British Rail Class 83
Class 83, no. E3035, on display at Doncaster Works open day on 27 July 2003. This locomotive is preserved by the AC Locomotive Group at Barrow Hill Engine Shed.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type and origin | |
|---|---|
| Power type | Electric |
| Builder | English Electric at Vulcan Foundry |
| Order number |
|
| Build date | 1960–1962 |
| Total produced | 15 |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Configuration | Bo-Bo |
| AAR wheel arr. | B-B |
| UIC class | Bo'Bo' |
| Gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Wheel diameter | 4 ft 0 in (1.219 m) |
| Minimum curve | 4 chains (80 m) |
| Wheelbase | 40 ft 0 in (12.19 m) |
| Length | 52 ft 6 in (16.00 m) |
| Width | 8 ft 8 5⁄8 in (2.657 m) |
| Height: |
|
| • Pantograph | 13 ft 0 5⁄8 in (3.978 m) |
| • Body height | 12 ft 4 1⁄4 in (3.766 m) |
| Adhesive weight | 19 long tons (19.3 t; 21.3 short tons) |
| Loco weight | 76.40 long tons (77.6 t; 85.6 short tons) |
| Electric system(s) | 25 kV AC Catenary |
| Current collection | Pantograph |
| Traction motors |
|
| Train heating | Electric Train Heating index: 66 |
| Loco brake |
|
| Train brakes | Vacuum, Dual from 1972–1973 |
| Performance figures | |
|---|---|
| Maximum speed | 100 mph (160 km/h) |
| Power output | 2,950 hp (2,200 kW) (continuous) |
| Tractive effort | 38,000 lbf (169 kN) (max) |
| Loco brakeforce | 38 tons |
| Career | |
|---|---|
| Operators | British Rail |
| Class | AL3; later 83 |
| Number in class | 15 |
| Numbers | E3024–E3035, E3098-E3100; later 83001–83015 |
| Axle load class | Route availability 6 |
| Locale | West Coast Main Line |
| Retired | 1975 (1), 1978 (1), 1983 (10), 1989 (3) |
| Preserved | 1 |
| Scrapped | 1975, 1978, 1984, and 1993 |
| Disposition | One preserved, remainder scrapped |
The British Rail Class 83 electric locomotives were built by English Electric at Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows as part of the West Coast Main Line electrification.
Fifteen locomotives of British Rail Class 83 were built between 1960 and 1962 by English Electric at Vulcan Foundry, as part of British Rail's policy to develop a standard electric locomotive. Five prototype classes (81-85) were built and evaluated, which eventually led to the development of the Class 86 locomotive.
Three of these engines were to have been built as Type B, geared for freight trains, but as it was only two were so built, becoming E3303 and E3304. The third Type B, E3305, was never built as such. Instead it was used as a test bed with silicon rectifiers and transductors, this being the first step towards thyristor control. It became a Type A, geared for passenger trains, and numbered E3100.
The other two Type B locomotives were eventually rebuilt as Type A, being renumbered E3098 (ex E3303) and E3099 (ex E3304). Power was provided by overhead catenary energized at 25,000 V AC.
Under the pre-TOPS British Rail classification, the first fourteen locomotives, E3025 - E3035 and E3303, E3304 (later E3098 and E3099) were Class AL3 (meaning the 3rd design of AC Locomotive). The fifteenth engine, E3100 became Class AL3/1. All fifteen were included in the TOPS numbering system, being renumbered 83001-015.
The Polish EU06 class was produced by English Electric at the same time as the Class 83s and externally they are quite similar.
The class was used to haul trains on the then newly electrified West Coast Main Line, from Birmingham, to Crewe, Manchester Piccadilly, Liverpool and later Preston. By 1965, electrification had spread south to London Euston.
...
Wikipedia