The GCR Improved Director Class

There were 11 original members of the Gorton-built Robinson GCR Class 11F, constructed between 1919 and 1922. Known as Improved Directors as an upgrading of the GCR Class 11E Directors, the large driving wheels on the 4-4-0s were suited to fast passenger workings but not for hauling freight trains. The LNER then had a further 24 locos constructed in 1924 by Kitson and Armstrong Whitworth for use in Scotland. All 33 of the class, now re-classified as D11, made it into BR ownership.

Initially to be found at the head of Sheffield to London Marylebone expresses, in BR days they were used on shorter distance passenger trains on the former GCR routes across northern England, including Manchester to Chester and Manchester to Liverpool Central. All the engines were named, though No. 62685 Malcom Graeme was the only one to make it into my 1962 abc, before its withdrawal later on in the same year.

No. 62660 Butler-Henderson is the only preserved example of an original ex-GCR passenger loco. The somewhat obscure but intriguing names of some of the Scottish examples [to us as young spotters, at least], including No. 62671 Bailie MacWheeble and No. 62678 Luckie Mucklebackit, owed their origin to the Waverley novels of Sir Walter Scott.

John Dyer photographed Nos. 62661 Gerard Powys Dewhurst and 62667 Somme, both at Sheffield Victoria on 26/4/59 - in addition to Butler-Henderson, seen at an exhibition at Manchester Central station on 24/3/62 and then in Gorton works on 19/8/62.