Branchline 31-319A GCR 9J (J11) Steam Locmotive 64305 - BR Black (Early Emblem)

MODEL FEATURES:

Bachmann Branchline OO Scale
Era 4
Pristine BR Black Early Emblem livery
Running No. 64305
Riveted Smokebox Door with Twin Handwheels, Numberplate and Lamp Iron mounted on the Smokebox Door
LNER ‘Plantpot’ Chimney
Snifter Valve
LNER lowered Dome
Ross Pop Safety Valves
Parallel Buffer Shanks with End Collars
Wakefield Lubricator (fitted to the left hand side)
Powerful 3 Pole Motor
Tender Pick-ups
Adjustable Tender Drawbar
NEM Coupling Pockets
Sprung Buffers
Accessory Pack
Locomotive Ready to Accept a Speaker
Equipped with a 21 Pin DCC Decoder Socket
Length 220mm (over couplings)



GCR 9J (J11) CLASS HISTORY

The Great Central Railway (GCR) Class 9J was the first goods locomotive to be designed by John. G. Robinson, the railway’s Chief Mechanical Engineer from 1900-1922. Between 1901 and 1910 a total of 174 locomotives were built and during the First World War, 18 were loaned to the Railway Operating Division and were shipped to France before returning home in 1919. The class quickly acquired the nickname ‘Pom-Poms’ as their exhaust noise sounded very similar to the ‘Pom-Pom’ quick-firing guns which were first used in the South African War.

In 1923 the GCR became part of the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER), and the 9Js were re-classified as J11. The LNER quickly began modifying J11s to meet the then-new composite rolling stock gauge, this included using several different boiler and dome modifications to reduce the overall height of the locomotive. Other changes during LNER ownership included the fitting of some group standard components, like Ross pop safety valves, to give increased commonality across the company’s vast locomotive fleet.

Whilst primarily a goods engine, the J11s were used on some passenger services and over time these duties increased. During LNER ownership the distribution of the fleet gradually broadened, with examples allocated to sheds like Retford and Barnsley, and some were even sent to the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway.

The class survived to Nationalisation in 1948 when British Railways inherited the entire fleet, and it was not until 1954 that the first example was withdrawn. All had gone by 1962 however, and sadly none were saved for preservation.