LNWR Whale Precursor Class explained

LNWR Whale Precursor Class should not be confused with LNWR Webb Precursor Class.

LNWR Precursor Class (Whale)
Powertype:Steam
Designer:George Whale
Builder:LNWR Crewe Works
Serialnumber:4415–4419, 4440–4504, 4510–4549, 4660–4679
Builddate:1904–1907
Totalproduction:130
Whytetype:4-4-0
Uicclass:2′B n2 or 2′B h2
Driverdiameter:6feet
Boilerpressure:1752NaN2
Cylindercount:Two
Cylindersize:19x or NaNx
Valvegear:Joy
Tractiveeffort:182221NaN1 or 206401NaN1
Operator:London and North Western Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
British Railways
Powerclass:LMS: 2P, 3P
Numinclass:1 January 1923: 130
1 January 1948: 1
Withdrawndate:1927–1949
Disposition:All scrapped

The London and North Western Railway (LNWR) "Precursor" Class was a type of 4-4-0 ("American") steam locomotive designed by the company's Chief Mechanical Engineer, George Whale.[1] [2] Introduced in 1904, it should not be confused with the LNWR 2-4-0 "Precursor" Class of 1874 designed by Francis Webb, the last example of which was scrapped in 1895.[3] In 1906, a 4-4-2T ("Atlantic") tank variant of Webb's engine, the "Precursor Tank" Class, also entered service.[4]

History

The Precursor Class was essentially a larger version of the LNWR "Improved Precedent" Class, being Whale's first attempt at producing a locomotive which would remove the requirement for express trains to be double headed (then standard practice on the LNWR).[5] 130 examples of the class were constructed at Crewe Works between March 1904 and August 1907,[6] their introduction allowing Whale to phase out the unreliable compound locomotives favoured by his predecessor, Francis Webb.[7] [8] [9] As built, they were saturated, although a small number were fitted with superheaters between February 1913 and September 1919.[3]

Whilst the Precursors created issues for crews as some of the cab controls were difficult to operate or reach, they were generally successful in terms of operating performance.[10] However, having apparently experienced difficulty keeping time on trials between Crewe and, they were not used on heavier gradients such as the climb to Shap. A consequence of this was the introduction of an extended version of the Precursors, the 4-6-0 "Experiment" Class, in 1905.[11] Nevertheless, double heading was still necessary on many trains north of Preston due to accelerated schedules and increased loads.

In 1919, the Precursors were developed by Whale's successor, Charles Bowen-Cooke, into the superheated "George the Fifth" Class.[5] [12] The main visual difference was that the Precursors had separate splashers over each of the driving wheels while the Georges had combined splashers that covered both pairs.

The LNWR reused numbers and names from withdrawn locomotives, with the result that the numbering system was completely haphazard. Starting with the first of the class 513 "Precursor" in 1913, were given superheaters, the process continuing until just after grouping in 1923. Most of the superheated engines were also converted from having slide valves to piston valves.

This resulted in two main subclasses; saturated locomotives with 19x cylinders, and superheated locomotives with 20.5x cylinders. The LMS gave them the power classification 3P. The saturated engines were given the LMS numbers in the 5187–5266 series, though not all survived long enough to receive them. The superheated engines were given the LMS numbers 5270–5319 (5267–5269 were not used).

The LMS continued to superheat engines until 1926, these rebuilds retained their LMS number. Also, three superheated engines became saturated via boiler swaps.

Withdrawals of the saturated engines started in 1927 and the last engine in as built condition was withdrawn in 1935. The four superheated engines which retained slide valves were withdrawn from 1931 to 1936. Withdrawals of the superheated engines with piston valves began in 1935. Those not withdrawn had 20000 added to their numbers from 1934 to 1937 to make room for Black Fives.

By the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, only 11 Precursors were still in service.[3] A single example, 25297 "Sirocco", was inherited by British Railways in 1948, but this was withdrawn in June 1949 before the number it had been allocated (58010) could be applied.[13]

None were preserved.

Accidents

Great Bridgeford

On 17 June 1932, locomotive number 5278 Precursor was hauling the 7:23p.m. to and express passenger service when, at around 7:52p.m., the engine and all four coaches derailed just to the south of station, Staffordshire.

Of the 70 to 80 passengers on board the train, three were killed immediately and a fourth died in hospital the next day. Together with the driver and fireman, 9 passengers received injuries serious enough to require hospital care, whilst a further 18 were treated at the scene and able to continue their journeys.[14] [15]

Fleet list

Table of locomotives! LNWR No. !! Name(s) !! Crewe
Works No. !! Date built !! LMS No. !! Date withdrawn !!
513 Precursor 4415 5278
1395 Harbinger 4416 5291
1419 Tamerlane 4417 5285
2023 Helvellyn 4418 5187
2164 Oberon 4419 5277
2 Simoom 4440 5308
7 Titan 4441 5276
412 Alfred Paget,
Marquis
4442 5188
510 Albatross 4443 5189
659 Dreadnought 4444 5296
639 Ajax 4445 5190
648 Archimedes 4446 5191
685 Cossack 4447 5192
60 Dragon 4448 5298
106 Druid 4449 5294
301 Leviathan 4450 5289
305 Senator 4451 5307
643 Sirocco 4452 5297
1102 Thunderbolt 4453 5193
1117 Vandal 4454 5194
310 Achilles 4455 5290
333 Ambassador 4456 5284
515 Champion 4457 5282
622 Euphrates 4458 5195
638 Huskisson 4459 5196
303 Himalaya 4460 5305
645 Mammoth 4461 5197
806 Swiftsure 4462 5318
1120 Thunderer 4463 5310
1137 Vesuvius 4464 5299
323 Argus 4465 5303
1104 Cedric 4466 5199
1111 Cerberus 4467 5200
1431 Egeria 4468 5201
2064 Jason 4469 5273
40 Niagara 4470 5198
520 Panopea 4471 5202
1469 Tantalus 4472 5288
1737 Viscount 4473 5316
2031 Waverley 4474 5203
365 Alchymist 4475 5287
1115 Apollo 4476 5205
1545 Cyclops 4477 5206
1573 Dunrobin 4478 5286
2061 Eglinton 4479 5207
184 Havelock 4480 5204
366 Medusa 4481 5292
519 Messenger 4482 5208
2120 Trentham 4483 5209
1430 Victor 4484 5210
113 Aurania 4485 5211
300 Emerald 4486 5301
302 Greyhound 4487 5304
315 Harrowby 4488 5212
688 Hecate 4489 5274
1509 America 4490 5214
1617 Hydra 4491 5300
1723 Scorpion 4492 5295
2062 Sunbeam 4493 5279
2257 Vulture 4494 5215
311 Emperor 4495 5213
374 Empress 4496 5317
811 Express 4497 5311
911 Herald 4498 5216
1114 Knowsley 4499 5217
1116 Pandora 4500 5218
1510 Psyche 4501 5219
1784 Python 4502 5220
2165 Shooting Star 4503 5280
2202 Vizier 4504 5221
117 Alaska 4510 5222
1301 Candidate 4511 5225
1363 Cormwall,
Brindley
4512 5272
1396 Harpy 4513 5226
2007 Oregon 4514 5227
2012 Penguin 4515 5228
2115 Servia 4516 5229
127 Snake 4517 5223
229 Stork 4518 5224
1439 Tiger 4519 5275
2576 Arab 4520 5230
2577 Etna 4521 5313
2578 Fame 4522 5309
2579 Ganymede 4523 5231
2580 Problem 4524 5232
2581 Peel 4525 5233
2582 Rowland Hill 4526 5234
2583 Teutonic,
The Tsar,
Moonstone
4527 5235
2584 Velocipede 4528 5312
2585 Watt 4529 5236
723 Coptic 4530 5239
837 Friar 4531 5240
1312 Ionic 4532 5242
1387 Lang Meg 4533 5306
1642 Lapwing 4534 5243
2513 Levens 4535 5293
234 Pearl 4536 5237
526 Ilion 4537 5238
1311 Napoleon 4538 5241
2017 Tubal 4539 5244
282 Alaric 4540 5314
561 Antaeus 4541 5245
675 Adjutant 4542 5246
772 Admiral 4543 5247
804 Amphion 4544 5248
990 Bucephalus 4545 5319
988 Bellerophon 4546 5249
1433 Faerie Queene 4547 5250
1650 Richard Trevithick 4548 5251
1787 Hyperion 4549 5252
1 Clive 4660 5253
218 Daphne 4661 5254
419 Monarch 4662 5255
564 Erebus 4663 5281
665 Mersey 4664 5256
469 Marmion 4665 5270
1011 Locke 4666 5257
1364 Clyde 4667 5258
2053 Edith 4668 5259
2181 Eleanor 4669 5260
276 Doric 4670 5261
754 Celtic 4671 5262
802 Gaelic 4672 5271
807 Oceanic 4673 5263
976 Pacific 4674 5264
1297 Phalaris 4675 5265
1309 Shamrock 4676 5302
1516 Alecto 4677 5266
2011 Brougham 4678 5283
2051 Delamere 4679 5315
(a) Name changed November 1904.(b) Name removed September 1936.(c) Name changed May 1911.[16] (d) Name changed November 1914 and December 1915.(e) Name removed August 1933.(f) Superheater fitted.(g) Superheater fitted but later removed.(h) Converted to LNWR George the Fifth Class.(i) 20000 added to LMS number.(j) Allocated, but never carried number 58010 by British Railways.

See also

References

Sources

Notes and References

  1. . 8 April 1904 . Four-coupled Passenger Locomotive . . 97 . London . 362 . Internet Archive.
  2. . 15 April 1904 . Train Experiments on the London and North-western Railway . The Engineer . 97 . 387 . Internet Archive.
  3. Book: Baxter, Bertram . 1979 . Baxter . David . British Locomotive Catalogue 1825–1923, Volume 2B: London and North Western Railway and its constituent companies . Ashbourne . Moorland Publishing Company . 0903485842 . 260–264.
  4. . 23 September 1910 . Passenger Tank Engines. No. V . The Engineer . 110 . London . 336–337 . Internet Archive.
  5. Book: Steel, Wilfred L. . 1914 . The History of the London & North Western Railway . London . The Railway and Travel Monthly . 467–470 . Internet Archive.
  6. Book: Williams, C. . 1922 . A Register Of All Locomotives Now In Use On The London & North Western Railway . Crewe . C. Williams . Internet Archive.
  7. Book: Reed, M. C. . 1996 . The London & North Western Railway: A History . registration . . Atlantic Transport Publishers . 0906899664 . 178–180 . Internet Archive.
  8. Book: Griffiths, Denis . 1991 . Locomotive Engineers of the LMS and its Major English Constituent Companies . registration . . Patrick Stephens . 1852601426 . 64,69 . Internet Archive.
  9. Book: Yeadon, Willie B. . 1995 . Willie Yeadon . A Compendium of LNWR Locomotives 1912–1949. Part One: Passenger Tender Engines . Nottingham . Booklaw/Railbus . 1899624368 . 39.
  10. . 28 October 1904 . Railway Matters . The Engineer . 98 . London . 419 . Internet Archive.
  11. Lake . Charles S. . British Locomotive Practice in 1905 . The Engineering Review . 8 . 8 . New series . 174–177 . Internet Archive.
  12. . 7 October 1910 . Superheating on London and North-Western Locomotives . The Engineer . 110 . London . 394 . Internet Archive.
  13. Book: Casserley, H. C. . H. C. Casserley . 1973 . Steam Locomotives of British Railways . registration . London . Hamlyn Publishing . 0600022102 . 73,342 . Internet Archive.
  14. Book: Hoole, Ken . Ken Hoole

    . Ken Hoole . Trains in Trouble . 3 . 1982 . Atlantic Books . Redruth . 0906899052 . 29.

  15. Mount . A. H. L. . 5 January 1933 . Report on Train Accidents – London, Midland and Scottish Railway . London . Ministry of Transport.
  16. Whitaker . J. R. . 1917 . London and North Western Railway Engines [letter] ]. The Railway Magazine . 41 . London . 193 . HathiTrust.