LNER Class W1
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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 engineers and boilermakers Yarrow & Company in Glasgow. This remarkable apparatus was paired with a Gresley pacific chassis lengthened by a further axle to accommodate the extra length. This resulted in a 4-6-4 arrangement, making No. 10000 the only standard gauge 4-6-4 tender engine to run on a British Railway. The design was further complicated by using compound steam expansion; steam was supplied to the two high-pressure inside cylinders (12"x26") and then recycled into larger (20"x26") low-pressure outside cylinders.
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 20 mph. 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60700 was withdrawn on 1st June 1959 and broken up in Doncaster Works.
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| Pre-grouping railway designs | |
| Great Central: | A5 - B18 - D11 - J11 - O4 |
| Great Eastern: | J65 - J16 - J17 - Y5 - J17 - N7 - ?? - J69 - B12 - J66 - D13 - E4 - J15 - J70 |
| Great North of Scotland: | D40 |
| Great Northern: | C1 - C2 - J6 - J52 - K3 - N2 |
| North British: | D34 - J36 - Y9 |
| North Eastern: | 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: | A1 - A2 - B1 - B2 - K1 - K5 - L1 - O1 - Q1 |
| Peppercorn: | A1 - A2 - A6- A7 A9 - K1 |
| Raven: | A2 - H1 |
| Locomotives of: | BR (steam) • GWR • LMS • Southern |
