Class 02 (Yorkshire Engine Co 170hp Diesel-Hydraulic)

Into the 1960s British Rail continued to have a number of goods yards with very tight radius curves which required locomotives (and indeed rolling stock) with short wheel bases. The Class 02 locomotives were built to replace 0-4-0ST "Pug" steam locomotives mostly at dockyards in the Liverpool area [1] but also at other locations in London Midland Region such as Burton-on-Trent [2] and Fleetwood [3].

D2868 at Barrow Hill Roundhouse

Information
Number built:	20
Built:	1960
Builder:	Yorkshire Engine Company
Engine:	Rolls Royce C6 diesel
Power:	170 hp (130 kW)
Wheel arrangement:	0-4-0

These neat little diesel hydraulic locomotives were designed to be similar in size, weight and flexibility to the little steam engines they replaced. An interesting part of their design was that cab access was via a platform at the rear, the only production class of locomotive built for British Rail to have this feature [4].

As with many shunters though they soon were becoming surplus to requirements as the nature of the freight business changed and many marshalling yards closed. Withdrawals began in 1969, though a small number did see service into the early 1970s and carried TOPS numbers. All were withdrawn by 1975, some of these shunters were sold onto further service with industrial users. Seven have been preserved (one with the National Collection) which is a good proportion of what was only a small number built.

D2854 at the Heritage Shunters Trust

02 003 at Barrow Hill

A Class 02 being rebuilt at the Heritage Shunters Trust

D2854 ahead of some fellow shunters

Another view of 02 003

[1] Brian Haresnape, Diesel Shunters (Ian Allan, 1984) p. 63
[2] David Dunn, D for Diesels 10 (Booklaw Publications, 2015) p. 16
[3] David Dunn, D for Diesels 11 (Booklaw Publications, 2016) p. 47
[4] Heritage Shunters Trust Stock List May 2015 p. 2