GCR Class 9N

GCR Class 9N LNER Class A5
A5/1 No. 9828 outside Marylebone station 1947
Power type	Steam
Designer	John G. Robinson
Builder	GCR, LNER, Hawthorn Leslie and Company (13)
Serial number	HL 3616–3628
Build date	1911–1926
Total produced	44
Configuration	4-6-2T
Gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Driver diameter	5 ft 7 in (1.702 m)
Locomotive weight	A5/1: 85.90 long tons (87.28 t) A5/2: 90.55 long tons (92.00 t)
Fuel type	Coal
Boiler pressure	180 psi (1.24 MPa)
Cylinders	Two, inside
Cylinder size	20 × 26 in (508 × 660 mm)
Tractive effort	23,750 lbf (105.6 kN)
Career	Great Central Railway, London & North Eastern Railway, British Railways
Power class	BR: 3MT
Axle load class	Route Availability 5
Retired	1942–1961
Disposition	All scrapped

The Great Central Railway Class 9N, classified A5 by the LNER, was a class of 4-6-2 tank locomotives designed by John G. Robinson for suburban passenger services. They were fitted with superheaters, piston valves and Stephenson valve gear.

The GCR built three batches between 1911 and 1917. They ordered a fourth batch but this was not built until after Grouping in 1923. The London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) ordered a fifth batch from Hawthorn Leslie and Company and this was built between 1925 and 1926. The last batch had reduced boiler mountings and detail differences, and was classified A5/2. The earlier batches were then re-classified A5/1.

Numbering

Year	GCR Nos.	LNER Nos.	LNER 1942 Nos.	BR Nos.	Notes
	165–170	5165–5170	9800–9805	69800–69805
	23–24	5023–5024	9806–9807	69806–69807
	447–452	5447–5452	9808–9812	69808–69812	447 withdrawn in 1942
	128–129	5128–5129	9813–9814	69813–69814
	371–374	5371–5374	9815–9818	69815–69818
	411	5411	9819	69819
1923	3, 6, 7, 30, 45, 46, 88, 154, 156, 158	5003, 5006, 5007, 5030, 5045, 5046, 5088, 5154, 5156, 5158	9820–9829	69820–69829
	—		9830–9842	69830–69842

Forty-three locomotives passed to British Railways in 1948 and they were numbered as follows:

• A5/1, 69800-69829
• A5/2, 69830-69842

None have been preserved.

Modelling

A 7mm scale kit is available from MSC models.

Sources

• Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives, 1948 edition, part 4, page 55.

External links

• http://www.lner.info/locos/A/a5.shtml
• http://www.railuk.co.uk/steam/getsteamclass.php?item=A5/1
• http://www.railuk.co.uk/steam/getsteamclass.php?item=A5/2