 Belisarius 4843 Jun 1909 5527 Sep 1925 LMS number never applied
2641 Bellona 4844 Jun 1909 5528 Aug 1935 Renumbered 25528 in 1935
2642 Berenice 4845 Jun 1909 5529 Dec 1933
2643 Bacchus 4846 Jun 1909 5530 Oct 1927 LMS number never applied
2644 Berengaria 4847 Jun 1905 5531 Aug 1934 Renumbered 25531 in 1934
2645 Britomart 4848 Jul 1909 5532 Sep 1934 Renumbered 25532 in 1934
2646 Boniface 4849 Jul 1909 5533 Sep 1928
1412 Bedfordshire 4850 Nov 1909 5534 Jan 1932
1418 Cheshire 4851 Nov 1909 5535 Dec 1931
1420 Derbyshire 4852 Nov 1909 5536 Dec 1933
1455 Herefordshire 4853 Nov 1909 5537 Dec 1933
1611 Hertfordshire 4854 Nov 1909 5538 Sep 1925 LMS number never applied
1618 Lancashire 4855 Nov 1909 5539 Mar 1934
1624 Leicestershire 4856 Nov 1909 5545 Dec 1933
1652 Middlesex 4857 Nov 1909 5546 Dec 1933
1689 Monmouthshire 4858 Dec 1909 5547 Mar 1932
1703 Northumberland 4859 Dec 1909 5548 Mar 1934
71 Oxfordshire 4860 Dec 1909 5540 Apr 1928
275 Shropshire 4861 Dec 1909 5541 Sep 1928
677 Staffordshire 4862 Dec 1909 5542 Dec 1933
1002 Warwickshire 4863 Dec 1909 5543 Dec 1930
1534 Westmorlandshire 4864 Dec 1909 5544 Sep 1925 LMS number never applied
1471 Worcestershire 4865 Jan 1910 5549 Mar 1932
1561 Yorkshire 4866 Jan 1910 5550 Sep 1928
1618 Carnarvonshire 4867 Jan 1910 5551 Mar 1934
1621 Denbighshire 4868 Jan 1910 5552 Jun 1935 Renumbered 25552 by LMS
1658 Flintshire 4869 Jan 1910 5553 Jul 1931

Accidents and incidents

  • On 15 October 1907, a mail train hauled by No. 2052 Stephenson was derailed at Shrewsbury, Shropshire due to excessive speed on a curve. Eighteen people were killed.
  • On 5 July 1923, an express passenger train hauled by 1406 George Findlay was involved in a rear-end collision with a freight train at Diggle, Lancashire due to confusion by the driver of the freight train over flag signals. Four people were killed.[2]

References

  1. ^ Baxter1979, pp. 265–268.
  2. ^ Trevena, Arthur (1980). Trains in Trouble. Vol. 1. Redruth: Atlantic Books. pp. 24, 20. ISBN 0-906899-01-X.
  • Baxter, Bertram (1979). Baxter, David (ed.). British Locomotive Catalogue 1825–1923, Volume 2B: London and North Western Railway and its constituent companies. Ashbourne, Derbyshire: Moorland Publishing Company. ISBN 0-903485-84-2.
  • Casserley, H. C. & Johnston, Stuart W. (1974) [1966]. Locomotives at the Grouping 3: London, Midland and Scottish Railway. Shepperton, Surrey: Ian Allan. pp. 65–66. ISBN 0-7110-0554-0.

External links

  • LNWR Society Photographs of the Whale 4-6-0 Experiment class steam locomotives.
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John Ramsbottom (North Eastern Division 1846–1857)
Francis Trevithick (Northern Division 1846–1857)
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