British Rail Class 27 Explained

BRCW Type 2 British Rail Class 27
Powertype:	Diesel-electric
Fleetnumbers:	D5347–D5415; later 27001–27066
Builder:	Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company
Builddate:	1961–1962
Firstrundate:	1961
Totalproduction:	69
Serialnumber:	DEL190–DEL258
Primemover:	Sulzer 6LDA28-B
Generator:	DC
Tractionmotors:	four GEC WT459 DC traction motors
Transmission:	Diesel electric
Britishclass:	Bo-Bo
Uicclass:	Bo'Bo'
Wheeldiameter:	3feet
Minimumcurve:	5chain
Trainbrakes:	Initially 14 dual-braked, 10 fitted with additional air brakes later on. Remainder vacuum only.
Locobrakeforce:	34abbr=onNaNabbr=on
Wheelbase:	39feet
Length:	50feet
Width:	8feet
Height:	12feet
Locoweight:	Originally: 72.5sigfig=3NaNsigfig=3 71t76t
Maxspeed:	900NaN0
Poweroutput:	Engine: 1250abbr=on0abbr=on @750 rpm At rail: 933hp
Tractiveeffort:	Maximum: 42000lbf Continuous: 25000sigfig=3NaNsigfig=3
Fuelcap:	685impgal
Trainheating:	As built, Steam generator subclass 27/2, Electric Train Heating, Houchin 120kW alternator powered by Deutz 8-cylinder air-cooled diesel engine, type F8L413
Multipleworking:	★ Blue Star
Axleloadclass:	Route availability 6 (RA 5 from 1969)
Operator:	British Railways
Retiredate:	1966, 1975-1987
Disposition:	8 preserved, remainder scrapped

The British Rail Class 27 is a diesel locomotive built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company (BRCW) during 1961 and 1962. They were a development of the earlier Class 26; both were originally classified as the BRCW Type 2. The Class 27s were numbered D5347-D5415.^[1]

Working life

Distribution of locomotives,
March 1974^[2]

Code	Name	Quantity
ED		57
HA		11
Withdrawn (1966)		1
Total built:	69

Original allocations were D5347–D5369 to Glasgow Eastfield, D5370–D5378 to Thornaby and D5379–D5415 to London Cricklewood for Tilbury Boat trains and Cross-London freight services. In the period September to December 1963, some of the Cricklewood allocation were transferred to Leicester and in December 1965 the Thornaby allocation was also nominally transferred to Leicester to join them. Traffic changes combined with reallocation of Class 25s led to the gradual transfer of the Leicester and Cricklewood locomotives to Scotland during 1969 thus concentrating the whole class within Scotland and being part of the replacement fleet that allowed the withdrawal of the poorly performing Clayton Class 17 locomotives from traffic. For many years they were extensively used on the West Highland Line.

By September 1986, the final vacuum brake only locomotives had been withdrawn, regular duties on passenger services had ceased and only twenty-one of the class remained, allocated entirely to Eastfield depot. A mass withdrawal in July 1987 due to the presence of blue asbestos left 27008 as the last in service. Its final working was on 13 August and the loco was officially withdrawn on 19 August 1987. The Class 27s were actually outlived by the older Class 26s, whose less powerful engines were more reliable.

Sub-classes

• 27/0: Locomotives as built with steam heating (excluding 27024–27031)
• 27/1: Locomotives converted in 1971–1973 for push pull operation, renumbered back to 27/0 after conversion starting in 1982.
• 27/2: Locomotives converted in 1973–1976 with Electric Train Heat, renumbered back to 27/0 after conversion starting in 1982.

Edinburgh-Glasgow push-pull operation

By the late 1960s, the Swindon-built Inter City DMUs operating the - express service were becoming unreliable. In 1970 the decision was made to replace them with locomotive-hauled carriages. So between 1971 and 1973, twenty-four Class 27s were fitted-up with dual (vacuum and air) brakes and reclassified Class 27/1, while 36 Mark 2 carriages (7 brake second opens, 22 open seconds, and 7 corridor firsts) swapped their vacuum-operated shoe brakes for air-operated disc brakes and were though-wired with "Blue Star" control cables to enable "top and tail" push-pull working. It was later decided that as the Mark 2 stock was dual (steam or electric) heated, to convert half the 27/1 fleet to electric train heat, by replacing the train heating boiler with a Deutz 8-cylinder, air-cooled diesel engine and alternator. The conversions were then classified as Class 27/2, and were used on one end of the train, with a 27/1 on the other.

The very intensive 90mph "push-pull" service was demanding on the locomotives and reliability started to suffer. The 27/2s, especially, appeared prone to fire damage, especially from their electric train heating alternators. The push-pull sets were replaced in 1980 by single Class 47/7s at one end of a rake of Mark 2 carriages and a DBSO. The Class 27/1s and 27/2s were then renumbered to 27/0 and could often be found on Edinburgh-Dundee semi-fast passenger services, until their replacement, briefly by and subsequently by Sprinter DMUs in 1987, whilst the remainder were largely used on freight.

Accidents and incidents

• On 30 June 1962, locomotive D5386 was in a minor collision with a diesel multiple unit at Cricklewood carriage sidings, London due to confusion over a hand signal. The engine is now preserved and stored at Barrow Hill Roundhouse.^[3]
• On 25 August 1965, locomotive D5383 was heading a freight train that collided with the rear on another freight train at East Langton. It was taken to Derby Works for evaluation, but was withdrawn in January the following year.^[4]
• Locomotive 27 044 was severely damaged by fire before 5 September 1980. It was consequently withdrawn and scrapped.^[5]

Fleet list

! Original
D-series
No.! First
TOPS No.! Second
TOPS No.! Third
TOPS No.! BRCW
serial No.! Date built! Date withdrawn! Notes

D5347	27001	—	—	DEL190			Preserved
D5348	27002	—	—	DEL191
D5349	27003	—	—	DEL192
D5350	1961	27004	—	—	DEL193
D5351	27005	—	—	DEL194			Preserved
D5352	27006	—	—	DEL195
D5353	27007	—	—	DEL196			Preserved
D5354	27008	—	—	DEL197
D5355	27009	—	—	DEL198			Withdrawn due to fire damage
D5356	27010	—	—	DEL199
D5357	27011	—	—	DEL200
D5358	27012	—	—	DEL201
D5359	27013	—	—	DEL202
D5360	27014	—	—	DEL203
D5361	27015	—	—	DEL204			Withdrawn due to accident damage
D5362	27016	—	—	DEL205
D5363	27017	—	—	DEL206
D5364	27018	—	—	DEL207
D5365	27019	—	—	DEL208
D5366	27020	—	—	DEL209
D5367	27021	—	—	DEL210
D5368	27022	—	—	DEL211
D5369	27023	—	—	DEL212
D5370	27024	ADB968028	—	DEL213			Preserved
D5371	27025	—	—	DEL214
D5372	27026	—	—	DEL215
D5373	27027	—	—	DEL216
D5374	27101	27045	—	DEL217
D5375	27028	—	—	DEL218
D5376	27029	—	—	DEL219
D5377	27030	—	—	DEL220
D5378	27031	—	—	DEL221			Withdrawn due to fire damage
D5379	27032	—	—	DEL222
D5380	27102	27046	—	DEL223
D5381	27033	—	—	DEL224
D5382	27034	—	—	DEL225
D5383	—	—	—	DEL226			Withdrawn due to accident damage at East Langton, 20 August 1965
D5384	27035	—	—	DEL227
D5385	27036	—	—	DEL228
D5386	27103	27212	27066	DEL229			Preserved
D5387	27104	27048	—	DEL230
D5388	27105	27049	—	DEL231
D5389	27037	—	—	DEL232
D5390	27038	—	—	DEL233
D5391	27119	27201	—	DEL234
D5392	27120	27202	—	DEL235			Withdrawn due to fire damage
D5393	27121	27203	27057	DEL236
D5394	27106	27050	—	DEL237			Preserved
D5395	27107	27051	—	DEL238
D5396	27108	27052	—	DEL239
D5397	27109	27053	—	DEL240
D5398	27039	—	—	DEL241
D5399	27110	27054	—	DEL242
D5400	27111	27055	—	DEL243
D5401	27112	27056	—	DEL244			Preserved
D5402	27040	—	—	DEL245
D5403	27122	27204	27058	DEL246
D5404	27133	27207	27061	DEL247
D5405	27041	—	—	DEL248
D5406	27042	—	—	DEL249
D5407	27114	27208	27062	DEL250
D5408	27115	27209	27063	DEL251
D5409	27116	27210	27064	DEL252			27116 allocated, but never carried
D5410	27123	27205	27059	DEL253			Preserved
D5411	27117	27211	27065	DEL254
D5412	27124	27206	27060	DEL255
D5413	27118	27103	27047	DEL256
D5414	27043	—	—	DEL257			Withdrawn due to fire damage
D5415	27044	—	—	DEL258			Withdrawn due to fire damage

Preserved locomotives

Eight examples of the class have been preserved at various heritage railways in Great Britain.^[6] Two members of this class were rescued from Vic Berry's Scrapyard in the 1980s. D5410/27059 was rescued from Vic Berry's Scrapyard in September 1987 ^[7] and D5401/27056 was also rescued from there in October 1987.^[8]

Numbers (current in bold)				Livery	Location	Image	Condition
D5347	27001			BR Blue	Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway		Fully operational
D5351	27005			BR Blue	Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway		Stored, awaiting restoration
D5353	27007			BR Green	Caledonian Railway (Brechin)		Stored, awaiting restoration
D5370	27024	ADB968028		BR Green (Yellow Warning Panels)	Caledonian Railway (Brechin)		Serviceable
D5386	27103	27212	27066	BR Blue	Barrow Hill Roundhouse		Stored, Running
D5394	27106	27050		BR Green (no Yellow Warning Panels)	Strathspey Railway		Serviceable
D5401	27112	27056		BR Blue	Great Central Railway		Under Repairs
D5410	27123	27205	27059	BR Green	UK Rail Leasing, Leicester		Under Restoration

Model railways

During the 1980s, Minitrix produced Class 27 models in British N gauge. In 2013, Dapol introduced DCC-ready models of 27032 in BR blue and D5356 in BR green, also in British N gauge.^{[9] [10]}

References

• Book: Harris, Roger . The Allocation History of BR Diesels and Electrics . Roger Harris . 1985. 2nd . Bromsgrove .
• Book: Marsden, Colin J. . Motive power recognition:1 Locomotives . Ian Allan Ltd . 1981 . Shepperton . 0-7110-1109-5.
• Book: Oakley, Michael . BR Class 26/27 Diesels . D Bradford Barton . 1981 . Truro . 0-85153-418-X.
  • Book: Tayler, A.T.H . Ian Allan Ltd . BR Locomotives:2 Sulzer Types 2 and 3 . 1984 . 0-7110-1340-3.
• Book: Brian . Webb . Brian Webb (railway historian) . Sulzer Diesel Locomotives of British Rail . David & Charles . 1978 . 0715375148.
• Book: Williams, Alan . Percival, David . British Railways Locomotives and Multiple Units including Preserved Locomotives 1977 . Ian Allan Ltd . 1977 . Shepperton . 0-7110-0751-9.
• Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives, 1983 edition

Further reading

• Book: British Rail Main Line Diesel Locomotives. Colin J.. Marsden. Graham B.. Fenn. 112–117. Haynes. Sparkford. 1988. 9780860933182. 17916362.
• Book: Vehicle Diagram Book No. 100 for Main Line Diesel Locomotives. Barrowmore MRG. British Railways Board. Derby. October 1984. 14–15, 35, 69–77 (per pdf).
• Book: Warner, Alan . The Deadman's Pedal . 2012 . Jonathan Cape . 978-0-224-07170-3 .
• Short and snappy. Fred. Kerr. Rail Enthusiast. EMAP National Publications. May 1984. 23–27. 0262-561X. 49957965.
• A Tale of Two Scotties — the BCRW Classes 26 and 27. David. Clough. Rail Enthusiast. EMAP National Publications. October 1986. 61. 36–39. 0262-561X. 49957965.

External links

• Scottish Railway Preservation Society home to 27001 and 27005
• Mid Hants Railway home to 27007
• Caledonian Railway Diesel Group, owners of 27024
• Owners of 27056 based at the Great Central Railway
• Severn Valley Railway home to 27059
• Owners of 27066 based at the Dean Forest Railway

Notes and References

1. Web site: 27 Bo-Bo . BRDatabase.
2. Book: British Railways Locoshed Book 1974 edition . 1974 . . Shepperton . 0-7110-0558-3 . 21–22 .
3. Book: Earnshaw, Alan . Trains in Trouble: Vol. 7 . 1991 . Atlantic Books . Penryn . 0-906899-50-8 . 41 .
4. Web site: BRCW Type 2: 1958–1976 . DerbySulzers.com . 11 September 2016.
5. Book: Butlin, Ashley . Diesels and Electrics for scrap . 1988 . Atlantic Books . Penryn . 9 . 0-906899-27-3.
6. Web site: Preserved Diesels - Class 27. 2009-10-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20080430110628/http://www.preserved-diesels.co.uk/engines/index_27.htm. 30 April 2008. dead.
7. News: Devereux . Nigel . A FIERY END . 12 October 2020 . Rail Express . Rail Express . 12 May 2017.
8. Web site: Class 27 D5401 . Great Central Railway . 10 November 2020.
9. N gauge Class 27s. Nigel. Burkin. British Railway Modelling. 98–100. 21. 1. April 2013. Bourne. Warners Group Publications. 0968-0764. 1135061879.
10. Dapol Class 27. Ben. Ando. Model Rail. 31. 178. February 2013. Peterborough. Bauer. 1369-5118. 173324502.