52 Book of Locomotives 



took charge at Crewe. They were largely 

 copied from Ramsbottom's * Newtons ", 

 which were first built in 1866; these Mr. 

 Webb later rebuilt to conform to his 2-4-0 

 " Precedents ". 



If ever engines deserved a word of 

 praise these small 2-4-05 are the machines. 

 It is not claiming too much when 

 we contend that, for their size, they 

 were the very best locomotive ever found 

 on British metals. They tackled trains on 

 the North- Western main line in the 'seven- 

 ties and 'eighties which seemed a mere 

 impertinence for them to back down to; 

 they kept times and ran freely and well 

 uphill and down. 



In the races to Scotland it was one of 

 these tiny 2-4-05 that averaged 67 miles 

 an hour up the stiff climbs between Preston 

 and Carlisle; true, the load was a mere 

 featherweight compared to present-day 

 trains; even so it was magnificent 

 work. 



When the later built Webb compounds 

 proved undependable, it was the old 2-4-05 



