LNWR Whale Precursor Class
The London and North Western Railway (LNWR) Precursor Class, the second to be known by that name, was a class of 4-4-0 steam locomotives.
LNWR Precursor Class | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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No. 513, Precursor in photographic grey livery | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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History
The class were introduced by George Whale in 1904 and 130 examples were built by Crewe Works up to 1907. Their introduction allowed Whale to phase out his predecessor Francis Webb's unreliable compound locomotives. They were essentially a larger version of Webb's LNWR Improved Precedent Class. As built, they were saturated, though some were later superheated.
Whale's Experiment Class 4-6-0 were essentially an extended version built from 1905. An Atlantic tank engine version, Precursor Tank Class was also built from 1906. The Precursors were developed by Charles Bowen-Cooke into the superheated George the Fifth Class 4-4-0 (1910). 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The LNWR reused numbers and names from withdrawn locomotives, with the result that the numbering system was completely haphazard.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 19 by 26 inches (480 mm × 660 mm) cylinders, and superheated locomotives with 20.5 by 26 inches (520 mm × 660 mm) 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Withdrawals of the saturated engines started in 1927 and the last engine in as built condition was withdrawn in 1935. The four superheated engines which retained slide valves were withdrawn 1931–1936. Withdrawals of the superheated engines with piston valves began in 1935. Those not withdrawn had 20000 added to their numbers 1934–1937 to make room for Black Fives.
At the end of 1939 only seven survived. Only a single example was inherited by British Railways in 1948, 25297 Sirocco, which was withdrawn in 1949. Despite being allocated the number 58010, this was never applied.
None were preserved.
Accidents and incidents
- On 17 June 1932, locomotive No. 5278 Precursor was hauling a passenger train that was derailed at Great Bridgeford, Staffordshire.[1]
Fleet list
LNWR No. | Name | Crewe Works No. | Date built | LMS No. | Date withdrawn | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
513 | Precursor | 4415 | March 1904 | 5278 | July 1936 | |
1395 | Harbinger | 4416 | March 1904 | 5291 | July 1937 | † |
1419 | Tamerlane | 4417 | March 1904 | 5285 | March 1936 | |
2023 | Helvellyn | 4418 | April 1904 | 5187 | March 1936 | † |
2164 | Oberon | 4419 | May 1904 | 5277 | August 1946 | † |
2 | Simoom | 4440 | June 1904 | 5308 | October 1936 | |
7 | Titan | 4441 | June 1904 | 5276 | October 1935 | |
412 | Marquis | 4442 | June 1904 | 5188 | April 1940 | † |
510 | Albatross | 4443 | June 1904 | 5189 | August 1933 | |
659 | Dreadnought | 4444 | June 1904 | 5296 | May 1936 | |
639 | Ajax | 4445 | October 1904 | 5190 | September 1928 | |
648 | Archimedes | 4446 | October 1904 | 5191 | January 1928 | |
685 | Cossack | 4447 | October 1904 | 5192 | April 1932 | |
60 | Dragon | 4448 | October 1904 | 5298 | October 1938 | † |
106 | Druid | 4449 | October 1904 | 5294 | May 1937 | † |
301 | Leviathan | 4450 | November 1904 | 5289 | April 1936 | |
305 | Senator | 4451 | November 1904 | 5307 | March 1937 | † |
643 | Sirocco | 4452 | November 1904 | 5297 | June 1949 | ‡ |
1102 | Thunderbolt | 4453 | November 1904 | 5193 | September 1931 | |
1117 | Vandal | 4454 | November 1904 | 5194 | November 1931 | |
310 | Achilles | 4455 | December 1904 | 5290 | October 1936 | |
333 | Ambassador | 4456 | December 1904 | 5284 | August 1936 | |
515 | Champion | 4457 | December 1904 | 5282 | December 1939 | † |
622 | Euphrates | 4458 | December 1904 | 5195 | November 1927 | |
638 | Huskisson | 4459 | December 1904 | 5196 | April 1933 | |
303 | Himalaya | 4460 | January 1905 | 5305 | February 1936 | |
645 | Mammoth | 4461 | January 1905 | 5197 | November 1930 | |
806 | Swiftsure | 4462 | January 1905 | 5318 | October 1935 | |
1120 | Thunderer | 4463 | January 1905 | 5310 | August 1939 | † |
1137 | Vesuvius | 4464 | February 1905 | 5299 | August 1936 | † |
323 | Argus | 4465 | February 1905 | 5303 | October 1936 | |
1104 | Cedric | 4466 | February 1905 | 5199 | November 1933 | |
1111 | Cerberus | 4467 | March 1905 | 5200 | October 1934 | |
1431 | Egeria | 4468 | March 1905 | 5201 | December 1930 | |
2064 | Jason | 4469 | March 1905 | 5273 | August 1931 | |
40 | Niagara | 4470 | March 1905 | 5198 | November 1930 | |
520 | Panopea | 4471 | March 1905 | 5202 | January 1934 | |
1469 | Tantalus | 4472 | March 1905 | 5288 | March 1937 | † |
1737 | Viscount | 4473 | March 1905 | 5316 | July 1936 | |
2031 | Waverley | 4474 | March 1905 | 5203 | December 1931 | |
365 | Alchymist | 4475 | April 1905 | 5287 | June 1937 | † |
1115 | Apollo | 4476 | April 1905 | 5205 | February 1928 | |
1545 | Cyclops | 4477 | April 1905 | 5206 | May 1932 | |
1573 | Dunrobin | 4478 | April 1905 | 5286 | April 1936 | † |
2061 | Eglinton | 4479 | April 1905 | 5207 | August 1936 | † |
184 | Havelock | 4480 | May 1905 | 5204 | September 1931 | |
366 | Medusa | 4481 | May 1905 | 5292 | April 1945 | † |
519 | Messenger | 4482 | May 1905 | 5208 | December 1931 | |
2120 | Trentham | 4483 | May 1905 | 5209 | October 1927 | |
1430 | Victor | 4484 | May 1905 | 5210 | October 1931 | |
113 | Aurania | 4485 | July 1905 | 5211 | October 1936 | † |
300 | Emerald | 4486 | July 1905 | 5301 | October 1935 | |
302 | Greyhound | 4487 | July 1905 | 5304 | January 1947 | † |
315 | Harrowby | 4488 | July 1905 | 5212 | December 1936 | † |
688 | Hecate | 4489 | July 1905 | 5274 | October 1935 | |
1509 | America | 4490 | July 1905 | 5214 | March 1928 | |
617 | Hydra | 4491 | August 1905 | 5300 | July 1940 | † |
1723 | Scorpion | 4492 | August 1905 | 5295 | December 1936 | |
2062 | Sunbeam | 4493 | August 1905 | 5279 | August 1939 | † |
2257 | Vulture | 4494 | August 1905 | 5215 | December 1933 | |
311 | Emperor | 4495 | September 1905 | 5213 | August 1933 | |
374 | Empress | 4496 | September 1905 | 5317 | June 1936 | |
811 | Express | 4497 | September 1905 | 5311 | March 1940 | † |
911 | Herald | 4498 | September 1905 | 5216 | February 1936 | † |
1114 | Knowsley | 4499 | September 1905 | 5217 | January 1933 | |
1116 | Pandora | 4500 | September 1905 | 5218 | April 1936 | † |
1510 | Psyche | 4501 | September 1905 | 5219 | December 1930 | |
1784 | Python | 4502 | October 1905 | 5220 | November 1931 | |
2165 | Shooting Star | 4503 | October 1905 | 5280 | November 1935 | |
2202 | Vizier | 4504 | October 1905 | 5221 | December 1930 | |
117 | Alaska | 4510 | October 1905 | 5222 | September 1933 | |
1301 | Candidate | 4511 | October 1905 | 5225 | December 1936 | † |
1363 | Brindley | 4512 | October 1905 | 5272 | December 1939 | † |
1396 | Harpy | 4513 | November 1905 | 5226 | December 1930 | |
2007 | Oregon | 4514 | November 1905 | 5227 | October 1927 | |
2012 | Penguin | 4515 | November 1905 | 5228 | November 1931 | |
2115 | Servia | 4516 | November 1905 | 5229 | April 1932 | |
127 | Snake | 4517 | November 1905 | 5223 | November 1936 | † |
229 | Stork | 4518 | November 1905 | 5224 | November 1927 | |
1439 | Tiger | 4519 | November 1905 | 5275 | January 1933 | |
2576 | Arab | 4520 | December 1905 | 5230 | September 1933 | |
2577 | Etna | 4521 | December 1905 | 5313 | February 1936 | |
2578 | Fame | 4522 | December 1905 | 5309 | August 1936 | |
2579 | Ganymede | 4523 | December 1905 | 5231 | February 1936 | |
2580 | Problem | 4524 | December 1905 | 5232 | December 1931 | |
2581 | Peel | 4525 | December 1905 | 5233 | August 1934 | |
2582 | Rowland Hill | 4526 | December 1905 | 5234 | December 1928 | |
2583 | Moonstone | 4527 | December 1905 | 5235 | April 1935 | |
2584 | Velocipede | 4528 | January 1906 | 5312 | December 1935 | |
2585 | Watt | 4529 | January 1906 | 5236 | December 1933 | |
723 | Coptic | 4530 | February 1906 | 5239 | January 1936 | |
837 | Friar | 4531 | February 1906 | 5240 | October 1933 | |
1312 | Ionic | 4532 | February 1906 | 5242 | November 1930 | |
1387 | Lang Meg | 4533 | March 1906 | 5306 | February 1936 | |
1642 | Lapwing | 4534 | March 1906 | 5243 | November 1935 | |
2513 | Levens | 4535 | March 1906 | 5293 | June 1939 | † |
234 | Pearl | 4536 | March 1906 | 5237 | February 1932 | |
526 | Ilion | 4537 | March 1906 | 5238 | December 1928 | |
1311 | Napoleon | 4538 | March 1906 | 5241 | January 1936 | |
2017 | Tubal | 4539 | March 1906 | 5244 | November 1935 | |
282 | Alaric | 4540 | April 1906 | 5314 | November 1935 | |
561 | Antaeus | 4541 | April 1906 | 5245 | March 1941 | † |
675 | Adjutant | 4542 | April 1906 | 5246 | February 1936 | |
772 | Admiral | 4543 | April 1906 | 5247 | October 1927 | |
804 | Amphion | 4544 | April 1906 | 5248 | October 1935 | |
990 | Bucephalus | 4545 | April 1906 | 5319 | December 1940 | † |
988 | Bellerophon | 4546 | April 1906 | 5249 | June 1933 | |
1433 | Faerie Queene | 4547 | April 1906 | 5250 | January 1936 | |
1650 | Richard Trevithick | 4548 | May 1906 | 5251 | February 1928 | |
1787 | Hyperion | 4549 | May 1906 | 5252 | December 1930 | |
1 | Clive | 4660 | June 1907 | 5253 | November 1930 | |
218 | Daphne | 4661 | June 1907 | 5254 | August 1933 | |
419 | Monarch | 4662 | June 1907 | 5255 | December 1930 | |
564 | Erebus | 4663 | June 1907 | 5281 | September 1936 | |
665 | Mersey | 4664 | June 1907 | 5256 | October 1927 | |
469 | Marmion | 4665 | June 1907 | 5270 | May 1936 | |
1011 | Locke | 4666 | July 1907 | 5257 | January 1933 | |
1364 | Clyde | 4667 | July 1907 | 5258 | December 1930 | |
2053 | Edith | 4668 | July 1907 | 5259 | March 1934 | |
2181 | Eleanor | 4669 | July 1907 | 5260 | December 1933 | |
276 | Doric | 4670 | July 1907 | 5261 | November 1927 | |
754 | Celtic | 4671 | July 1907 | 5262 | December 1930 | |
802 | Gaelic | 4672 | July 1907 | 5271 | December 1931 | |
807 | Oceanic | 4673 | August 1907 | 5263 | November 1933 | |
976 | Pacific | 4674 | August 1907 | 5264 | December 1928 | |
1297 | Phalaris | 4675 | August 1907 | 5265 | November 1931 | |
1309 | Shamrock | 4676 | August 1907 | 5302 | June 1937 | † |
1516 | Alecto | 4677 | August 1907 | 5266 | November 1931 | |
2011 | Brougham | 4678 | August 1907 | 5283 | March 1936 | |
2051 | Delamere | 4679 | August 1907 | 5315 | September 1936 | |
- † Locomotives that had 20000 added to their LMS number.
- ‡ Locomotive had 20000 added to LMS number; allocated 58010 by British Railways, but number never carried.
References
- Hoole, Ken (1982). Trains in Trouble: Vol. 3. Redruth: Atlantic Books. p. 29. ISBN 0-906899-05-2.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to LNWR Whale Precursor class. |
- Sources
- Casserley, H. C. & Johnston, Stuart W. (1974) [1966]. Locomotives at the Grouping 3: London, Midland and Scottish Railway. Shepperton, Surrey: Ian Allan. pp. 62–64. ISBN 0-7110-0554-0.
- W. B. Yeadon A Compendium of LNWR Locomotives 1912 - 1949 Volume 1. Published by Challenger Publications, Nottingham. ISBN 978-1-901945-90-4
- "Rail UK entry for Precursor class". Retrieved 9 December 2008.