LNWR Whale Precursor Class

LNWR Precursor Class
No. 513, Precursor in photographic grey livery
Type and origin Power type Steam Designer George Whale Builder LNWR Crewe Works Serial number 4415–4419, 4440–4504, 4510–4549, 4660–4679 Build date 1904–1907 Total produced 130
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-4-0  • UIC 2′B n2 or 2′B h2 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Driver dia. 6 ft 9 in (2.057 m) Loco weight 59.15 long tons (60.10 t) Boiler pressure 175 psi (1.21 MPa) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 19 in × 26 in (483 mm × 660 mm) or 20+1⁄2 in × 26 in (521 mm × 660 mm) Valve gear Joy
Performance figures Tractive effort 18,222 lbf (81.1 kN) or 20,640 lbf (91.8 kN)
Career Operators London and North Western Railway → London, Midland and Scottish Railway → British Railways Power class LMS: 2P, 3P Number in class 1 January 1923: 130 1 January 1948: 1 Withdrawn 1927–1949 Disposition All scrapped

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.

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The LNWR reused numbers and names from withdrawn locomotives, with the result that the numbering system was completely haphazard.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, that was never applied.

None was preserved.

Accidents and incidents

• On 17 June 1932, locomotive No. 5278 Precursor was hauling a passenger train that was derailed at Great Bridgeford, Staffordshire.

Fleet list

Table of locomotives

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

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 2008-12-09.