British Rail Class 01
Encyclopedia
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.
(Scotland
) in 1956. They were numbered 11503-11506, then D2953-2956, and two survived long enough to enter the BR TOPS system as 01 001 (D2954) and 01 002 (D2955). 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 It was originally No. 81 but was renumbered D2956 in July 1967 after the original D2956 had been withdrawn.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 hp 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 14¼ mph (22.8 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.
01 001 and 01 002 survived in BR service because they were required to service the Holyhead
breakwater
, being the only locomotives light enough for that track. 01 001 was not used after 1973 but was cannibalised for spare parts to keep its sister loco in service. 01 001 was withdrawn in 1979, and 01 002 followed in 1981. 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.
, 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 rod
s and driven by a jackshaft
.
. 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.
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
was a short wheelbase
Wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels.- Road :In automobiles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel...
0-4-0
0-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-4-0 represents one of the simplest possible types, that with two axles and four coupled wheels, all of which are driven...
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 KilmarnockKilmarnock
Kilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,734. It is the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'...
(Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
) in 1956. They were numbered 11503-11506, then D2953-2956, and two survived long enough to enter the BR TOPS system as 01 001 (D2954) and 01 002 (D2955). Their original depot allocation was to Stratford
Stratford, London
Stratford is a place in the London Borough of Newham, England. It is located east northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an agrarian settlement in the ancient parish of West Ham, which transformed into an industrial suburb...
(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 hp 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 14¼ mph (22.8 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.
01 001 and 01 002 survived in BR service because they were required to service the Holyhead
Holyhead
Holyhead is the largest town in the county of Anglesey in the North Wales. It is also a major port adjacent to the Irish Sea serving Ireland....
breakwater
Breakwater (structure)
Breakwaters are structures constructed on coasts as part of coastal defence or to protect an anchorage from the effects of weather and longshore drift.-Purposes of breakwaters:...
, being the only locomotives light enough for that track. 01 001 was not used after 1973 but was cannibalised for spare parts to keep its sister loco in service. 01 001 was withdrawn in 1979, and 01 002 followed in 1981. 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.
Technical details
Class 01 locomotives had a Gardner 6 cylinder in-lineStraight-6
The straight-six engine or inline-six engine is a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase...
, 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 rod
Coupling rod
right|thumb|connecting rod and coupling rods attached to a small locomotive driving wheelA coupling rod or side rod connects the driving wheels of a locomotive. Steam locomotives in particular usually have them, but some diesel and electric locomotives, especially older ones and shunters, also have...
s and driven by a jackshaft
Jackshaft
A jackshaft is a device for turning the wheels of a locomotive. It is essentially an axle with no wheels. Each end of the jackshaft has a crank pin and a counterweight. The driving wheels are then connected by side rods. The name may come from a combination of "jack," a slang term for a locomotive,...
.
Preservation
Two survive in preservation:- D2953 by Heritage Shunters TrustHeritage Shunters TrustHeritage Shunters Trust is a trading name of The South Yorkshire Railway Co. Ltd. which was founded in 1989. HST is a railway preservation society and is the only preservation society that solely specialises in the preservation of diesel shunters in the UK...
- the first D2956 on the East Lancashire RailwayEast Lancashire RailwayThe East Lancashire Railway is a heritage railway in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, England.-Overview:After formal closure by British Rail in 1982, the line was reopened on 25 July 1987. The initial service operated between Bury and Ramsbottom, via Summerseat. In 1991 the service was extended...
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 networkNetwork Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
. 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.