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English Electric Baby Deltic (Class 23)

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The English Electric type 2 Baby Deltic locomotives were introduced in 1959 under the BR 'Pilot Scheme'. All wore brunswick green livery with white solebars, red lower front ends / bufferbeams, and styled with nose end doors and headcode discs. They were frequently used on suburban services out of Kings Cross, but the Napier engines were found to be unreliable. By the end of 1962 the class were stored out of service awaiting major rectification work, which was duly carried out by English Electric at the Vulcan Foundry Works.

 

The class re-entered service in 1965 after extensive engine and body modifications, including a 4 character headcode box, and a livery more akin to their big cousins (the class 55 Deltics) with small yellow warning panels. They spent their latter years on permanent way duties, but by this time their days were numbered due to being a relatively small class and non-standard. Four of the class gained full yellow ends whilst in green livery, and D5909 was repainted blue. The last 2 members of the class were withdrawn from service in 1971 and stored at Stratford depot, before being cut up at G Cohen's yard at Kettering in 1973. D5901 worked with test trains at the Technical Centre at Derby from 1969, but was eventually scrapped at Doncaster Works in 1977.

 

 

Loco by loco notes. 

D5900 New 05/59, w/n 11/68 (GFYE), cut up at G Cohen, Kettering 08/69.

D5901 New 05/59, w/n 12/69 (GSYE), into departmental stock at Derby RTC, cut up at Doncaster Works early 1977.

D5902 New 05/59, w/n 11/69 (GSYE), cut up at G Cohen, Kettering 09/70.

 

D5903 New 04/59, w/n 11/68 (GFYE), cut up at G Cohen, Kettering 10/69.

D5904 New 04/59, w/n 01/69 (GFYE), cut up at G Cohen, Kettering 08/69.

 

D5905 New 05/59, w/n 02/71 (GSYE), cut up at G Cohen, Kettering 10/73.

D5906 New 05/59, w/n 09/68 (GSYE), cut up at G Cohen, Kettering 07/69.

D5907 New 05/59, w/n 10/68 (GSYE), cut up at G Cohen, Kettering 07/69.

D5908 New 05/59, w/n 03/69 (GFYE), cut up at J Cashmore, Tipton 02/70.

 

D5909 New 06/59, w/n 03/71 (BFYE), cut up at G Cohen, Kettering 10/73.

Information compiled by Kier Hardy. Prototype photographs courtesy of Grahame Wareham (AKA Brush Veteran), and further images can be found on his Flickr Photostream

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