Experimental Locomotives on the LNER

Although the term 'experimental' could be used for a wide range of locomotives that introduced new technologies such as piston valves and superheaters, here it refers to locomotives which were intended to test more revolutionary concepts.

The LNER was open to a number of outside experiments, and hosted trials of locomotives produced by Kitson & Company; the North British Locomotive Company; and Armstrong Whitworth Company. It also developed the water-tube W1 'Hush Hush' with Yarrow & Co.

Locomotive Builder Built Withdrawn Type
Reid-MacLeod North British Loco. Co. 1924? rebuild ~1940 Steam Turbine
Graz 0-4-0 Simmerung-Graz-Pauker 1924 ? Diesel Hydraulic 0-4-0
Kitson-Still Kitson & Co, Leeds 1927 1935 Experimental steam-diesel hybrid
W1 'Hush-Hush' LNER / Yarrow 1929 1936 (rebuilt) High Pressure Water Tube Boiler
1-Co-1 Armstrong Whitworth 1933 1934 Experimental diesel-electric
MetroVick Railcar Metro Vick Cammell 1937 1951 (re-gauge) Diesel Railcar
DS1173 Drewry/Vulcan Foundry 1947 1968 Diesel Mechanical 0-6-0
  • Graz 0-4-0
  • Kitson-Still
  • W1 'Hush-Hush'
  • AW 1-Co-1
  • MetroVick Railcar
  • DS1173
  • Index