British Rail Class 10 Explained

British Rail Class 10
Powertype:Diesel-electric
Builder:BR Darlington Works (140) and Doncaster Works (6)
Builddate:1955–1962
Totalproduction:146
Primemover:Blackstone ER6T
Transmission:Diesel-electric, double reduction gearing
Tractionmotors:GEC WT821 nose suspended, 2 off
Whytetype:0-6-0
Uicclass:C
Wheeldiameter:4feet
Trainbrakes:Vacuum
Wheelbase:11feet
Length:29feet
Width:8feet
Height:12feet
Locoweight:48.6sigfig=3NaNsigfig=3
Maxspeed:200NaN0
Poweroutput:Engine: 350abbr=on0abbr=on
Tractiveeffort:Maximum: 35000lbf
Continuous: 111001NaN1
Fuelcap:668impgal
Trainheating:None
Multipleworking:Not fitted
Axleloadclass:RA 5
Operator:British Railways
Fleetnumbers:13137–13151; later D3137–D3151, D3439–D3453, D3473–D3502, D3612–D3651, D4049–D4094
Withdrawndate:February 1967- June 1972
Disposition:Four preserved, remainder scrapped

The British Rail Class 10 diesel locomotives are a variant of the standard Class 08 diesel-electric shunter with a Lister Blackstone diesel engine and General Electric Company plc (GEC) traction motors. The locomotives were built at the BR Works in Darlington and Doncaster over the period 1955–1962, and were withdrawn between February 1967 and June 1972.

Background

British Railways built four main variants of its standard large diesel-electric shunter. Those fitted with a Lister Blackstone diesel engine were classified D3/4 if they had GEC traction motors and D3/5 with British Thomson-Houston (BTH) traction motors. The D3/4 locomotives were later reclassified to become Class 10 under TOPS.[1]

Technical details

The locomotives had the same general outline, 0-6-0 wheel arrangement and outside frames as the earlier Class 11, built originally for the London, Midland and Scottish Railway after 1945, and perpetuated by British Railways as the Class 08. However, they were fitted with Lister Blackstone 6-cylinder, 4-stroke, ER6T engines and two GEC nose suspended motors.[2]

Building and use

The first batch of thirty locomotives, originally numbered 13137–13151, (later renumbered D3137–D3151) were built at Darlington works during 1955, and allocated to motive power depots in the North Eastern Region of British Railways, notably Thornaby.[3] Further batches were built at Darlington as follows: D3439–D3453 (1957); D3473–D3491 (1957/8); D3612–D3651 (1958); D4049–D4094 (1961/2). These were allocated to the Eastern Region of British Railways particularly in the London area. Six examples, D3497–D3502, were built at Doncaster (1957/8). The class eventually numbered 146 locomotives.

Withdrawal

As they were non-standard, compared to the 08 class they had relatively short lives and were withdrawn between February 1967 and June 1972. Twenty locomotives were sold to industrial customers.

Table of withdrawals! Year !! Quantity in
service at
start of year !! Quantity
withdrawn !! Locomotive numbers
1967 146 6 align=left D3151, D3449/96, D3620/28/31.
1968 140 77 align=left D3139–40/42/46–48/51,
D3439–48/50–53/73–78/80–82/84–85/87–91/93–95/97–99.
D3500–02, D3624–27/30/32–33/35–37/40/43,
D4064/71/76/80–94.
1969 63 21 align=left D3143–44, D3479/83/92,
D3612–14/16–19/21/23/29/38–39/42/45/47/49.
1970 41 9 align=left D3137/49, D3486, D3638/44/47, D4052/67/77.
1971 34 14 align=left D3141, D3634/41/46/48/50–51, D4050–51/53/55/59–60/65.
1972 20 20 align=left D3138/45, D4049/54/56–58/61–63/66/68–70/72–75/78–79.

Post BR Use

!Locomotive Number!Location!Disposition
D3452E.C.C. Ports Ltd., Fowey Jetties[4] Preserved - Bodmin and Wenford Railway
D3476E.C.C Ports Ltd., Fowey JettiesScrapped
D3497E.C.C. Ports Ltd., Fowey JettiesScrapped

Preservation

Four examples have been preserved:

Notes and References

  1. Book: Strickland, D.C. . Locomotive directory: every single one there has ever been. Diesel and Electric Group. 1982 . Camberley. 53 . 0-906375-10-X.
  2. Book: Oakley, Michael . Diesel shunting locos: a pictorial history . Bradford Barton. 1979 . Truro . [10–11] . 0-85153-361-2.
  3. Book: British Railways Locomotives and Locoshed Book 1959 . Ian Allan. 1959 . Shepperton . 0-7110-0726-8.
  4. Book: Industrial Locomotives 1982 including preserved and minor railway locomotives. Industrial Railway Society. 1982. 0-901096-43-1.