View source for LNWR 4ft 6in Tank Class

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2017}}
{{no footnotes|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox locomotive
| name             = LNWR 4′ 6″ Tank
| image            = LNWR engine 2-4-2T 4 foot 6.jpg
| alt              =
| caption          = No.761
| powertype        = Steam
| designer         = [[F. W. Webb]]
| builder          = [[Crewe Works]]
| ordernumber      =
| serialnumber     =
| buildmodel       =
| builddate        = 1879–1898
| totalproduction  = 220
| rebuilder        =
| rebuilddate      =
| numberrebuilt    =
| whytetype        = {{whyte|2-4-2|T}}
| uicclass         = 1′B1′n2t
| gauge            = {{track gauge|ussg}}
| leadingdiameter  = {{convert|3|ft|3|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
| driverdiameter   = {{convert|4|ft|8+1/2|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
| trailingdiameter = {{convert|3|ft|3|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
| minimumcurve     =
| wheelbase        = {{unbulleted list|Coupled: {{convert|7|ft|9|in|m|2|abbr=on}}|Loco: {{convert|21|ft|3|in|m|2|abbr=on}}}}
| length           =
| width            =
| height           =
| frametype        =
| axleload         =
| weightondrivers  =
| locoweight       = {{convert|46|LT}}
| fueltype         = Coal
| fuelcap          =
| watercap         =
| tendercap        =
| sandcap          =
| boiler           = {{unbulleted list|Diameter: {{convert|4|ft|0|in|m|2|abbr=on}}|Length: {{convert|9|ft|10|in|m|2|abbr=on}}}}
| boilerpressure   = {{convert|150|lbf/in2|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
| firearea         =
| tubearea         =
| fluearea         =
| tubesandflues    =
| fireboxarea      =
| totalsurface     = {{convert|971.6|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}
| cylindercount    = Two, inside
| cylindersize     = {{convert|17|x|20|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
| valvegear        = [[Allan valve gear]]
| valvetype        =
| valvetravel      =
| valvelap         =
| valvelead        =
| transmission     =
| maxspeed         =
| poweroutput      =
| tractiveeffort   = {{convert|12577|lbf|kN|2|abbr=on}}
| factorofadhesion =
| trainheating     =
| locobrakes       =
| locobrakeforce   =
| trainbrakes      =
| safety           =
| operator         = {{unbulleted list|[[London and North Western Railway]]|[[London, Midland and Scottish Railway]]|[[Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway]]|[[Dublin and South Eastern Railway]]|[[Great Southern Railways]]|[[Wirral Railway]]|[[Cardiff Railway]]|[[Great Western Railway]]}}
| operatorclass    =
| powerclass       =
| numinclass       =
| fleetnumbers     =
| officialname     =
| nicknames        =
| axleloadclass    =
| locale           =
| deliverydate     =
| firstrundate     =
| lastrundate      =
| retiredate       =
| withdrawndate    = 1905–1936
| preservedunits   =
| restoredate      =
| scrapdate        =
| currentowner     =
| disposition      = All scrapped
| notes            =
}}
The '''LNWR 4ft 6in Tank''' was a class of 220 passenger {{whyte|2-4-2|T}} locomotives manufactured by the [[London and North Western Railway]] in their [[Crewe Works]] between 1879 and 1898. The "4ft 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 [[railway tire|tyres]] was {{convert|4|ft|8+1/2|in|mm|abbr=on}}.
The design was an extension of the earlier 2234 {{whyte|2-4-0|T}} built from 1876 which became known as "Chopper Tanks".
==Design==
The design featured a boiler pressed to {{convert|150|lbf/in2|MPa|2|abbr=on}} delivering saturated steam to two {{convert|17|x|20|in|mm|0|adj=on}} cylinders connected by [[Allan valve gear]] to the driving wheels.
[[File:LNWR 4ft 6in 2-4-2 Tank 2288.jpg|thumb|left|No. 2288 in service]]
They were an extended version of the [[LNWR 2-4-0T|2234 class 2-4-0T]] locomotives, sharing the same boiler and wheelbase. In 1905 five of the {{whyte|2-4-2|T}}s were rebuilt as {{whyte|2-4-0|T}}s, which may have led to the latter becoming known as "Chopper Tanks".
The twenty locomotives delivered in 1889–1890 were fitted with condensing apparatus from new.
==Service==
They had been designed for working local passenger trains. From 1909 many locomotives of the class were fitted for [[push–pull train|Push-pull]] working, giving the nickname of "Motor Tanks".
==Sales==
===Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway{{Anchor|DWWR 59}} ===
Six locomotives were sold to the [[Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway]] in 1902 for £1500 each, and re-gauged to {{Track gauge|63in}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=London and North Western Railway 2496|url=https://www.brdatabase.info/locoqry.php?action=locodata&id=424256064&type=S&loco=2496|website=BRDatabase: Complete BR Locomotive Database 1948-1997|access-date=14 October 2023}}</ref> They were numbered 59 to 64 and all were named after Irish Earls. All six were still in service when the DW&WR became the [[Dublin and South Eastern Railway]] in 1907. They were generally used for suburban work and noted for used on the [[Harcourt Street railway line|Harcourt to Bray line]].  Five were sold to the British Government in 1916, regauged back to {{TrackGauge|4ft8.5in}} gauge;<ref name="JCMM-DSER-64"/> two went to the [[Inland Waterways and Docks]] where they lasted until scrapped in 1919. One went to the [[War Department (UK)|War Department]] site at [[Pig's Bay|Shoeburyness]]; it was scrapped in the early 1920s. The other two went to the colliery at [[Cramlington]] until they scrapped in 1923 and 1929.
The locomotive remaining in Ireland, No. 64, works number 2002 of 1877, was at one point named ''Earl of Bessborough''. It had been re-built at Crewe in 1914 receiving the works number 3605.  During the [[Irish Civil War]] it carried additional steel plating, carried the name ''Faugh a Ballagh'' (''Clear the way'') and was used to draw an armoured train.  It passed to the [[Great Southern Railways]] in 1925, and was withdrawn in 1936.<ref name="JCMM-DSER-64"/>
===Wirral Railway===
Four were sold to the [[Wirral Railway]] between 1913 and 1921; all passed to the London, Midland and Scottish Railway in 1923, and were renumbered 6758–6761, after the block of [[LNWR 5ft 6in Tank Class|LNWR 5ft 6in Tanks]].
===Cardiff Railway===
One was sold to the [[Cardiff Railway]] in 1914; it passed to the [[Great Western Railway]] in 1922, but was withdrawn in May of that year.
===Cromford and High Peak Railway===
One of the 2-4-0 examples was allocated to pasture shed and worked there up until 1952, being withdrawn in June of that year. It was the last to be scrapped.
==Decline==
Withdrawals started in 1905: 118 were scrapped in the years up to [[Railways Act 1921|1923 grouping]], leaving 90 to be passed to the [[London, Midland and Scottish Railway]]. They were allocated power class 1P, and assigned the numbers 6515–6600 and 6758–6761; although only 37 survived long enough to receive them: withdrawals restarted in 1924, and when the last was withdrawn in June 1936, the class became extinct. None were preserved.
==References and citations==
===Citations===
{{Reflist|30em|refs=
<ref name="JCMM-DSER-64">{{cite book|title=Locomotives of the GSR|isbn=9781906578268|last1=Clements|first1=Jeremy|last2=McMahon|first2=Michael|year=2008|publisher=Colourpoint Books|pages=135}}</ref>
}}
===References===
{{Commons Category|LNWR 4-foot 6-inch Tank}}
*{{Baxter-BritishLocoCat2B|pages=205–210}}
*{{0-7110-0554-0|pages=73–74}}
{{LNWR Locomotives}}
[[Category:London and North Western Railway locomotives|4ft 6in Tank]]
[[Category:2-4-2T locomotives]]
[[Category:Railway locomotives introduced in 1879]]
[[Category:Standard gauge steam locomotives of Great Britain]]
[[Category:Steam locomotives of Ireland]]
[[Category:5 ft 3 in gauge locomotives]]
[[Category:Great Western Railway locomotives]]
[[Category:War Department locomotives]]
[[Category:Scrapped locomotives]]