Difference between revisions of "BR Class 46 D182"

BRBritish Rail or British Railways Class 46

The BRBritish Rail or British Railways Class 46 diesel-electric locomotive was originally classified as the Type 4The British Railways classification for diesel locomotives of 2000 bhp to 2999 bhp and was the third of the Sulzer 'Peak' classes. The introduction of TOPS saw the type designated as Class 46. A total of 56 were built by BRBritish Rail or British Railways Derby between 1961 and 1963 as part of BRBritish Rail or British Railways's modernisation plans to replace steam locomotives.

The first Sulzer Type 4The British Railways classification for diesel locomotives of 2000 bhp to 2999 bhp class, which became the Class 44, was built between 1959-60. All 10 members of the class were named after mountains, giving rise to the nickname 'Peak' which carried over to the subsequent Class 45 (built 1960-62) and Class 46.^{[note 1]} The Class 46 were built with the same Sulzer 12-cylinder 12LDA28-B engine as the Class 45s, rated at 2,500 bhp, but with Brush transmissions. This arrangement was later developed further with the ubiquitous Class 47.

The class were used on both goods and passenger services, with the latter notably including heavy cross-country expresses between the north east and south west. They were fitted with steam powered train heating boilers but, unlike some of the Class 45s, never fitted with electric train supply.

The members of the class were all withdrawn between 1977 and 1984. One was subsequently destroyed in 1984 in a staged collision as part of a nuclear flask test, with all but three being scrapped. Of the three surviving examples, Pete Waterman's D172 (46035) became the first preserved diesel locomotive to receive mainline certification in 1994.

Service

D182 entered service in September 1962 at Gateshead, where it remained allocated for its entire service career. As built, it was fitted with vacuum brakes and steam heat. It was converted to dual braking in August 1970 by the addition of air braking. By that time it carried BRBritish Rail or British Railways Blue livery with the full yellow cab front.^[1]

The introduction of TOPSTotal Operations Processing System, an American computer system adopted by BR from the late 1960s to number and manage rolling stock. saw the locomotive renumbered as 46045 in October 1973.

On 22 March 1982, 46045 was recorded as being available at Loughborough, having recently been at Millerhill in Scotland.^{[2][note 2]}

During 1984 the locomotive was 'stopped' on numerous occasions with traction motor and other power issues. After the locomotive failed at Taunton on 24 November 1984 while hauling the 07.50 Bristol to Penzance service, it was withdrawn and returned to Derby.

Research department use

On withdrawal it was renumbered 97404 and transferred to Research department stock during December 1984, running until 1986 when it was stored after suffering a generator flashover^[2]. It remained in DepartmentalRolling stock used for the railway’s own functions (engineering etc.) rather than for general passenger or goods traffic. stock until September 1990^[3].

Preservation

D182 is owned by Peak Locomotive Company Limited and is normally based at the Midland Railway Centre, Butterley. It retains its steam heating boiler.

The locomotive has carried several different liveries in preservation. The first picture below shows D182 in 2008 at Grosmont on the NYMR, then in BRBritish Rail or British Railways green livery. The second picture shows D182 in 2016 at Butterley in BRBritish Rail or British Railways livery with half yellow cab front.

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  D182 at Grosmont, NYMR (2008)

• 

  D182 at Butterley (2016)

D182 subsequently underwent an overhaul, with the overhauled generator, turbocharger and intercoolers being refitted in October 2020.^[4]. Since that overhaul the locomotive is now in BRBritish Rail or British Railways blue livery with full yellow cab front.

SVRSevern Valley Railway use

D182 arrived on the SVRSevern Valley Railway in May 2022 for the Spring Diesel Festival. In July 2022 the SVRSevern Valley Railway announced that, given the then issues with coal supply, it had also taken the opportunity to retain the locomotive on hire, providing another locomotive for use during the main season.^[5] Its boiler meant a further period of hire, to cover winter services, was also mooted.

Peak Locomotive Company

The Peak Locomotive Company is a private limited company No. 01593522. It was incorporated on 26 October 1981 as the Peak Locomotive Preservation Company Limited, adopting its present name in 1992.^[6]

In 1982 the company acquired Type 4The British Railways classification for diesel locomotives of 2000 bhp to 2999 bhp D4 Great Gable (later numbered 44004),^[7] one of the first ten named Class 44s.

See also

• Diesel Locomotives hired by the SVR
• Diesel Locomotives visiting the SVR for galas

Notes

1. ↑ None of the subsequent 'Peak' classes were named after mountains, although some Class 45s and one Class 46 were named after Army regiments.
2. ↑ The locomotive underwent N4 repairs at Derby Works in March 1982 which may explain its presence at Loughborough.

References

1. ↑ BR Database (retrieved 19 August 2022)
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Derby Sulzers website (Retrieved 16 July 2022)
3. ↑ Locomotive Directory 2021, Key Publishing Ltd, ISBN 978 1 8082 017 1
4. ↑ Midland Railway Diesel Group on Facebook
5. ↑ Branch Lines, July 2022
6. ↑ Companies House
7. ↑ Peak Locomotive Company, Ged Holmes

Links

• BR Class 46] on Wkiipedia
• D182 on BR Database