LNWR Class B

LNWR Class B
Technical specifications
Designer(s)	Francis Webb
Manufacturer(s)	Crewe Works
Build date	1901-1904
Total produced	170
Rail gauge	4 Foot 8 Inches
Cylinders	4, compound
Boiler pressure	200 psi (1.38 MPa)
Bore stroke	High-pressure cylinder: (2 outside) 15" x 24" Low-pressure cylinder: (2 inside) 20+1⁄2" x 24"
Fuel type	Coal
Disposition details
Disposition	26 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. 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 1901-1904.

Rebuilds

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

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

The remaining 10 Class B locomotives were withdrawn in 1927-1928.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

Gallery

LNWR No1881.JPG

An Artist impression's drawing of LNWR No. 1881

Further reading

• 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

London North Western Railway Classes
2-2-2	6ft "Single" Class • 173 Cornwall • 7ft "Large Bloomer" Class • 7ft "Single" Class • "Patent" Class • 6ft 6in "Small Bloomer" Class • H "Special Bloomer" Class • 7ft 6in "Problem"/"Lady of the Lake" Class
2-4-0	6ft "Samson"/"Curved Link Passenger" Class • 6ft 6in "Newton"/"Curved Link Passenger" Class • 5ft 6in "Precursor" • 6ft 6in "Precedent" Class • 2234 "Chopper" Class • "Improved Precedent" Class • "Small Jumbo"/"Waterloo"/"Whitworth" Class • "Crewe Goods" Class
2-4-2	4ft 6in Class • 5ft 6in Class
2-2-2-0	"Experiment" Class (F. W. Webb) • "Dreadnought" Class • "Teutonic" Class
4-2-2-0	No.3026
2-2-2-2	No.687 • No.600 • "Greater Britain" Class • 6ft 3in "John Hick" Class
2-2-4-0	No.2974
4-4-0	"Metropolitan" Class • LNWR "Jubilee" Class • "Alfred the Great" Class • "Benbow" Class • 6ft 9in "Precursor" Class • "Renown" Class • "Queen Mary" Class • "George the Fifth" Class
0-6-2	5ft 3in "Watford" Class • 17in "Coal Tank"
4-6-0	"Experiment" (G. Whale) • "Prince of Wales" Class • "Claughton" Class • No.1361 Prospero • 1400 "Bill Bailey" Class • 19in "Express Goods" Class
4-4-2	"Metropolitan Tank" (Rebuild) • 6ft "Precursor Tank"
4-6-2	2665 "Prince of Wales Tank"
0-6-0	271 Class • DX "Goods" Class • D "Early Goods" Class • "Ostrich" Class • "Wolverton Express Goods" Class • "Special Tank" Class • 17in "Coal Engine" Class • 5ft/18in "Express Goods"/"Crested Goods"/"Cauliflower" Class • DX "Special Goods" Class • 4ft 3in "Square Saddle Tank" Class
0-4-0	"Tram" Class • 4ft 835 "Shunter" Class • 4ft 1201 "Shunter" Class • 2360 Class
0-4-2	835 "Crane Tank" Class • 317 "Bissel" Class
0-8-0	No.2524 • A Class • B Class (F. W. Webb) • C Class • C1 Class • D Class • G Class • G1 Class • G2 Class • G2A Class • G3 Class
2-8-0	E Class • F Class • MM Class
0-8-2	1185 "Shunter" Class
0-8-4	380 Class
2-2-0	"Bury Bar-Frame" Class • B Class (E. Bury)