NER 901 Class

The NER 901 Class is an alternative designation referring to the North Eastern Railway's express passenger 2-4-0 locomotives associated with Edward Fletcher's superintendency and the subsequent Tennant Class — see the main NER 1463 Tennant Class entry for the full history. The 901 Class designation specifically covers the Fletcher-era 2-4-0 express locomotives that preceded and influenced the Tennant Class design, representing the NER's express capability on the East Coast Main Line in the Fletcher era before the locomotive crisis of the McDonnell period.

The Fletcher 901 Class 2-4-0 express engines were competent and well-regarded locomotives that gave the NER reliable express service on the York–Newcastle–Edinburgh route, and the Tennant Class of 1885 was deliberately based on the 901 Class's proven principles. Two examples associated with this design lineage — Nos. 1463 and 910 — are preserved at the National Railway Museum, York, and are covered in the NER 1463 Tennant Class entry.