LNWR Webb Experiment Class

The London and North Western Railway Experiment Class was a series of 30 three-cylinder 2-(2-2)-0 compound locomotives designed by Francis Webb for the London and North Western Railway between 1882 and 1884. They were Webb’s first large-scale experiment with a class of express compound locomotives, and the first engine was named accordingly. They were followed by a class of similar, but larger locomotives, that featured larger boilers and smaller driving wheels – the LNWR Dreadnought Class.

LNWR Experiment Class (Webb)
No.301 Economist
Type and origin Power type Steam Designer F. W. Webb Builder Crewe Works Serial number 2500, 2625–2628, 2669–2673, 2734–2753 Build date 1882–84 Total produced 30
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-(2-2)-0  • UIC 1AA n3v Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Leading dia. 3 ft 6 in (1.067 m) Driver dia. 6 ft 6 in (1.981 m) Loco weight 38 long tons (39 t) Fuel type Coal Heating surface 1,083.5 sq ft (100.66 m2) Cylinders Three: two high pressure outside, driving rear wheels; one low pressure inside, driving front drivers High-pressure cylinder 13 in × 24 in (330 mm × 610 mm) Low-pressure cylinder 26 in × 24 in (660 mm × 610 mm) Valve gear Joy valve gear for HP, and slip-eccentric valve gear for LP.
Career Operators London and North Western Railway Withdrawn 1903–1904 Scrapped 1904–1905 Disposition All scrapped

After Webb's retirement, his successor, George Whale, withdrew the Experiment class locomotives soon after he took up office in 1903.

Accidents and incidents

Main article: Chelford rail accident

• On 22 December 1894, a gust of wind blew a wagon into a rake of wagons at Chelford, Cheshire. They were derailed and fouled the main line. Locomotive No. 520 Express was one of two hauling an express passenger train that collided with the wagons and was derailed. 14 people were killed and 48 were injured.

Locomotives

Table of locomotives

LNWR No.	Name	Crewe Works No.	Date built	Date scrapped	Notes
66	Experiment	2500	January 1882	February 1905
300	Compound	2625	February 1883	July 1905
301	Economist	2626	March 1883	October 1904
302	Velocipede	2627	April 1883	July 1905
303	Hydra	2628	April 1883	January 1905
305	Trentham	2669	July 1883	June 1904
306	Knowsley	2670	July 1883	July 1905
307	Victor	2671	July 1883	February 1905
520	Express	2672	July 1883	April 1905
519	Shooting Star	2673	July 1883	February 1905
311	Richard Francis Roberts	2734	January 1884	July 1905
315	Alaska	2735	February 1884	July 1905
321	Servia	2736	February 1884	January 1905
323	Britannic	2737	February 1884	March 1905
333	Germanic	2738	February 1884	November 1904
353	Oregon	2739	February 1884	July 1905
363	Aurania	2740	February 1884	February 1905
365	America	2741	March 1884	April 1905
366	City of Chicago	2742	March 1884	May 1905
310	Sarmatian	2743	March 1884	November 1904
1102	Cyclops	2744	May 1884	October 1904
1120	Apollo	2745	June 1884	December 1905
1104	Sunbeam	2746	June 1884	January 1905
1113	Hecate	2747	June 1884	August 1904
1111	Messenger	2748	June 1884	February 1905
1115	Snake	2749	July 1884	March 1905
1116	Friar	2750	July 1884	August 1905
1117	Penguin	2751	July 1884	October 1904
372	Empress	2752	July 1884	June 1905
374	Emperor	2753	July 1884	September 1905