Locomotives of the Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)
The following is a list of locomotives built for the Great Northern Railway. As is customary, engine classes are organized according to the man who was locomotive superintendent when the class was introduced, and to whom the design is often attributed. Six men held this post during the existence of the Great Northern Railway.
Until 1868 engines were obtained from outside manufacturers, but after this date were increasingly built at the railway's own Doncaster Works, commonly known as the "Plant".
Some engines acquired second-hand or from absorbed companies have been omitted from these lists.
The system of classes was introduced in 1900. Engines withdrawn prior to that date will not have them.
Benjamin Cubitt (1846–1848)
| Numbers | Wheel Arrangement |
Quantity | Manufacturer | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–50 | 2-2-2 | 50 | Sharp Bros. | 1847–50 | "Small Sharps"; most rebuilt by Sturrock: 31 in 1852 as 2-2-2T (of which 11 later became 0-4-2T) and 14 as 0-4-2 from 1859–67 |
| 51–70 | 2-2-2 | 20 | R & W Hawthorn | 1848–50 | "Small Hawthorns"; two rebuilt by Stirling in 1870 as 0-4-2 |
| 101–115 | 0-4-2 | 15 | R & W Hawthorn | 1848–49 | No. 111 rebuilt in 1863 as 0-6-0ST |
| 121–132 | 0-4-0 | 12 | Bury, Curtis & Kennedy | 1848–49 | Five rebuilt 1852–53 as 0-4-2ST |
| 66 (later 100) | 2-4-0 | 1 | Bury, Curtis & Kennedy | 1849 |
Edward Bury (1848–1850)
| Numbers | Wheel Arrangement |
Quantity | Manufacturer | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 116–120, 134–158, 167 | 0-6-0 | 30 | R .& W. Hawthorn (15) E. B. Wilson & Co. (15) |
1850–51 | Eight converted to Saddle tanks in 1864–66 |
Bury resigned after it was discovered he had placed orders for parts with his own firm, rather than another one which had offered a lower bid.
Archibald Sturrock (1850–1866)
| Numbers | Wheel Arrangement |
Quantity | Manufacturer | Date | Ivatt Class |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 201–202 | 2-2-2 | 2 | E. B. Wilson & Co. | 1850 | — | "Jenny Lind" type. |
| 71–90 | 2-4-0 | 20 | R & W Hawthorn (5) E. B. Wilson & Co. (15) |
1851 | — | |
| 91–99, 200 | 4-2-0 | 10 | R. B. Longridge & Co. | 1851–52 | — | Crampton-type. All converted 1853–54 to 2-2-2. |
| 168–199, 300–307 | 0-6-0 | 40 | E. B. Wilson & Co. (30) Wm. Fairbairn & Sons (10) |
1851–53 | J3 | 5-ft wheels; 14 with steam tenders fitted in 1864–66, removed in 1867–68 |
| 308–390 | 0-6-0 | 83 | E. B. Wilson & Co. (23) Kitson & Co. (10) James Nasmyth & Co. (10) R. & W. Hawthorn (5) Sharp, Stewart & Co. (20) R. Stephenson & Co. (10) Vulcan Foundry (5) |
1851–56 | J1 | 5-ft 3-in wheels; 13 with steam tenders fitted in 1864–66, removed in 1867–68 |
| 203–214 | 2-2-2 | 12 | R & W Hawthorn | 1852–53 | — | “Large Hawthorns” |
| 215 | 4-2-2 | 1 | R & W Hawthorn | 1853 | — | 7-foot-6-inch (2.29 m) driving wheels reused on Stirlings' No. 92 |
| 223–228 | 2-4-0 | 6 | R & W Hawthorn | 1855 | — | 6-ft 6-in wheels |
| 229–240 | 2-2-2 | 12 | Kitson & Co. (4) Sharp Stewart (4) Stephenson (4) |
1860 | — | 7-ft 0-in wheels |
| 241–250, 270–279 | 0-4-2T | 20 | Avonside Engine Co. (15) Neilson & Co. (5) |
1865–67 | F5 | |
| 400–469 | 0-6-0 | 70 | Avonside Engine Co. (5) Kitson & Co. (20) Neilson & Co. (20) R. & W. Hawthorn (19) Vulcan Foundry (6) |
1865–66 | J2/J3 | 20 with steam tenders, removed in 1867–68 |
| 251–260 | 2-4-0 | 10 | Sharp Stewart | 1866 | E5 | 6-ft 0-in wheels |
| 472–473 | 0-8-0T | 2 | Avonside Engine Co. | 1866 | — | |
| 264–269 | 2-4-0 | 6 | John Fowler & Co. (3) Yorkshire Engine Co. (3) |
1866–67 | B6 | 7-ft 0-in wheels. Rebuilt 1873–78 as 2-2-2 |
Patrick Stirling (1866–1895)
Stirling built locomotives with domeless ("straightback") boilers. Many were rebuilt by Ivatt with larger, domed boilers, and were placed in a different class as shown in the table.
| No. of 1st built |
Wheel Arrangement |
Quantity | Manufacturer | Date | Ivatt Class |
Rebuilt as Class |
LNER Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 280 | 2-4-0 | 22 | Avonside Engine Co. (10) Yorkshire Engine Co. (10) Doncaster Works (2) |
1867–71 | E3 | E4 | — | |
| 474 | 0-6-0 | 35 | Neilson & Co. (10) John Fowler & Co. (10) Doncaster Works (15) |
1867–73 | J7 | J8 | — | |
| 6 | 2-2-2 | 12 | Doncaster Works | 1868–70 | B5 | B7 | — | 7-foot-0-inch (2.13 m) driving wheels |
| 18 | 0-4-2 | 117 |
|
1868–76 | F2 | F3 | — | 8 more supplied by Sharp, Stewart to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR 605 class) |
| 218 | 0-4-2 | 4 | Doncaster Works | 1868–69 | F1 | — | — | |
| 126 | 0-4-2WT | 13 | Doncaster Works | 1868–71 | F4 | F6 | — | |
| 392 | 0-6-0ST | 7 | Doncaster Works | 1868–73 | J11 | J12 | — | |
| 396 | 0-6-0ST | 7 | Doncaster Works | 1869–74 | J19 | — | — | |
| 92 | 2-2-2 | 1 | Doncaster Works | 1870 | B1 | — | — | 7-foot-6-inch (2.29 m) driving wheels from Sturrocks' No. 215 |
| 1 | 4-2-2 | 47 | Doncaster Works | 1870–93 | A2 | A3 | — | |
| 120 | 0-4-4BT | 46 | Doncaster Works | 1872–81 | G2 | — | — | No.533 rebuilt as a crane-tank in 1905. |
| 174 | 0-6-0 | 6 | Doncaster Works | 1872–74 | original J4 | — | — | Class extinct 1906, "J4" designation later reused for rebuilds of "J5"s |
| 171 | 0-6-0 | 160 | Doncaster Works (110) Vulcan Foundry (15) Dübs & Co. (35) |
1873–96 | J6 | J4/J5 | J3/J4 | Boiler diameter: 4 ft 2½ in for J6, 4 ft 5 in for J5, 4 ft 8 in for J4 |
| 494 | 0-6-0ST | 95 |
|
1874–92 | J15 | J16 | J54/J55 | |
| 86 | 2-4-0 | 117 | Doncaster Works (105) Kitson & Co. (12) |
1874–79 | E2 | E1 | — | |
| 605 | 0-6-0ST | 2 | Doncaster Works | 1875 | J20 | — | — | |
| 606 | 0-6-0ST | 10 | Doncaster Works | 1876–77 | J17 | J16 | J56 | |
| 501 | 0-4-2ST | 6 | Doncaster Works | 1876–78 | F7 | — | ||
| 629 | 0-4-4BT | 2 | Doncaster Works | 1880 | G5 | — | — | |
| 658 | 0-4-4T | 16 | Doncaster Works | 1881–85 | G3 | G4 | G2 | |
| 684 | 0-6-0ST | 8 | Doncaster Works | 1882–92 | J18 | — | J57 | |
| 103 | 0-4-2 | 33 | Doncaster Works | 1882–95 | F2 | F3 | — | |
| 374 | 0-6-0 | 8 | Doncaster Works | 1883–88 | J10 | J9 | J7 | |
| 238 | 2-2-2 | 2 | Doncaster Works | 1885 | B2 | — | — | |
| 234 | 2-2-2 | 21 | Doncaster Works | 1886–94 | B3 | B4 | — | |
| 766 | 0-4-4T | 29 | Doncaster Works | 1889–95 | G1 | — | G1 | |
| 921 | 0-6-0ST | 52 | Doncaster Works (32) Neilson & Co. (20) |
1892–97 | J14 | — | J53 | |
| 1003 | 4-2-2 | 6 | Doncaster Works | 1894–95 | A1 | A3 | — | Class extinct 1916, "A1" designation later reused for 4-6-2s |
| 1081 | 0-6-0 | 10 | Doncaster Works | 1896 | J5 | J4 | J3/J4 | Boiler diameter: 4 ft 2½ in for J6, 4 ft 5 in for J5, 4 ft 8 in for J4 |
| 1021 | 0-6-0 | 10 | Doncaster Works | 1896 | J9 | — | — |
Henry Ivatt (1895–1911)
| Class | Wheel Arrangement |
Quantity | Manufacturer | Date | LNER Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D2 | 4-4-0 | 51 | Doncaster Works | 1896–99 | D4 | all rebuilt with larger boilers as D3 1912–28 |
| E1 | 2-4-0 | 10 | Doncaster Works | 1897 | E1 | |
| J5 | 0-6-0 | 133 | Doncaster Works (50) Dübs & Co. (48) Kitson & Co. (25) |
1897–1901 | J4 | 5 ft 2 in wheels |
| J13 | 0-6-0ST | 85 | Doncaster Works (50) R. Stephenson & Co. (10) Sharp, Stewart & Co. (25) |
1897–1909 | J52 | |
| A4 | 4-2-2 | 1 | Doncaster Works | 1898 | — | No.266 |
| C1 | 4-4-2 | 22 | Doncaster Works | 1898–1903 | C2 | Small Boiler "Klondykes", some variations |
| C2 | 4-4-2T | 60 | Doncaster Works | 1898–1907 | C12 | |
| D1 | 4-4-0 | 70 | Doncaster Works | 1898–1909 | D2 | |
| H1 | 2-6-0 | 20 | Baldwin Locomotive Works | 1899–1900 | — | |
| A5 | 4-2-2 | 11 | Doncaster Works | 1900–01 | — | |
| K1 | 0-8-0 | 55 | Doncaster Works | 1901–09 | Q1/Q2 | Q2 were rebuilds with piston valves. |
| C1 | 4-4-2 | 91 | Doncaster Works | 1902–10 | C1 | Large Boiler - Several experimental variations |
| L1 | 0-8-2T | 41 | Doncaster Works | 1903–06 | R1 | |
| C1 | 4-4-2 | 3 | Doncaster Works (2) Vulcan Foundry (1) |
1905 | C1 | Four-cylinder compound |
| M | 0-4-4T | 6 | Doncaster Works (2) Kitson & Co. (2) Avonside Engine Co. (2) |
1905–1906 | Not classified | Steam railcars |
| N1 | 0-6-2T | 56 | Doncaster Works | 1907–12 | N1 | |
| J21 | 0-6-0 | 15 | Doncaster Works | 1908 | J1 | 5 ft 8 in wheels |
| J22 | 0-6-0 | 20 | Doncaster Works | 1909–10 | J5 | 5 ft 2 in wheels |
| D1 | 4-4-0 | 15 | Doncaster Works | 1911 | D1 | Superheated |
| J21 | 0-6-0 | 10 | Doncaster Works | 1912 | J2 | 5 ft 8 in wheels - Superheated |
Nigel Gresley (1911–1923)
| Class | Wheel Arrangement |
Quantity | Manufacturer | Date | LNER Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J22 | 0-6-0 | 110 | Doncaster Works | 1911–21 | J6 | 5 ft 2 in wheels - Superheated |
| H2 | 2-6-0 | 10 | Doncaster Works | 1912–13 | K1 | All rebuilt as GNR Class H3 (LNER Class K2) 1920–37 |
| J4 | 0-6-0 | 71 | (1912–21) | J3 | All rebuilds of J5, 82 more rebuilt by LNER | |
| D3 | 4-4-0 | 46 | (1912–23) | D3 | All rebuilds of D2, remaining 5 rebuilt by LNER | |
| O1 | 2-8-0 | 20 | Doncaster Works (5) North British Locomotive Co. (15) |
1913–19 | O1 | Later classified as O3 under the LNER. |
| J23 | 0-6-0T | 30 | Doncaster Works | 1913–19 | J51 | All rebuilt by LNER to J50 |
| H3 | 2-6-0 | 65 | Doncaster Works (20) North British Locomotive Co. (20) Kitson & Co. (25) |
1913–21 | K2 | Another 10 rebuilt from GNR Class H2 (LNER Class K1) 1920–37 |
| K2 | 0-8-0 | 1 | Doncaster Works | (1914) | Q3 | Rebuild of K1 with same boiler as H3 |
| O2 | 2-8-0 | 1 | Doncaster Works | 1918 | O2 | Three-cylinder, first use of conjugated valve-gear |
| H4 | 2-6-0 | 10 | Doncaster Works | 1920–25 | K3 | Another 183 built by LNER |
| O2 | 2-8-0 | 10 | North British Locomotive Co. | 1921 | O2 | Three-cylinder. Another 56 built by LNER |
| N2 | 0-6-2T | 60 | Doncaster Works (10) North British Locomotive Co. (50) |
1920–21 | N2 | Another 47 built by LNER |
| J23 | 0-6-0T | 10 | Doncaster Works | 1922 | J50 | Another 62 built by LNER + 30 rebuilds from J51 |
| A1 | 4-6-2 | 2 | Doncaster Works | 1922 | A1 | Three-cylinder. Another 50 built by LNER, including Flying Scotsman. No. 1470, Great Northern, was rebuilt as the solitary Thompson A1/1, the rest as LNER Class A3. |
Preserved locomotives
| GNR No. | GN class | Wheel Arrangement |
Manufacturer | Serial No. | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A2 | 4-2-2 | Doncaster Works | 50 | April 1870 | Static exhibit, National Collection, York |
| 990 | C1 | 4-4-2 | Doncaster Works | 769 | May 1898 | Named Henry Oakley; static exhibit, National Collection, York |
| 251 | C1 | 4-4-2 | Doncaster Works | 991 | December 1902 | Static exhibit, National Collection, Bressingham |
| 1247 | J13 | 0-6-0ST | Sharp, Stewart & Co. | 4492 | May 1899 | BR No. 68846; National Collection, York |
| 1744 | N2 | 0-6-2T | North British Locomotive Co. | 22500 | February 1921 | BR No. 69523; Serviceable. |
| 1472 | A1 | 4-6-2 | Doncaster railway works | 1923 | BR No. 60103 Flying Scotsman; Undergoing refit. Construction started by the GNR, but delivered to the LNER. |
References
- Bird, George Frederick (1910). The Locomotives of the Great Northern Railway. London: Locomotive Publishing Co.
- Groves, Norman (1986). Great Northern Locomotive History, Volume 1: 1847–66. Railway Correspondence and Travel Society. ISBN 0-901115-61-4.
- Groves, Norman (1991) [1987]. Great Northern Locomotive History, Volume 2: 1867–95 The Stirling Era. Railway Correspondence and Travel Society. ISBN 0-901115-74-6.
- Groves, Norman (1990). Great Northern Locomotive History, Volume 3a: 1896–1911 The Ivatt Era. Railway Correspondence and Travel Society. ISBN 0-901115-69-X.
- Groves, Norman (1992). Great Northern Locomotive History, Volume 3b: 1911–1922 The Gresley Era. Railway Correspondence and Travel Society. ISBN 0-901115-70-3.