The LNER 2-6-2 Prairies
Apart from a solitary experimental Midland Railway locomotive locomotive built in 1908, no 2-6-2 tender locomotives
ran in Britain until 1936 when Gresley adopted the type
in preference to the 4-6-0 for a powerful three-cylinder
mixed traffic design. The 184 2-6-2s built outnumbered both
Pacifics and
4-6-0s delivered under his regime. Another two three-cylinder
2-6-2s for secondary lines followed in 1941 before the LNER, now under
Thompson, switched to the two-cylinder 4-6-0, leaving the
British 2-6-2 type almost exclusively associated with Gresley.
2-6-2 Tender Locomotives
2-6-2 Tank and Miscellaneous Locomotives
Despite being popular on the Great Western Railway (GWR), production Prairie tank engines were not seen on
LNER metals
until Gresley introduced Britain's only three-cylinder version
in 1930, 92 being built for suburban passenger work.
Although the Kitson-Still 2-6-2T hauled revenue-earning trains during the early 1930s, this was always an
experimental locomotive.
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