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EE & RSH Ltd 20 Bo-Bo


Locomotive History
Information and History

The final and most successful batch of Type A (Type 1) locomotives ordered under the Modernisation Plan were the English Electric series, now classified Class 20. The initial order placed in 1956 was for just 20 locomotives, however following subsequent orders a total production run of 228 locomotives ensued.

The English Electric Co. after receiving the contract for 20 pilot scheme locomotives, (allocated numbers D8000- D8019) sub-contracted the mechanical construction to the Vulcan Foundry works at Newton-Ie-Willows where construction commenced during mid 1957. The body styling followed the other pilot scheme Type A locomotives, having a single cab at one end, but was far more streamlined in appearance following closely previous EE constructed locomotives for New Zealand and Tasmania. After the first locomotive was completed testing was carried out in the Penrith area before the locomotive was handed over to the BTC at Euston. The allocation of all 20 pilot order locomotives was to Devons Road Bow, from where freight and local passenger duties were operated. The design was an immediate success and before all 20 were available, running and testing trials were being carried out all over the LMR and even in Scotland. Before the final locomotive of the pilot order was delivered a subsequent order had been placed for 30 locomotives for delivery at the end of 1959. These 30 locomotives, intended for use on the Eastern and Scottish Regions, were constructed equally by Vulcan Foundry and Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns.

During the ensuing months other repeat orders were placed with English Electric for identical locomotives until 128 were in traffic by July 1962. Production then ceased in favour of the ’Standard Type 1 'C|ayton’ locomotives then on order. As time proved the new 'Standard' Type 1 was to be little less than disastrous and subsequently a further 100 English Electric Type 1s were ordered in the mid 1960s with delivery from mid 1966, construction of this batch being awarded to Vulcan Foundry. With the delivery of the 100 additional locomotives insufficient straight numbering in the D80xx and D81xx range remained, and as the D82xx series was already in use the additional locomotives carried on in the D83xx series. The prime mover installed in the EE Type 1s was the well established English Electric 8SVT Mk111 with electric equipment also being provided by English Electric. When built all locomotives were fitted with vacuum brake only equipment, however over the years dual brake equipment has been fitted to all remaining serviceable locomotives.

A number of detail differences exist within the EE Type 1, later Class 20 fleet. The first 128 locomotives were constructed with disc style train reporting equipment, while all subsequent locomotives sport 4-character alpha/ numerical reporting equipment. Locomotives built for Scottish operation are fitted with space for token exchange apparatus, while round and oval buffers were fitted at various times during the build. Once the entire fleet of BR Class 20s was in service allocation was shared between the London Midland, Eastern and Scottish Regions, with the class visiting both Western and Southern Regions at times.

Under more recent rationalisation of BR motive power the Class 20s are one of the few classes that are undergoing major refurbishing to keep them ’on the road' for many years to come. A considerable number have in the early 1980s passed through BREL works for major refurbishing, emerging without train reporting equipment, frontal identification being provided by sealed beam marker lights. Much work has also been carried out internally. Withdrawals of some life expired machines commenced in the mid 1980s, but usually only where spare parts were required or locomotives had suffered collision damage that was outside repair budgets.

When constructed the entire fleet was painted in BR standard green livery, yellow warning panels and later full yellow ends being progessively applied. After blue was adopted as the standard livery, the entire class were repainted into this scheme with of course full yellow warning ends. With the implementation of the operating sectors in the 1980s and the Class 20 fleet being allocated primarily to the 'Rai|freight’ sector, a number of machines have emerged in the 'RaiIfreight' grey livery with wrap around yellow ends, giving a somewhat different appearance to these 25-30 year old workhorses.

In July 1988 No. 20088 was outshopped in new Railfreight sub-sector colours and others have emerged with headlights.


The first of the B.R. "pilot scheme" diesels


From Trains Illustrated No 106 (July, 1957). Reproduced with the kind permission of Ian Allan Publishing Ltd

The first of British Railways "pilot scheme" main line diesel-electric locomotives was handed over to the B.T.C. at a ceremony at Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows, on June 2. Numbered D8000, it introduces 20 type "A" 1,000 h.p. locomotives to be built by English Electric and their associates, Vulcan Foundry, which are to be allocated to the L.M.R. The locomotives are described by the makers as mixed traffic, but they are primarily freight power. They are not equipped with coach-heating boilers, but they have train pipes to transmit the heat from a boiler-fitted locomotive of one of the “B" or "C" type diesels to come if they are required to work multiple-unit with one on a passenger train ; and they are, of course, suitable to work passenger trains in summer when train heating is not required. They can work multiple unit with other locomotives of the same class, with the "B" and "C" types English Electric are building for B.R. (the first of the latter is expected out in late September) and with the "A," "B" and "C" types of many other manufacturers. No. D8000 is finished in unlined green, with light grey-green on top of the bonnet "hood," and white numerals.

No. D8000 was to undergo trials from Derby in the latter part of June, and thereafter it was to be allocated to Devons Road, Bow, for cross-London freight working. The succeeding locomotives of the class will also go to Devons Road, which is being transformed into the first all-diesel motive power depot in Britain. A total of 31 diesel units will take over the jobs formerly requiring a stud of 41 steam locomotives.

The diesel power plant is an English Electric 8 SVT Mk. II rated at 1,000 h.p. at 850 r.p.m. ; it is an eight-cylinder "V"- form engine operating on the four stroke cycle and supercharged by two Napier exhaust-gas driven turbo-superchargers. The main generator for the traction motors, a d.c., self-ventilated, single-bearing machine with a continuous rating of 1,070 amps. at 600 volts, is bolted up solidly to the diesel engine and forms an easily removable integral unit with an overhung auxiliary generator ; the latter is provided for battery-charging, to drive the air compressor for the locomotive’s air brakes, sanding gear, air horns and electro-pneumatic control gear, to power the train vacuum brake exhauster and the traction motor ventilation blowers.

Four axle-hung, nose-suspended traction motors drive the road wheels through single reduction spur gearing. They are series-wound d.c. machines, and in order to extend the range of locomotive speeds over which full engine power is available, provision is made for weakening their field strength by field divert resistances. The motors have a continuous rating of 600 amps. at a nominal 300 volts, and are connected in two parallel groups of two in series across the main generator. Wheel slip protection circuits are included ; these reduce slipping tendency, but if it does occur the tractive effort is automatically reduced and a warning light on his control desk advises the driver. Additional warning lights indicate that the diesel engine has shut down or the presence of a fault, such as high water temperature or a failed traction motor blower ; in the event of low lubricating oil pressure or low cooling water level, the diesel engine is automatically shut down.

There are two master controllers, one at each driving position. The speed of the diesel engine may be continuously varied from 450 r.p.m. to 850 r.p.m. and its loading is automatically adjusted so that it will deliver the maximum available power output corresponding to the selected engine speed. The advantage of this system is that for a given load demand, the diesel engine runs at the lowest possible speed at which that demand can be met. Fuel consumption is therefore reduced, and in addition the wear and tear on the engine is minimised. Timken roller bearings are fitted on all axles.

The brake gear is the Oerlikon type manufactured by Davis & Metcalfe. At each driving position there are two brake handles, one controlling the straight air locomotive brake, the other the vacuum train brake. A vacuum/air proportional valve on the locomotive ensures that when a vacuum brake application is made on the train, there is an automatic proportional application of the locomotive air brake.

The driver’s controls have been very neatly built into duplicate pre-fabricated desks, one at the left-hand forward, the other at the left-hand reverse driving position. A deadman’s pedal is provided, and an additional pedal operates the sanding gear. Every consideration has been given to the comfort of the locomotive crew. ln addition to the well-upholstered seats, up to 4/kW. of cab heating is available and special heater has been built into each control desk to supply warm air to the driver’s feet. There is even the refinement of a cooker.