Post Office Railway 1927 Stock

These trains were the original rolling stock on the Post Office Railway which began operating in tunnels below London linking major railway termini and post sorting offices. Ninety of these units were built which typically operated in trains of two or three [1]. Each unit carried wheeled trollies which could contain mail bags, these were loaded or unloaded at the various stops on the Post Office Railway.

Preserved unit 601 at Mail Rail

Information
Number built:	90
Built:	1927
Builder:	English Electric
Motor:	English Electric (440v DC third rail)
Power:	22 hp (16 kW)
Wheel arrangement:	4wRE

Unfortunately the original rolling stock had a number of drawbacks which became apparent soon after the railway began operating in 1927. As the units had a fixed wheelbase this was causing excessive wear and tear on the unit's own wheels and on the track. This resulted in increased power consumption [2]. The system was already becoming overwhelmed with the amount of mail being carried.

The 1927 Stock was replaced within a couple of years by the 1930 Stock which consisted of two smaller powered units either side of a mail carrying wagon. These articulated units solved many of the problems with the original stock. Many of the 1927 Stock's internals were reused in the replacement 1930 Stock including the motors, axles and wheels. One unit of 1927 Stock has been preserved.

A train of 1927 Stock in operation [3]

Side view of 601, notice the hatches to the mail carrying compartments

Another view of 601

Loading mail trollies [4]

[1] Mike Sullivan, Mail Rail (Redshank Books, 2019) p. 19

[2] Peter Johnson, Mail by Rail (Ian Allan, 1995) p. 118

[3] "London's Post Office Tube Railway", Meccano Magazine (October 1928) p. 812

[4] E. Flaxman, "New cars for London P.O. Tube Railway", Meccano Magazine (June 1930) p. 463

Hunslet 1697 (LMS 7051)

In 1932 the Hunslet Engine Company built a small diesel-mechanical shunter as a demonstrator. It was unveiled at the British Industries Fair in that year and for a time worked at the colliery. It was given a trial by the LMS in 1933. They liked it so much they bought it a few months later! The shunter, given the LMS number 7051, had an eventful life. It was loaned to the War Department in 1940. After the war it was sold back to Hunslet who used it as a works shunter and was hired out to industry. Since 1960 the shunter has been preserved by the Middleton Railway.

The shunter's early days on the Middleton Railway [1]

Information
Number built:	1
Built:	1932
Builder:	Hunslet Engine Company
Motor:	(original) MAN WV16/22 diesel
Power:	150 hp (112 kW)
Wheel Arrangement:	0-6-0DM

The shunter has a four speed pre-selector gearbox. The original MAN diesel was replaced by a 132 hp (98 kW) McLaren Ricardo MR6.

[1] Arthur Gaunt, The World's Oldest Railway (Meccano Magazine November 1963) p. 451

Class 60 (Brush Traction 3,100hp Type 5 Diesel-Electric)

The Class 60 was a Type 5 heavy freight locomotive built by British Rail in the late 1980s, designed for the Trainload Sector which included coal, oil and metal loads. The Class 60 used a version of the engine which had been tested in the Class 37/9 and a shared body shell with the Class 92 - itself an updated and simplified version of the Class 47 / 56 outline [1]. The extra available power of the Class 60 allowed for longer heavier trains and for the double heading of trains using older classes of diesel to be eliminated.

DCR 60 028 at Derby

Information
Number built:	100
Built:	1989-93
Builder:	Brush Traction
Engine:	Mirrlees MB275T diesel
Power:	3, 100 hp (2, 300 kW)
Wheel arrangement:	Co-Co

With the influx of Class 66s onto the network in the post-privatisation era many Class 60s were withdrawn from service, at times the vast majority of the fleet was out of use. However, in the last few years a number have been returned to traffic and have been refurbished (only a couple have been scrapped to date).

The Class 60 should remain in service until the late 2020s at least [2]. They can be usually seen on oil trains and aggregate traffic and are in service with DB Cargo, GB Railfreight and DCRail.

GB Railfreight 60 095 at Kidderminster Town

DB 60 039 heads through Duffield

DB 60 092 heads through Tamworth

60 066 takes a steel train through Cardiff Central

DB 60 063 at Derby

[1] David Lawrence, British Rail Designed 1948-97 (Ian Allan, 2016) p. 246
[2] Colin J. Marsden, Traction Recognition (2nd Edition) (Ian Allan, 2008) p. 64

London County Council E/1 Class

This was the largest class of tramcars built for a UK tramway, the type became the standard design operated by London County Council Tramways. The trams were built with top covers though the platforms (and motormen) were exposed to the elements. When the trams were refurbished in the late 1920s and 1930s these problems were rectified with windscreens and platform vestibules added. More comfortable seats were also fitted to some trams.

1622 preserved at Crich

Information
Number built:	1, 050
Built:	1907-30
Builder:	Hurst Nelson, Brush Traction, London County Council Tramways
Motor:	2 BTH509P1 electric motors and others (DC OHLE & Conduit)
Power:	140 hp (104 kW)

The majority of the tram bodies were built by Hurst Nelson with a number also built by Brush Traction. A small number were also built by LCC itself [1]. The trams were powered by a variety of electric motors including the Westinghouse 200, Metropolitan Vickers 121 and Dick, Kerr 31c. The trams could either get their electricity from overhead lines or a subterranean conduit rail.

The trams were very reliable and could carry up to 78 seated passengers. The trams were withdrawn in the 1940s and early 1950s, being some of the last trams to be operated in London. Two have been preserved.

1025 (left) preserved at London Transport Museum alongside 355

Motorman area and stairs on 1622

Another view of 1622, this tram is in working order

1025 is now just a static exhibit

View inside the lower saloon on 1622

[1] R.W. Kidner, The London Tramcar 1861-1952 (Oakwood Press, 1992) p. 59

Class 416 2-EPB

The Class 416 2-EPB EMU was built to supplement suburban Southern Electric services in the 1950s. They were the first Southern units, along with the four car Class 415 4-EPBs, to have Electro Pneumatic Brakes (hence the Alpha codes) [1]. There were two methods of manufacture; the 416/1 re-used underframes from withdrawn 2-NOL units [2] and the 416/2 was based on the Mark 1 coach design.

"Tyneside" 5793 when it was at the Electric Railway Museum (now closed)

A version of the Class 416 was also built for the South Tyneside electrified network between Newcastle and South Shields, these differed from Southern units by having greater luggage space with a larger guard's area, express ratio gearing [3] and a modified front end [4] to North Eastern Region's requirements. When the Tyneside electrified network was "de-electrified" in the early 1960s these units were sent to join the other 416s in Southern Region and suitably modified.

Information
Number built:	256 (128 2-car units)
Built:	1953-56
Builder:	BR Eastleigh
Engine:	2 English Electric EE507 traction motors (660-750v DC third rail)
Power:	500 hp (370 kW)
Formation:	Driving Motor Brake Standard (DMBS)+Driving Trailer Standard (DTS) "Tyneside Units" had first class accommodation and ran as DMBS+ Driving Trailer Composite (DTC)

The Class 416 continued in service into the 1980s with a number refurbished as 416/3s and 416/4s. Withdrawals began in the mid-1980s beginning with the "Tyneside" units and all were withdrawn by 1995. Some driving trailers were also used to help form the Class 206 "Tadpole" diesel electric multiple units [5].

Five units have been preserved.

6307 when it was also at the Electric Railway Museum

Front view of 5793

[1] Colin J Marsden, DMU and EMU Recognition Guide (Ian Allan, 2013) p. 320
[2] Brian Haresnape & Alec Swain, Third Rail DC Electric Multiple Units (Ian Allan, 1989) p. 34
[3] David Brown, Southern Electric Vol 2 (Capital Transport, 2010) p. 196
[4] Haresnape & Swain p. 38
[5] Brian Haresnape, Diesel Multiple Units: The Second Generation & DEMUs (Ian Allan, 1986) p. 36

Wickham trolley

Hundreds of these motorised trolleys were produced for British Railways (where it was known as the No. 27 Gang & Inspection Trolley) and the MOD/Ministry of Supply for use as personnel carriers transporting workers along the track and for lineside inspections.

D Wickham 9688/1965 at Rowsley South, Peak Rail

Information
Number built:	Over 600
Built:	1948-90
Builder:	D Wickham
Motor:	Various petrol engines
Wheel arrangement:	4wPMR

Early trolleys were powered by a vee-twin JAP engine with a friction drive, later trolleys were powered by motor car engines from Ford such as the 4-cylinder E93A which was used in the Ford Anglia, and were fitted with a gearbox. The trolleys could also haul trailers containing equipment. 

Although no longer used by Network Rail, many have been preserved and are used by preserved railways for the same role intended on the mainline.

Wickham trolley at Highley, SVR

Another view of 9688