The locomotives were introduced by F. W. Webb in 1889 as replacements for the Samson class, and 90 examples were built up to 1896.
The LNWR reused numbers and names from withdrawn locomotives, with the result that the numbering system was completely haphazard.
Withdrawals had started in 1907, following George Whale's succession of Francis Webb in 1903 and the introduction of Whale's stronger Precursor and Experiment tender engines. Thirty locomotives passed to the London, Midland and Scottish Railway at the 1923 grouping. They were given the power classification 1P, and renumbered 5080–5109. In addition, four other members of the class survived in departmental service.
The last Waterloo was withdrawn in 1936. None were preserved.
On 22 December 1894, a gust of wind blew a wagon into a rake of wagons at Chelford, Cheshire. They were derailed and fouled the main line. Locomotive No. 418 Zygia was one of two hauling an express passenger train that collided with the wagons and was derailed. Fourteen people were killed and 48 were injured.
On 15 August 1895, locomotive No. 2159 Shark was one of two locomotives hauling an express passenger train that derailed at Preston, Lancashire due to excessive speed on a curve. One person was killed.[1]
To duplicate list as 3496 in 1914, transferred to Civil Engineer's Dept in 1914 as Engineer Crewe, to Engineer South Wales in 1932; withdrawn August 1933
^Trevena, Arthur (1981). Trains in Trouble: Vol. 2. Redruth: Atlantic Books. p. 7. ISBN0-906899-03-6.
Baxter, Bertram (1979). Baxter, David (ed.). British Locomotive Catalogue 1825–1923, Volume 2B: London and North Western Railway and its constituent companies. Ashbourne, Derbyshire: Moorland Publishing Company. pp. 191–193. ISBN0-903485-84-2.
Casserley, H. C. & Johnston, Stuart W. (1974) [1966]. Locomotives at the Grouping 3: London, Midland and Scottish Railway. Shepperton, Surrey: Ian Allan. pp. 59–60. ISBN0-7110-0554-0.