The Gresley-designed J50 Class was eventually made up of 102 locomotives, with design variations in the brakes, driving positions, boilers and bunker sizes resulting in four class parts. These locomotives served across the LNER from Eastfield in Scotland to Cambridge. If there was hard work to be done, a J50 was invariably on hand to do it.
Built new in 1922 and 1924, 20 locomotives of the LNER J50 Class used a stock of second-hand standard 4’ 5” boilers, becoming J50/2. By 1926, they were the company’s group standard type. Fifty-two more locomotives were built; 38 at Doncaster Works as J50/3 and 14 at Gorton, as J50/4, between 1926 and 1939. The 30 GNR J23 locomotives from 1914-1919 were eventually re-classified by the LNER as J50/1s.
In 1946, the class received their LNER renumbering from 8890 to 8991, all surviving to nationalisation to receive their British Rail numbering in the 60000 range. Withdrawals started in September 1958 and were completed by 1963, with six transferred to departmental use afterwards. These locomotives survived until around May 1965, No. 68961 Departmental No. 14 being the last to go in September 1965.
No. 68965 was one of several locomotives built at Doncaster Works. It was part of an order of ten J50 locomotives to the order number 308 and its works number was 1662. The locomotive entered service in December 1926 as No. 1069. Due to the LNER renumbering scheme, the engine’s number was changed to 8965 in January 1946. At the start of BR nationalisation in January 1948, the locomotive was allocated to Stratford (STR) shed. A renumbering change to 68965 occurred in August 1949. Various shed reallocations followed, including Immingham (40B), Frodingham (36C), Doncaster (36A), Mirfield (56D) and finally, Ardsley (56B) in May 1962. After 36 years, 68965 was withdrawn from service on 23rd September 1963.