LNWR Webb Precursor Class

LNWR Precursor class (Webb)

Type and originPower typeSteamDesignerF. W. WebbBuilderCrewe WorksSerial number1902–1821, 2229–2238, 2249–2258Build date1874–1879Total produced40

Type and origin

Power typeSteam

DesignerF. W. Webb

BuilderCrewe Works

Serial number1902–1821, 2229–2238, 2249–2258

Build date1874–1879

Total produced40

SpecificationsConfiguration:• Whyte 2-4-0• UIC1B n2Gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)Leading dia.3 ft 6 in (1.067 m)Driver dia.5 ft 6 in (1.676 m)Wheelbase7 ft 5 in (2.261 m) +8 ft 3 in (2.515 m)Loco weight32 long tons (33 t)Boiler:• Diameter4 ft 2 in (1.27 m)• Tube plates9 ft 10 in (3.00 m)Boiler pressure140 lbf/in2 (0.97 MPa)Heating surface1,074.6 sq ft (99.83 m2)Cylinder size17 in × 24 in (432 mm × 610 mm)Valve gear Allan

Specifications

Configuration

• Whyte2-4-0

• UIC1B n2

Gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

Leading dia.3 ft 6 in (1.067 m)

Driver dia.5 ft 6 in (1.676 m)

Wheelbase7 ft 5 in (2.261 m) +8 ft 3 in (2.515 m)

Loco weight32 long tons (33 t)

Boiler

• Diameter4 ft 2 in (1.27 m)

• Tube plates9 ft 10 in (3.00 m)

Boiler pressure140 lbf/in2 (0.97 MPa)

Heating surface1,074.6 sq ft (99.83 m2)

Cylinder size17 in × 24 in (432 mm × 610 mm)

Valve gearAllan

CareerOperatorsLondon and North Western RailwayScrapped1892–1895DispositionAll scrapped

Career

OperatorsLondon and North Western Railway

Scrapped1892–1895

DispositionAll scrapped

The London and North Western Railway (LNWR) Precursor class was a class of forty 2-4-0 steam locomotives designed by F. W. Webb and built at the railway's Crewe Works between 1874 and 1879.

History

The Precursor class was the first locomotive class to be designed wholly by F. W. Webb. He had previously ordered further examples of his predecessor's Samson and Newton classes.

The class featured enclosed wheel splashers and cabs from new, but no brakes were initially fitted; some received steam brakes and others vacuum brakes. They were also fitted with 1,500-imperial-gallon (6,800 L; 1,800 US gal) tenders.

Webb's Precursors performed well enough, but it didn't take long before these engines (as well as the Ramsbottom Samson and Newton classes) were superseded by his Improved Precedent Class and, being viewed as weaker than these newer engines, it wouldn't take long before they were on the line of withdrawal, with the first going out in 1892 and the last one holding on until 1895.

Fleet list

Table of locomotives
LNWR No.	Name	Crewe Works No.	Date built	Date scrapped
2145	Precursor	1802	Apr 1874	Mar 1894
2146	Harbinger	1803	Aug 1874	Jun 1893
2147	Champion	1804	Aug 1874	Nov 1895
2148	Vizier	1805	Aug 1874	1893 circa
2149	Candidate	1806	Aug 1874	Jun 1893
1143	Marquis	1807	Aug 1874	1894 circa
1144	Druid	1808	Aug 1874	1892 circa
1145	Cossack	1809	Sep 1874	1894 circa
1152	Arab	1810	Sep 1874	Dec 1892
1153	Sirocco	1811	Sep 1874	Aug 1895
1154	Colossus	1812	Sep 1874	1892 circa
1155	Dragon	1813	Sep 1874	Apr 1894
402	Viscount	1814	Sep 1874	Jun 1893
406	Senator	1815	Sep 1874	1892 circa
408	Simoon	1816	Sep 1874	1894 circa
409	Thunderbolt	1817	Oct 1874	Dec 1892
413	Python	1818	Oct 1874	Jun 1893
425	Oberon	1819	Oct 1874	1893
426	Warrior	1820	Oct 1874	1895 circa
427	Fame	1821	Oct 1874	1894 circa
1147	John Rennie	2229	Oct 1878	1894 circa
1148	Boadicea	2230	Oct 1878	1894 circa
1149	Helvellyn	2231	Sep 1878	1894 circa
1150	Lang Meg	2232	Oct 1878	1893 circa
1151	Lapwing	2233	Oct 1878	May 1895
1165	Vulture	2234	Nov 1878	Dec 1892
1169	Albatross	2235	Oct 1878	Dec 1892
1174	Cerberus	2236	Oct 1878	Jun 1893
679	Harrowby	2237	Oct 1878	1894 circa
847	Cedric	2238	Oct 1878	1895 circa
431	Bessemer	2249	Jan 1879	Dec 1892
838	Henry Cort	2250	Jan 1879	Sep 1895
481	Etna	2251	Jan 1879	Dec 1892
626	Emerald	2252	Jan 1879	1895 circa
255	Eglington	2253	Jan 1879	1895 circa
680	Giffard	2254	Jan 1879	1895 circa
338	Levens	2255	Feb 1879	Dec 1892
718	Jason	2256	Feb 1879	Jun 1893
779	William Baker	2257	Feb 1879	Jun 1893
1180	Pearl	2258	Feb 1879	Feb 1895

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