LNWR Prince of Wales Tank Class

The London and North Western Railway (LNWR) Prince of Wales Tank Class was a Pacific tank engine version of the Prince of Wales Class 4-6-0 steam locomotive.

LNWR 2665 Class
"5ft 6in Tank (Superheated)"
No. 2273
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerCharles Bowen Cooke
BuilderLNWR Crewe Works
Serial number4950–69, 5080–96, 5347–56
Model1910–1916
Total produced47
Specifications
Configuration:
 • Whyte4-6-2T
 • UIC2′C1 n2t
Gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Leading dia.3 ft 3 in (0.991 m)
Driver dia.5 ft 8+12 in (1.740 m)
Trailing dia.3 ft 3 in (0.991 m)
Loco weight78 long tons (79 t)
Boiler pressure175 lbf/in2 (1.21 MPa)
Heating surfaceSaturated: 1,475 sq ft (137.0 m2)
Superheated: 1,330 sq ft (124 m2)
CylindersTwo
Cylinder sizeSaturated: 18+12 in × 26 in (0 m × 1 m)
Superheated: 20 in × 26 in (508 mm × 660 mm)
Valve gearJoy
Valve typePiston valves
Career
Operators
Class5ft 6in Tank (Superheated)
Power classLMS: 4P
NicknamesPrince of Wales Tank
Withdrawn1935–1941
DispositionAll scrapped

History

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Bowen-Cooke's predecessor George Whale had built 50 related Precursor Tank Class 4-4-2 engines. In terms of familial relationships, Prince of Wales Tank was both a superheated and extended version of the Precursor Tank, and a version of the Prince of Wales Class 4-6-0 steam locomotive with side tanks and a bunker which necessitated an extension to the frames and trailing pony truck. They were used on suburban services out of Euston station and from an early date also used on passenger services between Shrewsbury and Swansea (Victoria) over the steeply-graded Central Wales line, a journey of some 120 miles.

The LNWR built 47 of the superheated tanks between 1910 and 1916 under Charles Bowen-Cooke.

LMS service

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All passed onto LMS ownership on the 1923 grouping. The LMS renumbered them 6950–6996 and gave them the power classification 4P. Withdrawals started in 1935, their replacements being Class 4 2-6-4T designs by Fowler and Stanier. All were gone by 1941, and no examples were preserved.

Fleet list

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References

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  • Baxter, Bertram (1979). Baxter, David (ed.). British Locomotive Catalogue 1825–1923, Volume 2B: London and North Western Railway and its constituent companies. Ashbourne, Derbyshire: Moorland Publishing Company. pp. 290–291. ISBN 0-903485-84-2.
  • Casserley, H. C. & Johnston, Stuart W. (1974) [1966]. Locomotives at the Grouping 3: London, Midland and Scottish Railway. Shepperton, Surrey: Ian Allan. p. 79. ISBN 0-7110-0554-0.