HOME | DD

Description
The 9Ks were Sir John Robinson's first suburban tank engine design, and it was one of his most successful types throughout his entire tenure as CME of the Great Central Railway. The 9K was based on his predecessor, Pollit's, 9G 2-4-2 tanks, with longer fireboxes, and longer smokeboxes. These engines bore a close resemblance for the smaller atlantic tanks which Robinson designed when he was engineer for the Waterford and Limerick Railway in Ireland. Forty were built between 1903 and 1905 in four batches of 10 at Gorton Works. After Grouping, the originals were classified as C13, while a fifth batch of 12 built in 1907 with increased coal and water capacity, were classified differently by the LNER after Grouping as C14. In 1915, one C13 was fitted with superheaters, and was the only one to be equipped with such. The LNER would later add superheating to the rest of the C13s as well as fit them with shorter chimneys and domes for extra route availability. These would then be classified as C13/2 and 3. Other modifications would be carried out on the C13s and 14s, such as the GCR outfitting them with water scoops for use on trough sections, though they were rarely used by the 1930s. 6 Were fitted with push-pull gear for auto train work.

They began their lives around London, but were displaced from their work by the larger A5s and moved on to Wrexham, Trafford Park, Sheffield, and Mexborough. Large numbers of C13s were based at Wrexham between 1905 and the mid-1950s, easily handling the steep Welsh lines in the area. Meanwhile, most of the C14s remained on the old GCR network and the east coast. Both types were displaced by newer types such as the N1s, L1s, and A5s starting during World War II, and withdrawals began in the early 1950s after Nationalization. The C13s were withdrawn beginning in 1952, while the C14s stayed on until 1957. Both types were all gone from the network, and no examples of either are preserved.

Description
The 9Ks were Sir John Robinson's first suburban tank engine design, and it was one of his most successful types throughout his entire tenure as CME of the Great Central Railway. The 9K was based on his predecessor, Pollit's, 9G 2-4-2 tanks, with longer fireboxes, and longer smokeboxes. These engines bore a close resemblance for the smaller atlantic tanks which Robinson designed when he was engineer for the Waterford and Limerick Railway in Ireland. Forty were built between 1903 and 1905 in four batches of 10 at Gorton Works. After Grouping, the originals were classified as C13, while a fifth batch of 12 built in 1907 with increased coal and water capacity, were classified differently by the LNER after Grouping as C14. In 1915, one C13 was fitted with superheaters, and was the only one to be equipped with such. The LNER would later add superheating to the rest of the C13s as well as fit them with shorter chimneys and domes for extra route availability. These would then be classified as C13/2 and 3. Other modifications would be carried out on the C13s and 14s, such as the GCR outfitting them with water scoops for use on trough sections, though they were rarely used by the 1930s. 6 Were fitted with push-pull gear for auto train work.

They began their lives around London, but were displaced from their work by the larger A5s and moved on to Wrexham, Trafford Park, Sheffield, and Mexborough. Large numbers of C13s were based at Wrexham between 1905 and the mid-1950s, easily handling the steep Welsh lines in the area. Meanwhile, most of the C14s remained on the old GCR network and the east coast. Both types were displaced by newer types such as the N1s, L1s, and A5s starting during World War II, and withdrawals began in the early 1950s after Nationalization. The C13s were withdrawn beginning in 1952, while the C14s stayed on until 1957. Both types were all gone from the network, and no examples of either are preserved.