British Rail Class 46
A Class 46 at Exeter St Davids in 1976.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type and origin | |
|---|---|
| Power type | Diesel-electric |
| Builder | British Railways’ Derby Works |
| Build date | 1961–1963 |
| Total produced | 56 |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Configuration: |
|
| • Whyte | 1Co-Co1 |
| • UIC | (1Co)'(Co1)' |
| Gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Wheel diameter | 3 ft 9 in (1.143 m) |
| Minimum curve | 3.5 chains (70 m) |
| Wheelbase | 59 ft 8 in (18.19 m) |
| Length | 67 ft 11 in (20.70 m) |
| Width | 8 ft 10 1⁄2 in (2.71 m) |
| Height | 12 ft 10 in (3.91 m) |
| Loco weight | 138 long tons (140 t; 155 short tons) |
| Fuel capacity | 790 imp gal (3,600 l; 950 US gal) |
| Prime mover | Sulzer 12LDA28-B |
| Generator | Brush |
| Traction motors | Brush |
| MU working | ★ Blue Star |
| Train heating | Steam |
| Train brakes | Vacuum |
| Performance figures | |
|---|---|
| Maximum speed | 90 mph (145 km/h) |
| Power output |
Engine: 2,500 bhp (1,864 kW) At rail: 1,962 hp (1,463 kW) |
| Tractive effort | Maximum: 55,000 lbf (245 kN) |
| Brakeforce | 63 long tons-force (628 kN) |
| Career | |
|---|---|
| Operators | British Railways |
| Numbers | D138–D193; later 46001–46056 |
| Nicknames | ‘Peak’ |
| Axle load class | Route availability 7 |
| Withdrawn | 1977-1984 |
| Disposition | Three preserved, remainder scrapped |
The British Rail Class 46 is a class of diesel locomotive. They were built from 1961-1963 at British Railways' Derby Works and were initially numbered D138-D193. With the arrival of TOPS they were renumbered to Class 46. Fifty-six locomotives were built. The first was withdrawn in 1977 and all of them were withdrawn by the end of 1984.
The Class 46 design was structurally the same as the preceding Class 45 build, and had the same Sulzer engine, but differed in the fitment of a Brush generator and traction motors, in place of the Crompton Parkinson equipment fitted to the Class 45. Along with the other Sulzer class 44 and 45 designs they are often referred to as "Peaks", so named because the earliest of the Class 44 were named after mountains.
Despite intermittent use on freight trains, Class 46s were regular performers on passenger turns, particularly North East-South West, Trans-Pennine and secondary North East-London trains, and depot allocations reflected this with locos at Gateshead, Cardiff and Plymouth in 1977 giving a typical spread. Freight workings were also quite often worked over long distances, particularly "clay hoods" carrying china clay from Cornwall to the area around Stoke-on-Trent.
In the 1980s the remaining locomotives were concentrated at Gateshead depot, and the final booked passenger workings for the class were the dated summer Saturday services Bradford - Weymouth (between Bradford and Birmingham New Street), Newcastle - Plymouth, Newcastle - Blackpool North, and York - Blackpool North.
On 17 July 1984, 46009, hauling three Mark 1 coaches, was deliberately crashed into a "Flatrol" wagon loaded with a nuclear waste flask and lying on its side. The train was travelling at about 100 mph (160 km/h) on the Old Dalby Test Track in a test organised by the CEGB. The test was intended to demonstrate to the public that there would be no leak of radioactive material in the event of a rail accident involving a train carrying a nuclear waste flask.
...
Wikipedia