JNR Class C11 No. C11 207

Japanese National Railways No. C11 207 is a Class C11 2-6-4T Adriatic-type side tank steam locomotive built for the Japanese National Railways by Hitachi in December 1942.

History[]

C11 207 was built by Hitachi; the locomotive was completed on 26 December 1942 at their Kasado Plant, with a serial number of 1488. Entering service on the same day, C11 207 was assigned to Shizunai Depot in Hokkaido, where it remained for most of its service life. C11 207 was moved to Tomakomai Depot in October 1967, with its last move being to Oshamambe Depot on 8 December 1973. C11 207 pulled a "farewell to steam" service on the (now closed) Setana Line on 30 June 1974, before being withdrawn on 1 October 1974; C11 207 was the last steam locomotive in Oshamambe Depot.

Following withdrawal, C11 207 was preserved under a shelter at Yamate Park in Shizunai. On 3 March 2000, the Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) announced their intention to restore C11 207 to operational condition; restoration commenced in May 2000 at a newly-built factory in Naebo. Restoration was completed on 26 September 2000, with an inauguration ceremony held; C11 207 was restored to JR Hokkaido's register on 30 September 2000, with operation commencing on 7 October 2000, with the locomotive based at Asahikawa Depot and used alongside the Kushiro-based C11 171. While in service in Hokkaido, C11 207 was apparently affected by numerous problems such as burnt axles among other issues, leading to long periods out of service; JR Hokkaido announced they would end services operated by C11 207 and take it out of service some time that year so they could focus on opening the Hokkaido Shinkansen. C11 207 would pull its last service on 9 November 2014 in JR Hokkaido ownership, deputizing for C11 171 which was out of service at the time.

On 10 August 2015, the Tobu Railway announced plans to loan C11 207 from JR Hokkaido to operate a steam locomotive-hauled service from Shimo-imaichi to Kinugawa Onsen. With the loan finalized, C11 207 was partially dismantled at Naebo and shipped to Oarai Port on 15 August 2016. C11 207 was then reassembled at Minami-Kurihashi Depot, with safety systems added to the locomotive to allow it to operate on Tobu lines; it was fired up for the first time under Tobu ownership on 12 September 2016. Following some test runs, C11 207 was unveiled at Shimo-Imaichi Depot on 2 May 2017; it began its first revenue service under Tobu ownership on 10 August 2017. It is one of three Class C11 locomotives currently under Tobu ownership, alongside C11 123 and C11 325.

C11 207 was dismantled for an overhaul some time in December 2024; it returned to service in July 2025.

Notable steam locomotives of the Japanese National Railways
Class 10	17
Class 110	110
Class 150	150
Class 160	165
Class 230	233
Class 400	403
Class 860	860
Class 1275	1275
Class 1290	1292 Zenkō
Class 2100	2109
Class 7100	7101 Benkei • 7105 Yoshitsune • 7106 Shizuka
Class 7150	7150 Taishō
Class 8620	8620 • 8630 • 58654
Class 9600	9608 • 9633 • 49671
Class 9850	9856
Class B20	B20 10
Class C10	C10 8
Class C11	C11 1 • C11 64 • C11 123 • C11 171 • C11 190 • C11 207 • C11 227 • C11 312 • C11 325
Class C12	C12 66 • C12 164
Class C51	C51 5 • C51 239
Class C53	C53 43 • C53 45
Class C55	C55 1
Class C56	C56 31 • C56 44 • C56 135 • C56 160
Class C57	C57 1 • C57 135 • C57 180
Class C58	C58 1 • C58 239 • C58 363
Class C59	C59 1 • C59 164
Class C61	C61 2 • C61 20
Class C62	C62 2 • C62 3 • C62 17 • C62 48
Class D50	D50 140
Class D51	D51 1 • D51 146 • D51 200 • D51 498 • D51 827
Class D52	D52 1 • D52 468
Class E10	E10 2

Tobu motive power
Active	Diesel locomotive	DE10
Active	Steam locomotive	C11 (123 • 207 • 325)
Withdrawn	Steam locomotive	A1 • A2 • A3 • B1 • B2 • B3 • B4 • B5 • B6 • B7 • C1 (gen 1) • C1 (gen 2) • C2 • C3 (gen 1) • C3 (gen 2) • C3 (gen 3) • C3 (gen 4) • D1 • I • Ro • 3
	Electric locomotive	ED600 • ED610 • ED3000 • ED4000 • ED4010 • ED4020 • ED5000 • ED5010 • ED5050 • ED5060 • ED5080