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 type Steam Designer Charles Bowen Cooke Builder LNWR Crewe Works Serial number 4950–69, 5080–96, 5347–56 Model 1910–1916 Total produced 47
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-6-2T  • UIC 2′C1 n2t Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Leading dia. 3 ft 3 in (0.991 m) Driver dia. 5 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1.740 m) Trailing dia. 3 ft 3 in (0.991 m) Loco weight 78 long tons (79 t) Boiler pressure 175 lbf/in2 (1.21 MPa) Heating surface Saturated: 1,475 sq ft (137.0 m2) Superheated: 1,330 sq ft (124 m2) Cylinders Two Cylinder size Saturated: 18+1⁄2 in × 26 in (0 m × 1 m) Superheated: 20 in × 26 in (508 mm × 660 mm) Valve gear Joy Valve type Piston valves
Career Operators London and North Western Railway London, Midland and Scottish Railway Class 5ft 6in Tank (Superheated) Power class LMS: 4P Nicknames Prince of Wales Tank Withdrawn 1935–1941 Disposition All scrapped

History

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

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

Table of locomotives

LNWR No.	Crewe Works No.	Build date	Superheated	LMS No.	Withdrawn	Notes
2665	4950	Dec 1910	May 1913	6950	Sep 1936
2666	4951	Dec 1910	Feb 1915	6951	Jan 1936
2667	4952	Jan 1911	from new	6952	Jul 1937
2668	4953	Jan 1911	from new	6953	Oct 1936
2669	4954	Feb 1911	from new	6954	Sep 1936
2670	4955	Feb 1911	from new	6955	Sep 1936
217	4956	Feb 1911	from new	6956	Apr 1938
1183	4957	Feb 1911	from new	6957	Dec 1937
1366	4958	Feb 1911	from new	6958	Feb 1936
1797	4959	Feb 1911	from new	6959	Mar 1938
632	4960	Mar 1911	May 1913	6977	Mar 1936
1186	4961	Mar 1911	Mar 1914	6982	Mar 1937
1416	4962	Mar 1911	Aug 1916	6986	Jan 1937
1533	4963	Mar 1911	Jun 1913	6978	Mar 1937
1638	4964	Mar 1911	Apr 1915	6985	Apr 1937
1688	4965	Mar 1911	Jun 1913	6979	Apr 1941
1692	4966	Apr 1911	Jan 1915	6984	Apr 1936
1710	4967	Apr 1911	Jul 1914	6983	Feb 1937
1728	4968	Apr 1911	Jul 1913	6980	Mar 1938
1734	4969	Apr 1911	Nov 1913	6981	Apr 1936
91	5080	Jul 1912	from new	6960	Feb 1939
375	5081	Jul 1912	from new	6961	Feb 1938
376	5082	Jul 1912	from new	6962	Jan 1937
716	5083	Jul 1912	from new	6963	Mar 1936
915	5084	Aug 1912	from new	6964	Jul 1937
932	5085	Aug 1912	from new	6965	Dec 1937
944	5086	Aug 1912	from new	6966	Nov 1937
962	5087	Aug 1912	from new	6970	Apr 1936
858	5088	Aug 1912	from new	6969	Jun 1937
2004	5089	Aug 1912	from new	6971	Apr 1937
327	5090	Sep 1912	from new	6967	Feb 1936
704	5091	Sep 1912	from new	6968	Jul 1936
841	5092	Sep 1912	from new	6972	Apr 1937
963	5093	Sep 1912	from new	6973	Feb 1938
1006	5094	Sep 1912	from new	6974	Sep 1936
1021	5095	Sep 1912	from new	6975	Sep 1937
1184	5096	Oct 1912	from new	6976	Feb 1936
96	5347	Sep 1916	from new	6987	Dec 1936
316	5348	Sep 1916	from new	6988	Dec 1936
809	5349	Sep 1916	from new	6989	Aug 1937
878	5350	Oct 1916	from new	6990	Mar 1936
2098	5351	Oct 1916	from new	6991	Feb 1936
2273	5352	Oct 1916	from new	6992	Jan 1937
2292	5353	Nov 1916	from new	6993	Sep 1939
2298	5354	Nov 1916	from new	6994	Feb 1936
2384	5355	Nov 1916	from new	6995	Apr 1937
2418	5356	Nov 1916	from new	6996	Sep 1937

References

• 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.