| Powertype: | Steam |
| GCR Class 11F LNER Class D11 | |
| Designer: | John G. Robinson |
| Builddate: | 1919–1924 |
| Totalproduction: | 35 |
| Whytetype: | 4-4-0 |
| Uicclass: | 2′B h2 |
| Leadingdiameter: | 3feet |
| Driverdiameter: | 6feet |
| Length: | 56feet |
| Locoweight: | 61.15LT |
| Tenderweight: | 48.3LT |
| Fueltype: | Coal |
| Watercap: | 4000impgal |
| Valvegear: | Stephenson |
| Valvetype: | 10inches piston valves |
| Tubearea: | 972square feet |
| Fluearea: | 416square feet |
| Fireboxarea: | 155square feet |
| Totalsurface: | 1543square feet |
| Superheaterarea: | 209square feet |
| Cylindercount: | Two, inside |
| Cylindersize: | 20x |
| Firearea: | 26.5square feet |
| Diameterinside: | 5feet to 5feet |
| Boilerpressure: | 1802NaN2 |
| Tractiveeffort: | 196451NaN1 |
| Powerclass: | BR: 3P2F |
| Withdrawndate: | 1958–1962 |
| Disposition: | One preserved, remainder scrapped |
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.[1]
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 The eleven original 11F locos were withdrawn during 1959 and 1960 as diesel multiple units took over operation of the shorter distance passenger trains. The final Scottish D11/2 was withdrawn in January 1962.[2]
The sixth member of the class, No. 506 Butler-Henderson, was withdrawn from use by British Railways during 1960.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.[3]
| Name ! | width = 12% | Date built ! | width = 7% | LNER No. ! | width = 7% | 1946 LNER No. ! | width = 14% | Date withdrawn ! | width = 10% | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 501 | Mons | 5501 | 2665 | |||||||
| 502 | Zeebrugge | 5502 | 2666 | |||||||
| 503 | Somme | 5503 | 2667 | |||||||
| 504 | Jutland | 5504 | 2668 | |||||||
| 505 | Ypres | 5505 | 2669 | |||||||
| 506 | Butler-Henderson | 5506 | 2660 | Preserved | ||||||
| 507 | Gerard Powys Dewhurst | 5507 | 2661 | |||||||
| 508 | Prince of Wales | 5508 | 2662 | |||||||
| 509 | Prince Albert | 5509 | 2663 | |||||||
| 510 | Princess Mary | 5510 | 2664 | |||||||
| 511 | Marne | 5511 | 2670 | |||||||
| 1378 | Bailie MacWheeble | 6378 | 2671 | |||||||
| 1379 | Baron of Bradwardine | 6379 | 2672 | |||||||
| 1380 | Evan Dhu | 6380 | 2673 | |||||||
| 1381 | Flora MacIvor | 6381 | 2674 | |||||||
| 1382 | Colonel Gardiner | 6382 | 2675 | |||||||
| 1383 | Jonathan Oldbuck | 6383 | 2676 | |||||||
| 1384 | Edie Ochiltree | 6384 | 2677 | |||||||
| 1385 | Luckie Mucklebackit | 6385 | 2678 | |||||||
| 1386 | Lord Glenallan | 6386 | 2679 | First one to be withdrawn | ||||||
| 1387 | Lucy Ashton | 6387 | 2680 | |||||||
| 1388 | Captain Craigengelt | 6388 | 2681 | |||||||
| 1389 | Haystoun of Bucklaw | 6389 | 2682 | |||||||
| 1390 | Hobbie Elliott | 6390 | 2683 | |||||||
| 1391 | Wizard of the Moor | 6391 | 2684 | |||||||
| 1392 | Malcolm Graeme | 6392 | 2685 | Last one to be withdrawn | ||||||
| 1393 | The Fiery Cross | 6393 | 2686 | |||||||
| 1394 | Lord James of Douglas | 6394 | 2687 | |||||||
| 1395 | Ellen Douglas | 6395 | 2688 | |||||||
| 1396 | Maid of Lorn | 6396 | 2689 | |||||||
| 1397 | The Lady of the Lake | 6397 | 2690 | |||||||
| 1398 | Laird of Balmawhapple | 6398 | 2691 | |||||||
| 1399 | Allan-Bane | 6399 | 2692 | |||||||
| 1400 | Roderick Dhu | 6400 | 2693 | |||||||
| 1401 | James Fitzjames | 6401 | 2694 | |||||||
In 2012, Bachmann Branchline introduced models of the D11 in other Great Central liveries, LNER liveries and British Railway liveries.[4] 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.[5] [6] Bachmann's general production run of the model totalled 1,500.[7]