LNWR Precedent full Class
The LNWR Precedent Class, also known as the Jumbos, was a series of 166 inside-cylinder 2-4-0 express passenger locomotives designed by Francis Webb and built at Crewe Works between 1874 and 1882, evolved from Ramsbottom's earlier Newton Class and representing Webb's practical workhorse express type for the period before his compound locomotive experiments began to dominate LNWR thinking. Despite the subsequent notoriety of Webb's compound failures, the Precedent Class was a genuine success: reliable, economical, and capable of speeds that surprised observers who expected less from a modest inside-cylinder 2-4-0.
Webb designed the Precedent as a straightforward development of the Ramsbottom 2-4-0 express tradition, applying his own detail improvements — including a slightly larger boiler than the Newton Class and revised valve events — to produce a competent, if not spectacular, express type for the LNWR's secondary and relief express duties. The 6 ft 7½ in coupled wheels gave a good balance between adhesion and speed, and the class worked the LNWR's full range of express passenger services, including principal Anglo-Scottish expresses at times when the more celebrated larger classes were unavailable.
The most celebrated member of the Precedent Class was No. 790 Hardwicke, which achieved lasting fame during the 1895 Race to the North — the competitive acceleration of overnight Anglo-Scottish expresses by the East Coast and West Coast companies. On the night of 22–23 August 1895, Hardwicke worked the Crewe–Carlisle section of the West Coast route, covering the 141 miles in 126 minutes at an average speed of 67.2 mph — including a maximum of approximately 90 mph down Shap — a performance that remains one of the most remarkable in Victorian railway history and was achieved by an inside-cylinder 2-4-0 of relatively modest proportions. This run established Hardwicke's place in railway legend, and the locomotive is preserved at the National Railway Museum, York, where it represents both the Precedent Class and the extraordinary 1895 Race to the North.
Design and development
Webb succeeded Ramsbottom as LNWR Locomotive Superintendent in 1871. The Precedent class of 1874 was an enlargement of Ramsbottom's Problem class singles to a 2-4-0 layout, providing two coupled axles for the heavier expresses then required. With 6 ft 7 in coupled wheels, inside cylinders, and a parallel boiler with Ramsbottom safety valves, the Precedents were simple, fast, and economical. 96 were built between 1874 and 1882; many were later rebuilt with larger boilers as "Improved Precedents" or "Big Jumbos".
Service and withdrawals
The Precedents worked LNWR expresses on the West Coast Main Line for 30 years. The class earned its place in railway legend during the Race to the North in August 1895, when LNWR No. 790 Hardwicke hauled the train from Crewe to Carlisle (141 miles, including the climb to Shap summit) in 126 minutes — an average of 67 mph and a record that stood for many decades.
Hardwicke was withdrawn in 1932 and selected for preservation as part of the LMS's collection of historic engines. It is now at the National Railway Museum in working order, having last steamed in the 1980s during preservation tours. The remaining Precedents were progressively withdrawn through the 1920s and 1930s.
Identification features
Inside-cylinder 2-4-0 with 6 ft 7 in coupled wheels, parallel boiler with Ramsbottom safety valves on the firebox, brass dome on the front ring of the boiler. LNWR "blackberry black" livery with red and cream lining. Hardwicke retains its 1880s appearance.
Numbers and names
Named locomotives (outside the listed ranges)
- 0 — Precedent
- 790 — Hardwicke
166 locomotives, most named. Nicknamed Jumbos. No. 790 Hardwicke preserved at NRM York.
Notable locomotives
- 790 Hardwicke (1892, National Railway Museum)
Allocations and regions
Crewe North, Camden (London), Edge Hill (Liverpool), Longsight (Manchester), and Carlisle Upperby for WCML express and secondary express duties. Hardwicke was allocated to Crewe at the time of the 1895 Race.