Dapol N 2S-022-005 BR 68723 Wordsell E1/J72 Class 0-6-0T BR Lined Green
Dapol 2S-022-005 N Gauge BR 68723 Wordsell E1/J72 Class 0-6-0T BR Lined Green
Adding to the Dapol range of interesting and useful small steam locomotives in N gauge is the NER Wordsell design E1 class of 0-6-0 tank engines, designated clas J72 by the LNER.
113 of these useful engines were built in nine batches spread over 53 years, the first built by the North eastern Railway in 1898 and the last batch built by British Railways in 1951. These light shunting engines proved very successful in a range of duties and following the grouping in 1923 were widely distributed across the LNER system, becoming the only class allocated to areas covered by all of the LNER's major constituent companies.
This model is painted in British Railways lined green livery, as applied to J72s normally employed on pilot duties at major stations shunting passenger coachs and parcels vans between connecting trains.
113 of these useful engines were built in nine batches spread over a surprsingly long period of time.
The first batch of 10 E1 class locomotives was built in 1898 to the design of Wilson Wordsell. The new class was a development of his brother T W Wordsells' E class shunting engines, later LNER class J71, the new E1 featuring larger cylinders and slightly smaller wheels, giving a higher tractive effort. A second batch of 10 was built the following year and in 1914 the drawings were modified slightly, incorporating heavier frames and a larger bunker for a further batch of 20. Ten more were built in 1920 along with 25 ordered from Armstrong Whitworth & Co, delivered in 1922.
Following the grouping of the NER into the new LNER company a further ten J72s were built in 1925, but LNER switched to buying 4-wheel Sentinel locomotives for light shunting duties and the J72 was dropped from the standardisation plans.
Until 1946 when A H Peppercorn was appointed CME and more J72s were ordered under the 1946 programme. 15 new J72s emerged in 1949, followed by 5 more in 1950 and another (final) 8 in 1951, 53 years after the first locomotive built.