The Class 10 was a variation of the standard Class 08 diesel shunter built for British Railways that had a Lister Blackstone diesel instead of an English Electric 6KT and two GEC WT360 traction motors [1]. One hundred and forty six were built, the vast majority at BR Darlington though six were also built at BR Doncaster.
D4092 preserved at Barrow Hill
Information
Number built:
146
Built:
1955-62
Builder:
BR Darlington and Doncaster
Motor:
Lister Blackstone ER6T diesel
Power:
360 hp (261 kW)
Wheel arrangement:
0-6-0
They had the same performance as the Class 08 and, apart from the traction package, were pretty identical. However, due to being non-standard they were withdrawn between 1967 and 1972. None carried their TOPS numbers. Four have survived into preservation.
Another view of D4092
[1] Brian Haresnape, Diesel shunters (Ian Allan, 1984) p. 68
This locomotive is one of the oldest diesel locomotives to be built by Hudswell Clarke. It was one of a batch of 610mm gauge locomotives built for industrial use in the early 1930s. It began it's working life at Beswick's Limeworks in Buston in 1930. It was joined by three others including D558 which has also been preserved (at the Apedale Valley Light Railway).
D564 at Aberystwyth
Information
Number built:
1
Built:
1930
Builder:
Hudswell Clarke
Motor:
Dorman 4-cylinder diesel
Power:
36 hp (27 kW)
Wheel arrangement:
4wDM
D564 was equipped with a McLaren 3-cylinder diesel from new but this was replaced by a Dorman unit in the late 1950s. D564 is now stored on the Vale of Rheidol railway in Aberystwyth.
In the late 1970s British Rail was faced with a rather large problem. Much of the 1950-60s built first generation diesel multiple unit (DMU) fleet would reach the end of their operational lives in the 1980s. British Rail explored a number of different options for possible replacements including the Class 210 diesel electric multiple unit prototype which was regarded as an excellent train but too pricy [1]. In the end BR went for an update of the kind of mechanical transmission DMU form they were used to.
Northern 150 270 (operating for TfW) departing Wrexham General
The Class 150 Sprinter was designed to revitalise the DMU fleet and remains in service today mainly in the South West and North of England and Wales. The Class 150 had a rival in the Metro-Cammell built Class 151 [2] (and indeed made use of some work Metro-Cammell had already done on next generation DMUs) but following an extensive series of tests the 150 proved to be the more popular with BR (the fact the 151 was late didn't help matters), series production was given the go-ahead [3]. One of the 150 prototypes was fitted with the transmission from the 151 for tests, this was re-designated the Class 154 [4] though it has now been reverted to a standard 150.
Information
Number built:
276 (137 2 and 3-car sets)
Built:
1984-87
Builder:
BREL York
Engine:
Cummins NT855R4/5 diesel per vehicle
Power:
855 hp (639 kW) / 570 hp (426 kW)
Formations:
Driving Motor Standard Lavatory (DMSL)+Motor Standard (MS)+
Driving Motor Standard (DMS) (150/0)
DMSL+DMS (150/1 and /2)
The Class 150 was built in either two or three car sets, most 150s in service these days apart from the prototypes are two car though for a time some 150/1s were in three car formations [5].
The original 150/0 prototypes remain in service, the main difference with serial production 150s is that they have smaller fuel tanks and that they are three car sets. The initial series production version was the 150/1 with the 150/2 having front-end gangways. There was also for a time a small 150/9 sub-class in service with GWR which were hybrid 3-car sets with a driving car as the centre car. The Class 150 is currently in service with GWR, Transport for Wales and Northern.
An extra two-car set was built for British Rail as the Class 950 Track Recording Unit which apart from body modifications for various test equipment is mechanically the same as the rest of the Class 150 fleet.
Back when operating for London Midland, 150 109 at Bedford
Northern 150 218 at York
Northern 150 103 at York
Transport for Wales 150 240 at Wem
Northern 150 143 at Greenbank
[1] Brian Haresnape, Diesel Multiple Units - the second generation and DEMUs (Ian Allan, 1986) p. 54 [2] Colin J. Marsden (ed.), "BREL Class 150 Sprinter", Modern Locomotives Illustrated No. 211 February-March 2015 (Classes 150-156 Second Generation DMUs), p. 4 [3] Colin J. Marsden, DMU and EMU Recognition Guide (Ian Allan, 2013), p. 128 [4] Modern Locomotives Illustrated 211, p. 13 [5] Marsden, DMU and EMU Recognition Guide, p. 128
This electric locomotive was built at the Manx Electric Railway's own workshop in 1900 to haul engineering trains on the island's 914mm gauge railway. It was the only locomotive operated by the Manx Electric Railway. Originally built in the pictured configuration with a central cab it was rebuilt with wagon bodies at either side of the cab in the 1920s following accident damage in 1914 [1]. The bogies came from one of the line's 1906 trams.
Number 23 in original configuration [2]
Information
Number built:
1
Built:
1900
Builder:
Isle of Man Tramways & Electric Power Company
Motor:
Electric (500v DC OHLE)
Formation:
4w-4wWE
The locomotive was withdrawn in the 1940s and put into storage. It was restored in 1983 though is currently stored out of use.
[1] R.L. Vickers, DC Electric Trains and Locomotives in the British Isles (David & Charles, 1986) p. 93
[2] "The Manx Electric Railway", Street Railway Journal (Vol. XXIV No. 10 March 05 1904) p. 356
The Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company's Class 26 was one of the earliest pilot-scheme diesel-electrics built as part of British Railway's Modernisation Plan and ended up being one of the longest lived of the Type 2 designs. They out lasted a number of later built (and more powerful) locomotives being finally withdrawn in 1994. The Class 26 had a good basic design which was later used on the Class 27 and Class 33, the latter still in service on National Rails.
D5343 (26 043) at Duffield
Information
Number built:
47
Built:
1958-59
Builder:
Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company
Engine:
Sulzer 6LDA28-A diesel
Power:
1, 160 hp (865 kW)
Wheel arrangement:
Bo-Bo
Twenty locomotives were ordered from the BRCW in the Type B power classification (later Type 2). The Class 26 shared some visual design guidance (Wilkes & Ashmore) with the Brush Type 2 (Class 30, later 31) [1] though had an improved power/weight ratio and hence was able to use a Bo-Bo not A1A-A1A wheel arrangement [2].
Following the success of the pilot-scheme batch a further twenty seven were built before the design was power uprated to form the Class 27. Initially the Class 26 was allocated to Eastern Region for London suburban services [3] though later were reallocated to Scotland where they spent the majority of their careers. The pilot-scheme locomotives became the Class 26/0 under TOPS with the later batch 26/1. There were a number of detail differences between the two sub-classes though some of these differences were removed during refurbishments [4].
The Class 26 remained in service working mostly on freight traffic in Scotland, including Merry-Go Round coal traffic, seven locomotives being fitted with slow speed control [5]. Their numbers were gradually reduced in the late 1980s and early 90s with the last examples withdrawn by 1994, being surplus to requirements. Thirteen have been preserved.
D5343 runs around its train at Duffield
D5343 at Wirksworth
Another view of D5343 at Duffield
[1] David Lawrence, British Rail Design 1948-97 (Ian Allan, 2016) p. 128 [2] Brian Haresnape, Early Prototype and Pilot-Scheme Diesel-Electrics (Ian Allan, 1981) p. 56 [3] Colin Alexander, The British Railways Pilot Scheme Locomotives (Amberley, 2017) p. 49 [4] Colin J Marsden, Motive Power Recognition 1: Locomotives (Ian Allan, 1988) p. 33 [5] Alexander p. 55
The Class 73 Electro-diesel was for a long time a unique specimen on Britain's railways, being able to operate using electric or it's own diesel generators (bi-modes as they are now termed are more common now). While the Class 73 remains in service with various operators in the early 2010s there were two separate re-engineering efforts to rebuild locomotives and greatly increase the diesel power (the original Class 73s only had a 600hp diesel).
Cummins powered 73 952 at Kidderminster Town
Information
Number built:
13 (Rebuilds)
Built:
(Original) 1962-67 (Rebuilds) 2013-4
Builder:
(Original) BR Eastleigh / English Electric (Rebuilds) Brush Traction or Rail Vehicle Engineering Limited
Motor:
MTU 8V 4000 R43L diesel or 2 Cummins QSK19 diesels / 750v DC third rail
Power:
1, 600 hp (1, 193 kW) (MTU) 1, 500 hp (1, 119 kW) (Cummins) 1, 420 hp (1, 059 kW) Electric
Wheel arrangement:
Bo-Bo
Although the two types of re-engineered locomotives have quite different equipment they are all termed Class 73/9 although at one time it was considered to renumber them Class 75 (this would have cost more in administration and re-certification). In both cases the work included replacing the original EE diesel with a much more powerful motor and replacing worn electrical and mechanical components.
Thirteen have been re-engineered to date in two phases. The "Phase 2" Class 73s with MTU diesels have had their third rail equipment removed. As virtually "new" locomotives they will likely serve with Network Rail, GB Railfreight and Caledonian Sleeper for a long time to come (they are expected to last at least twenty-five years). Two were converted by RVEL with two Cummins diesel, these are used by Network Rail. The other eleven are MTU powered.
