Built between 1886 and 1894, the North Eastern Railway Class C (later LNER Class J21) locomotives were successful and long-lived. Intended primarily for mineral trains, they could be found on passenger and mixed-traffic work across the North Eastern Railway. At grouping, 10% of the NER's locomotive stock consisted of J21s. The class count remained at its peak of 205 for 34 years and, even after withdrawals started, they survived in service another 33 years - surviving a major trade depression, a world war, and nationalisation (at which time 83 J21s remained in service). The last example British Railways No. 65033 (NER No 873) was withdrawn from service in April 1962 and languished at Darlington for a number of years pending preservation. Restored at Tanfield and steamed at Beamish Museum, it later fell out of use and deteriorated in outside storage. After various moves, it currently awaits a major overhaul at Locomotion, Shildon (18-Jul-21).
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