LNWR Whale Precursor Class
# LNWR Whale Precursor Class

The London and North Western Railway (LNWR) "Precursor" Class was a type of 4-4-0 ("American") steam locomotive designed by the company's Chief Mechanical Engineer, George Whale. Introduced in 1904, it should not be confused with the LNWR 2-4-0 "Precursor" Class of 1874 designed by Francis Webb, the last example of which was scrapped in 1895. In 1906, a 4-4-2T ("Atlantic") tank variant of Webb's engine, the "Precursor Tank" Class, also entered service.

## History

The Precursor Class was essentially a larger version of the LNWR "Improved Precedent" Class, being Whale's first attempt at producing a locomotive which would remove the requirement for express trains to be double headed (then standard practice on the LNWR). 130 examples of the class were constructed at Crewe Works between March 1904 and August 1907, their introduction allowing Whale to phase out the unreliable compound locomotives favoured by his predecessor, Francis Webb. As built, they were saturated, although a small number were fitted with superheaters between February 1913 and September 1919.

Whilst the Precursors created issues for crews as some of the cab controls were difficult to operate or reach, they were generally successful in terms of operating performance. However, having apparently experienced difficulty keeping time on trials between Crewe and Carlisle, they were not used on heavier gradients such as the climb to Shap. A consequence of this was the introduction of an extended version of the Precursors, the 4-6-0 "Experiment" Class, in 1905. Nevertheless, double heading was still necessary on many trains north of Preston due to accelerated schedules and increased loads.

In 1919, the Precursors were developed by Whale's successor, Charles Bowen-Cooke, into the 4-4-0 superheated "George the Fifth" Class. The main visual difference was that the Precursors had separate splashers over each of the driving wheels while the Georges had combined splashers that covered both pairs.

The LNWR reused numbers and names from withdrawn locomotives, with the result that the numbering system was completely haphazard. Starting with the first of the class 513 "Precursor" in 1913, were given superheaters, the process continuing until just after grouping in 1923. Most of the superheated engines were also converted from having slide valves to piston valves.

This resulted in two main subclasses; saturated locomotives with 19 by 26 inches (480 mm × 660 mm) cylinders, and superheated locomotives with 20.5 by 26 inches (520 mm × 660 mm) cylinders. The LMS gave them the power classification 3P. The saturated engines were given the LMS numbers in the 5187–5266 series, though not all survived long enough to receive them. The superheated engines were given the LMS numbers 5270–5319 (5267–5269 were not used).

The LMS continued to superheat engines until 1926, these rebuilds retained their LMS number. Also, three superheated engines became saturated via boiler swaps.

Withdrawals of the saturated engines started in 1927 and the last engine in as built condition was withdrawn in 1935. The four superheated engines which retained slide valves were withdrawn from 1931 to 1936. Withdrawals of the superheated engines with piston valves began in 1935. Those not withdrawn had 20000 added to their numbers from 1934 to 1937 to make room for Black Fives.

By the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, only 11 Precursors were still in service. A single example, 25297 "Sirocco", was inherited by British Railways in 1948, but this was withdrawn in June 1949 before the number it had been allocated (58010) could be applied.

None were preserved.

## Accidents

### Great Bridgeford

On 17 June 1932, locomotive number 5278 Precursor was hauling the 7:23 p.m. Crewe to Stafford and Birmingham New Street express passenger service when, at around 7:52 p.m., the engine and all four coaches derailed just to the south of Great Bridgeford station, Staffordshire.

Of the 70 to 80 passengers on board the train, three were killed immediately and a fourth died in hospital the next day. Together with the driver and fireman, 9 passengers received injuries serious enough to require hospital care, whilst a further 18 were treated at the scene and able to continue their journeys.

## Fleet list

Table of locomotives :

| LNWR No. | Name(s) | Crewe Works No. | Date built | LMS No. | Date withdrawn | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 513 | Precursor | 4415 | March 1904 | 5278 | July 1936 | (f)(h) |
| 1395 | Harbinger | 4416 | March 1904 | 5291 | June 1937 | (h)(i) |
| 1419 | Tamerlane | 4417 | March 1904 | 5285 | March 1936 | (h) |
| 2023 | Helvellyn | 4418 | April 1904 | 5187 | March 1936 | (h)(i) |
| 2164 | Oberon | 4419 | May 1904 | 5277 | August 1946 | (h)(i) |
| 2 | Simoom | 4440 | June 1904 | 5308 | October 1936 | (h) |
| 7 | Titan | 4441 | June 1904 | 5276 | October 1935 | (h) |
| 412 | Alfred Paget, Marquis | 4442 | June 1904 | 5188 | April 1940 | (a)(h)(i) |
| 510 | Albatross | 4443 | June 1904 | 5189 | August 1933 | |
| 659 | Dreadnought | 4444 | June 1904 | 5296 | May 1936 | (h) |
| 639 | Ajax | 4445 | October 1904 | 5190 | September 1928 | |
| 648 | Archimedes | 4446 | October 1904 | 5191 | January 1928 | |
| 685 | Cossack | 4447 | October 1904 | 5192 | April 1932 | |
| 60 | Dragon | 4448 | October 1904 | 5298 | November 1938 | (h)(i) |
| 106 | Druid | 4449 | October 1904 | 5294 | May 1937 | (h)(i) |
| 301 | Leviathan | 4450 | November 1904 | 5289 | May 1936 | (h) |
| 305 | Senator | 4451 | November 1904 | 5307 | February 1937 | (h)(i) |
| 643 | Sirocco | 4452 | November 1904 | 5297 | June 1949 | (h)(i)(j) |
| 1102 | Thunderbolt | 4453 | November 1904 | 5193 | September 1931 | |
| 1117 | Vandal | 4454 | November 1904 | 5194 | October 1931 | |
| 310 | Achilles | 4455 | December 1904 | 5290 | October 1936 | (h) |
| 333 | Ambassador | 4456 | December 1904 | 5284 | August 1936 | (h) |
| 515 | Champion | 4457 | December 1904 | 5282 | December 1939 | (h)(i) |
| 622 | Euphrates | 4458 | December 1904 | 5195 | November 1927 | |
| 638 | Huskisson | 4459 | December 1904 | 5196 | April 1933 | |
| 303 | Himalaya | 4460 | January 1905 | 5305 | January 1936 | (f)(h) |
| 645 | Mammoth | 4461 | January 1905 | 5197 | November 1930 | |
| 806 | Swiftsure | 4462 | January 1905 | 5318 | October 1935 | (h) |
| 1120 | Thunderer | 4463 | January 1905 | 5310 | August 1939 | (b)(h)(i) |
| 1137 | Vesuvius | 4464 | February 1905 | 5299 | August 1936 | (h)(i) |
| 323 | Argus | 4465 | February 1905 | 5303 | October 1936 | (f)(h) |
| 1104 | Cedric | 4466 | February 1905 | 5199 | December 1933 | |
| 1111 | Cerberus | 4467 | March 1905 | 5200 | September 1934 | |
| 1431 | Egeria | 4468 | March 1905 | 5201 | November 1930 | |
| 2064 | Jason | 4469 | March 1905 | 5273 | August 1931 | (g)(h) |
| 40 | Niagara | 4470 | March 1905 | 5198 | November 1930 | |
| 520 | Panopea | 4471 | March 1905 | 5202 | January 1934 | |
| 1469 | Tantalus | 4472 | March 1905 | 5288 | March 1937 | (h)(i) |
| 1737 | Viscount | 4473 | March 1905 | 5316 | July 1936 | (h) |
| 2031 | Waverley | 4474 | March 1905 | 5203 | November 1931 | |
| 365 | Alchymist | 4475 | April 1905 | 5287 | June 1937 | (h)(i) |
| 1115 | Apollo | 4476 | April 1905 | 5205 | February 1928 | |
| 1545 | Cyclops | 4477 | April 1905 | 5206 | May 1932 | |
| 1573 | Dunrobin | 4478 | April 1905 | 5286 | September 1937 | (h)(i) |
| 2061 | Eglinton | 4479 | April 1905 | 5207 | August 1936 | (h)(i) |
| 184 | Havelock | 4480 | May 1905 | 5204 | September 1931 | |
| 366 | Medusa | 4481 | May 1905 | 5292 | April 1945 | (h)(i) |
| 519 | Messenger | 4482 | May 1905 | 5208 | November 1931 | |
| 2120 | Trentham | 4483 | May 1905 | 5209 | October 1927 | |
| 1430 | Victor | 4484 | May 1905 | 5210 | October 1931 | |
| 113 | Aurania | 4485 | July 1905 | 5211 | September 1936 | (h)(i) |
| 300 | Emerald | 4486 | July 1905 | 5301 | October 1935 | (h) |
| 302 | Greyhound | 4487 | July 1905 | 5304 | January 1947 | (f)(h)(i) |
| 315 | Harrowby | 4488 | July 1905 | 5212 | December 1936 | (h)(i) |
| 688 | Hecate | 4489 | July 1905 | 5274 | October 1935 | (f)(h) |
| 1509 | America | 4490 | July 1905 | 5214 | March 1928 | |
| 1617 | Hydra | 4491 | August 1905 | 5300 | July 1940 | (h)(i) |
| 1723 | Scorpion | 4492 | August 1905 | 5295 | November 1936 | (h) |
| 2062 | Sunbeam | 4493 | August 1905 | 5279 | August 1939 | (h)(i) |
| 2257 | Vulture | 4494 | August 1905 | 5215 | December 1933 | |
| 311 | Emperor | 4495 | September 1905 | 5213 | May 1933 | (h) |
| 374 | Empress | 4496 | September 1905 | 5317 | June 1936 | (h) |
| 811 | Express | 4497 | September 1905 | 5311 | March 1941 | (b)(h)(i) |
| 911 | Herald | 4498 | September 1905 | 5216 | February 1936 | (h)(i) |
| 1114 | Knowsley | 4499 | September 1905 | 5217 | February 1933 | |
| 1116 | Pandora | 4500 | September 1905 | 5218 | April 1936 | (h)(i) |
| 1510 | Psyche | 4501 | September 1905 | 5219 | December 1930 | |
| 1784 | Python | 4502 | October 1905 | 5220 | November 1931 | |
| 2165 | Shooting Star | 4503 | October 1905 | 5280 | November 1935 | (h) |
| 2202 | Vizier | 4504 | October 1905 | 5221 | December 1930 | |
| 117 | Alaska | 4510 | October 1905 | 5222 | September 1933 | |
| 1301 | Candidate | 4511 | October 1905 | 5225 | November 1936 | (h)(i) |
| 1363 | Cormwall, Brindley | 4512 | October 1905 | 5272 | December 1939 | (c)(h)(i) |
| 1396 | Harpy | 4513 | November 1905 | 5226 | November 1930 | |
| 2007 | Oregon | 4514 | November 1905 | 5227 | October 1927 | |
| 2012 | Penguin | 4515 | November 1905 | 5228 | October 1931 | |
| 2115 | Servia | 4516 | November 1905 | 5229 | April 1932 | |
| 127 | Snake | 4517 | November 1905 | 5223 | November 1936 | (h)(i) |
| 229 | Stork | 4518 | November 1905 | 5224 | November 1927 | |
| 1439 | Tiger | 4519 | November 1905 | 5275 | January 1933 | (g)(h) |
| 2576 | Arab | 4520 | December 1905 | 5230 | September 1933 | |
| 2577 | Etna | 4521 | December 1905 | 5313 | February 1936 | (h) |
| 2578 | Fame | 4522 | December 1905 | 5309 | August 1936 | (h) |
| 2579 | Ganymede | 4523 | December 1905 | 5231 | February 1936 | (h) |
| 2580 | Problem | 4524 | December 1905 | 5232 | November 1931 | |
| 2581 | Peel | 4525 | December 1905 | 5233 | August 1934 | |
| 2582 | Rowland Hill | 4526 | December 1905 | 5234 | November 1928 | |
| 2583 | Teutonic, The Tsar, Moonstone | 4527 | December 1905 | 5235 | April 1935 | (d) |
| 2584 | Velocipede | 4528 | January 1906 | 5312 | December 1935 | (e)(h) |
| 2585 | Watt | 4529 | January 1906 | 5236 | December 1933 | |
| 723 | Coptic | 4530 | February 1906 | 5239 | January 1936 | (h) |
| 837 | Friar | 4531 | February 1906 | 5240 | October 1933 | |
| 1312 | Ionic | 4532 | February 1906 | 5242 | November 1930 | |
| 1387 | Lang Meg | 4533 | March 1906 | 5306 | February 1936 | (f)(h) |
| 1642 | Lapwing | 4534 | March 1906 | 5243 | November 1935 | (h) |
| 2513 | Levens | 4535 | March 1906 | 5293 | June 1939 | (h)(i) |
| 234 | Pearl | 4536 | March 1906 | 5237 | February 1932 | |
| 526 | Ilion | 4537 | March 1906 | 5238 | December 1928 | |
| 1311 | Napoleon | 4538 | March 1906 | 5241 | January 1936 | (h) |
| 2017 | Tubal | 4539 | March 1906 | 5244 | November 1935 | (h) |
| 282 | Alaric | 4540 | April 1906 | 5314 | November 1935 | (h) |
| 561 | Antaeus | 4541 | April 1906 | 5245 | March 1941 | (h)(i) |
| 675 | Adjutant | 4542 | April 1906 | 5246 | February 1936 | (h) |
| 772 | Admiral | 4543 | April 1906 | 5247 | October 1927 | |
| 804 | Amphion | 4544 | April 1906 | 5248 | October 1935 | (h) |
| 990 | Bucephalus | 4545 | April 1906 | 5319 | December 1940 | (h)(i) |
| 988 | Bellerophon | 4546 | April 1906 | 5249 | June 1933 | |
| 1433 | Faerie Queene | 4547 | April 1906 | 5250 | November 1935 | (h) |
| 1650 | Richard Trevithick | 4548 | May 1906 | 5251 | February 1928 | |
| 1787 | Hyperion | 4549 | May 1906 | 5252 | December 1930 | |
| 1 | Clive | 4660 | June 1907 | 5253 | November 1930 | |
| 218 | Daphne | 4661 | June 1907 | 5254 | August 1933 | |
| 419 | Monarch | 4662 | June 1907 | 5255 | December 1930 | |
| 564 | Erebus | 4663 | June 1907 | 5281 | September 1936 | (h) |
| 665 | Mersey | 4664 | June 1907 | 5256 | October 1927 | |
| 469 | Marmion | 4665 | June 1907 | 5270 | May 1936 | (f) |
| 1011 | Locke | 4666 | July 1907 | 5257 | January 1933 | |
| 1364 | Clyde | 4667 | July 1907 | 5258 | November 1930 | |
| 2053 | Edith | 4668 | July 1907 | 5259 | March 1934 | |
| 2181 | Eleanor | 4669 | July 1907 | 5260 | December 1933 | |
| 276 | Doric | 4670 | July 1907 | 5261 | November 1927 | |
| 754 | Celtic | 4671 | July 1907 | 5262 | December 1930 | |
| 802 | Gaelic | 4672 | July 1907 | 5271 | November 1931 | (g) |
| 807 | Oceanic | 4673 | August 1907 | 5263 | December 1933 | |
| 976 | Pacific | 4674 | August 1907 | 5264 | November 1928 | |
| 1297 | Phalaris | 4675 | August 1907 | 5265 | October 1931 | |
| 1309 | Shamrock | 4676 | August 1907 | 5302 | June 1937 | (f)(h)(i) |
| 1516 | Alecto | 4677 | August 1907 | 5266 | October 1931 | |
| 2011 | Brougham | 4678 | August 1907 | 5283 | March 1936 | (h) |
| 2051 | Delamere | 4679 | August 1907 | 5315 | September 1936 | (h) |
| (a) Name changed November 1904. (b) Name removed September 1936. (c) Name changed May 1911. (d) Name changed November 1914 and December 1915. (e) Name removed August 1933. (f) Superheater fitted. (g) Superheater fitted but later removed. (h) Converted to LNWR George the Fifth Class. (i) 20000 added to LMS number. (j) Allocated, but never carried number 58010 by British Railways. |||||||
