R30365 Hornby GNR Class J13 0-6-0ST Steam Loco number 1257 - GNR

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The Great Northern Railway introduced its J13 Class in 1897 as a development of the J14 0-6-0ST designed by Patrick Stirling which dated back to its introduction in 1892.

The new locomotives were overseen by Stirling’s successor, Henry Ivatt and differed in having a domed boiler of greater diameter. A total of 85 were built between 1897 and 1909 at the GNR’s Doncaster Works and private contractors Robert Stephenson & Co (10 examples) and Sharp, Stewart & Co (25). These would become the J52 Class under the LNER at the Grouping in 1923.

Three of Stirling’s J14s were rebuilt with the larger boiler in 1922 to effectively become J13s, and the remaining 49 members of the class were similarly treated under the LNER, the last in November 1932.  

The resultant 137 locomotives were split into two sub-classes by the LNER; J52/1 for the rebuilt Stirling engines, and J52/2 for the original Ivatts. Some of the locomotives were fitted with condensing apparatus for working on the Metropolitan’s underground section on transfer trips to South London.

Those that weren’t used on these duties were mainly employed as shunting engines at large marshalling yards, and the type were a common sight around King’s Cross and Finsbury Park.

A withdrawal programme for the 0-6-0STs started in 1936, but was halted at the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, which meant a total of 132 locomotives survived until nationalisation in 1948, along with another example in departmental use.

Their time under BR was limited though, as withdrawals once more got underway in 1950 with the arrival of large numbers of the new 350hp diesel electric shunters. The last to be displaced was in 1961, but one example survived to be preserved.

That was No. 68846 which was purchased by Captain Bill Smith in 1959, the first ever to be privately preserved from BR service. In 1980 it was donated to the National Railway Museum and is currently on static display at Locomotion in Shildon in lined GNR green as No. 1247.

30365 GNR J13 0-6-0ST 1257 - Era 2

Designer: Henry Ivatt, entered Service: 1901

No. 1257 was built at the GNR’s Doncaster Works and entered traffic in December 1901. Under the LNER it was reclassified as a J52 and renumbered to 4257 and, under its 1946 renumbering scheme, the 0-6-0ST became No. 8856. This number was prefixed with ‘6’ under BR in 1948 and the locomotive was withdrawn in October 1951, achieving almost 50 years of service.

The model is presented in original Great Northern Railway apple green with black and white lining and red-shaded gold lettering and numerals. It also has the earlier-style safety valve cowling.