Heritage diesels at Worcester 22 May 2017.
Posted: 16:18 Monday 22nd May 2017
Today saw a movement of heritage locomotives from The Severn Valley, Kidderminster via Worcester to Washwood Heath and then to Peterborough for The Nene Valley Railway. I didn't know what to expect but was rewarded with the attached pictures.
Deltic locomotive 55018 'Ballymoss' is in reality 55022 (D9000) 'Royal Scots Grey' carrying a 'false' identity. It was built by English Electric at Vulcan Foundry in 02/61 and has two Napier Deltic high speed marine diesel engines giving 3,300 HP and genuine 100 MPH performance with heavy trains. They were used exclusively on the ECML between Kings Cross and Edinburgh and have been recorded at 108/110 MPH on several occasions and covered many million miles each over a 24 year life.
Class 50 50008 (D408) 'Thunderer', known as Hoovers by most enthusiasts, was built by English Electric at Vulcan Foundry in 03/68 and has a 16 cylinder 2,700 HP engine and 100 MPH rating. These locomotives were used initially on the WCML prior to electrification and then transferred to the Western Region operating trains out of Paddington to many destinations in The West including Worcester and Hereford.
31271 (D5801) was built by Brush at Loughborough in 06/61 with Mirrlees engine. This was replaced quite early in its life with a 12 cylinder English Electric 1,465 HP engine giving moderate performance, so the rated 90 MPH maximum was rarely achieved, though I have recorded them on Worcester to Paddington 8 coach trains reaching 82 MPH on the level track between Reading and London; however they did struggle over the Cotswold banks!
All three have very distinctive sounds and are in working order but, unlike the other two, 31271 is not equipped at present for main line charter work.
Deltic locomotive 55018 'Ballymoss' is in reality 55022 (D9000) 'Royal Scots Grey' carrying a 'false' identity. It was built by English Electric at Vulcan Foundry in 02/61 and has two Napier Deltic high speed marine diesel engines giving 3,300 HP and genuine 100 MPH performance with heavy trains. They were used exclusively on the ECML between Kings Cross and Edinburgh and have been recorded at 108/110 MPH on several occasions and covered many million miles each over a 24 year life.
Class 50 50008 (D408) 'Thunderer', known as Hoovers by most enthusiasts, was built by English Electric at Vulcan Foundry in 03/68 and has a 16 cylinder 2,700 HP engine and 100 MPH rating. These locomotives were used initially on the WCML prior to electrification and then transferred to the Western Region operating trains out of Paddington to many destinations in The West including Worcester and Hereford.
31271 (D5801) was built by Brush at Loughborough in 06/61 with Mirrlees engine. This was replaced quite early in its life with a 12 cylinder English Electric 1,465 HP engine giving moderate performance, so the rated 90 MPH maximum was rarely achieved, though I have recorded them on Worcester to Paddington 8 coach trains reaching 82 MPH on the level track between Reading and London; however they did struggle over the Cotswold banks!
All three have very distinctive sounds and are in working order but, unlike the other two, 31271 is not equipped at present for main line charter work.