The S-1 was a "switcher" (shunter) diesel locomotive built by the American Locomotive Company between 1940 and 1950. A total of five hundred and forty three were built mostly for use in the US but a small number were also sold abroad, five were exported to the Steel Company of Wales' Port Talbot and Margam Smelter in 1949-50 (as 801 to 805).
Information for 801-805
Number built:
5
Built:
1949-1950
Builder:
American Locomotive Company
Motor:
Alco 539 diesel
Power:
660 hp (490 kW)
Wheel arrangment:
Bo-Bo
They were the first Bo-Bo diesel electrics to arrive in Britain after the Second World War and the first American built locomotives in Europe. They survived in service at Port Talbot until the mid-1980s, one reason for their withdrawal was that they required a two man crew compared to other shunters. Three were preserved, two of which are at the Nene Valley Railway and the adjoining Railworld attraction.
804 at Railworld
Cab area of 804
804 carries a fictitious "Union Pacific" livery
804's "nose"
804 was in light blue with wasp stripes livery in service
Leeds City Transport built hundreds of tram cars of their own design over the years, between 1908 and 1928 one hundred and forty trams were built which unofficially were known as the Hamilton Class after the General Manager of the time Baillie Hamilton. The trams varied in configuration over the period though Dick Kerr electrical equipment was mostly used throughout.
Information
Number built:
140
Built:
1908-28
Builder:
Leeds City Tramways Works
Motor:
2 Dick Kerr 9A electric motors (DC OHLE)
Power:
100 hp (75 kW)
The preserved car 345 belongs to a later batch of Hamilton cars which had a longer body. The tram is a prime example of how cars could be upgraded and modified during their careers. As built in 1921 it had open platforms and was rather old fashioned even as built.
In 1939 it was rebuilt with enclosed platforms, a bow collector instead of a trolly pole and the original DK 9A motors replaced by Dick Kerr 30B1s. Cars modified in this way became known as Convert Cars. Tram 345 was withdrawn from service in 1949 but retained for use at Swinegate Depot. It was preserved in 1959 and is now at Crich Tramway Museum.
These industrial narrow gauge shunters were the last locomotives built at the Hunslet Engine Company's Jack Lane Works. The works in Leeds had, since 1864, built thousands of steam and later diesel shunters mostly for industrial use. These final locomotives were built for the tunnelling of the Jubilee Line Extension project in East London. The Jack Lane Works closed in 1995.
Information
Number built:
6
Built:
1994
Builder:
Hunslet Jack Lane Works
Motor:
Deutz diesel
Power:
90 hp (67 kW)
Wheel arrangement:
4wDH
They were 4 wheel diesel hydraulic narrow gauge shunters to 610mm gauge. A couple have been preserved. 9347, named Peter Wood, is preserved at the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway as one of the line's diesel "thunderbirds" ready to take over if one of the steam locomotives has a problem, as well as perform other duties on the line. 9351 is preserved at the Statfold Barn Railway in original condition.
9351 at the Statfold Barn Railway
9347 Peter Wood at Stonehenge Works
The narrowness of the locomotive can be seen in this frontal view
Cab of 9351
Peter Wood is #81 in the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway fleet
Brush built these Railcoach trams for the Blackpool Corporation in the late 1930s as a follow-on to earlier English Electric built railcoach trams. The idea behind the Railcoaches was to try and achieve the same level of comfort as contemporary road coaches. Compared to the English Electric cars the Brush built ones had a more streamlined design and the insides were ornate with luxurious seating. Over time in service however the Railcoach trams became more utilitarian and bus-like.
Information
Number built:
20
Built:
1937
Builder:
Brush
Motor:
2 Crompton Parkinson C162 or EE305 electric motors (DC OHLE)
Power:
114 hp (85 kW)
The Brush Railcoaches were retrofitted with English Electric electric equipment reused from the EE Railcoaches as they were scrapped in the 1960s. Later modifications included replacing the original trolley pole with a pantograph and improved lighting - interior and exterior.
Most of the fleet were withdrawn in the early 2010s. Fourteen still survive, some in working order. One (636) is also being used to develop and test a wheel mounted motor and battery operation.
630 at Crich Tramway Museum
630 carries the 1990s livery of Blackpool Transport Services
British Rail finally got the go-ahead and funds for the electrification of the East Coast Main Line (originally it was supposed to have taken place at the same time as the WCML) in the 1980s. For the ECML British Rail needed a new fleet of express passenger locomotive these were the Class 91 which were coupled to Mark 4 coaches in push-pull formation with a Driving Van Trailer on the other end [1].
This system was also called the Intercity 225 (replacing the Intercity 125 as it did on the ECML) the name referring to the fact they could go 225kp/h (140mp/h). However this has been restricted to 125mp/h in everyday use, on a test train one Class 91 reached 162mp/h in 1989 (the British locomotive speed record).
Information
Number built:
31
Built:
1988-91
Builder:
BREL Crewe
Motor:
GEC G426 traction motors (25kV AC OHLE)
Power:
6, 080 hp (4, 533 kW)
Wheel arrangement:
Bo-Bo
Unusually the Class 91 has an asymmetric design with a streamlined cab at one end and a blunt ended one at the other. The Class 91 can operate fully in either direction though of course usually travels pointy-end first, especially when hauling an express. However the Class 91 can travel at up to 110mp/h blunt end first. As built the Class 91s were 91/0s but became 91/1s after refurbishment [2].
They remain on express duties on the ECML though are being replaced by the Class 800. They are currently operated by LNER, before that Virgin East Coast, East Coast, NX East Coast, GNER and BR Intercity. What happens to them next is currently unknown.
91 131 in LNER livery at Peterborough
91 101 at York
Front on with 91 115 at York
91 109 at London Kings Cross
91 121 at Darlington
A view of the "blunt end"
[1] Gavin Morrison, AC Electric Locomotives (Ian Allan, 2013) p. 80 [2] Colin J Marsden, Traction Recognition (Ian Allan, 2011) p. 92
The "All Red Route" was a special electric railway set up at Crystal Palace for the 1911 Festival of Empire [1] which celebrated the coronation of King George V. The railway followed a continuous loop (see the map below) with stations at regular intervals for marquees dedicated to various components of the British Empire such as New Zealand and India. The train ran slowly (up to six and a half kilometres per hour) so the passengers, who sat on cross-benches in a "toast rack" style body like seaside trams, could take in the scenery [2]!
Information
Number built:
18 (9 2-car sets)
Built:
1911
Builder:
Dick, Kerr & Co.
Motor:
2 Dick, Kerr interpole electric motors (450v DC third rail)
Power:
64 hp (48 kW)
Formation:
Driving Motor + Trailer
The line was to 1,067mm gauge and was very much based on tram technology by the contractors Dick, Kerr & Company. The cars used a Brill 21E truck and could carry up to thirty-five passengers. The conductor rail and insultators were based on current London Underground practice. One of the motor cars later was used on the Dublin & Lucan Electric Railway [3].
The All Red Route
A train arrives at "Africa" station
[1] "Around the empire by electric traction", Railway Times (Oct 7, 1911) p. 343 [2] Ibid. p. 344 [3] John B Gent & John H Meredith, Croydon's Tramways (Middleton Press, 1994) Fig. 45
RAF Chilmark was a former limestone quarry near Salisbury, Wiltshire used for the storage of RAF equipment and weapons from 1937 to 1995. The base was connected to the railway network and had an extensive 610mm narrow gauge network stretching over fourteen kilometres [1]. The base had a number of locomotives operating on it over the years including some battery electric Baguley-Drewry shunters, some of the earliest were Ruston & Hornsby diesel-mechanical shunters built in 1939-1940.
Information
Built:
1939-40
Builder:
Ruston & Hornsby
Motor:
Ruston 4-cyl diesel
Power:
44 hp (33 kW)
Wheel arrangement:
4wDM
These locomotives were powerful enough to pull two hundred tons on the level and thirty-six tons up a one in thirty slope. Three survived in service until the closure of the base, one being used to haul the fire-fighting train until the 1970s when it was replaced by more modern fire-fighting equipment. At least two have been preserved, RH28 seen below is at Stonehenge Works on the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway.
RH28 at the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway
RH28 is Ruston & Hornsby 200516
RH28 is seen here at Stonehenge Works
Another view of RH28
[1] The Little Trains of Chilmark (Railway Magazine, 1976)
