The LNER 2-6-2 Prairies
Apart from a solitary experimental Midland Railway locomotive locomotive built in 1908, no 2-6-2 tender locomotives ran in Britain until 1936 when Gresley adopted the type in preference to the 4-6-0 for a powerful three-cylinder mixed traffic design. The 184 2-6-2s built outnumbered both Pacifics and 4-6-0s delivered under his regime. Another two three-cylinder 2-6-2s for secondary lines followed in 1941 before the LNER, now under Thompson, switched to the two-cylinder 4-6-0, leaving the British 2-6-2 type almost exclusively associated with Gresley.
2-6-2 Tender Locomotives
Class | Builder | Designer | First Built | Last Withdrawl | Comments |
V2 | LNER | Gresley | 1936 | 1965 | 'Green Arrow' Class |
V4 | LNER | Gresley | 1941 | 1956 | 'Bantam Cock' Class |
2-6-2 Tank and Miscellaneous Locomotives
Despite being popular on the Great Western Railway (GWR), production Prairie tank engines were not seen on LNER metals until Gresley introduced Britain's only three-cylinder version in 1930, 92 being built for suburban passenger work. Although the Kitson-Still 2-6-2T hauled revenue-earning trains during the early 1930s, this was always an experimental locomotive.
Class | Builder | Designer | First Built | Last Withdrawl | Comments |
V1 | LNER | Gresley | 1930 | 1961 | |
V3 | LNER | Gresley | 1939 | 1963 | |
Kitson-Still | Kitson&Co, Leeds | 1927 | 1935 | Experimental steam-diesel hybrid. | |
1-Co-1 | Armstrong Whitworth | 1933 | 1934 | Experimental diesel-electric |