LNWR Whale Experiment Class

The London and North Western Railway (LNWR) Experiment Class was a class of 4-6-0 steam locomotive designed by George Whale.
== Career ==
They were an extended version of the Whale's Precursor Class 4-4-0, with slightly smaller driving wheels. The first of the class, 66 Experiment was built in 1905 and a total of 105 were constructed up until 1910. The LNWR reused numbers and names of withdrawn locomotives, with the result that the numbering system was completely haphazard. A 19in Express Goods Class with smaller driving wheels was also built from 1906. From 1911, a superheated version, the Prince of Wales Class was built.
In 1915, 1361 Prospero was experimentally rebuilt with four cylinders, Dendy Marshall valve gear and superheated. The conversion was not repeated. Only two other engines were given superheaters; 2624 Saracen and 1993 (LMS 5472) Richard Moon.
All entered London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) stock upon grouping in 1923. The LMS gave them the power classification 3P. The LMS renumbered them into a more logical series of 5450–5553 according to date of construction. An exception was made for 1361 Prospero which became 5554. Not all however survived long enough to receive their LMS numbers — withdrawals had started in 1925. In 1934 the thirteen then remaining were renumbered with the addition of 20000 to their numbers make room for Black Five, Patriot and Jubilee class locomotives. The final engine was withdrawn the following year and none were preserved.
== Fleet list ==
Table of locomotives 
LNWR
No.	Name 	Crewe
Works
No.	Built 	LMS
No.	With-
drawn	Notes
66 	Experiment 	4505	Apr 1905	5450	Jul 1931	
306 	Autocrat 	4506	Jul 1905	5451	Dec 1930	
353 	Britannic 	4507	Jun 1905	5452	Dec 1930	
372 	Germanic 	4508	Jun 1905	5453	Sep 1928	Renamed Belgic from October 1914
507 	Sarmatian 	4509	Jun 1905	5454	Sep 1932	
565 	City of Carlisle 	4550	Jan 1906	5455	Jun 1925	LMS number never applied
893 	City of Chester 	4551	Jan 1906	5456	Aug 1935	Renumbered 25456 in 1935
1074	City of Dublin 	4552	Jan 1906	5457	Sep 1934	
1357	City of Edinburgh 	4553	Jan 1906	5458	Dec 1933	
1669	City of Glasgow 	4554	Feb 1906	5464	Dec 1930	
165 	City of Lichfield 	4555	Jan 1906	5459	Dec 1930	
828 	City of Liverpool 	4556	Feb 1906	5460	Oct 1934	
978 	City of London 	4557	Feb 1906	5461	May 1934	
1405	City of Manchester	4558	Feb 1906	5462	Nov 1934	
1575	City of Paris 	4559	Feb 1906	5463	Sep 1928	
1986	Clanricarde 	4620	Sep 1906	5465	Oct 1925	LMS number never applied
1987	Glendower 	4621	Sep 1906	5466	Nov 1934	
1988	Hurricane 	4622	Sep 1906	5467	Sep 1928	
1989	Lady of the Lake 	4623	Sep 1906	5468	Dec 1929	Name removed in December 1928
1990	North Western 	4624	Oct 1906	5469	Mar 1932	
1991	Palmerston 	4625	Oct 1906	5470	Feb 1928	
1992	President 	4626	Oct 1906	5471	Dec 1933	
1993	Richard Moon 	4627	Oct 1906	5472	Dec 1933	Superheated December 1926 to January 1932
1994	Scottish Chief 	4628	Oct 1906	5473	Sep 1935	Renumbered 25473 in 1935
1995	Tornado 	4629	Oct 1906	5481	Sep 1925	LMS number never applied
61 	Atalanta 	4630	Nov 1906	5474	Dec 1933	
222 	Ivanhoe 	4631	Nov 1903	5475	Jul 1935	
291 	Leander 	4632	Nov 1903	5476	Aug 1931	
667 	Mazeppa 	4633	Nov 1903	5477	Dec 1933	
1304	Prometheus 	4634	Nov 1906	5478	Aug 1931	
1676	Prince of Wales 	4635	Nov 1906	5479	Nov 1934	Renamed Shakespeare from July 1911
1709	Princess May 	4636	Nov 1906	5480	Feb 1928	
2027	Queen Empress 	4637	Nov 1906	5482	Oct 1931	
2052	Stephenson 	4638	Dec 1906	5483	Dec 1930	
2269	William Cawkwell 	4639	Dec 1906	5484	Aug 1931	
496 	Harlequin 	4680	Sep 1907	5485	Aug 1930	
830 	Phosphorus 	4681	Sep 1907	5486	Jul 1925	LMS number never applied
902 	Combermere 	4682	Sep 1907	5487	Oct 1934	
937 	Princess Alice 	4683	Sep 1907	5488	Mar 1934	
2112	Victoria 	4684	Sep 1907	5490	Dec 1930	
1014	Henry Bessemer 	4685	Sep 1905	5489	Mar 1928	
1135	Prince George 	4686	Sep 1907	5491	Jun 1934	
1361	Prospero 	4687	Oct 1907	5554	Jun 1933	Rebuilt with 4 cylinders in March 1915
1526	Sanspareil 	4688	Oct 1907	5492	Nov 1928	
2161	Jeanie Deans 	4689	Oct 1907	5493	Aug 1925	LMS number never applied
322 	Adriatic 	4770	Dec 1908	5494	Jun 1929	
884 	Greater Britain 	4771	Dec 1908	5495	Dec 1930	
887 	Fortuna 	4772	Jan 1909	5496	Mar 1932	
1020	Majestic 	4773	Jan 1909	5497	Nov 1934	
1483	Red Gauntlet 	4774	Jan 1909	5498	Dec 1933	
1490	Wellington 	4775	Jan 1909	5499	Dec 1933	
1553	Faraday 	4776	Jan 1909	5500	Oct 1931	
1571	Herschel 	4777	Jan 1909	5501	Jan 1929	
2076	Pheasant 	4778	Jan 1909	5502	Oct 1934	Renumbered 25502 in 1934
2116	Greystoke 	4779	Jan 1909	5503	Jul 1925	LMS number never applied
2621	Ethelred 	4780	Feb 1909	5504	Nov 1934	Renumbered 25504 in 1934
2622	Eunomia 	4781	Feb 1909	5505	Apr 1928	
2623	Lord of the Isles 	4782	Feb 1909	5506	Mar 1934	
2624	Saracen 	4783	Feb 1909	5507	Feb 1928	Superheated from February 1926; LMS number never applied
2625	Buckland 	4784	Feb 1909	5508	Aug 1935	Renumbered 25508 in 1935
2626	Chillington 	4785	Feb 1909	5509	May 1935	Renumbered 25509 by LMS
2627	President Lincoln 	4786	Feb 1905	5510	May 1928	
2628	Banshee 	4787	Feb 1909	5511	Jul 1935	Renumbered 25511 in 1935
2629	Terrier 	4788	Mar 1909	5512	Feb 1928	
2630	Buffalo 	4789	Mar 1909	5513	Mar 1932	
1406	George Findlay 	4830	Apr 1909	5514	Aug 1935	Renumbered 25514 by LMS
1413	Henry Cort 	4831	Apr 1909	5515	Sep 1925	LMS number never applied
1477	Hugh Myddleton 	4832	May 1909	5516	Apr 1928	
1498	Thomas Savery 	4833	May 1909	5517	Sep 1925	LMS number never applied
1566	John Penn 	4834	May 1909	5518	Dec 1933	
1603	Princess Alexandra	4835	May 1909	5519	Dec 1930	
1649	Sisyphus 	4836	May 1909	5520	Aug 1932	
1661	Wordsworth 	4837	May 1909	5521	Jun 1928	
1781	Lightning 	4838	May 1909	5522	May 1930	
2022	Marlborough 	4839	May 1909	5523	Apr 1934	
2637	Babylon 	4840	Jun 1909	5524	Jan 1932	
2638	Byzantium 	4841	Jun 1909	5525	Jun 1934	Renumbered 25525 in 1934
2639	Bactria 	4842	Jun 1909	5526	Apr 1934	
2640	Belisarius 	4843	Jun 1909	5527	Sep 1925	LMS number never applied
2641	Bellona 	4844	Jun 1909	5528	Aug 1935	Renumbered 25528 in 1935
2642	Berenice 	4845	Jun 1909	5529	Dec 1933	
2643	Bacchus 	4846	Jun 1909	5530	Oct 1927	LMS number never applied
2644	Berengaria 	4847	Jun 1905	5531	Aug 1934	Renumbered 25531 in 1934
2645	Britomart 	4848	Jul 1909	5532	Sep 1934	Renumbered 25532 in 1934
2646	Boniface 	4849	Jul 1909	5533	Sep 1928	
1412	Bedfordshire 	4850	Nov 1909	5534	Jan 1932	
1418	Cheshire 	4851	Nov 1909	5535	Dec 1931	
1420	Derbyshire 	4852	Nov 1909	5536	Dec 1933	
1455	Herefordshire 	4853	Nov 1909	5537	Dec 1933	
1611	Hertfordshire 	4854	Nov 1909	5538	Sep 1925	LMS number never applied
1618	Lancashire 	4855	Nov 1909	5539	Mar 1934	
1624	Leicestershire 	4856	Nov 1909	5545	Dec 1933	
1652	Middlesex 	4857	Nov 1909	5546	Dec 1933	
1689	Monmouthshire 	4858	Dec 1909	5547	Mar 1932	
1703	Northumberland 	4859	Dec 1909	5548	Mar 1934	
71 	Oxfordshire 	4860	Dec 1909	5540	Apr 1928	
275 	Shropshire 	4861	Dec 1909	5541	Sep 1928	
677 	Staffordshire 	4862	Dec 1909	5542	Dec 1933	
1002	Warwickshire 	4863	Dec 1909	5543	Dec 1930	
1534	Westmorlandshire 	4864	Dec 1909	5544	Sep 1925	LMS number never applied
1471	Worcestershire 	4865	Jan 1910	5549	Mar 1932	
1561	Yorkshire 	4866	Jan 1910	5550	Sep 1928	
1618	Carnarvonshire 	4867	Jan 1910	5551	Mar 1934	
1621	Denbighshire 	4868	Jan 1910	5552	Jun 1935	Renumbered 25552 by LMS
1658	Flintshire 	4869	Jan 1910	5553	Jul 19 	
== Accidents and incidents ==
* On 15 October 1907, a mail train hauled by No. 2052 Stephenson was derailed at Shrewsbury, Shropshire due to excessive speed on a curve. Eighteen people were killed.
* On 5 July 1923, an express passenger train hauled by 1406 George Findlay was involved in a rear-end collision with a freight train at Diggle, Lancashire due to confusion by the driver of the freight train over flag signals. Four people were killed.
==Gallery==
file:LNWR No. 5052 "stephenson" after accident.jpeg
File:LNWR No. 2052 "Stephenson" after being recovered.jpeg
Category:LNWR locomotives
Category:Steam locomotives
Category:Locomotives
Category:Tender locomotives
Category:Experimental locomotives
Category:4-6-0 steam locomotives
Category:4-6-0 locomotives
Category:Standard gauge locomotives
Category:Standard gauge steam locomotives of Great Britain
Category:Crewe Works locomotives
Category:Scrapped locomotives
Category:Scrapped steam locomotives