LNWR 5ft 6in Tank Class

The LNWR 5ft 6in Tank was a class of 160 passenger 2-4-2T locomotives manufactured by the London and [North Western Railway] in their Crewe Works between 1890 and 1897. The "5ft 6in" in the title referred to the diameter of the driving wheels – although the stated dimension was for the wheel centres – the nominal diameter including the tyres was.

Design

The design featured a saturated boiler and two cylinders connected by Allan valve gear to the driving wheels.
They were effectively a tank version of the LNWR Webb Precursor Class, which were then being withdrawn.

Service

Three locomotives were withdrawn before the 1923 Grouping; the remaining 157 locomotive passed to the London, [Midland and Scottish Railway] who renumbered them 6600–6757, and gave them power classification 1P.
Forty-two locomotives were fitted up between 1929 and 1932 by the LMS for push-pull train service.
Two were sold to the War Department in 1930 and 1931; they served on the Longmoor Military Railway where they became LMR 22 Douglas Haig, [1st Earl Haig|Earl Haig] and LMR 23 Earl Roberts. No. 22 was scrapped circa 1939, No. 23 lasted long enough to be renumbered WD 206, but was scrapped during the war.
Forty-three survived to British Railways service in 1948; their numbers were increased by 40000. The last of the class was withdrawn in September 1955 and none were preserved.