LNER 4-6-0 Locomotives
Originally introduced to Britain in 1894 for freight haulage, 4-6-0 locomotives ("Ten-Wheelers" in American
railroad jargon) became the predominant type for express and mixed traffic duties. By 1948 4-6-0s in Britain were
outnumbered only by 0-6-0s and 0-6-0Ts, and British Railways built more 4-6-0s than any other type.
Three of the LNER constituents built 4-6-0s. The
NER pioneered the type for passenger work in Britain in 1899.
Finding they lacked the required power for express working, it used its 102 4-6-0s
on secondary passenger and express freight duties.
In the early 20th Century several other companies introduced 4-6-0s but often encountered similar difficulties,
including the GCR, who reverted to four-coupled locos for
express work despite producing 90 4-6-0s to a variety of two- and four-cylinder designs from 1902 onwards. Meanwhile
the GER had more success with its distinctive
inside-cylinder 4-6-0s introduced in 1911, 70 being acquired by the LNER.
Unlike his contemporaries, Gresley
does not appear to have liked the wheel arrangement - probably due to his preference for a wide firebox. Other
than the building of 52 locomotives of pre-existing 4-6-0
classes, he would only introduce one 4-6-0 class: the B17 Sandringham Class
for use on former Great Eastern Railway (GER) routes.
Thompson's standardisation programme included
a conventional 4-6-0 mixed traffic class in the form of his Class B1. Construction of
the Thompson B1s would continue into BR ownership and they became the most
numerous 4-6-0 LNER class.
4-6-0 Tender Locomotives
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