LNWR Samson Class Last updated February 09, 2025
LNWR Samson Class 2154 Loadstone at Monument Lane locomotive depot
Type and origin Power type Steam Designer John Ramsbottom Builder Crewe Works Serial number 624–633, 680–689, 730–739, 780–789, 880–889, 1692–1701, 1842–1861, 2279–2288 Build date May 1863 – May 1879 Total produced 90
Specifications Configuration: • Whyte 2-4-0 • UIC 1B n2 Gauge 4 ft 8+ 1 ⁄ 2 in (1,435 mm ) Leading dia. 3 ft 6 in (1.067 m) Driver dia. 6 ft 3 in (1.905 m) Wheelbase : • Engine14 ft 7 in (4.445 m) • Leading7 ft 5 in (2.261 m) • Coupled7 ft 2 in (2.184 m) Loco weight 26 long tons 2 cwt (26.5 t) Water cap. 1,500 imp gal (6,800 L; 1,800 US gal) Boiler: • Diameter ft 9+ 1 ⁄ 8 in (1.146 m) • Tube plates ft 8+ 3 ⁄ 8 in (2.956 m)Boiler pressure 140 lbf/in2 (970 kPa; 9.8 kgf/cm2 ) Heating surface 1,083 sq ft (100.6 m2 ) Cylinders Two, inside Cylinder size 16 in × 20 in (406 mm × 508 mm) Valve gear Stephenson
The LNWR Samson Class was a class of ninety 2-4-0 steam locomotives [ 1] built by the London and North Western Railway at their Crewe Works between 1863 and 1879.
They were officially designated "Curved Link 6-ft Passenger" due to the use of Stephenson valve gear which included a curved expansion link between the fore and back eccentric rods (earlier LNWR designs had used the Allan valve gear which had a straight expansion link) and the use of 6-foot (1.829 m) diameter wheel centres, which, together with 1+ 1 ⁄ 2 -inch (38 mm) thick tyres gave a driving wheel diameter of 6 feet 3 inches (1.905 m) .
Ostensibly a mixed traffic design, they were the first locomotives with coupled driving wheels to be allocated for passenger duties on the LNWR.
History They were designed by John Ramsbottom who had fifty built, all without cabs and with pierced driving wheel splashers. Ramsbottom's successor F. W. Webb , built forty more, all with cabs. The earlier locomotives also gained cabs, and all eventually had their splashers filled in.
All ninety locomotives were 'renewed' (replaced) by a like number of Waterloo Class locomotives between 1889 and 1905, but only eighty were scrapped quickly. The ten exceptions were transferred to the Civil Engineer's list, and these were withdrawn between 1914 and 1925. No examples have been preserved.
Fleet list List of LNWR Samson class locomotives LNWR LNWR Name Crewe Date built Date scrapped Notes 633 Samson 624 May 1863 January 1892 634 Ellesmere 625 May 1863 December 1892 733 Chimera 626 May 1863 January 1890 735 Charon 627 May 1863 January 1892 738 Terrier 628 May 1863 January 1890 752 Glowworm 629 May 1863 December 1892 757 Banshee 630 May 1863 January 1892 758 Hardman 631 May 1863 January 1890 763 Violet 632 May 1863 May 1893 821 Diomed 633 May 1863 January 1892 901 Hero 680 January 1864 October 1890 902 Onyx 681 February 1864 March 1893 628 Tartarus 682 February 1864 April 1894 724 Eden 683 February 1864 December 1892 748 Waterloo 684 February 1864 November 1889 764 Shap 685 February 1893 December 1892 792 Theorem 686 February 1864 June 1893 793 Martin 687 February 1864 May 1894 794 Woodlark 688 March 1864 August 1894 795 Falstaff 689 March 1864 October 1893 731 Croxteth 730 July 1864 November 1889 732 Hecla 731 July 1864 August 1894 736 Memnon 732 July 1864 January 1892 737 Roberts 733 July 1864 May 1894 739 Sutherland 734 July 1864 April 1894 742 Spitfire 735 July 1864 December 1892 828 Tubal 736 July 1864 July 1890 829 Turk 737 August 1864 January 1892 830 Trent 738 August 1864 January 1890 642 Bee 739 August 1864 August 1890 81 Greystock 780 January 1865 January 1892 Renamed Greystoke c.1884 1045 Whitworth 781 January 1865 September 1889 401 Zeno 782 January 1865 March 1894 404 Zophyrus 783 January 1865 March 1894 418 Zygia 784 January 1865 December 1892 419 Zillah 785 February 1865 January 1890 35 Talisman 786 February 1865 October 1890 36 Thalaba 787 February 1865 October 1890 124 Marquis Douro 788 February 1865 December 1892 231 Firefly 789 February 1865 June 1890 609 The Earl of Chester 880 January 1866 April 1893 632 Ostrich 881 December 1865 June 1890 746 Castor 882 January 1866 1894 814 Henrietta 883 January 1866 January 1890 817 Constance 884 January 1866 April 1893 819 Puck 885 January 1866 December 1892 824 Adelaide 886 January 1866 April 1893 832 Sanspareil 887 January 1866 May 1893 934 North Star 888 January 1866 March 1892 935 Planet 889 January 1866 May 1893 414 Prospero 1692 September 1873 To duplicate list as 3271 in 1895; to Civil Engineer's Dept in 1903 as Engineer Lancaster ; withdrawn 1924. 424 Sirius 1693 September 1873 To duplicate list as 3206 in 1895; to Civil Engineer's Dept in 1899 as Engineer Crewe ; withdrawn 1914. 604 Narcissus 1694 September 1873 November 1890 635 Zamiel 1695 September 1873 January 1890 636 Eclipse 1696 September 1873 April 1893 285 Phalaris 1697 September 1873 December 1892 444 Typhoon 1698 September 1873 November 1890 445 Ixion 1699 September 1873 December 1892 446 Siren 1700 September 1873 April 1893 805 Caliban 1701 September 1873 April 1893 434 St. Patrick 1842 October 1871 April 1890 468 Wildfire 1843 October 1874 November 1890 469 St. George 1844 October 1874 June 1893 485 Euxine 1845 October 1874 December 1892 486 Skiddaw 1846 October 1874 June 1893 487 John O’Groat 1847 October 1874 To duplicate list as 3199 in 1894; to Civil Engineer's Dept in 1895 as Spare Engine , to Engineer Liverpool in 1903; withdrawn 1921. 631 Hotspur 1848 October 1874 To duplicate list as 3273 in 1896; to Civil Engineer's Dept in 1901 as Engineer Manchester ; withdrawn 1914. 1163 John O’Gaunt 1849 October 1874 November 1894 90 Luck of Edenhall 1850 October 1874 March 1894 885 Vampire 1851 October 1874 To duplicate list as 3269 in 1895; to Civil Engineer's Dept in 1897; became Spare Engine in 1923; withdrawn 1925. 2150 Atlas 1852 November 1874 June 1893 2151 Baltic 1853 November 1874 To duplicate list as 3268 in 1895; to Civil Engineer's Dept in 1901 as Engineer Walsall ; withdrawn 1923. 2152 Sybil 1854 November 1874 March 1894 2153 Isis 1855 November 1874 April 1893 2154 Loadstone 1856 November 1874 November 1893 2155 Liver 1857 November 1874 August 1894 2156 Sphinx 1858 November 1874 November 1894 2157 Unicorn 1859 November 1874 To duplicate list as 3272 in 1895; to Civil Engineer's Dept in 1905 as Spare Engine ; withdrawn 1923. 2158 Serpent 1860 January 1874 August 1894 2159 Shark 1861 November 1874 March 1894 2350 Centaur 2279 May 1879 Renumbered 773 in 1879; to duplicate list as 3200 in 1894; to Civil Engineer's Dept in 1895 as Engineer Watford ; withdrawn 1923. 2351 Saddleback 2280 May 1879 April 1893 Renumbered 1162 in 1879. 2352 Odin 2281 May 1879 November 1894 Renumbered 1164 in 1879. 2353 Wyre 2282 June 1879 Renumbered 1166 in 1879; to duplicate list as 3270 in 1895; to Civil Engineer's Dept in 1902 as Engineer Bangor ; withdrawn 1925. 2354 Cuckoo 2283 July 1879 March 1894 Renumbered 1168 in 1879. 2355 Kestrel 2284 May 1879 November 1894 Renumbered 852 in 1879. 2356 Petrel 2285 May 1879 Renumbered 209 in 1879; to duplicate list as 3198 in 1894, transferred to Civil Engineer's Dept in 1902 as Engineer Northampton ; withdrawn 1923 2357 Medea 2286 May 1879 November 1894 Renumbered 995 in 1879. 2358 Mastodon 2287 May 1879 January 1892 Renumbered 479 in 1879. 2359 Pheasant 2288 May 1879 June 1894 Renumbered 263 in 1879.
References Baxter, Bertram (1978). Baxter, David (ed.). British Locomotive Catalogue 1825–1923, Volume 2A: London and North Western Railway and its constituent companies . Ashbourne, Derbyshire: Moorland Publishing Company. ISBN 0-903485-51-6
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