LNWR Webb ‘Chopper’ 2-4-0T

The LNWR 4ft 6in Tank was a class of 220 passenger 2-4-2T locomotives manufactured by the London and North Western Railway in their Crewe Works between 1879 and 1898. The “4ft 6in” in the title referred to the diameter of the driving wheels – although the stated dimension was for the wheel centres – the nominal diameter including the tyreswas 4 ft 8+¹⁄₂ in (1,435 mm).

They were an extended version of the 2234 class 2-4-0T locomotives, sharing the same boiler and wheelbase. In 1905 five of the 2-4-2Ts were rebuilt as 2-4-0Ts, which may have led to the latter becoming known as “Chopper Tanks”.

Withdrawals started in 1905: 118 were scrapped in the years up to 1923 grouping, leaving 90 to be passed to the London, Midland and Scottish Railway. They were allocated power class 1P, and assigned the numbers 6515–6600 and 6758–6761; although only 37 survived long enough to receive them: withdrawals restarted in 1924, and when the last was withdrawn in June 1936, the class became extinct. None were preserved.