#2258

LNER Class W1

🇬🇧 United Kingdom ·built by Darlington Works· from 1929· class of 1 four-cylinder compound (later 3-cylinder simple) 4-6-4 locomotive

🚂 steam locomotive steam retired

2 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences

1. Engine 10000 (Wonder Book of Engineering Wonders, 1931): Andy Dingley (scanner)· Public domain
2. Engine 10000 on turntable (Wonder Book of Engineering Wonders, 1931): Andy Dingley (scanner)· Public domain

Read about it on Wikipedia ↗

what is it?

The LNER W1 No. 10000 (also known as the Hush-Hush due to its secrecy) was a one-off experimental steam locomotive fitted with a high pressure water-tube boiler. Nigel Gresley was impressed by the results of using high-pressure steam in marine applications and so in 1924 he approached Harold Yarrow of shipyard and boilermakers Yarrow & Company of Glasgow to design a suitable boiler for a railway locomotive, based on Yarrow's design.

who runs it

London and North Eastern Railway British Rail Eastern Region of British Railways

base stats

built 1made in total

Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.

fun facts

First built 97 years ago, in 1929.
Served for 30 years (1929–1959).

steam locomotive: Burns coal, wood or oil to boil water; the steam drives pistons that turn the wheels.

spec sheet

built: 1929
in service from: 1929
retired: 1959
status: retired
number built: 1
kind: Steam
traction: steam
origin: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
builders: Darlington Works
operators: London and North Eastern Railway, British Rail, Eastern Region of British Railways
top speed: —
power: —
gauge: 1,435 mm standard gauge
wheel arrangement: 4-6-4
nicknames: Hush-Hush

From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.

Sources: Wikidata Q6459295, Wikipedia: LNER Class W1 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.