LNWR Greater Britain Class

Class of British steam locomotives

LNWR Greater Britain class

LNWR No. 2053 Greater Britain

| Type and origin

Power type| Steam
Designer| F. W. Webb
Builder| Crewe Works
Serial number| 3292, 3435, 3472–3479
Build date| 1892–1894
Total produced| 10
| Specifications

Configuration:
| ​
• Whyte| 2-2-2-2
• UIC| 1AA1 n3v
Gauge| 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Leading dia.| 3 ft 10+1⁄2 in (1,181 mm), plus 3 in (76 mm) tyres
Driver dia.| 6 ft 10 in (2.083 m)
Trailing dia.| 3 ft 10+1⁄2 in (1,181 mm), plus 3 in (76 mm) tyres
Wheelbase|

* 8 ft 5 in (2.565 m) +
* 8 ft 3 in (2.515 m) +
* 7 ft 3 in (2.210 m)

Loco weight| 52 long tons (53 t)
Fuel type| Coal
Water cap.| 2,000 imp gal (9,100 L; 2,400 US gal)
Boiler:
| ​
• Diameter| 4 ft 3 in (1.295 m)
• Tube plates| 18 ft 6 in (5.639 m)
Heating surface| 1,505.7 sq ft (139.88 m2)
Cylinders| Three, compound: two outside high pressure for trailing drivers, one inside low pressure for leading drivers
High-pressure cylinder| 15 in × 24 in (381 mm × 610 mm)
Low-pressure cylinder| 30 in × 24 in (762 mm × 610 mm)
Valve gear| Stephenson, Slip-eccentric.
| Career

Operators| London and North Western Railway
Scrapped| March 1906 – July 1907
Disposition| All scrapped

The London and North Western Railway (LNWR) Greater Britain class was a class of ten 2-2-2-2 steam locomotives designed for express passenger work by F. W. Webb.

## History[edit]

The first of the ten locomotives was built in October 1891, and a second followed in May 1893; the remaining eight came from Crewe Works in April and May 1894.

They were three-cylinder compound locomotives: the two outside high pressure cylinders drove the trailing drivers via Howe-Stephenson valve gear, the one inside low pressure cylinder drive the leading drivers via a slip eccentric. There was no connection between the two sets of drivers.

All the locomotives were named; one unusual feature (shared with the John Hick class) was that the names were split over two nameplates, one on each driving wheel splasher. This necessitated the use of two-word names, rather than some of the abbreviated names the LNWR had previously used.

They continued in service until Webb's retirement. His successor, George Whale preferred simple superheated locomotives; consequently they were all scrapped between 1906 and 1907.

## Fleet list[edit]

Table of locomotives[1] LNWR
No. | Name | Crewe
Works
No. | Date
built | Date
scrapped | Notes

|
|
|
|
|

2525 | Greater Britain | 3292 | Oct 1891 | Jul 1907 | Renumbered 2053 in Dec 1891
3435 | Queen Empress | 3435 | May 1893 | Jun 1906 | Renumbered 2054 in Jan 1894
2051 | George Findlay | 3472 | Apr 1894 | Jul 1907 |
2052 | Prince George | 3473 | May 1894 | Sep 1906 |
525 | Princess May | 3474 | May 1894 | Sep 1906 |
526 | Scottish Chief | 3475 | May 1894 | Mar 1906 |
527 | Henry Bessemer | 3476 | May 1894 | Jan 1907 |
528 | Richard Moon | 3477 | May 1894 | Mar 1906 |
529 | William Cawkwell | 3478 | May 1894 | Sep 1906 |
772 | Richard Trevithick | 3479 | May 1894 | Apr 1906 |

## References[edit]

1. ^ Baxter 1979, p. 196.

* 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. ISBN 0-903485-84-2.

## External links[edit]

* LNWR Society Photographs of the Webb 2-2-2-2 Greater Britain class steam locomotives.

* v
* t
* e

London and North Western Railway locomotives

John Ramsbottom (North Eastern Division 1846–1857)|

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* SFB passenger
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* SFB goods tank
* LFB goods tank

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Edward Bury (Southern Division 1846–1847)|

* Bury Bar Frame locomotive

James McConnell (Southern Division 1847–1862)|

* Bloomer
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John Ramsbottom (1862–1871)|

* 4ft Shunter
* Samson
* Newton
* Special Tank

Francis William Webb (1871–1903)|

* Alfred the Great
* Chopper Tank
* Coal Engine
* Coal Tank
* Experiment
* Dreadnought
* Teutonic
* Greater Britain
* John Hick
* Dock Tank
* Precursor
* Precedent
* Improved Precedent
* Jubilee
* Waterloo
* 4ft 6in Tank
* 5ft 6in Tank
* 18in Goods (Cauliflower)
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George Whale (1903–1909)|

* Experiment
* 19in Express Goods
* Precursor
* Precursor Tank
* Renown
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* D
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* F
* G

Charles John Bowen Cooke (1909–1920)|

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* George V
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* Prince of Wales
* Prince of Wales Tank
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* MM

H. P. M. Beames (1920–1921)|

* 380
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George Hughes (1922–1923)|

* No new locomotive classes

* Locomotives of the London and North Western Railway
* LMS locomotives
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