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There are a number of sub-classes of tank locomotive, mostly based on the location and style of the water tanks. These include the side tank, the saddle tank, the pannier tank, the well tank and others.
The water is contained in two somewhat rectangular tanks mounted on each side of the locomotive, next to the boiler. This is the most common configuration. The side tanks restrict access to the motion.
The water tank surrounds the boiler on both sides and above, like a "saddle" atop the boiler. Generally the tank is curved in cross-section, like an inverted 'U'. This was fairly popular especially in smaller locomotives, and especially in industrial use. It gave a greater water supply, but restricted the maximum size of the boiler and restricted access to it for cleaning. The water is pre-heated by the boiler, but the locomotive has a higher centre of gravity and hence can operate at lower speeds.
This variety of tank, almost exclusively used by the British Great Western Railway, consisted of box-shaped tanks attached to the sides of the boiler. Unlike the side tank, they did not go all the way down and there was space between the tank and the footplate . This reduced the centre of gravity whilst allowing access to the motion.
In this design, commonly used in earlier and smaller locomotives, the water is stored in a 'well' on the underside of the locomotive, generally between the locomotive's frames. This does not restrict access to the boiler, but space is limited there and this is not suited to locomotives that need a good usable range before refilling.
The benefits of this idea include:
There are, of course, corresponding disadvantages:
Worldwide, tank locomotives varied in popularity. They were more common in areas where space was at a premium, mostly Europe and other areas where the railways came later and had to fit into the towns rather than the towns growing around the rails. With their limited fuel and water capacity, they were not favored in areas where long runs between stops were the norm.
They were very common in the United Kingdom, France, and in particular Germany, where some attained quite prodigous size. In the United States they tended to be restricted to push-pull suburban service, always the tank engine's forté, and also for switching service in terminals and locomotive shops. They were also very popular in logging, mining and industrial service.
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