British Rail Class 01

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British Rail Class 01
BR Class 01.jpg
01002 inside the shed at Holyhead Breakwater, withdrawn 01001 is just visible at the rear
Type and origin
Power typeDiesel-mechanical
BuilderAndrew Barclay Sons & Co
Serial number395–398, 424
Build date1956 (4), 1958 (1)
Total produced5
Specifications
Configuration:
 • Whyte0-4-0DM
 • UICB-dm
Gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Wheel diameter3 ft 2 in (0.965 m)
Minimum curve
Wheelbase6 ft 0 in (1.829 m)
Length23 ft 8 in (7.214 m)
Width8 ft 5+12 in (2.578 m)
Height11 ft 10+12 in (3.620 m)
Axle load13 ft 6 in (4.115 m)
Loco weight25.05 long tons (25.5 t; 28.1 short tons)
Fuel capacity325 imp gal (1,480 l; 390 US gal)
Prime moverGardner 6L3
Engine RPM:
 • Maximum RPM
1,200
Engine type6-cylinder in-line Four-stroke diesel engine
TransmissionMechanical: Wilson SE4, 4-speed epicyclic gear box, Vulcan-Sinclair type 23 rigid hydraulic coupling, to a Wiseman 15LGB reverse and final drive unit.
Loco brakeStraight Air
Train brakes
Performance figures
Maximum speed14.25 mph (22.9 km/h)
Power output
  • Engine: 153 hp (114 kW)
  • At rail: 102 hp (76 kW)
Tractive effort:
 • Continuous12,750 lbf (56.7 kN) at 2.63 mph (4.23 km/h)
Brakeforce15 long tons-force (150 kN)
Career
OperatorsBritish Railways
Numbers
  • 11503–11506, 81 (departmental)
  • later D2953–D2956
  • later 01001–01002
Axle load classRA 1
Withdrawn1966–1968 (except D2954–5), 1981
PreservedD2953, D2956 (1st)
Scrapped1969, 1982
Disposition2 preserved, 3 scrapped

The British Rail Class 01 diesel locomotive was a short wheelbase 0-4-0 diesel-mechanical design intended for use in areas with tight curves and limited clearance.

History[]

Four examples were built by Andrew Barclay Sons & Co of Kilmarnock (Scotland) in 1956. They were numbered 11503-11506, then D2953-2956, and two survived long enough to become 01001 (D2954) and 01002 (D2955) on the TOPS system. Their original depot allocation was to Stratford (30A). A fifth similar locomotive was built in 1958 for departmental stock (maintenance work). It was originally No. 81 but was renumbered D2956 in July 1967 after the original D2956 had been withdrawn.

The locomotives were very versatile, despite having only 153 horsepower (114 kW) available, and were small enough to operate on any railway on the BR standard gauge network — except for the small problem that they were limited to 14+14 miles per hour (22.9 km/h). For a fleet of just five locomotives, they were also very reliable, although Stratford Docks, where they originally worked, was not noted for creating very hard labour.

01001 and 01002 survived in BR service because they were required to service the Holyhead Breakwater, being the only locomotives light enough for that track, the pair were used by William Wild & Sons Ltd[1]. 01001 was not used after 1973 but was cannibalised for spare parts to keep its sister loco in service. 01001 was withdrawn in 1979, and 01002 followed in 1981. 01002 had last run when the Breakwater Railway closed in July 1980. Both locomotives were cut up on site still carrying their original livery of British Railways black with black-and-yellow "wasp stripe" warning ends and the original British Railways "unicycling lion" emblem; they were the last locomotives in BR service to do so.

Table of withdrawals
Year Quantity in
service at
start of year
Quantity
withdrawn
Locomotive numbers Notes
1966 5 2 D2953/56 (i) Both went into industrial use
1967 3 1 D2956 (ii) Formerly Departmental No. 81
1968–78 2 0
1979 2 1 01001
1980 1 0
1981 1 1 01002

Fleet list[]

Locomotive Number Withdrawn Disposition
D2953 1966 Sold to Thames Matex Ltd., West Thurrock,[2] later preserved
D2956 (i) 1966 Sold into industrial use, later preserved
D2956 (ii) 1967 Scrapped
01 001 1979 Scrapped
01 002 1981 Scrapped

Technical details[]

Class 01 locomotives had a Gardner 6-cylinder in-line, 4-stroke 6L3 engine of 153 hp (114 kW) at 1,200 rpm connected to a Wilson SE4, 4-speed epicyclic gear box with a Vulcan-Sinclair type 23 rigid hydraulic coupling, and a Wiseman 15LGB reverse and final drive unit. The wheels were connected by coupling rods and driven by a jackshaft.

Preservation[]

Two pre-TOPS members survive in preservation:

Re-use of the '01' TOPS code[]

More recently, the sub-classification 01/5 has come into use to refer to small, privately owned shunters certified to run on the national network. As such, 01/5 is a collective grouping of a number of very different locomotives, having in common only that they are small, hitherto unclassified shunters of designs never given a BR classification.

References[]

  1. ^ Industrial Locomotives of Great Britain 1976. Smethwick, West Midlands: Industrial Railway Society. 1976. p. 231. ISBN 0-901096-27-X.
  2. ^ Industrial Locomotives 1982 including preserved and minor railway locomotives. Industrial Railway Society. 1982. ISBN 0 901096 43 1.
  3. ^ "Heritage Shunters Trust | www.HeritageShuntersTrust.com | Rowsley|". www.heritageshunterstrust.com. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  4. ^ "ELR Diesel Group - Class 01 D2956". www.elrdiesel.info. Retrieved 2 October 2021.

Further reading[]

External links[]

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