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.[2]
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 6ft 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 The eleven original 11F locos were withdrawn during 1959 and 1960 as diesel multiple units took over operation of the shorter distance passenger trains. The final Scottish D11/2 was withdrawn in January 1962.[3]
Preservation
Barrow Hill in March 2011
The sixth member of the class, No. 506 Butler-Henderson, was withdrawn from use by British Railways during 1960.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.[4]
In 2012, Bachmann Branchline introduced models of the D11 in other Great Central liveries, LNER liveries and British Railway liveries.[5] 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.[6][7] Bachmann's general production run of the model totalled 1,500.[8]
↑ "New 'Director' for NRM". British Railway Modelling. Vol.20, no.9. Bourne: Warners Group Publications. December 2012. p.76. ISSN0968-0764. OCLC1135061879.
↑ Wright, Tony (December 2012). "Butler Henderson". British Railway Modelling. Vol.20, no.9. Bourne: Warners Group Publications. p.92. ISSN0968-0764. OCLC1135061879.
Boddy, M.G.; Brown, W.A.; Hennigan, W.; Neve, E.; Platt, E.N.T.; Russell, O.; Yeadon, W.B. (January 1981). Fry, E.V. (ed.). Locomotives of the L.N.E.R., part 3B: Tender Engines - Classes D1 to D12. Kenilworth: RCTS. ISBN0-901115-46-0.
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