The London and North Western Railway (LNWR) John Hick class was a class of ten 2-2-2-2 steam locomotives designed for express passenger work by F. W. Webb.
History They were broadly similar to the earlier Greater Britain class, the principal difference being smaller driving wheels, as their intended use was on the more-steeply graded Northern Section.
The first of the ten locomotives was built in February 1894, and the remaining nine came from Crewe Works between January and April 1898.
They were three-cylinder compound locomotives: the two outside high-pressure cylinders drove the trailing drivers via Howe-Stephenson valve gear, the one inside low-pressure cylinder drive the leading drivers via a slip eccentric. There was no connection between the two sets of drivers.
All the locomotives were named; one unusual feature (shared with the Greater Britain class) was that the names were split over two nameplates, one on each driving wheel splasher. This necessitated the use of two-word names, rather than some of the abbreviated names the LNWR had previously used. The names chosen continued the Greater Britain theme.
They continued in service until Webb's retirement. His successor, George Whale, preferred simple superheated locomotives; consequently they were all scrapped between 1907 and 1912.
Fleet list + Table of locomotives LNWRNo. Name CreweWorksNo. Datebuilt Datescrapped Notes 20 John Hick 3505 1505 Richard Arkwright 3858 1512 Henry Cort 3859 1534 William Froude 3860 1535 Henry Maudsley 3861 Name misspelt 1536 Hugh Myddleton 3862 1548 John Penn 3863 1549 John Rennie 3864 1557 Thomas Savery 3865 1559 William Siemens 3866
See also LNWR Whale Experiment Class LNWR George the Fifth Class
References
External links LNWR Society Photographs of the Webb 2-2-2-2 John Hick class steam locomotives.