The London and North Western Railway (LNWR) DX Goods class was a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotive, designed by John Ramsbottom for freight duties. 943 were constructed, making them the largest single class of steam locomotives built in the United Kingdom. Despite this, none were preserved.

History

The "DX" goods engine was the first original design produced by Ramsbottom, shortly after becoming Locomotive Superintendent of the Northern Division. An experimental prototype was developed at Longsight whilst Ramsbottom was only in charge of the North-Eastern Division. The first regular example was completed at Crewe Works in September 1858, and was given the running number 355. This was the 399th locomotive built at Crewe, but it was the practice of the LNWR to reuse the numbers of withdrawn locomotives.

The first DX, No. 355, was named Hardman, and carried the name on a curved brass plate above the driving wheels. It was painted in the same dark green livery as used by Ramsbottom's predecessor, Francis Trevithick, but edged with a single black line. Fifty-four of the early DX locomotives were given names, but all were removed by 1864, with some re-used on passenger locomotives.

Four 0-4-2 versions of this locomotive type were built by Robert Stephenson and supplied to the Sydney Railway Company in 1855 as the first motive power for the new railway company. They were virtually identical in specification, except for slightly larger driving wheels and smaller diameter cylinders.

+ Table of named locomotives LNWRNo. Name CreweWorksNo. Datebuilt Notes 355 Hardman 399 357 Terrier 400 358 Falstaff 401 359 Glowworm 403 87 Eden 404 39 Tantalus 405 428 Trevithick 406 429 Roberts 407 447 Whitworth 408 210 Alchymist 409 369 Banshee 410 240 Bee 418 120 Samson 419 261 Hercules 420 266 Sutherland 422 245 Ellesmere 423 206 Menai 432 531 Lady of the Lake 433 Renumbered 494 and name removed in Feb 1862 345 Turk 434 215 Spitfire 435 283 Croxteth 436 296 Bellerophon 437 293 Quick Silver 438 312 Tubal 439 192 Hero 444 211 Onyx 445 220 Waterloo 446 221 Trafalgar 448 52 Diomed 449 2 Hecla 450 237 Blenheim 451 121 Buffalo 452 123 Victory 453 183 Theorem 454 177 Chimera 455 216 Ambassador 456 224 Violet 469 280 Glendower 470 278 Locke 471 442 Forerunner 479 236 Hawkstone 483 356 Memnon 485 568 Stewart 498 129 Martin 510 65 Charon 513 125 Soho 522 130 Heron 523 325 Chandos 547 147 Woodlark 548 135 Bat 549 343 Etna 550 368 Majestic 551 34 Phoebus 552 532 Grasmere 553

857 examples of Ramsbottom’s standard goods design were built for the LNWR at Crewe Works between 1858 and 1872. The class has been described as "the earliest example of standardization and mass productions of locomotives on a large scale," and "a remarkable instance of standardisation at a time when most railways had many different classes, each class with only few engines." During the 1870s, driving cabs were added. 278 examples of a saddle tank version of the design were built after 1870, known as the LNWR Special Tank.

In addition to the 857 examples used by the LNWR, a further 86 examples of the original design were constructed at Crewe for the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (LYR) between 1871 and 1874. This alarmed independent locomotive manufacturers, who sought an injunction to stop the practice; it was granted on 16 December 1875.

The 943 locomotives were all built at Crewe as follows: +ConstructionYears built Crewe numbers Quantity Notes1858–1859 399–423 25 1860 430–439 10 1860 444–463 20 1861 469–488 20 1861 494–523 30 1862 534–583 50 1863 604–623 20 1863 634–673 40 1864 690–729 40 1864 740–759 20 1864 770–779 10 1865 790–829 40 1865 850–879 30 1866 890–919 30 1866 930–979 50 1866–1868 1000–1159 160 1868–1869 1180–1279 100 1870 1320–1329 10 1870–1871 1340–1379 40 1871 1386–1433 48 last 6 sold to LYR after initial use on LNWR1872 1489–1498 10 new to LYR1872 1499–1508 10 Webb modifications1872 1512–1531 20 Webb modifications1872 1532–1541 10 new to LYR1872 1542–1561 20 Webb modifications1872 1582–1601 20 Webb modifications1873 1602–1621 20 Webb modifications; new to LYR1873–1874 1722–1761 40 Webb modifications; new to LYR Crewe numbers 1428–33 (total 6), delivered new to the LNWR in October 1871, were sold to the LYR in November 1871. Crewe numbers 1489–98, 1532–41, 1602–21 and 1722–61 (total 80) were delivered new to the LYR. Most of those built from 1872 onwards (total 130) incorporated modifications by Francis Webb such as being fitted with cabs.

From April 1881, Webb rebuilt 500 examples with a new 150 psi boiler and vacuum brakes for working passenger trains. These became known as 'Special' (or vacuum) DX's.

Accidents and incidents On 12 January 1899, locomotive 1418 was hauling a freight train that was derailed at Penmaenmawr railway station, Caernarfonshire due to the trackbed being washed away in a storm. Both locomotive crew were killed.

Withdrawals Withdrawals began in 1902, but there were still 88 engines in existence at the time of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway's formation in 1923. The last survivor was withdrawn in 1930. Despite the large number of the class produced, all were scrapped.

Engines converted to other uses The chassis of a withdrawn DX Goods locomotive was repurposed as a stationary engine on the Sheep Pasture Incline of the Cromford and High Peak Railway in February 1884 but was replaced by an electric winch in 1964.

Engines sold abroad

Between 1900 and 1901, four LNWR Special DX were sold to the Société Anonyme du Chemin de Fer International de Malines à Terneuzen, a private railway between Belgium and the Netherlands. They were renumbered 15, 16, 17 and 18. Three of them were rebuilt between 1910 and 1911 with larger cabs of Belgian design and all of them were fitted with Westinghouse brakes sometimes after 1911. One of them (number 15) was still on the active roster in 1948 when the Malines - Terneuzen was taken over by SNCB. All the M.T. engines were then scrapped.

References