Those Great Locomotives - Great Central 11Fs

John G. Robinson's finest locomotive. Whether you call them 11Fs, D11s, "Improved Directors" or "Large Directors", they were the best of the best, powering over the Great Central Railway's London extension. And, when modified, proved excellent additions to the ageing North British fleet too!
SOURCES & CREDIT
Picture of A4 60007 'Sir Nigel Gresley' - Gavin Cameron / Wikipedia Commons: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LNER_Cl...
Route map of the Great Central Railway - Cnbrb / Wikipedia Commons
Picture of Great Central class 11B - Wikipedia Commons: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GCR_Cla...
Picture of Sir Nigel Gresley (old) - Wikipedia Commons: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigel_G...
Picture of Nigel Gresley (young) - P2 Steam Locomotive Company: www.p2steam.com/wp-content/up...
Picture of Great Central class 8B - Ben Brooksbank / Wikipedia Commons: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GCR_Cla...
Picture of Great Central No430 'Purdon Viccars' - Imperial War Museums: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GCR_Cla...
Picture of LNER class D49 No246 'Morayshire' - Our Phellap / Wikipedia Commons: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LNER_Cl...
Picture of the Franco-Italian Crosti boilered locomotive - Harlock81 / Wikipedia Commons: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franco-...
Picture of LNER class B17 No2842 'Kilverstone Hall' - Walter Dendy / Wikipedia Commons: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LNER_Cl...
Picture of Butler Henderson (video) - Tony Hisgett / Wikipedia Commons: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Ca...
Picture of Bulter Henderson (thumbnail) - Hugh Llewelyn / Wikipedia Commons: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:...
Picture of LNER class B1 1264 at Whitby station - Own work
Picture of LNER class V2 4771 'Green Arrow' - Own work
Picture of Great Central 11A - Malcolm Peirson / LNER Encyclopedia
Picture of Great Central 8C - Malcolm Peirson / LNER Encyclopedia
Picture of 11F No506 'Bulter Henderson' at Gorton in 1920 - Malcolm Peirson / LNER Encyclopedia
Picture of Harry Pollitt - LNER Encyclopedia
Picture of John George Robinson - LNER Encyclopedia
Picture and technical drawings of Great Central class 11E - Railway Mechanical Engineer volume XC, 1916
Picture of double-heading D11/2s - LNER Encyclopedia
Picture of LNER D11/2 No6386 - Neil Ellison / LNER Encyclopedia
Picture of LNER D30 'Superheated Scott' No9497 - LNER Encyclopedia
Website sources:
www.lner.info/locos/B/b1b18.php
www.lner.info/eng/pollitt.php
www.lner.info/locos/D/d30.php
www.lner.info/locos/D/d11.php
www.lner.info/locos/C/c4.php
www.lner.info/eng/robinson.php
www.lner.info/locos/D/d9.php
www.lner.info/locos/D/d10.php
www.p2steam.com/nigel-gresley/
railuk.info/steam/getsteamcla...
railuk.info/steam/getsteamcla...
web.archive.org/web/200502090...
www.sciencedirect.com/topics/...
archive.org/details/railwayme...
www.steamlocomotive.com/locob...
Book sources:
'50 Famous British Locomotives' by Peter Herring, published by David & Charles
'Steam Finale Scotland' by Brian J. Dickson, published by Ian Allan
'British Steam Nostalgia' by Colin Garratt, published by Patrick Stephens Limited
Video/Film sources:
'London & North Eastern Railway Steam' by Castle Communications
'Express Locomotives Of The London & North Eastern Railway' by Castle Communications
LINKS
Discord server - / discord
Twitter - / teawithcaramel1
Outro music: Kevin MacLeod - Fiddles McGinty
Other music used:
Kevin MacLeod - Achaidh Cleide
Chris Sawyer's Locomotion OST - Settin' Off!
Chris Sawyer's Locomotion - Chugging Along
U.S. Marine Band - With Shot and Shell
Darktown Strutters Ball - E's Jammy's Jams
Channel icon by - / shirahoshid
2D avatar by - / inksilvery
#LNER

[@2112Warmachine]

Robinson's one of the forgotten heroes of engineering.

[@Reading3412Studios]

Very poggers locomotives

[@vincentswift7]

Great to see a Robinson video The Great Central and Robinson must be the most neglected of our historical Companies

[@reesochacon1448]

The Atlantics were actually very successful locomotives. The main issue with the class was the fact that the GCR’s express passenger traffic increased rapidly during the 1910s. Robinson decided to try an express passenger 4-6-0, the Sir Sam Fay Class. The first three members were put on passenger traffic. While they proved to be very capable machines, the directors on the GCR were not as impressed as Robinson was.

[@FlyingScott]

If anything the traffic didn't increase enough. They ended up with three different "frontline" express classes of both 4-4-2 and 4-6-0 wheel arrangements whilst, as shown, even a 4-4-0 could do the job without breaking a sweat.

[@EmilyChaosDrivr]

This has become one of my favourite videos on youtube. I love the GCR and hope to see more of its engines in the future.

[@FlyingScott]

There are so many links and credits in the description that I used 4987 characters out of the 5000 permitted. I also realise I incorrectly said the name of the GCR's CME before Robinson was "Henry Pollitt". Actually, he was Harry Pollitt.

[@bluebellsfan8704]

Hello there Flying Scott! I know you probably seen this but I found a video about these engines. Now I'm not 100% sure these are them but check this out! Take care kzbin.info/www/bejne/rIHTqmauqbCJpNU

[@SaltyVan]

2:21 I believe that this is what reverend awdry originally based Henry the green engine on

[@joshslater2426]

Still such a shame that so few Great Central locos were preserved. The 11Fs are quite nice. I might go see Butler Henderson at some point this summer in Barrow Hill, but it would be easier if it was at the NRM like it was back in the early 2000s.

[@nielsleenknegt5839]

Also Zeebrugge is a Town along the coast line of belgium, between Knokke-Heist and Blankenberge, and has a medium sized port i believe. As a Belgium person I'm impressed with your pronounciation!

[@LBP2008]

They are indeed the best steam loco

[@ironhorse3826]

This was really interesting, great job !

[@Haueru86]

* that's my brother, papyrus. he's the fastest unstreamlined locomotive in the world, y'know.

[@meggiesteam1983]

very good matey enjoyed it!

[@bluebellsfan8704]

Awesome video! Great work

[@oliverthebrblack5330]

Hello!

[@LMS5935]

@@oliverthebrblack5330 hello

[@ericholmes8665]

Very nice video,never saw a D11/1 working,but did see most of the class in store at Darnall and Staveley GC sheds,about half of these were cut up at Doncaster works,you did not mention the typical Scottish( why waste money on nameplates) when you can paint them on, as was the case for the D11/2s,the last shot in the video looks very much like Penistone,with the line to Huddersfield curving to the right.

[@FlyingScott]

Ah you're right - I should have mentioned the names being painted rather than cast plates on the /2s, it did add a lot of the typically Scottish charm. And Penistone it was indeed!

[@jerrycoob4750]

I give Scott's video an 11/10! I wonder how the folks at the GCR planned to get Continental loading gauge trains through the smol tunnels of the Woodhead route and the South Eastern Railway tho, hmmm

[@robertwilloughby8050]

To be totally fair to the 8B Atlantic (and the compound variant too) they were actually rather good, if a little heavy on coal, and the 4-6-0 "Immingham" class was also very good, the LNER used them on passenger trains like Newcastle - Harwich, and Scarborough - Glasgow until the V2'S and A2'S came along (especially the Thompson A2/2's). But the later 4-6-0 were either very disappointing (The "Sam Fay" and "Glenalmond" Classes) or rather good, but heavy on coal (the 9P and 9Q Classes) so the "Directors" (both original and "Improved") were very welcome. (A fair mention for the 8N 4-6-0 must be made, as that set of locomotives were excellent engines, whose only problem was rather heavy hammerblow).

[@Pac-TGM]

I have this feeling you love trains...

[@naturespecialist1489]

🎊 Your role is Donald and Douglas !!!🎊

[@tristanexists1806]

The hell

[@TheBroomwagon]

Very interesting and enjoyable, Flying Scott. Having my interest sparked in the Great Central from a recent visit to Loughborough and the Great Central heritage Railway , I wholeheartedly agree, it is such a shame more GC locos weren't preserved.

[@alistairkewish651]

Erm, not the NorthSea, under the Channel. Ooops!

[@fernandoqueirozpopovic7024]

Wonderful machines, what a shame they didn't save them

[@retailvideo1232]

What happened to Chuggy? was he taken back to his line after it was restored? Or.. was he.. left to rust?

[@theextremeanimator4721]

Who's chuggy

[@godzillahomer]

I can prove the GCR is better than BR with one fact. BR built 9Fs, the GCR built 11Fs. ;) Sad how things turned out for the GCR. Only two surviving locomotives from them. (the 3 ROD 2-8-0s in Australia don't count, they never worked for the GCR or LNER.) But we should also be thankful that some survived. Look at how other railways did. Highland Railway, only a single survivor and that's because she was the first UK 4-6-0. Glasgow and South Western Railway, one survivor, a tank engine saved after it was sold into industrial usage. Barry Railway... All gone. Great North of Scotland Railway, only a single 4-4-0. An LNER D40.

[@FlyingScott]

Well, back in the 70s, GCR was commonly referred to as the "Gone Completely" Railway.

[@joshslater2426]

Many railways didn’t do so well in terms of preservation. To my knowledge, we only have two North British Railway locos, three Highland Railway locos, three Furness Railway locos (four if you count No.115 buried underground) and a single North Staffordshire loco and one electric vehicle.

[@111greatbear3]

Smokebox dart