They were produced as a more powerful Type 3 (1,550bhp) development of the 1,160bhp Type 2 Class 26. This was achieved, quite simply, by removing the steam heating boiler and fitting a larger 8 cylinder version of the previous 6 cylinder engine. This was possible because of the traffic requirements of the Southern Region: locomotive-hauled passenger traffic depended on seasonal tourist traffic and was heavier in the summer, when carriage heating was not needed. In the winter, their expected use was to be for freight. Thus, they became the most powerful BR Bo-Bo diesel locomotive.[1] The perennially unreliable steam heating boiler could also be avoided.
A total of 98 were built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company (BRCW) and they were known as "Cromptons" after the Crompton Parkinson electrical equipment installed in them.[2] Like their lower-powered BRCW sisters, the Class 26 and Class 27 locomotives, their bodywork and cab ends were of all steel construction. They were very similar in appearance to Class 26 locos, but carried Southern Region two-digit headcode blinds between the cab windows.
The original (1957) number sequence was D6500–D6597.[2]
Background
The locomotives were initially needed, unusually, because of an electrification scheme. The 'Kent Coast scheme' was one of five major electrification schemes put forward by the 1955 Modernisation Plan.[3][4] Under Stage 1 of the scheme, the majority of railway lines east of a line drawn between Reading and Portsmouth would be electrified. On secondary and branch lines not electrified, such as Tonbridge – West St. Leonards, diesel electric multiple units would work passenger services. The scheme involved the electrification of 250 route miles (400km) of track at a cost of approximately £25m. The British Transport Commission (BTC) approved the scheme in February 1956.[5][6]
The Southern Region established an Electrification Committee, which met monthly from August 1955. On the South Eastern section, electrification was to be carried out in two phases. Phase 1 would cover the north Kent routes via Chatham and Margate,[7] including the Sheerness line, which had not featured in any previous electrification proposals.[5] Phase 2 would cover the remainder of the South Eastern section routes that were to be electrified. The initial assessment was that eighty-eight 1,000 horsepower (750kW) and twenty 2,000 horsepower (1,500kW) Bo-Bo diesel locomotives would be needed, plus twenty electric locomotives. By November, it was thought that 98 locomotives of 1,000 to 1,250 horsepower (750 to 930kW) would be needed. That figure was based on the locomotives collectively achieving 2,375,624 miles (3,823,196km) annually. The locomotives would be used on passenger, van and freight trains, as well as working inter-regional services.[7] The British Transport Commission approved the electrification scheme in February 1956.[6]
By April 1956, it was apparent that the new locomotives would not be powerful enough, as the Southern Region was intent on eliminating the steam heating of its trains in favour of electric train heating (ETH). As an interim, it was intended that fifteen 1,160 horsepower (870kW)Sulzer Type 2 locomotives would be allocated to the Southern Region. The Electrification Committee informed the BTC of their requirements in October, advising them that they had been in contact with Sulzer Brothers Ltd. to determine whether or not a locomotive in the 1,500 to 1,750 horsepower (1,120 to 1,300kW) range could be built.[7] On 4 December, a meeting between the General and Assistant General Managers of the Southern Region and the BTCs Secretary-General, Chief Mechanical Engineer and a Technical member, it was agreed to approach English Electric to build the locomotives. This was against the competitive tendering policy in force at the time, but was done as it was thought that this would be the quickest way to acquire the locomotives.[8] A few days later, BTC Chairman Sir Brian Robertson told a director of Vickers-Armstrong Ltd. of the plan at a social event. Vickers-Armstrong was the builder of Sulzer engines in the United Kingdom. The company was not happy with the situation and a protest was made. In February 1957, the BTC decided to put the process for the procurement of the new locomotives out to tender.[9]
To enable Phase 1 of the electrification to be implemented in June 1959, forty-five diesel locomotives would be needed. In addition, fifteen Type 2 locomotives (later class 24) would be loaned by the London Midland Region. Tenders were returned to the Electrification Committee in July 1957. The committee made its recommendations to the BTC, which met on 8 August. The BTC discussed an order for forty-five locomotives at a cost of £76,970 each. They were to be built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company (BRCW), with Crompton Parkinson electrical equipment and Sulzer engines. Deliveries were to start in April 1959, with thirty locomotives in service by June. Despite offering a cheaper locomotive and better delivery times, English Electric did not gain the order. The BTC approved the order on 26 September.[9] The order was not placed until 5 December. Under the terms of the tender, deliveries were to start 21 months from the placing of the order, and continue at three per month thereafter.[10] This meant that the first locomotives would be delivered in November 1959 and completed by February 1961. None of the locomotives would be in service for the planned start date of Phase 1 of the electrification plan.[11] At their January 1958 meeting, the Electrification Committee heard that delivery of the locomotives would be calculated once all technical details had been agreed. One locomotive would be delivered 21 months thereafter, two the following month and three per month after that. This pushed back final delivery until March 1961.[11]
In February 1958, the BTC approved the purchase of thirty-four Type 2 locomotives, but deferred a decision on 51 others due to be built in 1959, including twenty needed for Phase 2 of the electrification programme. In November, the Electrification Committee was informed that due to the delays in delivery, the phasing out of steam locomotives would be delayed. It was agreed to push for the purchase of the second batch of 20 locomotives.[lower-alpha 1] The BTC discussed the purchase later that month, and agreed to accept BRCWs tender of £78,940 per locomotive. Eleven locomotives were to be delivered by December 1960 and the rest by February 1961.[11]
In February 1959, the Electrification Committee discussed a third batch of 33 locomotives, including 12 suitable to work the Hastings line. The BTC approved the locomotives for the Hastings line in May, but deferred a decision on the other 21.[12] These locomotives would cost £78,858 each. In July, the Electrification Committee expressed the view that the remaining locomotives should be ordered without delay. In August, there was concern that late deliveries would impact on driver training. The BTC approved the order of the final 21 locomotives in September at a cost of £78,380 each. In December, BRCW reported to the Electrification Committee that the first locomotive would not be delivered until 8 January 1960. The Electrification Committee met again on 14 January, and were told that the first locomotive would not be delivered until 22 January, with another in February and a total of 9 by 16 April. It was hoped that all forty-five locomotives of the first batch will have been delivered by October.[13] The committee met again on 19 January. It was stated that the intention was that the second batch of locomotives would have been delivered by 11 September 1961. The third batch (for the Hastings line) were needed in service by June 1962. It was hoped that deliveries would begin in July 1961 and be completed in September.[14] The first locomotive, numbered D6500, was delivered on 30 January.[13]
The Electrification Committee met again on 10 March, when they were told that only thirteen of the twenty locomotives of the first batch would be in service by June, although it was hoped that all forty-five would be in service by October.[15] Concerns were expressed that Ramsgate Motive Power Depot (MPD) would not be able to close by 14 November as planned. Its site was needed for the construction of a new maintenance facility for electric multiple units. The committee met again in May. As delivery of all forty-five locomotives of the first batch was projected not to be completed until 31 January 1961, the closure of Ramsgate MPD was postponed. The committee was told that delays in the delivery of the third batch would mean that the replacement of steam on the Hastings line would have to be postponed. The committee met in June. It was agreed that Ramsgate MPD could close once thirty-five locomotives had been delivered. It was anticipated that this would be achieved by 30 November allowing the shed to closed on 1 December.[16] By the time the Electrification Committee met on 10 November, thirty locomotives had been delivered. Consequently, Ramsgate MPD would not be able to be closed until at least 19 December. Delivery of the locomotives for the Hastings line was also likely to be delayed.[16] When the committee met in December, the thirty-five locomotives had been delivered and permission was given for the closure of Ramsgate MPD. The BTC wanted to arrange a test of the ETH system fitted to the locomotives. It was agreed that a locomotive would be released at the end of January 1961 for three weeks.[17]
The Electrification Committee met in February 1961. Delivery of the first of the second batch of locomotives was due to start on 24 February and be complete by 7 July. The third batch was due to be delivered between 8 December and 23 February 1962 and the fourth batch by the end of June 1962. The final locomotive of the first batch, D6544, was delivered fourteen months later than the original delivery date. Delivery of the first of the second batch of locomotives was on 7 March. The committee met again in April. Although delivery of the second batch of locomotives was still on schedule for 7 July, by the time at Phase 2 of the electrification scheme was put into operation in June, there would be a shortfall of fifteen locomotives against the number required. When the committee met in May, delivery of the last of the second batch of locomotives had been put back to 15 July. The third batch would not start to be delivered until 23 February 1962, with completion by 31 March. The fourth batch was scheduled to be delivered between 23 January and 31 March 1962.[18] The committee met again in July. Completion of the second batch of locomotives had been pushed back to 29 July. Start of deliveries of the third and fourth batches had been delayed, but final deliver dates remained the same.[19] The Electrification Committee met for the final time on 14 September. Delivery of the fourth batch had started; 69 locomotives had been delivered up to that date. As Phase 2 of the electrification scheme had been implemented, the Southern Region set up the Traction Committee, which met for the first time on 15 December. Eighty-one of the 85 Restriction 4 locomotives had been delivered, but the final locomotive was not now due for delivery until 12 January 1962. Delivery of the locomotives for the Hastings line was due to start a week later, and be complete by 6 April 1962.[20] At that meeting discussion took place in respect of the annual mileage the fleet would accrue. The original estimate of 2,375,624 miles (3,823,196km) had been revised upwards to 3,943,414 miles (6,346,310km) but had then been revised down to 2,465,000 miles (3,967,000km) due to the introduction of electric multiple units for most passenger trains and changes in freight requirements. This meant that only 70 locomotives would be needed, leaving 28 surplus to requirements. Reallocation of the surplus locomotives was discussed. BTC approval was needed for reallocation, although the BTC had the power to order the locomotives to be reallocated. They could have challenged the Southern Region as to why the order had not been amended. By this time, two locomotives had been transferred to the Eastern Region to work cement trains between Cliffe, Kent and Uddingston, Lanarkshire.[21]
The Traction Committee met again in January 1962. With seven locomotives allocated to the cement trains, work had to be found for the remaining 21. If these locomotives were allocated to the South Western Division to work tank trains from Fawley Refinery to various destinations in the London Midland and Western Regions, 36 steam locomotives could be withdrawn from service. The oil traffic was a new introduction, for which no provision had been made in the locomotive building programme.[22] By the time then next meeting of the committee in March, some of the locomotives had been temporarily transferred to the South Western Division. The BTC were appraised of the situation in respect of the spare locomotives. It was stated that the new timetable due for introduction in June had a substantial reduction in freight, which had only been recently decided upon and could not have been foreseen when the locomotives were ordered.[23] The BTC replied that they were concerned at the drastic cut in numbers required. They felt that the locomotives could be used following Stages 2 and 3 of the electrification programme. Another possibility was using the locomotives in the Sheffield area, where the order of a number of Type 3 locomotives had already been authorised. The locomotives lack of steam heating was a factor against their use however.[24] The committee responded that the use following the implementation of Stages 2 and 3 held good. They appreciated the BTCs position over the Sheffield scheme, but would put forward proposals that kept the locomotives on the Southern Region. In March, the General Manager's department held a meeting to discuss the use of the locomotives on the Fawley oil trains. The Traction Committee met in April. They were told that the South Western Division had identified that the twenty-one locomotives could be used on the Fawley oil trains. A formal justification would be made to the BTC for the use of locomotives on the cement trains. This traffic was profitable and the contract had been negotiated on the basis that diesel locomotives would be used.[25]
A meeting between the Southern and Eastern Regions on 31 May resulted in a decision that only four locomotives would be needed to work the cement trains. The Central Division had identified that the three spare locomotives could be used on freight trains between Tonbridge and Reading.[26] The BTC met on 29 June to consider the reallocation of the spare locomotives. Fifteen were to be allocated to the Fawley oil traffic, nine to cross-London freight traffic from Feltham and four to the Cliffe cement traffic. The use of the locomotives on the South Western Division would allow the withdrawal of forty-nine steam locomotives and a loss of thirty-five jobs. A meeting of Southern Region officials on 16 July discussed the exact information that the BTC required for the permanent reallocation of the spare locomotives. The issue would be discussed at a Board meeting of the Southern Region to be held on 6 September.[27] The Western Region had reservations about the locomotives working the Fawley oil trains single-headed. A test with a 1,000-ton train between Winchester and Didcot on 31 July had been successful. The Western Region had agreed that these trains could be worked single-handed by 12 September, when the Traction Committee met.[28]
Design
The locomotives were based on the Sulzer Type 2 locomotives that BRCW had built for the Scottish Region of British Railways.[29] The cabs were altered slightly, with the centre section housing a two figure route indicator.[30] They were built at BRCWs Smethwick works. The underframe and bodysides form an integral superstructure. The cabs are double skinned, with driving controls both sides to make shunting easier. The roof is of glass reinforced plastic. Bogies are identical to those used on the Sulzer Type 2, with SKFroller bearings and brakes on all wheels. The handbrake works on the inner set of wheels of each bogie.[31] The engine is a Sulzer 8LDA28 diesel engine, built by Vickers-Armstrong at Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire. It has eight cylinders of 280mm bore by 360mm stroke and develops 1,550 horsepower (1,160kW) at 750 rpm. a Sulzer de Havilland LAG 37-17 turbocharger is fitted.[32] The main generator is a Crompton Parkinson CG391-B1.[33] The locomotives are fitted with dual air and vacuum brakes and can work in multiple with any other "blue star" locomotives.[34]
Electric Train Heating (ETH)
The electrical heating system worked at a DC voltage of 800 V, with a generator capacity of 235 kilowatts (315hp). As this was early days for ETH on BR, standards were not yet clear and there was a possibility in this region of a future need to heat continental stock from boat trains. Both two pole and single pole systems were supported; two pole becoming the standard on BR but some continental stock using a single pole system with return through the rails.[3]
Electrically, the main traction generator was separate from the heating generator, although both were built mechanically as part of the same machine. A third auxiliary generator of 57kW was arranged similarly, to provide a supply for the traction motor cooling blowers, pumps, brake exhausters etc. The electrical rating for traction power was the same whether heating was in use or not, but the excess engine power now became available for traction.[3]
Avoiding the weight of the boiler and its water and fuel supplies allowed the diesel fuel capacity to be increased from 500 gallons to 800 gallons, compared to the Type 2s.[3]
New-build locomotives
Class 33/0 – standard locomotives
All 86 of the first delivery were built as standard locomotives, numbered D6500 to D6585. Under TOPS they became class 33/0 and the surviving locomotives, excluding the 19 that were converted for push-pull operation, were renumbered 33 001–33 065. The locomotives were built to Restriction 4,[citation needed] which was the normal standard and equivalent to British Railways standard C1 restriction.[35] All 86 locomotives were route availability 6.[36] Two accident-damaged locomotives were withdrawn before TOPS took effect.
Class 33/2 – narrow-bodied locomotives
33208 in BR civil engineers livery at Eastleigh, 1995
A batch of twelve locomotives was built with narrow bodies, to allow them to work through the narrow tunnels between Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and Hastings, Sussex.[37] The Hastings Line was designated Restriction 0.[38] This required the bodies to be reduced in width to avoid clipping tunnel linings on that line, leading to their nickname of 'Slim Jims'.[39] These locomotives were 8feet 8inches (2.64m) wide over the steps and 8ft 1+1⁄2in (2.48m) over the body.[40] Originally numbered D6586 to D6597, they were later renumbered 33201 to 33212.[citation needed] These locomotives were fitted with slow-speed control to enable them to work merry-go-round trains.[41] All 12 locomotives were route availability 6.[36]
With the introduction of the winter timetable in September, the class were largely withdrawn from passenger service due to carriages still being heated by steam. Some trains were worked by steam locomotives and others by the Type 2 locomotives. Occasionally the class worked unheated passenger trains.[14] D6504 was used for ETH tests on the Eastern Region of British Railways. It was exhibited at Stratford, London on 17 and 18 February in connection with a committee meeting of the UIC. The locomotive hauled trains between London King's Cross and Edinburgh Waverley between 13 and 17 February.[18] Phase 2 of the electrification scheme came into service on 12 June 1961.[45] The last of the second batch of locomotives, D6564, was delivered on 28 July. Delivery of the fourth batch of locomotives took place between 18 August and 12 January 1962.[20]
In November 1961, D6569 and D6559 were transferred to the Eastern Region to work Cliffe–Uddingston cement trains. These trains comprised 30 wagons, with a train weight of 1,050 tons. A pair of locomotives hauled the trains from Cliffe to Ferme Park, just north of King's Cross. Haulage of the train was then taken over by Eastern or North Eastern Region locomotives. It was soon found that these locomotives were unable to keep to the schedule demanded. The Southern Region agreed that their locomotives could work the train as far as York, operated by Eastern Region crews north of Ferme Park. This enabled an earlier arrival at York and the overall scheduled timing to Uddingston to be met.[36] Seven locomotives were allocated to this traffic, allowing one to be spare. Operating costs were £104 per train,[lower-alpha 2] about half that of using steam locomotives.[22] The round trip took 44 hours. One of these trains, hauled by D6558, appeared in The Rank Organisation's 1963 film High, Wide and Faster, part of its documentary series Look at Life.[21][46]
The third batch of locomotives was delivered between 2 February and 12 May 1962.[20] In April, three locomotives were transferred to the South Western Division to work oil trains from Fawley Refinery, Hampshire. Initially, they were used on trains between Fawley and Eastleigh. In late April, a locomotive worked a Fawley–Spondon oil train as far as Didcot. It worked a freight train back to Eastleigh that day.[25]
Only the then new electric train heating was fitted, rather than the ubiquitous steam heating which passenger carriages largely used. Early delivery problems and a shortage of steam locomotives resulted in many Class 24 locomotives being borrowed from the Midland Region and pairs, of 33 + 24, became common on winter passenger services. This resulted in unpopular, complex run-round manoeuvres at termini as the Class 24 needed to be coupled inside to provide steam heat. Emergency provisioning of through-piping for steam heat on some examples of class 33 alleviated this somewhat. The Southern Region was unaccustomed to the operational overhead and maintenance associated with the use of Class 24s and they rapidly became unpopular. With the advent of modern stock and warmer seasons, they were returned to the Midland Region.
The mainstay of push-pull operations was the operation over the then un-electrified track from Bournemouth to Weymouth and the service continued like this across three decades. Weymouth trains started at London Waterloo powered by third-rail electric traction via Winchester and Southampton to Bournemouth. The consist was normally twelve cars made up of a powerful 3,200hp (2,400kW)4REP electric multiple unit on the rear with two leading units of un-powered 4TCs. At Bournemouth the train would be divided with the 4REP remaining at the London end of Bournemouth station and the 4TCs hauled onward to Poole and Weymouth by Class 33/1. On the return leg, the locomotive propelled the train back to Bournemouth where it would be attached to a waiting London-bound 4REP and the locomotive detached to await the next Weymouth-bound portion.[47]
The usual configuration was 4TC+4TC+Loco with the locomotive at the country end. Light traffic would result in 4TC+Loco, and in rare operational circumstances 4TC+Loco+4TC was noted. This combination was not preferred, as it led to operational difficulties and inconvenience to waiting passengers who found themselves confronted with the side of the locomotive when their train drew to a halt.
The Class 33/1 with one or two 4TC sets (normally with the Class 33/1 at the country end of the train) were also the mainstay of the Waterloo – Salisbury service from their introduction. Platform congestion and the lack of facilities at the very busy Basingstoke station were two of the reasons for class 33/1 operation throughout the route rather than just over the non-electrified section west of Basingstoke.
In later years Weymouth boat trains, conveying passengers between London and the Channel Islands ferry service out of Weymouth, were handed over to push-pull operation. The section of route from Weymouth to the ship terminal at the quay was actually tramway, following (and largely in the middle of) the harbour road. The quay spur did not pass through the station, but diverged westwards at the throat thus it was not possible for boat trains to call at Weymouth station. Boat trains had been made up of conventional coaching stock and the locomotive would run-round its train on arrival at the sea-terminal. The move to push-pull sets on boat trains removed two headaches for the SR:
The necessity for the run-round at the quay was removed.
The locomotive swap at Bournemouth (for both up and down trains) was eliminated and services were greatly improved with the removal of the troublesome Class 74 locomotive from the equation.
Although class 73 and 74 electro-diesel locomotives had push-pull capability, they did not have the endurance for longer runs on diesel power – their 600/650HP was not even Type 1, little more than a high-powered shunter equivalent. The Type 3 power of Class 33/1 with only a 4 or 8 car train was rarely into the recovery margin of a schedule due to load.
Class 33/1 and 4TC combinations were often used to supplement other services and were not just the purview of Bournemouth-Weymouth trains. Services could be rostered for a push-pull set due to stock shortages – the Reading to Basingstoke service (normally a stronghold of DEMU sets) could be relied upon to produce a push-pull set on Sundays. Often, electric rosters would be substituted by class 33/1 + 4TC if the line was de-energised during engineering work. Indeed, push-pull sets were a possibility over the entire range of Southern Region services including inter-regional trains; they were not in-frequent visitors to Bristol Temple Meads and have been noted at Cardiff.
Although in private ownership at the time, 33103 and 4TC 417 were spot-hired for use on Barking-Gospel Oak services during a stock shortage in 1999 and worked the service for some weeks without issue.
Conversions – Class 33/1 – push-pull fitted locomotives
While third rail electrification was expanding on the Southern region, it was not then considered to be justified to extend beyond Bournemouth and so, in 1965, D6580 was fitted with experimental push-pull apparatus, high-level brake pipes and jumper cables to make it compatible with Multiple Unit stock. Commencing 21 July 1965 tests were carried out between Wimbledon Park and Basingstoke and then, from 17 January 1966, on the Oxted Line, using a 6-coach rake of unpowered multiple unit coaches (designated TC, standing for Trailer Control). The use of this equipment removed the necessity for the locomotive to run around to the front of its train at each terminus, as it could be controlled from the driving position of a TC unit and hence could propel its train from the rear.
Following successful completion of trials, D6580 and a further eighteen other members of the class (D6511, D6513, D6514, D6516, D6517, D6519, D6520, D6521, D6525, D6527, D6528, D6529, D6531, D6532, D6533, D6535, D6536 and D6538) entered Eastleigh Works, to be fitted with a modified version of the push-pull apparatus – fully compatible with Class 73 and Class 74 electro-diesels and indeed any electro-pneumatically controlled (EP) multiple unit stock. They emerged, painted in the new BR corporate blue with full yellow ends. D6521 had re-entered service by November 1966, so equipped, and by November 1967 the remainder had returned to traffic fitted for push-pull working.[citation needed]
With the advent of TOPS, Class 34 was originally reserved for these modified locomotives - but it was not used and they were grouped, instead, into class 33/1 and the nineteen locomotives were renumbered, sequentially, in the range 33101–33119.
They settled into sterling service, proving themselves highly useful and reliable. The prototype locomotive (D6580, later 33119) was the only member of Class 33 to run in green livery with the multiple unit control equipment – not to be confused with preserved members of Class 33/1 that have been repainted green.
Tramway safety
33109 arrives at the ferry terminal having negotiated the Weymouth Harbour Tramway on its way to quay in August 1981. Note the bell and beacon warning unit on the cab front and the platform height air brake pipes with two rolled flags wedged behind.
Allocated to work the Weymouth Harbour Tramway, trains operating over public thoroughfare tramway without escort are required to be fitted with warning equipment for the general public. Before its withdrawal, the Class 33 Weymouth pilot would regularly take fuel-oil tank wagons (for the ferries) and occasionally boat-train stock between Weymouth yard and ferry terminal. It had a bell and beacon fitted at both ends above the lower-centre headcode lamp (along with SR style high-level brake pipes) which served to warn thoroughfare users and was controlled from the cab. For main-line stock, two warning units were built and housed in a cabinet at the track side of the quay spur at the throat of the yard. This equipment comprised a yellow control box with amber rotating beacon and bell which fitted on a bracket just above the rubbing plate on the cab front. Class 33/1 and all TC stock were equipped with this bracket and had a socket where units plugged-in to draw power from the train systems, similar to the RCH socket on coaching stock. This was a specific complexity with the two types and in order to standardize and remove a maintenance risk, in the early 1980s, three battery-powered units were constructed which mounted on a standard lamp bracket with no need to draw power from the train. This allowed the power and control circuitry for warning units to be removed during (and thus simplifying) overhaul. The old power sockets were gradually removed and plated-over but some remained until withdrawal of the stock. These new warning units enabled other types of stock to use the tramway including Class 73 and Class 37 (on a railtour - which struggled with the tight curves of the tramway due to its three-axle bogies). These later warning units were smaller with an on/off switch on the rear of the unit and no bell – warnings being given using the train horn.
The bell and beacon unit for tramway operation, fitted to the rubbing plate and plugged into the train systems via a small connector on the front of all class 33/1 and TC multiple units
Trains for the quay would halt at the station throat, and the warning equipment was attached and tested by the train guard. In addition, trains on the tramway were "walked" by railway staff with flags, clearing the route of people and badly parked cars all the way between the points at which the tramway reverted to conventional track at the quay station and road crossing into Weymouth yard. On arrival at the quay terminus the guard would move the warning equipment to the other end of the train in readiness for the return journey. In later years, (e.g. for Railtours) the local Police fulfilled the role of traffic control and the process of moving a train along the tramway became less routine.
Accidents and incidents
At 02:02 on 8 December 1961, a freight train was setting back at Paddock Wood station when the 00:20 goods from Hoo Junction to Tonbridge, hauled by D6506, overran signals and collided with it. The wreckage from the accident piled up under the bridge carrying the B2160 Maidstone Road. The line was blocked for 12 hours. D6506 was severely damaged. It arrived at Eastleigh Works for repair on 29 December.[48][49][50]
On 5 March 1964, locomotive D6502 was hauling a freight train when it ran through signals at Itchingfield Junction, West Sussex and was in a rear-end collision with a freight train. Two people were killed. Damage was so extensive that the locomotive was cut up on site.[52]
On 30 September 1966, locomotive D6535 was hauling a freight train that overran signals and was derailed by trap points at Wallers Ash, Hampshire.[53]
On 16 October 1968, locomotive D6576 was involved in a collision with a Class 47 locomotive at Reading, Berkshire. Following recovery to Eastleigh Works and examination, it was considered uneconomical to repair. The locomotive was withdrawn in November 1968 and was cut up for spares in March 1969.[54]
On 28 July 1971, locomotive No. 6561 was hauling a parcels train that was derailed at Guildford, Surrey.[56]
On 11 September 1975, locomotive No. 33041 was involved in a collision at Bricklayers Arms Junction and was consequently written off.[57]
On 11 October 1977, locomotives No. 33036 and 33043 were hauling a freight train that was derailed at Mottingham, London. Due to damage sustained, 33036 was withdrawn from service and scrapped.[58][59]
On 25 February 1979, locomotive No. 33115 was hauling a passenger train which was involved in a collision with an engineers' crane near Hilsea. One person was killed in the accident. 33115 was out of traffic until 1980.[60]
On 26 January 1985, locomotive 33104 ran into the rear of a passenger train formed of 4VEP units 7754 & 7703 and 4CIG unit 7395 which had been halted by a landslip near Popham, Hampshire. The crew of the passenger train had failed to protect the rear of their train, Twelve people were injured. The locomotive was written off.[61]
On 24 March 1987, a freight train overran a signal at Frome North Junction, Somerset. Locomotive No. 33032 was hauling a passenger train that was in a head-on collision with the freight train (hauled by 47202). Fifteen people were injured, but only the driver of the freight train seriously.[62][63] 33032 was stored at Frome West stone terminal and on 4 June 1987 it was hauled back to Eastleigh Works, where it was later broken up.[64]
On 20 April 1989 locomotive number 33107 collided with the rear of a freight train at Holton Heath,[65] between Wareham and Hamworthy Junction, according to television news the driver of 33107 was killed as he jumped from the locomotive.[66]
83301
In May 1991, locomotive 33115 was converted to a test locomotive in connection with the Channel Tunnel works. It was fitted with bogies that had third rail collection shoes. The locomotive was renumbered 83301. A test train formed of 83301, 73205 London Chamber of Commerce, a Class 47/9 and 4TC set 8007 were used between Waterloo and Eastleigh, and between Stewarts Lane and Dover Western Docks. Two more carriages had been added to the train by that summer. 83301 was withdrawn in November 1994. It was stripped of parts and then scrapped in the summer of 1996.[67]
Italian manufacturer Lima produced a Class 33, initially in HO gauge[73] and O gauge and later in OO gauge.[citation needed] In 2010 Hornby Railways started to sell the BR Class 33 in its Railroad range in BR Green in OO gauge.[74] This was based upon the earlier Lima model that Hornby acquired upon purchasing the liquidated assets of the Lima company in 2003.[75][failed verification] Heljan make various BR Class 33's in OO gauge.[76] Graham Farish (now part of the Bachmann company) produce a Class 33 in British N gauge (1/148 scale).[77]
Notes
↑ For the purpose of this article, the four batches are listed in the order that they were approved by the BTC. Batch 1 comprises D6500–44, batch 2 comprises D6545–64, batch 3 comprises D6586–97 and batch 4 comprises D6565–85.
The British Rail Class 16 also known as the North British Type 1 was a type of diesel locomotive designed and manufactured by the North British Locomotive Company. A total of ten were produced, these being numbered D8400-D8409.
The British Rail Class 47 or Brush Type 4 is a class of diesel-electric locomotive that was developed in the 1960s by Brush Traction. A total of 512 Class 47s were built at Brush's Falcon Works in Loughborough and at British Railways' Crewe Works between 1962 and 1968, which made them the most numerous class of British mainline diesel locomotive.
The British Railways Class 24 diesel locomotives, also known as the Sulzer Type 2, were built from 1958 to 1961. One hundred and fifty-one were built at Derby, Crewe and Darlington, the first twenty of them as part of the British Railways 1955 Modernisation Plan. This class was used as the basis for the development of the Class 25 locomotives.
The British Rail Class 26 diesel locomotives, also known as the BRCW Type 2, were built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company (BRCW) at Smethwick in 1958–59. Forty seven examples were built, and the last were withdrawn from service in 1994. Like their higher-powered sisters, the BRCW Classes 27 and 33, they had all-steel bodies and cab ends with fibreglass cab roofs. They were numbered D5300-D5346.
The British Rail Class 73 is a British electro-diesel locomotive. The type is unusual in that it can operate from the Southern Region's 650/750 V DC third-rail or an on-board diesel engine to allow it to operate on non-electrified routes. This makes it very versatile, although the diesel engine produces less power than is available from the third-rail supply so the locomotives are rarely operated outside of the former Southern Region of British Rail. It is one of the first bi-mode locomotives ever built. Following the withdrawal and scrapping of the more powerful Class 74 bi-mode locomotives in 1977, the Class 73 was unique on the British railway network until the introduction of the Class 88 bi-mode locomotives in 2017. Ten locomotives have been scrapped.
The British Rail TC multiple units were unpowered fixed formations of 3 or 4 carriages with a driving position at each end of the set, converted by BR's Holgate Road carriage works from locomotive-hauled Mark 1 carriages in 1966–1967 and 1974. The units built on experience gained from the prototype 6TC unit. In time the 3 car units were reformed into four car units to match the rest of the fleet and later classified as Class 442. This was later changed to Class 491, under which they spent the majority of their working lives. Shortly before withdrawal they were reclassified Class 438 and the units were renumbered to 8001-8034.
The SR Class W were 3-cylinder 2-6-4T tank engines designed in 1929 by Richard Maunsell for use on the Southern Railway. They were introduced in 1932 and constructed at Eastleigh and Ashford. The class was intended for short distance, inter-company/regional freight traffic transfer in London, and were standardised with parts from the N, N1, U and U1 classes.
The South West Main Line (SWML) is a 143-mile major railway line between Waterloo station in central London and Weymouth on the south coast of England. A predominantly passenger line, it serves many commuter areas including south western suburbs of London and the conurbations based on Southampton and Bournemouth. It runs through the counties of Surrey, Hampshire and Dorset. It forms the core of the network built by the London and South Western Railway, today mostly operated by South Western Railway.
The British Rail Class 87 is a type of electric locomotive designed and built by British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL) between 1973 and 1975. A total of thirty-six locomotives were constructed, to work passenger and freight services over the West Coast Main Line (WCML).
The British Rail Class 37 is a diesel-electric locomotive. Also known as the English Electric Type 3, the class was ordered as part of the British Rail modernisation plan. They were numbered in two series, D6600–D6608 and D6700–D6999.
The British Rail Class 50 is a class of diesel locomotives designed to haul express passenger trains at 100 mph (160 km/h). Built by English Electric at the Vulcan Foundry in Newton-le-Willows between 1967 and 1968, the Class 50s were initially on a 10-year lease from English Electric Leasing, and were employed hauling express passenger trains on the then non-electrified section of the West Coast Main Line between Crewe and Scotland. Initially numbered D400–D449 and known as English Electric Type 4s, the locomotives were purchased outright by British Rail (BR) at the end of the lease and became Class 50 in the TOPS renumbering of 1973.
An electro-diesel locomotive is a type of locomotive that can be powered either from an electricity supply or by using the onboard diesel engine. For the most part, these locomotives are built to serve regional, niche markets with a very specific purpose.
The British Rail Class 432 (4-REP) electric multiple unit passenger trains were built by BR at York Works from 1966 to 1967 and in 1974. The units were built to power the TC trailer units on services on the South West Main Line. Fifteen four-car units were eventually built. The motor coaches were new build, but the trailers were converted from Mk1 hauled stock. They were initially classified as Class 441 and numbered 3001–3015. This was later changed to Class 430, under which they spent the majority of their working lives. Shortly before withdrawal they were reclassified Class 432 and the units were renumbered as 2001–2015. The fleet had a lifespan of 26 years.
NSB Di 3 is a class of 35 diesel-electric locomotives built by NOHAB for the Norwegian State Railways (NSB). The class was built between 1954 and 1969, and delivered in two series, Di 3a and Di 3b. They are based on the Electro-Motive Division F7 and are equipped with EMD 567 engines. They have a distinct bulldog nose and were numbered 602–633 (a-series) and 641–643 (b-series). The locomotives had a prime mover that gives a power output of 1,305 kilowatts (1,750 hp). The a-series has a Co′Co′ wheel arrangement, while the b-series has (A1A)(A1A). The b-series has higher top speed, but lower tractive effort.
Holton Heath railway station serves the area of Holton Heath in Wareham St Martin, Dorset, England. It is 118 miles 61 chains (191.1 km) down the line from London Waterloo. It was opened to serve the Royal Navy Cordite Factory, Holton Heath during the First World War. It did not open to the public until 1924.
The history of rail transport in Great Britain 1948–1994 covers the period when the British railway system was nationalised under the name of 'British Railways', latterly known as British Rail until its eventual privatisation in 1994.
The British Rail Class 88 is a type of mainline mixed traffic electro-diesel locomotive manufactured by Vossloh España/Stadler Rail Valencia for Direct Rail Services (DRS) in the United Kingdom. The locomotive is part of the Stadler Euro Dual family. It is the first dual-mode locomotive in the UK to use the 25 kV AC electrification.
The G Class are a class of diesel locomotive built by Clyde Engineering, Rosewater and Somerton for V/Line between 1984 and 1989.
The Class 68 is a type of mainline mixed traffic diesel-electric locomotive manufactured by Stadler Rail Valencia for Direct Rail Services (DRS) in the United Kingdom. The design is derived from the Stadler Eurolight, and Stadler's product name for this variant is the UKLight.
Network SouthEast (NSE), the sector of British Rail which ran passenger services in London and southeast England between 1986 and 1994, operated a wide variety of rolling stock during its existence. The majority of the network was electrified, and further electrification schemes took place during the 1986–1994 period; and the 7,000 vehicles owned by NSE in 1986 consisted of a mixture of electric, diesel-electric and diesel multiple units, diesel locomotives and the coaches they hauled.
↑ Marsden, Colin J (November 1985 – January 1986). "The Southern Type 3's". Modern Railways Pictorial Profile. No.11. Weybridge: Ian Allan Ltd. pp.4–6. ISSN0264-3642.
↑ McCrickard, John P (16 October 2016). "January 1982 to May 1986". Network South East Railway Society. Archived from the original on 26 June 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
Williams, Alan; Percival, David (1977). British Railways Locomotives and Multiple Units including Preserved Locomotives 1977 Combined Volume. Shepperton: Ian Allan Ltd. ISBN0-7110-0751-9.
Dunn, Pip (18 June – 1 July 1997). "The small locomotive with the big personality!". RAIL. No.307. EMAP Apex Publications. pp.20–25. ISSN0953-4563. OCLC49953699.
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