The Parker J13 (GCR Class 9) 0-6-0 Locomotives

The Manchester Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway (MS&LR, later GCR) Class 9 (LNER J13), was Parker's first standard goods design. Derived from the Kitson No. 561 (LNER D7), one batch of six J13s was built at Gorton in 1889. Although a very small class, the J13 design would form the basis of the later and much more numerous Parker and Pollitt 0-6-0 goods engines (LNER J9 and J10).

The design was noted for having small axle journals, small crank pins, small cabs, and small tenders. Later classes would correct or strengthen most of these aspects of the design.

The original boilers had round-topped fireboxes. Robinson rebuilt the entire class with his "Standard No. 1 Belpaire" boiler between 1910 and 1920. The rebuilds also incorporated extended smokeboxes.

The only modification of note, was the fitting of 'flowerpot' chimneys by the LNER. These chimneys brought the J13s within the Composite Loading Gauge, and was completed in 1930. After 1927, the locomotives with the new chimneys were given the sub-classification of J13/2.

The J13s are believed to have spent their entire lives working in the South Yorkshire coal field. At Grouping (1923), all were allocated to Mexborough where their small wheels proved useful on the steep gradients in the area. Nos. 5570 & 5568 were temporarily allocated to Doncaster in 1930 and 1932, but otherwise the J13s remained at Mexborough until withdrawal. Withdrawals started in 1931, and were completed by 1935.

Technical Details

Preservation

None of the J13s survived into preservation.

Models

I am not aware of any models of the J13s in any scale.