British Rail Class ES1
Encyclopedia
British Rail Class ES1 was a class of two electric locomotive
s commissioned by the North Eastern Railway
in 1902. They were of steeplecab
design.
Both locomotives passed to the London and North Eastern Railway
in 1923 and then to British Railways in 1948, but both were withdrawn before TOPS
.
for railways. As part of a 1902 scheme to electrify the suburban railway networks in the Tyneside
area, the NER's Chief Mechanical Engineer, Wilson Worsdell
, also wished to electrify a 3/4 mile, horseshoe-shaped freight line that went from Trafalgar Yard in Manors
to Newcastle
Quayside Yard. Passing through three tunnels, this line had gradients as steep as 1:27 and a number of sharp curves: it presented a formidable challenge for steam traction. Working conditions inside the tunnels were atrocious because the locomotives had to work exceptionally hard to manage the gradients which meant they produced vast quantities of choking fumes that could not disperse from the tunnels; the sparks they produced were a constant fire risk to the flammable packing materials in the yards. Electrification was the obvious answer.
The specification for new electric locomotives demanded that they be able to start a train of 150 tons on the steepest gradient, while on the level they were expected to be able to haul 300 tons at 14 mph. The end-to-end journey on the branch was to be completed in 4.5 minutes.
The steeplecab electric locomotive was developed in the USA, and in 1900 General Electric
and Thomson-Houston designed and built a locomotive of this type for the Milan-Varese
railway in Italy, electrified at 650v DC using the 3rd rail
system. That railway opened in 1901, and the locomotive design proved successful. The North Eastern Railway's ES1s were derived from that American design, although they were designed from the start for both 3rd rail and overhead operation: the Newcastle Quay branch used both systems—3rd rail in the tunnels, and overhead lines
on the rest of the line.
A contract was signed with the British Thomson-Houston company on 15 December 1902, for delivery by the end of the following year. British Thomson-Houston sub-contracted the mechanical parts to Brush Electrical Engineering Co.
The electrified line was operational from 5 June 1905 and in the following year both locomotives performed exceptionally well. In 1906 they were fitted with electric heaters, the men having complained they were too cold on a wintry mornings. A few years later the bow pantographs originally fitted on their bonnets were removed, and a pantograph installed on the roof instead. With few other changes they remained in operation until the line was de-electrified and they were replaced with diesel locomotives on 29 February 1964. The line was closed five years later.
Early photographs show the locomotives with "CLASS ELECTRIC 1" painted on the bufferbeams, but this does not appear in official records. In common with other LNER electric locomotives, no classification was given to these locomotives until 4 October 1945, when nos. 1 & 2 were classified ES1 (Electric Shunting 1). No. 1 exchanged numbers with class D3 steam locomotive no. 4075 on 30 September 1944, but after the steam locomotive was again renumbered (to no. 2000), the electric locomotive was able to resume its original number on 24 October 1944. On 14 June 1946, nos. 1 & 2 were renumbered to 6480/1; and under British Railways, they became nos. 26500/1 in April 1948.
's number scheme) was transferred to Leciester Railway Museum. After that closed, in 1977 it was taken into the National Collection of the National Railway Museum
, and is currently on display at Locomotion
, Shildon.
Electric locomotive
An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...
s commissioned by the North Eastern Railway
North Eastern Railway (UK)
The North Eastern Railway , was an English railway company. It was incorporated in 1854, when four existing companies were combined, and was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923...
in 1902. They were of steeplecab
Steeplecab
In railroad terminology, a steeplecab is a style or design of electric locomotive; the term is rarely if ever used for other forms of power...
design.
Both locomotives passed to the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
in 1923 and then to British Railways in 1948, but both were withdrawn before TOPS
TOPS
Total Operations Processing System, or TOPS, is a computer system for managing the locomotives and rolling stock owned by a rail system...
.
History
The North Eastern Railway was an enthusiastic and relatively early adopter of electric tractionRailway electrification in Great Britain
Railway electrification in Great Britain started towards of the 19th century. A great range of voltages have been used in the intervening period using both overhead lines and third rails, however the most common standard for mainline services is now 25 kV AC using overhead lines and the...
for railways. As part of a 1902 scheme to electrify the suburban railway networks in the Tyneside
Tyneside
Tyneside is a conurbation in North East England, defined by the Office of National Statistics, which is home to over 80% of the population of Tyne and Wear. It includes the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the Metropolitan Boroughs of Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside — all settlements on...
area, the NER's Chief Mechanical Engineer, Wilson Worsdell
Wilson Worsdell
Wilson Worsdell was a British locomotive engineer who was locomotive superintendent of the North Eastern Railway from 1890 to 1910. He was the younger brother of T.W. Worsdell.-Family:...
, also wished to electrify a 3/4 mile, horseshoe-shaped freight line that went from Trafalgar Yard in Manors
Manors railway station
Manors railway station is located in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is connected to the East Coast Main Line and all trains serving it are operated by Northern Rail...
to Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
Quayside Yard. Passing through three tunnels, this line had gradients as steep as 1:27 and a number of sharp curves: it presented a formidable challenge for steam traction. Working conditions inside the tunnels were atrocious because the locomotives had to work exceptionally hard to manage the gradients which meant they produced vast quantities of choking fumes that could not disperse from the tunnels; the sparks they produced were a constant fire risk to the flammable packing materials in the yards. Electrification was the obvious answer.
The specification for new electric locomotives demanded that they be able to start a train of 150 tons on the steepest gradient, while on the level they were expected to be able to haul 300 tons at 14 mph. The end-to-end journey on the branch was to be completed in 4.5 minutes.
The steeplecab electric locomotive was developed in the USA, and in 1900 General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
and Thomson-Houston designed and built a locomotive of this type for the Milan-Varese
Ferrovie Nord Milano
450px|thumb|Map of the main branch of the FNM lines. FNM operates also the [[Brescia]]-[[Edolo]] railway in eastern [[Lombardy]], not shown in map.Ferrovie Nord Milano is an Italian public transport company: the second largest railway company in Italy. It operates primarily in the northern Italian...
railway in Italy, electrified at 650v DC using the 3rd rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
system. That railway opened in 1901, and the locomotive design proved successful. The North Eastern Railway's ES1s were derived from that American design, although they were designed from the start for both 3rd rail and overhead operation: the Newcastle Quay branch used both systems—3rd rail in the tunnels, and overhead lines
Overhead lines
Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...
on the rest of the line.
A contract was signed with the British Thomson-Houston company on 15 December 1902, for delivery by the end of the following year. British Thomson-Houston sub-contracted the mechanical parts to Brush Electrical Engineering Co.
Brush Traction
This article is about a British rail-locomotive maker. For the Detroit auto-maker, see Brush Motor Car CompanyBrush Traction is a manufacturer and maintainer of railway locomotives, part of the FKI group , based at Loughborough in Leicestershire, England situated alongside the Midland Main Line.-...
The electrified line was operational from 5 June 1905 and in the following year both locomotives performed exceptionally well. In 1906 they were fitted with electric heaters, the men having complained they were too cold on a wintry mornings. A few years later the bow pantographs originally fitted on their bonnets were removed, and a pantograph installed on the roof instead. With few other changes they remained in operation until the line was de-electrified and they were replaced with diesel locomotives on 29 February 1964. The line was closed five years later.
Early photographs show the locomotives with "CLASS ELECTRIC 1" painted on the bufferbeams, but this does not appear in official records. In common with other LNER electric locomotives, no classification was given to these locomotives until 4 October 1945, when nos. 1 & 2 were classified ES1 (Electric Shunting 1). No. 1 exchanged numbers with class D3 steam locomotive no. 4075 on 30 September 1944, but after the steam locomotive was again renumbered (to no. 2000), the electric locomotive was able to resume its original number on 24 October 1944. On 14 June 1946, nos. 1 & 2 were renumbered to 6480/1; and under British Railways, they became nos. 26500/1 in April 1948.
Specification
- Numbers: (NER) 1-2; (LNER) 6480-6481; (BR) 26500-26501
- Wheel arrangement: Bo-Bo
- Introduced: 1905
- Builder: British Thomson-HoustonBritish Thomson-HoustonBritish Thomson-Houston was a British engineering and heavy industrial company, based at Rugby, Warwickshire, England. They were known primarily for their electrical systems and steam turbines. They were merged with the similar Metropolitan-Vickers company in 1928, but the two maintained their own...
, with mechanical parts sub-contracted to BrushBrush TractionThis article is about a British rail-locomotive maker. For the Detroit auto-maker, see Brush Motor Car CompanyBrush Traction is a manufacturer and maintainer of railway locomotives, part of the FKI group , based at Loughborough in Leicestershire, England situated alongside the Midland Main Line.-...
, for North Eastern RailwayNorth Eastern Railway (UK)The North Eastern Railway , was an English railway company. It was incorporated in 1854, when four existing companies were combined, and was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923... - Weight: 56 tons
- Motors: 4x160hp, British Thomson-HoustonBritish Thomson-HoustonBritish Thomson-Houston was a British engineering and heavy industrial company, based at Rugby, Warwickshire, England. They were known primarily for their electrical systems and steam turbines. They were merged with the similar Metropolitan-Vickers company in 1928, but the two maintained their own...
- Total power: 640 hp (477 KW)
- Supply: 600V DC third-rail and overhead
- Max speed: 25 mph (according to the National Railway Museum, who also state this is unverified)
Preservation
From 1968 ES1 (number 26500 under British RailBritish Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
's number scheme) was transferred to Leciester Railway Museum. After that closed, in 1977 it was taken into the National Collection of the National Railway Museum
National Railway Museum
The National Railway Museum is a museum in York forming part of the British National Museum of Science and Industry and telling the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It has won many awards, including the European Museum of the Year Award in 2001...
, and is currently on display at Locomotion
Shildon Locomotion Museum
Shildon Locomotion Museum is a railway museum in Shildon, County Durham, England. The museum is a branch of the National Railway Museum , which is part of the National Museum of Science and Industry...
, Shildon.