LNWR Webb Experiment Class

The London and North Western Railway Experiment Class was a series of 30 three-cylinder 2-(2-2)-0 compound locomotives designed by Francis Webb for the London and North Western Railway between 1882 and 1884. They were Webb’s first large-scale experiment with a class of express compound locomotives, and the first engine was named accordingly. They were followed by a class of similar, but larger locomotives, that featured larger boilers and smaller driving wheels – the LNWR Dreadnought Class.

LNWR Experiment Class
No.301 Economist
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerF. W. Webb
BuilderCrewe Works
Serial number2500, 2625–2628, 2669–2673, 2734–2753
Build date1882–84
Total produced30
Specifications
Configuration:
 • Whyte2-(2-2)-0
 • UIC1AA n3v
Gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Leading dia.3 ft 6 in (1.067 m)
Driver dia.6 ft 6 in (1.981 m)
Loco weight38 long tons (39 t)
Fuel typeCoal
Heating surface1,083.5 sq ft (100.66 m2)
CylindersThree: two high pressure outside, driving rear wheels; one low pressure inside, driving front drivers
High-pressure cylinder13 in × 24 in (330 mm × 610 mm)
Low-pressure cylinder26 in × 24 in (660 mm × 610 mm)
Valve gearJoy valve gear for HP, and slip-eccentric valve gear for LP.
Career
OperatorsLondon and North Western Railway
Withdrawn1903–1904
Scrapped1904–1905
DispositionAll scrapped

After Webb's retirement, his successor, George Whale, withdrew the Experiment class locomotives soon after he took up office in 1903.

Accidents and incidents

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  • On 22 December 1894, a gust of wind blew a wagon into a rake of wagons at Chelford, Cheshire. They were derailed and fouled the main line. Locomotive No. 520 Express was one of two hauling an express passenger train that collided with the wagons and was derailed. 14 people were killed and 48 were injured.

Locomotives

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Table of locomotives
LNWR
No.
Name Crewe
Works
No.
Date
built
Date
scrapped
Notes
66 Experiment 2500 January 1882 February 1905
300 Compound 2625 February 1883 July 1905
301 Economist 2626 March 1883 October 1904
302 Velocipede 2627 April 1883 July 1905
303 Hydra 2628 April 1883 January 1905
305 Trentham 2669 July 1883 June 1904
306 Knowsley 2670 July 1883 July 1905
307 Victor 2671 July 1883 February 1905
520 Express 2672 July 1883 April 1905
519 Shooting Star 2673 July 1883 February 1905
311 Richard Francis Roberts 2734 January 1884 July 1905
315 Alaska 2735 February 1884 July 1905
321 Servia 2736 February 1884 January 1905
323 Britannic 2737 February 1884 March 1905
333 Germanic 2738 February 1884 November 1904
353 Oregon 2739 February 1884 July 1905
363 Aurania 2740 February 1884 February 1905
365 America 2741 March 1884 April 1905
366 City of Chicago 2742 March 1884 May 1905
310 Sarmatian 2743 March 1884 November 1904
1102 Cyclops 2744 May 1884 October 1904
1120 Apollo 2745 June 1884 December 1905
1104 Sunbeam 2746 June 1884 January 1905
1113 Hecate 2747 June 1884 August 1904
1111 Messenger 2748 June 1884 February 1905
1115 Snake 2749 July 1884 March 1905
1116 Friar 2750 July 1884 August 1905
1117 Penguin 2751 July 1884 October 1904
372 Empress 2752 July 1884 June 1905
374 Emperor 2753 July 1884 September 1905

References

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  • Baxter, Bertram (1979). Baxter, David (ed.). British Locomotive Catalogue 1825–1923, Volume 2B: London and North Western Railway and its constituent companies. Ashbourne, Derbyshire: Moorland Publishing Company. p. 194. ISBN 0-903485-84-2.