The F Stock was built for the District Railway in the early 1920s to increase capacity and to replace deteriorating B Stock [1], the construction was partly funded by the government to help British industry transition back to civil manufacture. The F Stock was built at a factory that had built armoured vehicles in the war, that and their steel construction may be why they gained the nickname of "tanks"!
F Stock on delivery [3]
Information
Number built:
100
Built:
1920-21
Builder:
Metropolitan Carriage, Wagon & Finance Company
Motor:
British Thomson-Houston electrical equipment (600v DC fourth rail)
The F Stock was more powerful than earlier District Line stock which gave them a superior performance. Despite their high passenger capacity they were unpopular due to their interior appearance. This was improved in service. The F Stock had non-standard control equipment and thus could not work with other District Railway stock.
The F Stock was transferred to the Metropolitan Line in the 1950s. They were fitted with air operated doors and other enhancements including windscreen wipers [2] to the distinctive (though troublesome) oval windows. The F Stock was finally withdrawn in 1963 after replacement by A Stock. None have been preserved.
Interior view [3]
[1] Brian Hardy, Surface Stock 1933-1959 (Underground Train File) (Capital Transport, 2002) p. 38
[2] Ibid. p. 40
[3] "New District Railway rolling stock", Electrical Review Vol. 87 No. 2, 249 (December 31 1920) p. 838
The Class 350, part of the Siemens Desiro family of electric multiple unit, was built in three batches since 2004 and is operated by London Northwestern (LNWR). The Class 350 is the mainstay of LNWR intercity regional services. The Class 350 has also served, in the past, with London Midland, Central Trains, Silverlink, Southern and First TransPennine Express.
LNWR 350 265 arrives at Berkhamsted
Information
Number built:
348 (87 4-car train sets)
Built:
2004-14
Builder:
Siemens
Motor:
4 Siemens 1TB2016-0GB02 traction motors (25kV AC OHLE)
(350/1) 750v DC third rail
Power:
2, 010 hp (1, 500 kW)
Formation:
Driving Motor Standard Open (DMSO)+Trailer Composite
Open (TCO)+Pantograph Trailer Standard Open (PTSO)+DMSO
The Class 350 is capable of up to 110mp/h (except the 350/2) and collects its power from the 25kV AC overhead wires though some (350/1) can use the 750v DC third rail too. However, these days only operate as AC EMUs. They are part of the Desiro family which also includes the very similar Classes 185, 360, 444 and 450. Indeed the original batch of 350s was originally ordered as Class 450s [1].
London Northwestern Railway use the 350/1, 350/2 (which has high density seating), 350/4 and the more recently built 350/3 on services down the West Coast Main Line to London Euston as well as some local services in the West Midlands. Some are to be replaced by Class 730s.
LNWR 350 115 at Stafford
LNWR 350 406 at Tile Hill
LNWR 350 116 at Berkswell
Aboard a refurbished LNWR 350, with passenger information screens
LNWR 350 243 at Rugeley Trent Valley
[1] Colin J. Marsden, DMU and EMU Recognition Guide (Ian Allan, 2013) p. 270
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
