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Locomotives of the London and North Western Railway. The London and North Western Railway (LNWR) Locomotive Department was headquartered at Crewe from 1862. The Crewe Works had been built in 1840–43 by the Grand Junction Railway.

Locomotives inherited from constituent companies[]

File:Lonbirmp locomotive.jpg

Bury 2-2-0 passenger engine for the London and Birmingham Railway

File:Lonbirmg locomotive.jpg

Bury 0-4-0 goods engine for the London and Birmingham Railway

The LNWR was formed in 1846 with the merger of the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway.

The GJR and the Liverpool & Manchester Railway initially had their workshops at Edge Hill. The London & Birmingham workshops were at Wolverton. The Grand Junction built a new works at Crewe which opened in 1843, while the Manchester and Birmingham's works was at Longsight.

While the GJR and M&BR locos were mainly by Robert Stephenson and Sharp Brothers, the L&B's were mostly "Bury" types – indeed Edward Bury was its locomotive superintendent. On the GJR, breakages of the inside-cylinder engines' crank axles led to the redesign of several with outside cylinders under locomotive superintendent Francis Trevithick. These later became known as the "Old Crewe" types.

After the creation of the LNWR in 1846, Crewe and Wolverton became headquarters of the Northern and Southern Divisions respectively, with Longsight as the headquarters of the North Eastern Division.

In 1922 the LNWR merged with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway and the North London Railway to form a larger company still called the LNWR.

See[]

Locomotives under the LNWR[]

The first Northern Division Locomotive Superintendent (at Crewe works) was Francis Trevithick, son of Richard Trevithick, who continued to build the basic 2-2-2 and 2-4-0 designs. Alexander Allan was Works Manager at Crewe from 1843 to 1853.

In 1857 the North Eastern Division locomotive department, with headquarters at Longsight, was absorbed into that of the Northern Division. Trevithick was dismissed and returned to Cornwall with an honorarium, and was replaced at Crewe by John Ramsbottom as Northern Division Superintendent. Ramsbottom began to standardise and modernise the locomotive stock, initially replacing the 2-4-0 goods engines with his "DX" 0-6-0, of which over 900 were built at Crewe from 1858 to 1872.

The first Southern Division Locomotive Superintendent was Edward Bury who had been in charge of the London and Birmingham Railway locomotive department at Wolverton since before that railway opened. He resigned in 1847 and later became General Manager of the Great Northern Railway. His successor at Wolverton was James McConnell who had previously worked for the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway at their Bromsgrove works. Among the classes built under his superintendence were the very successful 2-2-2 "Bloomers", developed from a Bury design, and the Wolverton Express Goods 0-6-0 class, built from 1854 to 1863. The Southern Division's trains were longer and heavier, and 0-6-0 locos had been introduced as early as 1845.

File:1870 Abbey Station, Shrewsbury.jpg

Bury, Curtis and Kennedy 0-4-2 locomotive. Six were built in 1847/8 for the LNWR (Southern Division) with 16 in. x 24 in. cylinders, 5 ft. driving wheels, and 3 ft. 4 in. trailing wheels.

There were distinct differences between the Southern and Northern Division locomotive policies. Wolverton had been set up in 1838 for repair work only, the locomotives being purchased from outside firms, whereas Crewe, from its foundation in 1843, was a locomotive-building works. Only a dozen locomotives were built at Wolverton from 1845 to the end of 1854, but in the following year construction started in earnest, and another 154 were completed in 1855–1863. The Southern Division engines were bigger, heavier and more expensive than those of the Northern Division, and after a disagreement with the cost-conscious Chairman, Richard Moon, in 1862 McConnell was obliged to resign. The Southern and Northern locomotive departments were amalgamated, and John Ramsbottom became Locomotive Superintendent of the entire LNWR, his headquarters remaining at Crewe. Locomotive building and repairing were gradually run down at Wolverton, which became the LNWR's carriage works in 1865.

All LNWR locomotives were painted black from 1873; for many years the goods engines were plain black, but passenger engines were given red, white and blue-grey lining, and most goods engines were similarly lined from the 1890s. Before 1873 locomotives had been green with black lines, and this seems to have been the normal livery from London & Birmingham and Grand Junction times.

In the 1850s on the Southern Division, McConnell had some of his express engines painted green with more elaborate patterns of lining in various colours, and in 1861–62 a few Southern Division engines were painted a very dark plum-red. The widespread belief that McConnell's engines were painted vermilion is incorrect, despite its constant repetition.

John Ramsbottom (1857–1871)[]

Image Class Type Quantity Manufacturer Date LMS

Classification

LMS

Numbers

Notes
File:2-2-2 L&NWR 3020 Cornwall.jpg No.173 Cornwall 2-2-2 1 Crewe Works 1847–1858 Rebuilt as 2-2-2 (1858)
271 0-6-0 7 Sharp, Stewart & Co. 1857
File:LNWR engine No.578 DX Class.jpg DX 0-6-0 943 (including 86 for the L&YR) Crewe Works 1858–72 500 later rebuilt as 'Special DX'
D 0-6-0 1 Longsight Works 1859
Ostrich 0-6-0 2 Beyer, Peacock & Co. 1859
File:LNWR engine No.165, Star.jpg Problem 2-2-2 60 Crewe Works 1859–65 Also called Lady of the Lake class
Crewe Works Tramway 0-4-0T 7 Crewe Works 1862–1875 18-inch gauge. Named Tiny, Pet, Nipper, Topsy, Midge, Dickie, and Billie.
File:LNWR Wolverton Express Goods Class.jpg Wolverton Express Goods 0-6-0 10 Wolverton Works 1863 McConnell design, last to be built at Wolverton
File:LNWR engine No.2526, 4ft Shunter.jpg 4ft Shunter 0-4-0ST 36 Crewe Works 1863–70 7206-7210 835
File:LNWR engine No.2154 'Loadstone'.jpg Samson 2-4-0 90 Crewe Works 1863–79
File:LNWR engine No.1525 'Abercrombie'.jpg Newton 2-4-0 96 Crewe Works 1866–73 All 'renewed' as "Renewed Precedent" class
File:LNWR engine Special Tank.jpg Special Tank 0-6-0ST 260 Crewe Works 1870–80 1F 7220–7457
File:Metropolitan Tank engine.jpg Metropolitan Tank 4-4-0T 16 Beyer, Peacock & Co. 1871–72 Built by Beyer-Peacock. Same design as used by Metropolitan. 10 rebuilt as 4-4-2T and one as compound (see below)

Francis Webb (1871–1903)[]

Image Class Type Quantity Manufacturer Date LMS

Classification

LMS

Numbers

Notes
File:LNWR engine B 2-2-0ST.jpg B 2-2-0ST 1 Edward Bury & Co. Crewe Works 1835–76 Worked C&HPR from 1835–1873; Crewe Works until scrapped May 1876
File:LNWR engine No.3240 1201 Class.jpg 1201 0-4-0ST 10 Crewe Works 1872 7211–7212
File:LNWR 17inch Coal Engine.jpg 17in Coal Engine 0-6-0 499 Crewe Works 1873–92 2F 8088-8314 45 rebuilt as pannier-tanks (see below)
File:LNWR engine No.680 'Giffard'.jpg Precursor 2-4-0 40 Crewe Works 1874–79
File:LNWR engine No.955, Charles Dickens.jpg Precedent 2-4-0 70 Crewe Works 1875–82 5000-5003 62 'renewed' and 8 rebuilt as "Renewed Precedent" class
File:LNWR engine No.2238, 2-4-0 Tank.jpg 2234 2-4-0T 50 Crewe Works 1876–80 1P 6420–6434 nicknamed "Chopper Tanks"
File:LNWR engine 2-4-2T 4 foot 6.jpg 4′ 6″ Tank 2-4-2T 220 Crewe Works 1879–98 1P 6515–6600
File:LNWR 18inch Goods or 'Cauliflower' engine, No.1382.jpg 18in Goods 0-6-0 310 Crewe Works 1880–1902 2F 8315–8624 Nicknamed "Cauliflowers"
File:LNWR engine No.3016, 2360 Class.jpg 2360 0-4-0WT 10 Crewe Works 1880–82 7200–7205 Double-ended, oil-fired dock shunters; 4 engines used as service stock
File:LNWR Coal Tank engine No.848.jpg Coal Tank 0-6-2T 300 Crewe Works 1881–97 1F 7550–7841
File:LNWR engine No.2022 Special DX.jpg Special DX 0-6-0 500 Crewe Works 1881–98 ? 8000–8087 Rebuilds of DX
File:LNWR engine No.301 Economist.jpg Experiment 2-2-2-0 30 Crewe Works 1882–84 3-cylinder Compound
LNWR engine No.3026, First compound 4-2-2-0 tank No.2062 4-2-2-0 1 Crewe Works 1884 3-cylinder Compound rebuild of Metropolitan tank
File:LNWR engine No.507 'Marchioness of Stafford'.jpg Dreadnought 2-2-2-0 40 Crewe Works 1884–88 3-cylinder Compound
File:LNWR engine No. 687.jpg No.687 2-2-2-2T 1 Crewe Works 1885 3-cylinder Compound "Fore-and-Aft"
File:LNWR engine No.3000, Third Comp. 2-2-2-2 Tank Class.jpg No.600 2-2-2-2T 1 Crewe Works 1887 3-cylinder Compound
File:LNWR engine No.2974, Fourth Comp. 2-2-4-0 Tank Class.jpg No.777 2-2-4-0T 1 Crewe Works 1887 3-cylinder Compound
File:LNWR engine No.1194 'Miranda'.jpg Renewed Precedent 2-4-0 158 Crewe Works 1887–1901 1P 5004–5079 Nominal renewals of 96 Newtons & 80 Precedents
File:LNWR Webb 3-cylinder compound locomotive 1301 Teutonic (Howden, Boys' Book of Locomotives, 1907).jpg Teutonic 2-2-2-0 10 Crewe Works 1889–90 3-cylinder Compound
File:LNWR engine No.124 'Marquis Douro'.jpg Waterloo 2-4-0 90 Crewe Works 1889–96 1P 5080–5109 Also known as Whitworth Class
File:LNWR engine No.1384 5 foot 6.jpg 5′ 6″ Tank 2-4-2T 160 Crewe Works 1890–97 1P 6601–6757
1201 0-4-0ST 10 Crewe Works 1892 7213–7216 3 rebuilt as 0-4-2T Crane Tanks
File:LNWR engine No 3092 4-4-2T.jpg Metropolitan Tank 4-4-2T 10 Crewe Works 1892 Rebuilds of Metropolitan 4-4-0T above
No.2524 0-8-0 1 Crewe Works 1892 Basis of "C" class, later rebuilt as D, then G1.
File:LNWR engine No.3436 'Queen Empress'.jpg Greater Britain 2-2-2-2 10 Crewe Works 1892–94 3-cylinder Compound
File:LNWR locomotive No.50, A Class.jpg A 0-8-0 111 Crewe Works 1893–1900 3-cylinder Compound, all rebuilt as C (15), C1 (34) or D (62)
File:LNWR engine No. 3249 Crane Tank.jpg 835 0-4-2WT 5 Crewe Works 1894 Crane Tank
File:LNWR engine No.20 John Hick.jpg John Hick 2-2-2-2 10 Crewe Works 1894–98 3-cylinder Compound
File:LNWR 0-4-2T saddle tank locomotive 317 (Howden, Boys' Book of Locomotives, 1907).jpg 317 0-4-2ST 20 Crewe Works 1896–1901 1P 6400-6419 also known as "Dock Tank" or "Bissel Tank"
Iron Duke 4-4-0 1 Crewe Works 1897 Initially 4-cylinder simple, converted to Compound, then to "Renown"
Black Prince 4-4-0 1 Crewe Works 1897 4-cylinder Compound, rebuilt as "Renown"
File:LNWR engine No.1597, 5ft 3in 0-6-2 Tank.jpg 18in Tank 0-6-2T 80 Crewe Works 1898–1902 1P 6860-6936
File:LNWR engine No.1916 'Irresistible'.jpg Jubilee 4-4-0 40 Crewe Works 1897–1900 2P 5110-5117 4-cylinder Compound, all but 3 rebuilt as "Renown"s
File:LNWR engine No.1942.jpg King Edward VII.jpg Alfred the Great 4-4-0 40 Crewe Works 1901–03 2P 5118-5130 4-cylinder Compound, 33 rebuilt as 'Renown'
File:LNWR locomotive No. 1881 B.jpg B 0-8-0 170 Crewe Works 1901–04 3F 8900-8952 4-cylinder Compound, most rebuilt as E (26), F (10), G (32) or G1 (91)
File:LNWR engine No.1400.jpg 1400 4-6-0 30 Crewe Works 1903–05 4-cylinder Compound, nicknamed "Bill Baileys", all scrapped before grouping

George Whale (1903–1909)[]

Image Class Type Quantity Manufacturer Date LMS

Classification

LMS

Numbers

Notes
C 0-8-0 15 Crewe Works 1904–06 4F 8953–8967 Simple rebuilds of Class A, 5 rebuilt as G1
File:LNWR engine No.1986 E Class.jpg E 2-8-0 26 Crewe Works 1904–07 3F 9600–9609 Rebuilds of Class B, small boiler, 2 rebuilt as F, 18 as G1.
File:LNWR locomotive No. 1273, F class.jpg F 2-8-0 12 Crewe Works 1904–07 3F 9610–9615 Rebuilds of Class B (10) and E (2), large boiler. 10 later rebuilt as G1
File:LNWR engine No. 513 Precursor.jpg Precursor 4-4-0 130 Crewe Works 1904–07 2P/3P 5187–5319 Many later equipped with superheaters
File:LNWR engine No.808, 0-6-0ST.jpg Square Saddle Tank 0-6-0PT 45 Crewe Works 1905–07 1F 7458–7502 Rebuilds of Coal (tender) engines
File:LNWR 4-6-0 locomotive 66 Experiment (Howden, Boys' Book of Locomotives, 1907).jpg Experiment 4-6-0 105 Crewe Works 1905–10 3P 5450–5554
File:LNWR engine No.1866 D Class.jpg D 0-8-0 63 Crewe Works 1906–09 4F 9002–9064 Simple rebuilds of Class A and No. 2524. All later rebuilt as G1
File:LNWR locomotive No. 528 Precursor Tank.jpg Precursor Tank 4-4-2T 50 Crewe Works 1906–09 2P 6780–6829
File:LNWR engine No.2000 19inch Express Goods Class.jpg 19in Goods 4-6-0 170 Crewe Works 1906–09 4F 8700–8869
File:LNWR locomotive No. 1918 Renown.jpg Renown 4-4-0 70 Crewe Works 1908–24 2P 5131–5186 Simple rebuilds of 'Jubilee' & 'Alfred the Great' classes
File:LNWR locomotive No. 2529, C Class.jpg C1 0-8-0 34 Crewe Works 1909 3F 8968–9001 Simple rebuilds of Class A

Charles John Bowen Cooke (1909–1920)[]

With a reasonably comprehensive fleet, Bowen Cooke arranged exchanges with other railways in 1909 and 1910 to assess the scope for improvements, among which was superheating.

Image Class Type Quantity Manufacturer Date LMS

Classification

LMS

Numbers

Notes
File:LNWR locomotive No. 2663 George the Fifth.jpg George the Fifth 4-4-0 90 Crewe Works 1910–15 3P 5320–5409 Superheated, 80 original, 10 conversions of 'Queen Mary's
Queen Mary 4-4-0 10 Crewe Works 1910 All later converted to George the Fifth class
File:LNWR locomotive No. 2653 G Class.jpg G 0-8-0 92 Crewe Works 1910 4F 9065–9153 60 new, 32 rebuilds of B. All rebuilt as G1
File:LNWR engine No.2273, 2665 Class.jpg 2665 4-6-2T 47 Crewe Works 1910–16 3P 6950–6996 12 built saturated, later had superheaters added, remainder began superheated. Nicknamed 'Prince of Wales Tank'
File:LNWR locomotive No. 819 Prince of Wales 2.jpg Prince of Wales 4-6-0 246 Crewe Works (135)

North British Loco (20)

Wm Beardmore & Co. (91)||1911–24||3P||5600–5845|| align="left" |Superheated

File:LNWR locomotive No. 289 0-8-2 Tank.jpg 1185 0-8-2T 30 Crewe Works 1911–17 4F 7870–7899
File:LNWR locomotive No. 1384 G1.jpg G1 0-8-0 449 Crewe Works 1912–18 6F 9154–9394 Superheated, boiler 160psi. 170 new, rest rebuilds of B (91), C (5), D (63), E (18), F (10), G (92)
File:LNWR locomotive No. 2222 Sir Gilbert Claughton.jpg Claughton 4-6-0 130 Crewe Works 1913–21 5P 5900–6029 Superheated, 42 later 'renewed' as Patriots by LMS
File:Engine No. 2400 ROD 2-8-0 Consolidation MM class.jpg MM 2-8-0 30 R. Stephenson & Co. (2)

North British Loco (28)

1919 7F 9616–9645 Robinson ROD type. Bought from the government. Another 151 on hire, but returned.

H. P. M. Beames (1920–1922)[]

Image Class Type Quantity Manufacturer Date LMS

Classification

LMS

Numbers

Notes
File:LMS engine No.9447 G2 Class Superheated.jpg G2 0-8-0 60 Crewe Works 1921–22 7F 9395–9454 Superheated, boiler 175 psi. All new engines
File:Swansea Paxton Street 1 Locomotive Depot geograph-2210749.jpg 380 0-8-4T 30 Crewe Works 1923–24 5F 7930–7959 Superheated

George Hughes (1922)[]

In 1922 the LNWR merged with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR) to form a larger company still called the LNWR. George Hughes, formerly CME of the L&YR became CME of the LNWR. A year later the large company was grouped into the LMS and Hughes became CME of the LMS.

Locomotives of the North London Railway[]

File:NLR engine No. 2649, 4-4-0T.jpg

No. 2649 Adams 4-4-0T (inside cylinders)

File:LNWR engine No. 2821.jpg

No. 2821 Adams 4-4-0T (outside cylinders)

In the early days, locomotives were bought from outside builders but, from 1863, they were built in the North London Railway's workshops at Bow, London.

William Adams (1854–1873)[]

  • 4-4-0T (16" inside cylinders) built 1863-1865
  • 4-4-0T (17" inside cylinders) built 1865-1869
  • 4-4-0T (17" outside cylinders) built 1868-1876
  • 4-4-0T (17½" outside cylinders) built 1876-?

John C. Park (1873–1893)[]

  • 0-6-0T (17" outside cylinders) built 1879-1905

Henry J. Pryce (1893–1908)[]

Influence on LMS policy[]

Main article: Locomotives of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway

Crewe's influence on the locomotives of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway was less than that of its great rival the Midland Railway. However, the LMS did produce an unsuccessful "Midlandised" version of the G class 0-8-0s, see LMS Class 7F 0-8-0.

Preservation[]

Preserved L&NWR locomotives are:

Image LNWR

No.

LNWR

class

Type Manufacturer Serial

No.

Date Notes
File:Bury Coppernob Lion at Rainhill.jpg 116 0-4-2 Todd, Kitson and Laird 1838 ex Liverpool and Manchester Railway 57 Lion; static display, Museum of Liverpool
File:London Science Museum04.jpg 1868 2-2-2 Crewe Works 1845 ex Grand Junction Railway 49 Columbine; static exhibit (no tender); National Collection, Science Museum, London (tender in storage at Wroughton, Wiltshire)
File:LNWR locomotive, Cornwall .jpg 3020Cornwall 2-2-2 Crewe Works 1847 Static exhibit; National Collection, Shildon
Wantage tramway No. 5 "Shannon" 1104 - 0-4-0 George England & co - 1857 ex Sandy & Potton Railway
File:Hugh llewelyn Pet (6684190279).jpg Pet CreweWorksTramway 0-4-0ST Crewe Works 1865 18-inch gauge; static exhibit; National Collection, York
File:Riverside Railway Museum - LNWR 1439.JPG 1439 835 0-4-0ST Crewe Works 842 1865 Renumbered 1985 in 1885 and 3042 in 1891, sold to industry. To Staffordshire County Museum
File:0076CoalTankOxenhope.jpg 1054 CoalTank 0-6-2T Crewe Works 2979 1888 LMS 7799, BR 57926;
File:790 Hardwicke at NRM York - DSC07757.jpg 790

Hardwicke

RenewedPrecedent 2-4-0 Crewe Works 3286 1892 LMS 5031; static exhibit; National Collection, Shildon
File:49395 Super D at Heywood.jpg 485 G2 0-8-0 Crewe Works 5662 1921 LMS 9395
LMS 27505 2650 NLR Class 75 0-6-0T Bow Works 181 1880 ex North London Railway 116, née 76; acquired 1909. Became LMS 7505, 27505 from 1934; BR 58850. Awaiting overhaul at Bluebell Railway

A full-size working replica of an LNWR Bloomer Class locomotive was begun at Tyseley in 1986, was 90% completed by 1990, but has never been finished (2020).

Another full-size replica of the same type (but non-working) was built in Milton Keynes, and was exhibited outside the station there from 1991; it is now (2018) in Milton Keynes Museum.

There is a replica of the LNWR's Crewe Works Railway "Nipper" that is currently ongoing.

A miniature one-sixth scale locomotive 'Orion' was built by G R S Darroch during his time at Crewe Works. It is based on the LNWR Alfred the Great Class and is the only surviving Crewe built Webb Compound. (Completed circa 1910-12) The locomotive is in the ownership of the Stephenson Locomotive Society and currently based at Shildon Locomotion Museum.

Preserved L&YR locomotives can be found on its own page.

External links[]

London North Western Railway Classes
2-2-2 6ft "Single" Class173 Cornwall7ft "Large Bloomer" Class7ft "Single" Class"Patent" Class6ft 6in "Small Bloomer" ClassH "Special Bloomer" Class7ft 6in "Problem"/"Lady of the Lake" Class
2-4-0 6ft "Samson"/"Curved Link Passenger" Class6ft 6in "Newton"/"Curved Link Passenger" Class5ft 6in "Precursor"6ft 6in "Precedent" Class2234 "Chopper" Class"Improved Precedent" Class"Small Jumbo"/"Waterloo"/"Whitworth" Class"Crewe Goods" Class
2-4-2 4ft 6in Class5ft 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.687No.600"Greater Britain" Class6ft 3in "John Hick" Class
2-2-4-0 No.2974
4-4-0 "Metropolitan" ClassLNWR "Jubilee" Class"Alfred the Great" Class"Benbow" Class6ft 9in "Precursor" Class"Renown" Class"Queen Mary" Class"George the Fifth" Class
0-6-2 5ft 3in "Watford" Class17in "Coal Tank"
4-6-0 "Experiment" (G. Whale)"Prince of Wales" Class"Claughton" ClassNo.1361 Prospero1400 "Bill Bailey" Class19in "Express Goods" Class
4-4-2 "Metropolitan Tank" (Rebuild)6ft "Precursor Tank"
4-6-2 2665 "Prince of Wales Tank"
0-6-0 271 ClassDX "Goods" ClassD "Early Goods" Class"Ostrich" Class"Wolverton Express Goods" Class"Special Tank" Class17in "Coal Engine" Class5ft/18in "Express Goods"/"Crested Goods"/"Cauliflower" ClassDX "Special Goods" Class4ft 3in "Square Saddle Tank" Class
0-4-0 "Tram" Class4ft 835 "Shunter" Class4ft 1201 "Shunter" Class2360 Class
0-4-2 835 "Crane Tank" Class317 "Bissel" Class
0-8-0 No.2524A ClassB Class (F. W. Webb)C ClassC1 ClassD ClassG Class G1 ClassG2 ClassG2A ClassG3 Class
2-8-0 E ClassF ClassMM Class
0-8-2 1185 "Shunter" Class
0-8-4 380 Class
2-2-0 "Bury Bar-Frame" ClassB Class (E. Bury)
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