LNER Class Y11 was a class of three petrol powered

0-4-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents one of the simplest possible types, that with two axles and four coupled wheels, all of which are driven. The wheels on the earliest four-coupled locomotives were ...

locomotive A locomotive is a rail transport, rail vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. Traditionally, locomotives pulled trains from the front. However, Push–pull train, push–pull operation has become common, and in the pursuit for ...

s built by Motor Rail & Tram Car Company Limited under their ''Simplex'' brand and introduced in the years 1919–1925. Two were inherited by the

London and North Eastern Railway The London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) was the second largest (after London, Midland and Scottish Railway, LMS) of the "Big Four (British railway companies), Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain. It ope ...

(LNER) at its formation in January 1923, and a third was purchased later. Their

British Rail British Railways (BR), which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was a state-owned company that operated most rail transport in Great Britain from 1948 to 1997. Originally a trading brand of the Railway Executive of the British Transport Comm ...

ways numbers were 15097-15099. It was known as LNER Z6 before 1943.

History

The

Great Eastern Railway The Great Eastern Railway (GER) was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia. The company was grouped into the London and North Eastern R ...

(GER) bought a ''Simplex'' petrol locomotive from Motor Rail (works no. 1931) in December 1919, for shunting in the engineer's yard at Lowestoft Harbour. This was not numbered by the GER, and initially remained unnumbered when it passed to the LNER when that railway was created by the amalgamation of the GER with the

North British Railway The North British Railway was one of the two biggest of the five major Scottish railway companies prior to the 1923 Grouping. It was established in 1844, with the intention of linking with English railways at Berwick. The line opened in 1846, ...

(NBR) and other railways. It was recorded as being in "miscellaneous stock". The NBR bought a ''Simplex'' petrol locomotive from Motor Rail (works no. 2037) in February 1921 for £1,200, or £ as of . It was used in the goods yard at , where shunting had previously been performed using horses. Its haulage capacity was five loaded or nine empty wagons. The NBR designated it "Petrol Engine No. 1", and it initially retained this designation when the LNER was formed. Shortly after the grouping, the LNER gave the classification Z6 to the ex-NBR locomotive, and temporarily transferred it to Brentwood for trials, after which it was returned to Kelso in October 1923. The LNER moved the ex-GER locomotive from Lowestoft to Brentwood in September 1925, and transferred it from miscellaneous stock to running stock, for which it was allotted the number 8430, but this was not applied until July 1930. The ex-NBR locomotive was subsequently tried at other locations, including Connah's Quay from June 1928, and from August 1928. The transfer to Ware was made permanent in July 1930, when it was numbered 8431. The classification Z6 ceased to be used at some point, and they were then known simply as petrol shunters. In December 1943, they were given the new classification Y11. In the meantime a third ''Simplex'' petrol locomotive was bought by the LNER from Motor Rail. This had been built in 1922 (works no. 2126) for Preston Water Works, which sold it back to the makers in 1925, who refurbished it and sold it (as works no. 3783) to the LNER in August 1925. The LNER used it at Greenland Creosote Works, West Hartlepool. By September 1938 it had been numbered L4. British Railways (BR) inherited it with the rest of the LNER locomotives at the start of 1948, and in May 1949 transferred it from miscellaneous stock to departmental stock, giving it the number 15097. One other number was allotted, but not applied: LNER no. 8434, possibly in 1930. It was withdrawn in June 1950. No. 8430 remained at Brentwood until its withdrawal in September 1956, during which time it was renumbered twice: to 8188 by the LNER in July 1946, and to 15098 by BR in May 1949. Two other numbers were allotted, but not applied: LNER no. 7591 in 1942, and BR 68188 in 1948. No. 8431 remained at Ware until its withdrawal in September 1956, during which time it was renumbered three times: to 8189 by the LNER in June 1946, to 68189 by British Railways (BR) in December 1948, and to 15099 in May 1949. One other number was allotted, but not applied: LNER no. 7592 in 1942.

Specification

*Wheel arrangement:

*Weight: *Wheel diameter: *Min curve negotiable: *Engine type: Dorman 4JO (petrol) *Engine output: *Power at rail: *Maximum speed: *Brake type: Air on loco, no train brake * Route Availability: 1 *Heating type: Not fitted *Multiple coupling type: Not fitted *Transmission: Mechanical, 2-speed Dixon Abbot

Preservation

None of the LNER Class Y11 locomotives has been preserved but several similar ones have, including: * Works no. 2029 at the

East Anglian Railway Museum The East Anglian Railway Museum is a museum located at Chappel and Wakes Colne railway station in Essex, England, which is situated on the former Great Eastern Railway branch line from Marks Tey to Sudbury. Services on the Sudbury Branch Line ...

* Works no. 2028 at the

Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre The Great Central Railway (Nottingham) (formerly known as the Nottingham Heritage Railway) is a heritage railway located at the Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre (NTHC), on the south side of the village of Ruddington, in Nottinghamshire. Th ...

Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre also has another Simplex numbered 15100. This is probably an "imaginary" British Railways number, continuing from 15099.

Notes

References

External links

*
LNER Encyclopedia

Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lner Class Y11 Y11 B locomotives Railway locomotives introduced in 1919 Scrapped locomotives Standard-gauge locomotives of Great Britain Petrol locomotives Shunting locomotives