LNWR Class B

The London and North Western Railway (LNWR) Class B was a class of 0-8-0 steam locomotives introduced in 1901. A development of the three-cylinder compound Class A (though this letter classification was not introduced until 1911), they had a 4-cylinder compound arrangement. 170 were built between 1901-1904.
==Rebuilds==
=== Class E ===
Between 1904 and 1908, Webb's successor George Whale added a leading pony truck to 26 engines, making them 2-8-0s and taking them into Class E (again from 1911).
=== Class F ===
Between 1906 and 1908, Whale also rebuilt 10 with larger Experiment-type boiler to Class F, again adding a leading pony truck. (Two more of Class B were also converted to Class F via Class E).
=== Class G ===
Neither of the above conversions was particularly successful and, as a result, 32 were rebuilt to Class G with 2-cylinder simple expansion between 1910 and 1917.
=== Class G1 ===
Whale's Successor Charles Bowen Cooke rebuilt a further 91 direct from Class B to 2-cylinder simple superheated LNWR Class G1 (also known as "Super Ds"). The rebuilds from Class B to Class G1 continued under LMS ownership between 1923 and 1927.
=== Summary ===
A total of 170 locomotives was built but No. 134 was destroyed in a boiler explosion at Buxton on 11 November 1921 leaving 169. The rebuilds (some under LMS ownership) totalled 159, leaving 10 unrebuilt.
==LMS ownership==
The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) inherited 53 unrebuilt Class B locomotives in 1923 and numbered them 8900-8952. The LMS continued to rebuild them to Class G1 and the number of unrebuilt locomotives dwindled to 10.
==Withdrawal==
The remaining 10 Class B locomotives were withdrawn in 1927-1928. None were preserved.
== Gallery ==
File:LNWR No1881.JPG|An Artist impression's drawing of LNWR No. 1881
==Further reading==
*Bob Essery & David Jenkinson An Illustrated Review of LMS Locomotives Vol. 2 Absorbed Pre-Group Classes Western and Central Divisions
*Edward Talbot, The London & North Western Railway Eight-Coupled Goods Engines
*Willie Yeadon, Yeadon's Compendium of LNWR Locomotives Vol 2 Goods Tender Engines
Category:0-8-0 steam locomotives
Category:0-8-0 locomotives
Category:LNWR locomotives
Category:4 foot 8 1⁄2 inch gauge
Category:Steam locomotives
Category:Tender locomotives
Category:Standard gauge locomotives
Category:United Kingdom
Category:Scrapped locomotives
Category:Crewe Works locomotives