LNWR Class A

LNWR Class A
No. 50 in photographic grey livery
Type and origin Power type Steam Designer F.W. Webb Builder LNWR at Crewe Works Build date 1893–1900 Total produced 111
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 0-8-0  • UIC D n3vG Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Driver dia. 4 ft 5.5 in (1.359 m) Wheelbase 17 ft 3 in (5.26 m) Loco weight 50 long tons 0 cwt (112,000 lb or 50.8 t) Fuel type Coal Boiler pressure 175 psi (1.21 MPa) Heating surface 1,489 sq ft (138.3 m2) Cylinders Three, compound High-pressure cylinder (2 outside) 15 by 24 inches (380 mm × 610 mm) Low-pressure cylinder (1 inside) 30 by 24 inches (760 mm × 610 mm) Valve gear Stephenson link motion
Career Operators London and North Western Railway Disposition 15 rebuilt to Class C 1904–06 62 rebuilt to Class D 1906–09 34 rebuilt to Class C1 1909–12

The London and North Western Railway (LNWR) Class A was a class of 0-8-0 steam locomotives. From 1893 to 1900, Crewe Works built 111 of these engines, which had a three-cylinder compound arrangement, and were designed by Francis Webb. According to the LNWR Society, 110 were built between 1894 and 1900.

Construction and numbering

A prototype, no. 50, was built in 1893, and used in trials against the two-cylinder simple-expansion 0-8-0 no. 2524, which had been built the previous year. After the trials, no. 50 was renumbered 2525 and a further 110 of the compound design were then built in several batches between 1894 and 1900, as follows.

LNWR Class A orders

Quantity	Crewe numbers	Running numbers	Entered service
1	3471	50, later 2525	September 1893
10	3546–55	2526–35	November 1894 – February 1895
20	3661–80	2536–55	August–December 1896
20	3806–25	1801–20	October 1897 – January 1898
10	3826–35	1821–30	April–May 1898
10	3836–45	1831–40	July–August 1898
10	3846–55	1841–50	October–November 1898
10	3888–97	1851–60	February 1899
10	3898–3907	1861–70	May 1899
10	4025–34	1871–80	April–May 1900

Rebuilding

Like the other Webb compounds, they proved problematic, so in 1904 George Whale began rebuilding these to simple expansion engines. Fifteen were converted to Class C between 1904 and 1906, 62 to Class D between 1906 and 1909, with the remaining 34 rebuilt by Charles Bowen Cooke to Class C1 between 1909 and 1912.

All Class D locomotives were later rebuilt to Class G1. Some of them, rebuilt to Class G2A, were still running in 1962.

Classification

The LNWR letter classification system for 8 coupled engines (A, B, C, etc.) was introduced in 1911.

Further reading

• Talbot, Edward. The London & North Western Railway Eight-Coupled Goods Engines.
• Yeadon, Willie. Yeadon's Compendium of LNWR Locomotives Vol 2 Goods Tender Engines.