Severn Valley Railway Diesel Gala 2014.
Posted: October 6th, 2014, 12:31 am
This weekend the Severn Valley Railway held their annual diesel gala. I decided to drive to Kidderminster at the other end of the line to try the lighting there.
Either by accident or design there was an English Electric theme, types 1 to 5 as well as other types. Here is a selection of some of the 1oo plus photographs that I took.
Class 20, English Electric type 1. D8059. Unusually for a British locomotive, she is single ended, though they where generally run in pairs with the cabs to the ends. Designed as a freight engine, the class was introduced from 1957-67, they are Bo-Bo's with a weight of 73 tons, an output of 1000bhp giving a top speed of 75mph. 228 where built.
Class 40, English Electric type 2. 40106 "Atlantic Conveyor". Designed as a mixed traffic locomotive, the class was introduced from 1958-62, they are 1Co-Co1's with a weight of 132 tons, an output of 1550bhp giving a top speed of 90mph. Of the 200 built, 7 are left.
Class 37, English Electric type 3. 37109. Designed as a mixed traffic locomotive they excelled in the heavy freight role, the class was introduced from 1957-61, they are Co-Co's with a weight of 105 tons, an output of 1750bhp giving a top speed of 80mph. There where 309 built.
Class 50, English Electric type 4. 50015 "Valiant" 50026"Indomitable" and 50049 "Defiance". Derived from the Dp2 project ( a sort of mark 2 Deltic) they where designed as a fast passenger locomotive eventually finding a home in Western region replacing the class 52's running from London to south Wales and the west country. The class was introduced from 1967-68, they are Co-Co's with a weight of 117 tons, an output of 2070bhp giving a top speed of 100mph. 50 where built, and later they where all named after famous warships and approximately half are left.
Class 55, English Electric type 5. The famous Deltic's. D9009 "Alycidon" in green, and 55019 "Royal Highland Fusillier" in blue. Designed as a long distance express traffic locomotive, they used exclusively on the London Kings Cross to Edinburgh route, they replaced the Gresley A4 streamliners, and where themselves replaced in the early 1980's by the Intercity 125. The class was introduced from 1961-62, they are Co-Co's with a weight of 105 tons, though they look heavier in blue, and an output of 3300bhp giving a top speed of 100mph. Always excellent performers, due to their relatively complex nature, maintenance cost where high, which with the small number built, sealed their fate. Of the 22 built, 6 are left.
Class 52. Western Hydraulic. D1015 "Western Champion". Designed as an express locomotive for the Western region, at a time when the Western Region was still trying to keep it's identity as the Great Western Railway, so they alone employed hydraulic transmission while everyone else was using diesel- electric's. Arguably the most handsome diesel locomotive ever built, the class was introduced from 1961-64, they are C-C's with a weight of 110 tons, an output of 2070bhp giving a top speed of 90mph. Of the 74 built, 7 are left.
The Severn Valley Railways own Diesel Multiple unit.
Castle Class, Great Western Railway 4-6-0, "Earl of Mount Edgecombe". This engine was not part of the Gala, but is seen hauling a rail tour along the Worcester to Birmingham line, which is visible from Kidderminster station. Designed as a 4 cylinder express passenger and developed from the earlier Star class 4-6-0 locomotive, the class was introduced in 1923 the last one being built in the early 1950's by British Rail, they have a weight of 80 tons plus a 40 ton tender. 166 built, plus 6 Star engine where converted Castle class specification 8 are left.
Either by accident or design there was an English Electric theme, types 1 to 5 as well as other types. Here is a selection of some of the 1oo plus photographs that I took.
Class 20, English Electric type 1. D8059. Unusually for a British locomotive, she is single ended, though they where generally run in pairs with the cabs to the ends. Designed as a freight engine, the class was introduced from 1957-67, they are Bo-Bo's with a weight of 73 tons, an output of 1000bhp giving a top speed of 75mph. 228 where built.
Class 40, English Electric type 2. 40106 "Atlantic Conveyor". Designed as a mixed traffic locomotive, the class was introduced from 1958-62, they are 1Co-Co1's with a weight of 132 tons, an output of 1550bhp giving a top speed of 90mph. Of the 200 built, 7 are left.
Class 37, English Electric type 3. 37109. Designed as a mixed traffic locomotive they excelled in the heavy freight role, the class was introduced from 1957-61, they are Co-Co's with a weight of 105 tons, an output of 1750bhp giving a top speed of 80mph. There where 309 built.
Class 50, English Electric type 4. 50015 "Valiant" 50026"Indomitable" and 50049 "Defiance". Derived from the Dp2 project ( a sort of mark 2 Deltic) they where designed as a fast passenger locomotive eventually finding a home in Western region replacing the class 52's running from London to south Wales and the west country. The class was introduced from 1967-68, they are Co-Co's with a weight of 117 tons, an output of 2070bhp giving a top speed of 100mph. 50 where built, and later they where all named after famous warships and approximately half are left.
Class 55, English Electric type 5. The famous Deltic's. D9009 "Alycidon" in green, and 55019 "Royal Highland Fusillier" in blue. Designed as a long distance express traffic locomotive, they used exclusively on the London Kings Cross to Edinburgh route, they replaced the Gresley A4 streamliners, and where themselves replaced in the early 1980's by the Intercity 125. The class was introduced from 1961-62, they are Co-Co's with a weight of 105 tons, though they look heavier in blue, and an output of 3300bhp giving a top speed of 100mph. Always excellent performers, due to their relatively complex nature, maintenance cost where high, which with the small number built, sealed their fate. Of the 22 built, 6 are left.
Class 52. Western Hydraulic. D1015 "Western Champion". Designed as an express locomotive for the Western region, at a time when the Western Region was still trying to keep it's identity as the Great Western Railway, so they alone employed hydraulic transmission while everyone else was using diesel- electric's. Arguably the most handsome diesel locomotive ever built, the class was introduced from 1961-64, they are C-C's with a weight of 110 tons, an output of 2070bhp giving a top speed of 90mph. Of the 74 built, 7 are left.
The Severn Valley Railways own Diesel Multiple unit.
Castle Class, Great Western Railway 4-6-0, "Earl of Mount Edgecombe". This engine was not part of the Gala, but is seen hauling a rail tour along the Worcester to Birmingham line, which is visible from Kidderminster station. Designed as a 4 cylinder express passenger and developed from the earlier Star class 4-6-0 locomotive, the class was introduced in 1923 the last one being built in the early 1950's by British Rail, they have a weight of 80 tons plus a 40 ton tender. 166 built, plus 6 Star engine where converted Castle class specification 8 are left.