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 Whale'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 , they were not used on heavier gradients such as the climb to Shap. Because of this an extended version of the Precursors, the 4-6-0 "Experiment" Class, was introduced in 1905. Nevertheless, double heading was still necessary on many trains north of Preston due to accelerated schedules and increased loads.
In 1910, the Precursors were developed by Whale's successor, Charles Bowen-Cooke, into the 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The LNWR reused numbers and names from withdrawn locomotives, with the result that the numbering system was completely haphazard.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 cylinders, and superheated locomotives with 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 7:23p.m. to and express passenger service when, at around 7:52p.m., the engine and all four coaches derailed just to the south of 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. 54 people were injured in the accident, with 11 people (the driver and fireman plus 9 passengers) getting injuries serious enough for hospitalization, and 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 513 Precursor 4415 5278 1395 Harbinger 4416 5291 1419 Tamerlane 4417 5285 2023 Helvellyn 4418 5187 2164 Oberon 4419 5277 2 Simoom 4440 5308 7 Titan 4441 5276 412 Alfred Paget,Marquis 4442 5188 510 Albatross 4443 5189 659 Dreadnought 4444 5296 639 Ajax 4445 5190 648 Archimedes 4446 5191 685 Cossack 4447 5192 60 Dragon 4448 5298 106 Druid 4449 5294 301 Leviathan 4450 5289 305 Senator 4451 5307 643 Sirocco 4452 5297 1102 Thunderbolt 4453 5193 1117 Vandal 4454 5194 310 Achilles 4455 5290 333 Ambassador 4456 5284 515 Champion 4457 5282 622 Euphrates 4458 5195 638 Huskisson 4459 5196 303 Himalaya 4460 5305 645 Mammoth 4461 5197 806 Swiftsure 4462 5318 1120 Thunderer 4463 5310 1137 Vesuvius 4464 5299 323 Argus 4465 5303 1104 Cedric 4466 5199 1111 Cerberus 4467 5200 1431 Egeria 4468 5201 2064 Jason 4469 5273 40 Niagara 4470 5198 520 Panopea 4471 5202 1469 Tantalus 4472 5288 1737 Viscount 4473 5316 2031 Waverley 4474 5203 365 Alchymist 4475 5287 1115 Apollo 4476 5205 1545 Cyclops 4477 5206 1573 Dunrobin 4478 5286 2061 Eglinton 4479 5207 184 Havelock 4480 5204 366 Medusa 4481 5292 519 Messenger 4482 5208 2120 Trentham 4483 5209 1430 Victor 4484 5210 113 Aurania 4485 5211 300 Emerald 4486 5301 302 Greyhound 4487 5304 315 Harrowby 4488 5212 688 Hecate 4489 5274 1509 America 4490 5214 1617 Hydra 4491 5300 1723 Scorpion 4492 5295 2062 Sunbeam 4493 5279 2257 Vulture 4494 5215 311 Emperor 4495 5213 374 Empress 4496 5317 811 Express 4497 5311 911 Herald 4498 5216 1114 Knowsley 4499 5217 1116 Pandora 4500 5218 1510 Psyche 4501 5219 1784 Python 4502 5220 2165 Shooting Star 4503 5280 2202 Vizier 4504 5221 117 Alaska 4510 5222 1301 Candidate 4511 5225 1363 Cormwall,Brindley 4512 5272 1396 Harpy 4513 5226 2007 Oregon 4514 5227 2012 Penguin 4515 5228 2115 Servia 4516 5229 127 Snake 4517 5223 229 Stork 4518 5224 1439 Tiger 4519 5275 2576 Arab 4520 5230 2577 Etna 4521 5313 2578 Fame 4522 5309 2579 Ganymede 4523 5231 2580 Problem 4524 5232 2581 Peel 4525 5233 2582 Rowland Hill 4526 5234 2583 Teutonic,The Tsar,Moonstone 4527 5235 2584 Velocipede 4528 5312 2585 Watt 4529 5236 723 Coptic 4530 5239 837 Friar 4531 5240 1312 Ionic 4532 5242 1387 Lang Meg 4533 5306 1642 Lapwing 4534 5243 2513 Levens 4535 5293 234 Pearl 4536 5237 526 Ilion 4537 5238 1311 Napoleon 4538 5241 2017 Tubal 4539 5244 282 Alaric 4540 5314 561 Antaeus 4541 5245 675 Adjutant 4542 5246 772 Admiral 4543 5247 804 Amphion 4544 5248 990 Bucephalus 4545 5319 988 Bellerophon 4546 5249 1433 Faerie Queene 4547 5250 1650 Richard Trevithick 4548 5251 1787 Hyperion 4549 5252 1 Clive 4660 5253 218 Daphne 4661 5254 419 Monarch 4662 5255 564 Erebus 4663 5281 665 Mersey 4664 5256 469 Marmion 4665 5270 1011 Locke 4666 5257 1364 Clyde 4667 5258 2053 Edith 4668 5259 2181 Eleanor 4669 5260 276 Doric 4670 5261 754 Celtic 4671 5262 802 Gaelic 4672 5271 807 Oceanic 4673 5263 976 Pacific 4674 5264 1297 Phalaris 4675 5265 1309 Shamrock 4676 5302 1516 Alecto 4677 5266 2011 Brougham 4678 5283 2051 Delamere 4679 5315 (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.
See also Locomotives of the London and North Western Railway
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