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LNWR Class B

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LNWR Class B
No. 1881 (later LMS 8900) in photographic grey livery - classified B from 1911
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerFrancis Webb
BuilderCrewe Works
Build date1901-1904
Total produced170
Specifications
Configuration:
 • Whyte0-8-0
 • UICD n4v
Gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Driver dia.4 ft 5+12 in (1.359 m)
Loco weight53 long tons 10 cwt (119,800 lb or 54.4 t)
Fuel typecoal
Boiler pressure200 psi (1.38 MPa)
Cylinders4, compound
High-pressure cylinder(2 outside) 15" x 24"
Low-pressure cylinder(2 inside) 20+12" x 24"
Career
OperatorsLNWR » LMS
Disposition26 rebuilt to Class E 1904–08
10 rebuilt to Class F 1906–08
32 rebuilt to Class G 1906–17
91 rebuilt to Class G1 1917–27
11 scrapped 1921–28

The London and North Western Railway (LNWR) Class B was a class of 0-8-0 steam locomotives introduced in 1901.[1] A development of the three-cylinder compound Class A (though this letter classification was not introduced until 1911), they had a 4-cylinder compound arrangement. 170 were built between 1901 and 1904.

Rebuilds

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Class E

Between 1904 and 1908, Webb's successor George Whale added a leading pony truck to 26 engines, making them 2-8-0s and taking them into Class E (again from 1911).

Class F

Between 1906 and 1908, Whale also rebuilt 10 with larger Experiment-type boiler to Class F, again adding a leading pony truck. (Two more of Class B were also converted to Class F via Class E).

Class G

Neither of the above conversions was particularly successful and, as a result, 32 were rebuilt to Class G with 2-cylinder simple expansion between 1910 and 1917.

Class G1

Whale's Successor Charles Bowen Cooke rebuilt a further 91 direct from Class B to 2-cylinder simple superheated LNWR Class G1 (also known as "Super Ds"). The rebuilds from Class B to Class G1 continued under LMS ownership between 1923 and 1927.

Summary

A total of 170 locomotives was built but No. 134 was destroyed in a boiler explosion at Buxton on 11 November 1921 leaving 169. The rebuilds (some under LMS ownership) totalled 159, leaving 10 unrebuilt.

LMS ownership

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The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) inherited 53 unrebuilt Class B locomotives in 1923 and numbered them 8900–8952. The LMS continued to rebuild them to Class G1 and the number of unrebuilt locomotives dwindled to 10.

Withdrawal

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The remaining 10 Class B locomotives were withdrawn in 1927–1928. None were preserved.

References

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  1. ^ LNWR Society. "Goods Engines of LNWR - 'B' class". Lnwrs.org.uk. Retrieved 9 April 2012.

Further reading

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  • Bob Essery & David Jenkinson An Illustrated Review of LMS Locomotives Vol. 2 Absorbed Pre-Group Classes Western and Central Divisions
  • Edward Talbot, The London & North Western Railway Eight-Coupled Goods Engines
  • Willie Yeadon, Yeadon's Compendium of LNWR Locomotives Vol 2 Goods Tender Engines