British Rail Class 45

Derby Type 4
British Rail Class 45

Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder British Railways' Derby Works and Crewe Works Build date 1960–1962 Total produced 127

Specifications Configuration 1Co-Co1 UIC class (1Co)'(Co1)' Wheel diameter 3 ft 9 in (1.143 m) Minimum curve 5 chains (100 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 133 long tons (135 t; 149 short tons) Fuel capacity 840 imp gal (3,800 l; 1,010 US gal) Prime mover Sulzer 12LDA28-B Engine type double bank Displacement 12 x 22 litres (1,300 cu in) per cylinder, or 264 litres (16,100 cu in) total Generator Crompton Parkinson Traction motors Crompton Parkinson Cylinders 12 Cylinder size 280 mm × 360 mm (11.024 in × 14.173 in), bore x stroke MU working ★ Blue Star Train heating 45/0: Steam 45/1: Electric Train Heat Loco brake Air Train brakes Vacuum and Air

Performance figures Maximum speed 90 mph (145 km/h) Power output Engine: 2,500 bhp (1,864 kW) At rail: 2,000 hp (1,491 kW) Tractive effort Maximum: 55,000 lbf (245 kN) Loco brakeforce 63 long tons-force (628 kN)

Career Operators British Railways Numbers D11–D137; later 45001–45077, 45101–45150 Nicknames 'Peak' Axle load class Route availability 7

The British Rail Class 45 also known as the Sulzer Type 4 diesel locomotives were built by British Rail at their Derby and Crewe Works between 1960 and 1962. Along with the similar Class 44 and 46 locomotives, they became known as "Peaks".

History

45054 heads south from Loughborough with a passenger train for London St. Pancras on the Midland Main Line, July 1975

The Class 45s became the main traction on the Midland Main Line from 1962, and their introduction allowed considerable acceleration of the previous steam-powered service. The Class 45s remained the main source of power on the Midland Main Line up to 1982, when they were relegated to secondary services following introduction of HSTs on the route. From 1986 Class 45s virtually disappeared from the line.^[1] From the early 1980s until their withdrawal c.1988, the class were regular performers on the North Trans-Pennine line working services from Liverpool Lime Street to York, Scarborough or Newcastle via Manchester Victoria, Huddersfield and Leeds. These trains were usually formed of early British Railways Mark 2 carriages, of up to seven in a typical train.

Accidents and incidents

• On 16 January 1982, locomotive No. 45 074 was hauling a freight train that was derailed at Chinley, Derbyshire.^[2]
• On 4 December 1984, locomotive No. 45 147 was badly damaged in the Eccles rail crash (1984), and subsequently moved to a siding where it was cut-up in March 1985.
• On 9 March 1986, locomotive No. 45 014 The Cheshire Regiment was one of two light engines that were hit head-on by a passenger train at Chinley due to a signalman's error. One person was killed. Lack of training and a power cut were contributory factors.^[3] The locomotive was consequently withdrawn from service and scrapped.^[4]
• On 24 April 1988, locomotive No. 45 041 split a set of points and was derailed at Edale, Derbyshire.^[5]

Engine

The engine of the Class 45 was a marine-type, slow-revving diesel, a Sulzer 12LDA28B with a bore of 280 mm (11.024 in) and a stroke of 360 mm (14.173 in). This gave 22 litres (1,300 cu in) per cylinder, or 264 litres (16,100 cu in) for the whole engine. The unit was turbocharged and intercooled and gave 2,500 hp (1,900 kW) at 750 rpm. The engine was of the double bank type with two parallel banks of 6 cylinders, geared together to a single output shaft.^[6] Six-cylinder versions of the engine were fitted in the Class 25 locos (amongst others) and eight-cylinder versions in Class 33s.^[7] Class 45s were the updated versions of the Class 44 locomotives, the latter having a 2,300 hp (1,700 kW) non-intercooled version of the same engine; i.e. the 12LDA28A. The later Class 47 had a modified version of the same engine, a 12LDA28C.

Train heating

When initially put into service, the locomotives were fitted with multi-unit working and steam-heating boilers for passenger service. In the early 1970s, fifty were fitted with electric train supply in place of their steam-heating boilers and assigned to work services on the Midland Main Line from London St Pancras to Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield. These locomotives were renumbered as Class 45/1.^[8]

Auxiliary machines

The Class 45 is unusual in having a 220 volt electrical system for driving auxiliary machines and battery charging.^[9] Most British Railways diesels of the same era had 110 volt auxiliaries.

Withdrawal

The great majority of Class 45s were withdrawn between 1981 and 1988, and the last was withdrawn from service by 1989.^[10]

Fleet details

Preservation

Eleven locomotives survive in preservation. A quick summary of these is as follows (a more detailed study can be found in the table above):

• 45041 – In operational condition at the Great Central Railway
• 45060 – Undergoing engine overhaul at Barrow Hill Roundhouse
• 45105 – Awaiting completion of restoration at Barrow Hill roundhouse
• 45108 – In operational condition at Midland Railway – Butterley.
• 45112 – Burton upon Trent. Operational.
• 45118 – Formerly at the Northampton & Lamport Railway. Currently undergoing repairs at RVEL in Derby
• 45125 – In operational condition at the Great Central Railway
• 45132 – Under overhaul at the Epping Ongar Railway^[12]
• 45133 – In operational condition at the Midland Railway – Butterley
• 45135 – Under heavy repair at the East Lancashire Railway
• 45149 – In operational condition at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway

A twelfth example, 45015, was also sold into preservation, but not restored. Withdrawn in March 1986 with a seized traction motor, for which repair was not authorised,^[13] 45015 was heavily cannibalised for spares to keep other Class 45s working. It remained at Toton, its home shed, until at least 1999.^[14] The locomotive was moved to Shackerstone, on the Battlefield Line Railway, in 2002, still with the intention of restoration to mainline standard, despite requiring a replacement engine to be found.^[15] In 2010 the host railway gave notice to the locomotive's owner that the still-unrestored 45015 needed to move to a new site. Having failed to find a buyer, it is likely that 45015 will be sold for scrap, although, as at November 2010, the derelict loco was still at Shackerstone.^[16]

References

Further reading

• Buck, Martin (1988). 'Peaks' - In Retrospect. Pathfinder. ISBN 9780906025703. OCLC 862583032. 
• Chalcraft, John (1983). Named Diesel and Electric Locomotives of British Rail Part 4: The Peaks British Rail Class 44, 45 & 46 Diesel Electrics. Rail Photoprints. ISBN 9780906883044. OCLC 16598805. 
• Derrick, Kevin (2014). Looking back at Peaks. Strathwood. ISBN 9781905276479. 
• Hobson, A. Wyn (1991). Rail Portfolios No. 14: The 'Peaks' - Second Series. Ian Allan. ISBN 9780711019416. OCLC 59841862. 
• McManus, Michael. Ultimate Allocations, British Railways Locomotives 1948 – 1968. Wirral. Michael McManus. 
• Montague, Keith (1978). The Power of the Peaks. OPC. ISBN 9780902888999. OCLC 5196338. 
• Morrison, Gavin (2005). The Heyday of the Peaks. Ian Allan. ISBN 9780711030572. OCLC 57575548. 
• Preedy, Norman E. (1982). Book of the Peaks. Peter Watts. ISBN 9780906025314. OCLC 810796496. 
• Whiteley, J.S; Morrison, G.W. (1983). Profile of the Peaks. OPC. ISBN 9780860931652. OCLC 10727331. 
• Whitehouse, Alan (June 1982). "'Peak' performance". Rail Enthusiast. EMAP National Publications. pp. 22–25. ISSN 0262-561X. OCLC 49957965. 
• Bishop, Donald J. (February 1983). "The noble art of 'Peak'-bashing". Rail Enthusiast. EMAP National Publications. pp. 38–41. ISSN 0262-561X. OCLC 49957965. 
• Preedy, Norman (April 1983). "Another 'Peak' chapter ends". Rail Enthusiast. EMAP National Publications. p. 47. ISSN 0262-561X. OCLC 49957965. 
• Roughley, Malcolm (May 1984). "'Peak' across the Pennines". Rail Enthusiast. EMAP National Publications. pp. 51–54. ISSN 0262-561X. OCLC 49957965. 
• "D100 condemned as 45/0s dwindle". Rail Enthusiast. No. 53. EMAP National Publications. February 1986. p. 23. ISSN 0262-561X. OCLC 49957965. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to British Rail Class 45.

• Photos of Class 45s in action from 1970s to withdrawal and in preservation
• www.45133.co.uk