LNER Class W1
The LNER W1 No. 10000 (also known as the 'Hush-Hush' due to its secrecy) was an experimental steam locomotive fitted with a high pressure water-tube boiler used with great success in marine applications. The boiler was designed by Harold Yarrow and constructed by Yarrow & Co in Glasgow. This remarkable apparatus was paired with a Gresley pacific chassis lengthened by a further axle to accommodate the extra length. The design was further complicated by using the compound system. Steam was supplied to the two high pressure inside cylinders (12"x26") and then reused in the larger (20"x26") low pressure outside cylinders. It was the only standard gauge 4-6-4 tender engine to run on a British Railway.
The locomotive was completed at Darlington Works in 1929.
It steamed relatively poorly during test runs in 1930, and boiler performance was always low. The locomotive made regular trips to Darlington for repairs and modifications and there was a general air of relief when it was taken to Doncaster Works in 1936 and rebuilt as a conventional locomotive.
No 10000 never carried a name, plans in 1929 to call it "British Enterprise" were wisely dropped and although nameplates had already been cast; a later plan to call it 'Pegasus' did not come to fruition.
From 1948 under British Railways it was renumbered 60700.
On 1st September 1955 60700 had just departed from Peterborough when the front bogie frame broke at 20mph. The locomotive derailed at Westwood Junction, but the quick reaction of the driver stopped the train, upright, just short of Westwood Bridge. The engine however fell onto its left hand side under one of the arches. It was recovered and sent to Doncaster for repairs on an accommodation bogie.
60700 was withdrawn on 1st June 1959 and broken up in Doncaster Works.
External links
| Locomotives of the London and North Eastern Railway | |||||||
| Pre-grouping railway designs | |||||||
| Great Central Railway: | A5 - B18 - D11 - J11 - O4 | ||||||
| Great Eastern Railway: | J65 - J16 - J17 - Y5 - J17 - N7 - ?? - J69 - B12 - J66 - D13 - E4 - J15 - J70 | ||||||
| Great North of Scotland Railway: | D40 | ||||||
| Great Northern Railway: | C1 - C2 - J6 - J52 - K3 - N2 | ||||||
| North British Railway: | D34 - J36 - Y9 | ||||||
| North Eastern Railway: | B16 - E5 - D17 - J21 - J27 - J72 - Q6 - Q7 - X1 - Y7 | ||||||
| LNER designs | |||||||
| Gresley: | A1 - A3 - A4 - A8 - B17 -D49 - J38 - J39 - J50 - K4 - P1 - P2 - U1 - V1 - V2 - V3 - V4 - W1 | Thompson: | A2 - B1 - B2 - K1 - K5 - L1 - O1 - Q1 | Peppercorn: | A1 - A2 - A6- A7 A9 - K1 - | Raven: | A2 - H1 |
