GNR Class C1.html



The Great Northern Railway (GNR) Class C1 is a type of 4-4-2 steam locomotive. One, ex GNR 251, later LNER 2800, survives in preservation.

The C1 Class, as it was known under both GNR & LNER classifications, was designed by Henry A. Ivatt as an enlarged version of what became the C2 Class. The principle of the design was to produce a powerful, free-steaming engine to haul the fastest and heaviest express trains on the Great Northern. They could thus be seen as the start of the East Coast 'Big Engine' policy. None were ever named.

The first engine, No. 251, was introduced in 1902, with eighty more being built at Doncaster Works between 1904 and 1908. Although they suffered from a number of teething troubles, the Atlantics were generally very successful. They were originally fitted with slide valves, but later gained piston valves, which produced a notable improvement in performance. The Atlantics remained in front-line service for many years, sometimes being called upon to haul trains of over 500 tons. They were eventually superseded on the heaviest trains by Gresley A1 Pacifics in the early 1920s. They continued to haul lighter expresses up until the 1950s, although this did include the Harrogate Pullman for a period during the 1920s and 1930s. They were often called upon to take over trains from failed Pacifics and put up some remarkable performances with loads far in excess of those they were designed to haul. One once took over the Flying Scotsman from a failed A3 at Peterborough and not only made up time but arrived early.

Seventeen C1s survived into British Railways ownership, but they did not last long. Pioneer 251 was saved for the national collection even before the the last one was withdrawn from revenue service in 1950. Restored to GNR livery, she is the only C1 to survive. According to The Railway Magazine in September of 1953 she joined preserved sister GNR 990 "Henry Oakley" on two weekends of trips entitled Plant Centenaraian, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Doncaster works. On the 20th the two engines, 990 leading, hauled the train from Kings Cross to Doncaster carrying nearly 500. Class A4 Silver Link brought the train back to London. A similar trip a week later operated from Kings Cross to Leeds with a stop at Dancaster, with the GNR veterans again hauling one leg of the trip. While a source can not be found as of yet but 251 is believed to have steamed poorly on these trips and has not run since. Still part of the National Railway Museum in York, she is now at NRM Shildon.

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