The Great Central Railway Class 11F or Improved Director Class is a class of 4-4-0 steam locomotive designed by John G. Robinson for passenger work. The LNER classified them as Class D11 in 1923. They were based on the earlier GCR Class 11E "Director" class (LNER D10).
There were two subclasses: D11/1 were the original GCR engines and D11/2 were those built in 1924 by the LNER to a reduced loading gauge with smaller boiler mountings for hauling passenger trains in Scotland.
Operational career
The 11F Class was initially used on passenger work on the GCR system, including fast expresses from Sheffield Victoria to London Marylebone. Later in their careers, they were used on short-distance passenger trains. On lines of the Cheshire Lines Committee during the late 1940s and early 1950s, they hauled expresses between Manchester Central and Liverpool Central; also semi-fast trains from Manchester Central via Northwich to Chester Northgate.
Their 6 ft 9 inches driving wheels made them fast locos, but consequently unsuitable for hauling freight trains. The eleven original 11F locos were withdrawn during 1959 and 1960 as diesel multiple units took over operation of the shorter distance passenger trains. The final Scottish D11/2 was withdrawn in January 1962.
Preservation
The sixth member of the class, No. 506 Butler-Henderson, was withdrawn from use by British Railways during 1960. It has been preserved as part of the UK National Collection and currently wears restored GCR colours. No. 506 is the only surviving GCR passenger locomotive.
The locomotive operated passenger trains on the preserved Great Central Railway in Leicestershire during the late 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s but is now out of running order. The locomotive was placed on long-term loan for static display at Barrow Hill Engine Shed, near Chesterfield, in 2005, where she currently resides.
Stock list +GCR/LNER stock list GCR No. Name Date built LNER No. 1946 LNER No. BR No. Date withdrawn Notes501 Mons 5501 2665 62665 502 Zeebrugge 5502 2666 62666 503 Somme 5503 2667 62667 504 Jutland 5504 2668 62668 505 Ypres 5505 2669 62669 506 Butler-Henderson 5506 2660 62660 Preserved507 Gerard Powys Dewhurst 5507 2661 62661 508 Prince of Wales 5508 2662 62662 509 Prince Albert 5509 2663 62663 510 Princess Mary 5510 2664 62664 511 Marne 5511 2670 62670 1378 Bailie MacWheeble 6378 2671 62671 1379 Baron of Bradwardine 6379 2672 62672 1380 Evan Dhu 6380 2673 62673 1381 Flora MacIvor 6381 2674 62674 1382 Colonel Gardiner 6382 2675 62675 1383 Jonathan Oldbuck 6383 2676 62676 1384 Edie Ochiltree 6384 2677 62677 1385 Luckie Mucklebackit 6385 2678 62678 1386 Lord Glenallan 6386 2679 62679 First one to be withdrawn 1387 Lucy Ashton 6387 2680 62680 1388 Captain Craigengelt 6388 2681 62681 1389 Haystoun of Bucklaw 6389 2682 62682 1390 Hobbie Elliott 6390 2683 62683 1391 Wizard of the Moor 6391 2684 62684 1392 Malcolm Graeme 6392 2685 62685 Last one to be withdrawn 1393 The Fiery Cross 6393 2686 62686 1394 Lord James of Douglas 6394 2687 62687 1395 Ellen Douglas 6395 2688 62688 1396 Maid of Lorn 6396 2689 62689 1397 The Lady of the Lake 6397 2690 62690 1398 Laird of Balmawhapple 6398 2691 62691 1399 Allan-Bane 6399 2692 62692 1400 Roderick Dhu 6400 2693 62693 1401 James Fitzjames 6401 2694 62694
Models In 2012, Bachmann Branchline introduced models of the D11 in other Great Central liveries, LNER liveries and British Railway liveries. In 2012, Bachmann produced an exclusive OO gauge model of No. 506 Butler-Henderson for the National Railway Museum shop, as a hundred-piece limited edition in Great Central livery. Bachmann's general production run of the model totalled 1,500.
References
External links
LNER encyclopedia Railuk database D11/1 Railuk database D11/2 Great Central Railway page on 506