2-2-2-2

LNWR Greater Britain Class, engine No. 2053 Greater Britain
LNWR John Hick Class, engine
No. 1535 Henry Maudslay

Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-2-2-2 could represent either the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered but uncoupled driving wheels on two axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle, or of two sets of leading wheels (not in a bogie truck), two driving wheels on one axle, and two trailing wheels .

Usage

The (2-2)-2-0 wheel arrangement, or (2-2) -2-0,[1] was first used on five locomotives introduced on the Eastern Counties Railway by John Chester Craven in 1846/7.[2]

The 2-(2-2)-0 version was used by Francis Webb of the London and North Western Railway between 1885 and 1887 on two unique divided drive compound tank locomotives, No. 687 and No.600. He then produced two tender engine classes each of ten locomotives: the LNWR Webb Greater Britain Class (1892-1894) and the LNWR John Hick Class (1894-1898). The locomotives were never reliable and Webb's successor George Whale withdrew them all within three years of taking up office in 1903.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Baxter, pp. 45 & 67.
  2. ↑ Baxter, Bertram (1977). British locomotive catalogue 1825-1923 1. Buxton: Moorland Publishing. p. 45. ISBN 978-0-903485-50-0.
  3. ↑ Bertram Baxter, British locomotive catalogue 1825-1923, Vol.2B Moorland, 1979), p. 196.