British Rail Class 41 (HST)

Last updated

British Rail Class 41 (HST)
41001 in loop 1972.jpg
41001 at the Railway Technical Centre in 1972
Type and origin
Power typeDiesel-electric
BuilderBREL Crewe Works
Build date1972
Total produced2
Specifications
Configuration:
   UIC Bo′Bo′
  Commonwealth Bo-Bo
Gauge 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Wheel diameter3 ft 4 in (1.016 m)
Wheelbase 42 ft 4 in (12.90 m)
Length56 ft 4 in (17.17 m)
Width8 ft 11 in (2.72 m)
Height12 ft 10 in (3.91 m) [1]
Loco weight68.5 tonnes (67.4 long tons; 75.5 short tons)
Prime mover Paxman Valenta 12RP200L
Traction motors Brush TMH68-46, frame mounted
MU working Within class only
Train heating
Train brakes Air
Performance figures
Maximum speed125 mph (201 km/h)
Power outputEngine: 2,250  bhp (1,678 kW)
Tractive effort 17,980  lbf (80.0  kN)
Career
Operators British Rail
Numbers41001–41002; 43000-43001 (While 252001); later ADB975812–813
Axle load class Route availability 5
WithdrawnJanuary 1982
Disposition1 preserved, 1 scrapped

The British Rail Class 41 were two powercars built in 1972 by British Rail Engineering Limited's Crewe Works to operate with the prototype High Speed Train (HST) with Mark 3 carriages.

Contents

History

41001 front view 41001 York 2009-07-06.JPG
41001 front view
41001 rear/side view 41001 At York Rear.jpg
41001 rear/side view

Two power cars were built in 1972 by British Rail Engineering Limited's Crewe Works, numbered 41001 and 41002. [3] They initially conducted tests on the East Coast Main Line with the set based at Neville Hill TMD. [4] [5]

Having accumulated more than 100,000 miles (160,000 km), including setting a diesel train speed record of 143 mph (230 km/h) between Northallerton and Thirsk in June 1973, they moved to the Great Western Main Line in 1974. [4] [6] On 5 May 1975, both entered revenue service on Great Western services between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads / Weston-super-Mare. [7] [8]

After the Class 252 re-classification they were renumbered into the carriage numbering range as 43000 and 43001.

After being replaced by production Class 43 HST powercars in the early 1980s, both were allocated to the Railway Technical Centre and used in various high speed trials associated with the Advanced Passenger Train and InterCity 225 projects. In December 1990, 41002 was scrapped by CF Booth in Rotherham, while 41001 was restored cosmetically and donated to the National Railway Museum.

In 2011, the National Railway Museum agreed a lease with the 125 Group that resulted in 41001 moving from York to Neville Hill TMD in March 2012 to be restored to operational condition. [9] [10] [11] As part of this move, it was re-registered on TOPS as Class 43/9 locomotive 43000. [12]

Upon completion it was based at the Great Central Railway (Nottingham). In November 2014, 41001 hauled its first passenger train since 1976, a special named the Screaming Valenta, using a short-formed East Midlands Trains HST set with a Class 43 on the other end. [13]

After suffering engine problems at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway in May 2019, it was moved to Neville Hill TMD for repairs. [14] [15]

In October 2019, the National Railway Museum announced it had terminated the loan agreement, citing serious contract breaches. Although that was disputed by the 125 Group, 41001 was returned to the museum in November 2019. [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 53</span> Class of diesel electric locomotives

D0280 Falcon was a single prototype diesel-electric locomotive, built for British Railways in 1961. It was one of a series of three prototypes: Falcon, DP2 and Lion, eventually leading to the Class 47 and Class 50. A requirement was expressed by the BTC at a meeting on 15 January 1960 for new Type 4 designs of Co-Co arrangement, which would be lighter than the earlier 1Co-Co1 locomotives such as the Peak classes, produced under the Pilot Scheme.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 55</span> Class of diesel electric locomotives

The British Rail Class 55, also known as a Deltic, or English Electric Type 5, is a class of diesel locomotive built in 1961 and 1962 by English Electric for British Railways. Twenty-two locomotives were built, designed for the high-speed express passenger services on the East Coast Main Line (ECML) between Edinburgh and London King's Cross. They gained the name "Deltic" from the prototype locomotive, DP1 Deltic, which in turn was named after its Napier Deltic power units. At the time of their introduction into service in 1961, the Class 55s were the most powerful single-unit diesel locomotives in the world, with a power output of 3,300 hp (2,500 kW). They had an official maximum speed of 100 miles per hour (160 km/h), and introduced the first regular 100 mph diesel passenger service to Britain, they were however capable of higher speeds than this, and often exceeded their official maximum in service, especially in their later years, with speeds of up to 117 miles per hour (188 km/h), being recorded on level gradients, and up to 125 miles per hour (201 km/h) whilst descending Stoke Bank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">InterCity 125</span> British high-speed diesel passenger train

The InterCity 125 (originally Inter-City 125) or High Speed Train (HST) is a diesel-powered high-speed passenger train built by British Rail Engineering Limited between 1975 and 1982. A total of 95 sets were produced, each comprising two Class 43 power cars, one at each end, and a rake of seven or eight Mark 3 coaches. The name is derived from its top operational speed of 125 mph (201 km/h). At times, the sets have been classified as British Rail Classes 253, 254 and 255.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">InterCity (British Rail)</span> Brand-name of British Rail

InterCity was introduced by British Rail in 1966 as a brand-name for its long-haul express passenger services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 47</span> Class of diesel electric locomotives

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 26</span> Class of 47 Bo′Bo′ 1160hp diesel-electric 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 252</span>

Class 252 was the classification allocated to the prototype High Speed Train (HST) unit, numbered 252001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">InterCity 225</span> British train

The InterCity 225 is an electric high speed train in the United Kingdom, comprising a Class 91 electric locomotive, nine Mark 4 coaches and a Driving Van Trailer (DVT). The Class 91 locomotives were built by British Rail Engineering Limited's Crewe Works as a spin-off from the Advanced Passenger Train project, which was abandoned during the 1980s, whilst the coaches and DVT were constructed by Metro-Cammell in Birmingham and Breda in Italy, again borrowing heavily from the Advanced Passenger Train. The trains were designed to operate at up to 140 mph (225 km/h) in regular service, but are limited to 125 mph (200 km/h) principally due to a lack of cab signalling and the limitations of the current overhead line equipment. They were introduced into service between 1989 and 1991 for intercity services on the East Coast Main Line (ECML) from London King's Cross to Leeds, York and Edinburgh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Mark 3</span> Single-level rail passenger carriage

The British Rail Mark 3 is a type of passenger carriage developed in response to growing competition from airlines and the car in the 1970s. A variant of the Mark 3 became the rolling stock for the High Speed Train (HST).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail DP2</span>

DP2, meaning Development Prototype number 2, was a prototype Type 4 mainline diesel locomotive, built by English Electric in 1962. DP2 was effectively the prototype for the later Class 50; it trialled the engine and electronic systems later used in that class of locomotives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 43 (HST)</span> British high speed diesel locomotive

The British Rail Class 43 (HST) is the TOPS classification used for the InterCity 125 High Speed Train (formerly Classes 253 and 254) diesel-electric power cars, built by British Rail Engineering Limited from 1975 to 1982, and in service in the UK since 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 45</span> Diesel-electric railway locomotive used in Great Britain

The British Rail Class 45 or Sulzer Type 4 are diesel locomotives built by British Railways' Derby and Crewe Works between 1960 and 1962. Along with the similar Class 44 and 46 locomotives, they became known as Peaks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Oak Common TMD</span> Former railway traction maintenance depot in West London

Old Oak Common TMD was a traction maintenance depot located west of London Paddington, in Old Oak Common. The depot codes were OC for the diesel depot and OO for the carriage shed. In steam days the shed code was 81A.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neville Hill TMD</span> Train Maintenance Depot in West Yorkshire, England

Neville Hill is a railway train maintenance depot in Osmondthorpe, Leeds, England on the Leeds to Selby Line. The depot is situated 2 miles 14 chains (3.5 km) to the east of Leeds railway station on the north side of the line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tinsley Motive Power Depot</span> Railway depot near Sheffield, England

Tinsley Motive Power Depot, latterly Tinsley Traction Maintenance Depot (TMD), was a railway depot in Tinsley, South Yorkshire, near Sheffield. Access by road was from Brinsworth, near Rotherham. The depot was situated on the freight line between Treeton Junction and the A631 Shepcote Lane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paxman Valenta</span> Railway and maritime transport diesel engine

The Paxman Valenta, also known as Y3J and RP200, is a diesel fuelled internal combustion engine formerly made by Paxman in Colchester, England. It was originally developed for, and previously used in the British Rail (BR) Class 43 diesel-electric locomotives, a pair of which powered the InterCity 125 High Speed Train (HST) in a push-pull train set configuration. The Valenta has also been used for electricity generation in diesel generators on offshore oil rig platforms in British waters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terry Miller (engineer)</span>

Terence Charles Barry Miller, MBE was an English railway engineer who rose to become Chief Engineer for British Rail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holbeck TMD</span> Railway maintenance depot in Holbeck, Leeds

Holbeck TMD is a traction maintenance depot located in Holbeck, Leeds, England. The depot is located on the west side of the line from Woodlesford, and is 57 chains (1.1 km) south of Leeds railway station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Locomotive Services Limited</span> Train operating company in Great Britain

Locomotive Services Limited is a train operating company in Great Britain. The company operates rail tours using heritage steam, diesel and electric locomotives with support from associated companies and trusts.

The 125 Group is a railway heritage group in England dedicated to the preservation of the InterCity 125s.

References

  1. Haresnape, Brian (June 1983). British Rail Fleet Survey 5: High Speed Trains. Shepperton: Ian Allan Publishing. p. 41. ISBN   0-7110-1297-0. GE/0683.
  2. Maclean, Stuart (4 June 2014). "NRM HST prototype 41001". National Preservation. Archived from the original on 26 November 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2015. has its original 110 V/1000 V Auxiliary Alternator fitted so isn't compatible with production HST electronics. … standard DC ETH rather than the 415 V AC of an HST so more useful for a role on preserved railways. … not being able to provide train supply to an HST set,
  3. Track Tests This Month for High-Speed Train The Railway Magazine issue 854 June 1972 pages 288-291
  4. 1 2 Evolution trials of HST The Railway Magazine issue 880 August 1974 page 379
  5. British Railways Locoshed Book 1974 edition. Shepperton: Ian Allan Publishing. 1974. p. 30. ISBN   0-7110-0558-3.
  6. Fastest Ever by Diesel The Railway Magazine issue 868 August 1973 page 397
  7. HST in revenue earning service The Railway Magazine issue 890 June 1975 page 310
  8. Britain's HST Enters Revenue Service Railway Age 9 June 1975 page 60
  9. Project Miller (12 May 2011). "(untitled)" (Press release). Archived from the original on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  10. Prototype HST to run again The Railway Magazine issue 1323 July 2011 page 11
  11. Pioneer HST power car at Leeds to aid restoration Rail issue 694 18 April 2012 page 12
  12. Power trip Rail issue 698 13 June 2012 pages 44-47
  13. "In Brief". Rail Express (224): 36. January 2015. ISSN   1362-234X.
  14. "41001 Withdrawn from all forthcoming events". 125 Group. 7 May 2019. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  15. Prototype HST moves to Neville Hill Rail Express issue 279 August 2019 page 77
  16. "Prototype HST Power Car 41001 to return to York". 125 Group. 9 October 2019. Archived from the original on 6 January 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2019.

Further reading