2604:3D09:96F:B800:DDE2:1FEF:8DDF:BE2A: /* References */ Adding categories

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References: Adding categories

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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox locomotive
| name = LNWR Precursor Tank
| powertype = Steam
| image = LNWR locomotive No. 528 Precursor Tank.jpg
| alt =
| caption = No. 528 in [[photographic grey]] livery
| designer = [[George Whale]]
| builder =
| ordernumber =
| serialnumber = 4560–4599,<br/>4820–4829
| buildmodel =
| builddate = 1906–1909
| totalproduction = 50
| rebuilder =
| rebuilddate =
| numberrebuilt =
| whytetype = [[4-4-2T]]
| uicclass = 2′B1 2t
| gauge = {{track gauge|ussg}}
| leadingdiameter = First 30: {{convert|3|ft|9|in|m|3|abbr=on}}<br>Last 20: {{convert|3|ft|3|in|m|3|abbr=on}}
| driverdiameter = {{convert|6|ft|3|in|m|3|abbr=on}}
| trailingdiameter = First 30: {{convert|3|ft|9|in|m|3|abbr=on}}<br>Last 20: {{convert|3|ft|3|in|m|3|abbr=on}}
| minimumcurve =
| wheelbase =
| length =
| width =
| height =
| axleload =
| weightondrivers =
| locoweight = {{long ton|74|15}}
| fueltype =
| fuelcap =
| watercap =
| sandcap =
| boiler =
| boilerpressure = {{convert|175|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
| feedwaterheater =
| firearea =
| tubearea =
| fluearea =
| tubesandflues =
| fireboxarea =
| totalsurface = {{convert|1939|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}<ref name="LNWR-p334">{{cite book |author=LNWR |date=December 1908 |title=Wages and Hours Arbitration |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.hn5uml&view=1up&seq=38 |location=London |publisher=London and North Western Railway |page=334 |via=HathiTrust}}</ref>
| superheatertype =
| superheaterarea =
| cylindercount = Two, inside
| cylindersize = {{convert|19|x|26|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}<ref name="LNWR-p334"/>
| valvegear = [[Joy valve gear|Joy]]
| valvetype =
| valvetravel =
| valvelap =
| valvelead =
| transmission =
| maxspeed =
| poweroutput =
| tractiveeffort = {{convert|15216|lbf|kN|2|abbr=on}}
| factorofadhesion =
| trainheating =
| locobrakes =
| locobrakeforce =
| trainbrakes =
| safety =
| operator = [[London and North Western Railway|LNWR]] » [[London, Midland and Scottish Railway|LMS]]
| operatorclass =
| powerclass = LMS: 2P
| numinclass =
| fleetnumbers =
| officialname =
| nicknames =
| axleloadclass =
| locale =
| deliverydate =
| firstrundate =
| lastrundate =
| withdrawndate = 1927–1940
| scrapdate =
| disposition = All scrapped
| notes =
}}
The [[London and North Western Railway]] (LNWR) '''"Precursor Tank" Class''' was a type of [[4-4-2T|4-4-2 tank]] [[steam locomotive]].<ref name="Engineer-1910-09-23">{{cite magazine |author= |date=23 September 1910 |title=Passenger Tank Engines. No. V |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_engineer_july-december-1910_110/page/336/mode/1up |magazine=[[The Engineer (UK magazine)|The Engineer]] |volume=110 |pages=336–337 |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> Fifty were built to the design of [[George Whale]] between May 1906 and April 1909, being a [[tank engine]] version of his [[LNWR Whale Precursor Class|"Precursor" Class]].<ref name="Baxter">{{cite book |last=Baxter |first=Bertram |date=1979 |editor-last=Baxter |editor-first=David |title=British Locomotive Catalogue 1825–1923, Volume 2B: London and North Western Railway and its constituent companies |location=Ashbourne |publisher=Moorland Publishing Company |isbn=0903485842 |pages=264–265}}</ref>

Chronologically, the class was constructed three distinct blocks, from May to September 1906 (works nos. 4560–4589), March to April 1907 (4590–4599), and March to April 1909 (4820–4829). The first 30 locomotives had {{convert|3|ft|9|in|m|3|abbr=on}} carrying wheels, but the size of these was reduced to {{convert|3|ft|3|in|m|3|abbr=on}} thereafter.<ref name="Baxter"/>

The LNWR reused numbers from withdrawn locomotives, so the numbering system was completely haphazard. The 3 ft 9 in engines were numbered by 528, 531, 784, 1295, 1305, 1981–1985, 97, 111, 181, 196, 562, 616, 803, 1356, 1508, 2210, 139, 653, 834, 874, 1506, 1572, 1589, 1671, 1714, and 2165. The 3 ft 3 in engines were numbered 44, 527, 612, 762, 827, 875, 1427, 1764, 2196, 2446, 920, 935, 1164, 1219, 1523, 1536, 1551, 2077, 2223 and 2228.

All fifty passed into LMS ownership in 1923. The LMS gave them the [[power classification]] 2P. The LMS also renumbered them into solid block of numbers: 6780–6809 for the 3 ft 9 in engines and 6810–6829 for the 3 ft 3 in engines, in the order given above.

Due to their weight, the Precursor Tanks were unable to operate on some branch lines, but had primarily been designed for use on heavy suburban trains.<ref>{{cite book |last=Montagu |first=George |date=1907 |title=Ten Years of Locomotive Progress |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.hb4dz5&view=1up&seq=175 |location=London |publisher=Alston Rivers Ltd. |page=137 |via=[[HathiTrust]]}}</ref><ref name="LN67">{{cite magazine |author= |date=10 December 1921 |title=The "Precursor Tank" Locomotives of the London and North-western Railway |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112088589822&view=1up&seq=569 |url-access=limited |magazine=The Locomotive News and Railway Notes |volume=10 |number=67 |pages=137–138 |via=HathiTrust}}</ref> Initially, they were put to work on local services between [[Sutton Coldfield]] and [[Birmingham]], and also between [[Watford]] and London {{rws|Euston}}.{{sfnp|LNWR|1908|p=32}} In 1921, they were reported as being employed on the latter to the near-total exclusion of other locomotive types, as well as on other routes.<ref name="LN67"/> 1572, which was possibly one of the earliest locomotives to have the initials "L&NWR" on its sides replaced by "LMS", was noted to be working on the [[Morecambe branch line|Morecambe branch]] in 1923.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Stones |first=H. R. |date=1923 |title=[untitled] |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015075068703&view=1up&seq=442 |url-access=limited |magazine=[[The Railway Magazine]] |volume=52 |issue=311 |page=428 |via=HathiTrust}}</ref>

One member of the class was withdrawn in October 1927, and the others between December 1931 and February 1940.<ref name="Baxter"/> None were preserved.

==References==
{{reflist}}

===Sources===
*{{0-7110-0554-0|page=77}}

{{Commons category|LNWR Precursor Tank class }}

{{LNWR Locomotives}}

[[Category:London and North Western Railway locomotives|Precursor tank]]
[[Category:4-4-2T locomotives]]
[[Category:2′B1′ n2t locomotives]]
[[Category:Railway locomotives introduced in 1906]]
[[Category:Scrapped locomotives]]
[[Category:Standard-gauge steam locomotives of Great Britain]]

{{UK-steam-loco-stub}}

LNWR Precursor Tank Class - Revision history

2604:3D09:96F:B800:DDE2:1FEF:8DDF:BE2A: /* References */ Adding categories