LNWR Whale Experiment Class

Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Template other 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 The LNWR reused numbers and names of withdrawn locomotives, with the result that the numbering system was completely haphazard.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 The final engine was withdrawn the following year and none were preserved.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 locomotivesTemplate:Sfn

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

Accidents and incidents

• On 15 October 1907, a mail train hauled by No. 2052 Stephenson was derailed at Template:Rws, 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 Template:Rws, Lancashire due to confusion by the driver of the freight train over flag signals. Four people were killed.

References

• Template:Baxter-BritishLocoCat2B
• Template:0-7110-0554-0

External links

• LNWR Society Photographs of the Whale 4-6-0 Experiment class steam locomotives.