LNWR Precursor Tank Class
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The London and North Western Railway (LNWR) Precursor Tank Class was a class of Atlantic tank steam locomotives. 50 were built to the design of George Whale 1906-1909, being a tank engine version of his Precursor Class.
Whale's successor Charles Bowen-Cooke also constructed a suburban tank engine, though he chose as the basis the related 4-6-0 Prince of Wales Class, rather than his 4-4-0 George the Fifth Class. Thus forming the Prince of Wales Tank Class pacific tank (1910).
The first thirty had 3'9" carrying wheels, the latter twenty had 3'3" carrying wheels. The LNWR reused numbers from withdrawn locomotives, so the numbering system was completely haphazard. The 3'9" engines were numbered by 528, 531, 784, 1295, 1305, 1981-5, 97, 111, 181, 196, 562, 616, 803, 1356, 1508, 2210, 139, 653, 1589, 1714, 2165, 834, 874, 1506, 1572 and 1671. The 3'9" engines were numbered 44, 527, 612, 762, 827, 875, 1427, 1764, 2196, 2446, 920, 935, 1164, 1219, 1523, 1536, 1551, 2077, 2223 and 2228.
All fifty passed into LMS ownership in 1923. The LMS gave them the power classification 3P. The LMS also renumbered them into a more logical system of 6780-809 for the 3'9" engines and 6810–29 for the 3'3" engines.
They were withdrawn between 1931-1940. None was preserved.
