LNWR Webb Experiment Class

LNWR "Experiment" Class (1882)

Technical specifications

Designer(s)

F. W. Webb

Serial number(s)

2500, 2625–2628, 2669–2673, 2734–2753

Manufacturer(s)

Crewe Works

Build date

1882–84

Total produced

30

Wheel arrangement

2-(2-2)-0

Rail gauge

4 ft 8 1/2 in (1,435 mm; standard gauge)

Valve gear

Independent Joy valve gear for HP and LP

Cylinders

Three: two high pressure outside, driving rear wheels; one low pressure inside, driving front drivers

Fuel type

Coal

Service information

Years in-service

London and North Western Railway

Scrapped

1904-1905

Disposition details

Withdrawn

1903–1904

Preserved

None

Disposition

All scrapped

Number operational

None

Number scrapped

All

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.

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

Accidents and incidents[]

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[]

Table of locomotives
LNWR No.	Name	Crewe Works No.	Date built	Date scrapped
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

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)