Deltic (English Electric 3,300hp Diesel-Electric)

Deltic was built by English Electric as a private venture and remained privately owned even though it ran on British Railways metals for 6 years. It was built to prove the Napier Deltic engine for rail use [1]. It was hoped the innovative opposed-piston diesel engine with a much greater power to weight ratio than conventional engines would create a powerful express passenger locomotive that was not as heavy as the likes of contemporary large diesel locomotives. Deltic weighed 106 tons by comparison the Class 44 weighed in at 133tons and had 1,000 less horsepower to play with!

Information
Number built:	1
Built:	1955
Builder:	English Electric
Engine:	2 Napier Deltic D18-25 diesels
Power:	3, 300 hp (2, 460 kW)
Wheel arrangement:	Co-Co

Deltic was designed with the export market as well as home in mind and was given a "North American" appearance complete with large headlight and speed whiskers. When it was built Deltic was the most powerful diesel-electric locomotive in the world and it showed its performance on the London Midland and Eastern Regions [2] though had trouble with its loading gauge on parts of the East Coast Main Line. In the end the Deltic was ordered for production for the ECML in the form of the rather more British looking (and slightly slimmer) Class 55.

Deltic itself was preserved, being withdrawn from service in 1961. It was first displayed at London's Science Museum before moving to NRM Shildon in the last few years.

Deltic now resides at NRM Shildon

Deltic remained privately owned and never had a BR running number 

Note the large headlight and US appearance

[1] Brian Haresnape, Early Protoype & Pilot Scheme Diesel-Electrics (Ian Allan, 1984) p. 29
[2] John Vaughan, Diesels on the Eastern (Ian Allan, 1983) p. 32

London Underground D78 Stock

The D78 Stock was built in the late 1970s for the District Line of London Underground replacing CO/CP and R Stock some of which had been in service since before the Second World War. The D78 (or just D) Stock bought a number of innovations with a keen eye for interior design to make them more inviting for passengers [1]. They had much improved suspension compared to earlier designs. They also introduced the twist-grip deadman joystick replacing the older style deadman button grip [2] (the deadman is a safety device which stops the train if the driver in incapacitated). One Man Operation began on the trains in 1985.

Information
Number built:	450 (75 6-car sets)
Built:	1978-81
Builder:	Metro-Cammell
Engine:	Brush LT118 traction motors (630v DC third & fourth rail)
Formation:	Driving Motor (DM)+Trailer (T)+ Uncoupling Non-Driving Motor (UNDM)+UNDM+T+DM (Some sets are DM+T+DM)

The D78 Stock cars were the longest on the Underground, which proved to be a problem on the District Line's High Street Kensington - Edgware Road branch as the D78 Stock was too long (C Stock trains were used instead)! [3] Most D78 Stock formations had 2 Driving Motors (DMs) at either end with non-driving motor cars in the middle, though some had DMs in the middle meaning they could be used as 3 car sets. They were used as such for a couple of years on the East London Line in the mid-1980s.

The D78 Stock fleet received a heavy mid-life refurbishment in the 2000s but were replaced as part of London Underground's standardisation for its Surface Stock fleet. The D78 Stock's replacement by S Stock was complete in Spring 2017, a number of years earlier than planned. Some D78 Stock will live on on the National Rail network as Class 230 DMUs (or bi-mode hybrids).

7535 at West Brompton

7094 at Earls Court

7049 at Kew Gardens

Aboard a D Stock train in its latter days

[1] Paul Moss, London Underground 1863 Onwards (Haynes, 2014) p. 132
[2] Piers Connor, The London Underground Electric Train (Crowood, 2015) p. 122
[3] Ben Muldoon, London Underground Rolling Stock Guide (Ian Allan, 2014) p. 26

Class 308 (BR York ER London Suburban Services AM8)

The original batch of 4-car units, originally known as the Southend Augmentation Stock, the AM8 (later Class 308/1) was built for commuter services out of London Liverpool Street to Colchester, Clacton and Walton [1]. Later on they were joined by a second batch (308/2) for boat train services out to Tilbury from London Fenchurch Street. One car was dedicated as a luggage van (though could also stow cycles and other items - it even included a fish stowage area!) [2] Finally a batch of 3-car units (308/2) was built for services from Liverpool Street to Chingford and Enfield Town.

Information
Number built:	177 (45 3 and 4-car sets)
Built:	1959-61
Builder:	BR York
Engine:	4 EE 536A traction motors per set (25kV AC OHLE)
Power:	770 hp (574 kW)
Formation:	308/1 : Battery Driving Trailer Composite Open Lavatory (BDTCOL) +Motor Brake Standard Open (MBSO)+Trailer Standard Open Lavatory (TSOL)+Driving Trailer Standard Open (DTSO) 308/2 : Battery Driving Trailer Standard (BDTS)+Motor Luggage Van (MLV)+Trailer Composite (TC)+Driving Trailer Standard (DTS) 308/3 : BDTS+Motor Brake Standard (MBS)+DTS 308/4 : BDTS+MLV+DTS

Externally the Class 308 looked similar to the likes of the Class 305 and 504 EMUs and had similiar equipment to the Class 302.

In the early 1980s the Tilbury boat trains ceased after Tilbury closed as a cruiser liner terminal. Three Class 308/2s were rebuilt as 308/4 postal trains, the non-motorised trailer being removed to make them 3-car units. Withdrawals of the 308 began in earnest in the late 1980s with the 308/2s and 308/3s being withdrawn. The 308/1s survived into the privatised era however and in their final years spread further afield. They could be found in the West Midlands and North East as a stop-gap stock pending new build EMUs [3]. They were finally withdrawn from service in 2001. One 308/1 DTSO has been preserved at the Electric Railway Museum.

Two views of the preserved 75881

[1] Colin J. Marsden, Motive Power Recognition 2: EMUs (Ian Allan, 1982) p. 28
[2] Alec Swain, Overhead Line Electric Multiple Units (Ian Allan, 1990) p. 44
[3] Colin J. Marsden, DMU and EMU Recognition Guide (Ian Allan, 2013) p. 225

Class 501 (BR Eastleigh LMR London Area Suburban Services 3-car)

As well as the extensive network on Southern Railway the London Midland & Scottish Railway also had a number of third rail electrified lines including from Watford to London Euston. The Class 501 was built for this route and London Broad Street-Richmond.

Information
Number built:	171 (57 3-car sets)
Built:	1957-58
Builder:	BR Eastleigh
Engine:	4 GEC traction motors (660v DC third rail)
Power:	740 hp (550 kW)
Formation:	Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS)+Trailer Second (TS)+ Driving Trailer Brake Second (DTBS)

The Class 501 was built at BR Eastleigh to a fairly standard (of the time) EMU design based on the shorter Mark 1 coach underframe. They were built with a LMR specified front end including a headcode panel and a destination blind [1]. The units were built without gangway connections and with some seating in compartments though this was later removed because of vanadalism and concerns for passenger safety [2].

Although not the best riding units ever built they soldered on until the mid-1980s. Some passed through into departmental use serving as battery locomotives and sandite trains. Two cars also served with the MOD. A DMBS and a DTBS have been preserved and are now at the Electric Railway Museum.

Preserved cars at the Electric Railway Museum

This car carried the departmental TOPS number 977 349 when serving as a battery locomotive

Both cars are undergoing restoration

[1] Brian Haresnape & Alec Swain, Third Rail DC Electric Multiple Units (Ian Allan, 1989) p. 41
[2] Colin J Marsden, DMU and EMU Recognition Guide (Ian Allan, 2013) p. 376

Class 11 (LMSR/English Electric 0-6-0 Diesel-Electric)

The LMS were the pioneers of diesel shunter developments pre-war and the Class 11 can be seen as the final result of all that hard work [1]. Built by the LMS/British Railways at Derby between 1945 and 1952, 106 of these shunters were built, plus some for the War Department and it was also exported to the Netherlands and Australia. The Class 11, also known at various times as the LMSR Class 0F, BR Class DEJ3, D3/8 and 3/8A, looks very similar to the Class 08 and this later (and of course standard) shunter was based heavily on it [2], using much of the same equipment [3] - the main differences being the size of the wheels and body dimensions.

Information
Number built:	106 (plus 14 for the War Dept.)
Built:	1944-52
Builder:	LMS / BR Derby
Engine:	English Electric 6KT diesel
Power:	350 hp (261 kW)
Wheel arrangement:	0-6-0

Withdrawals began in the late 1960s due to a surplus of shunters and the non-standard nature of the Class 11 compared to the 08, and all were gone by 1971. Eight have been preserved.

Preserved 12099 at Bridgnorth on the Seven Valley Railway

12099 at Kidderminster

12049 at Ropley on the Mid-Hants Railway

Another view of 12049

[1] Brian Haresnape, Diesel Shunters (Ian Allan, 1984) p. 29
[2] Colin J. Marsden (ed.), Modern Locomotives Illustrated No 217 February-March 2016 (SR, GW, LNER, LMS & Trial Shunters & Class 03) p. 11
[3] Haresnape p. 28

Class 313 (BR York Suburban Services 3-car)

The Class 313 was the first production EMUs derived from the early 1970s Class 445 4-PEP prototypes [1]. They were built for Greater Northern services out of Kings Cross and Moorgate, the latter taken over from the London Underground Northern Line in 1975. Because of this the Class 313s are dual voltage stock due to the limited clearance in the tunnels - there not being enough space for overhead wires DC third rail collection being used instead, the changeover being at Drayton Park [2].

Information
Number built:	192 (64 3-car sets)
Built:	1976-77
Builder:	BREL York
Engine:	8 GEC G310AZ traction motors (25kV AC OHLE and 750v DC third rail)
Power:	880 hp (656 kW)
Formation:	Driving Motor Standard Open (DMSO)+Pantograph Trailer Standard Open (PTSO)+DMSO

The introduction into service was not smooth with numerous problems with the doors. Initially they had bi-parting sliding doors where the passengers could give a slight pull on the handle once the train had stopped and the doors would open automatically. Unfortunately passengers could find they could open the doors with sufficient force even while the train was moving. After 1977 the doors reverted to guard control. Some 313s were later reallocated to Great Eastern routes, being only under the wires they had their third rail collection equipment isolated [3].

After privatisation the Class 313s were operated by Silverlink and West Anglia Great Northern. In recent years they have been operated also by Southern on routes around Brighton [4]. As they only operate in third rail territory they have had their pantographs removed. Apart from the former tube stock on the Isle of Wight the Class 313s are the oldest EMUs on the network. The Greater Northern 313s are due to be replaced by new Class 717s in 2018.

Great Northern 313 038 at Finsbury Park

Interior view

At Moorgate terminus

[1] Brian Haresnape & Alec Swain, Third Rail DC Electric Multiple-Units (Ian Allan, 1989) p, 82
[2] Chris Heaps, BR Diary 1968-1977 (Ian Allan, 1988) p. 100
[3] Colin J Marsden, Motive Power Recognition 2: EMUs (Ian Allan, 1982) p. 47
[4] Colin J Marsden, DMU and EMU Recognition Guide (Ian Allan, 2013) p. 237