British Rail Class 03
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| British Rail Class 03 | |
 First Capital Connect's Hornsey shunter, 03179 Clive at Yarwell Junction during the Nene Valley Railway's Diesel Gala, on the 1st March 2008. |
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| Builder: | BR Swindon & Doncaster |
|---|---|
| Years built: | 1957-1962 |
| Early numbers: | D2000-D2199 D2370-D2399 (Originally 11187-11209) |
| TOPS numbers: | 03004-03199 03370-03399 |
| Engine: | Gardner 8L3 |
| Transmission: | Diesel Mechanical |
| Wheel layout: | 0-6-0 |
| Wheel diameter: | 43 in (1,092 mm) |
| Minimum curve: | 2 chains (40 m) |
| Brakes: | Vacuum |
| Brake force: | 13 LTf (130 kN) |
| Wheelbase: | 9 ft 0 in (2.7 m) |
| Length: | 26 ft 0 in (7.9 m) |
| Width: | 8 ft 6 in (2.6 m) |
| Height: | 11 ft 10 in (3.6 m) |
| Weight: | 30.2 long tons (30.7 t) |
| Maximum speed: | 28 mph (45 km/h) |
| Engine power: | 204 bhp (152 kW) |
| Rail power: | 152 bhp (113 kW) |
| Maximum TE: | 15,300 lbf (68 kN) |
| Heating type: | None |
| Fuel capacity: | 510 imp gal (2,300 l) |
| Route availability: | 1 |
| Operators: | First Capital Connect |
The British Rail Class 03 locomotive is, together with Class 04, one of BR's most successful smaller 0-6-0 diesel-mechanical shunters. The class, numbering 230 examples, was built by British Railways' Swindon and Doncaster works in 1957-1962 and numbered D2000-D2199 and D2370-D2399 (later 03004 to 03399). D2370 and D2371 were used as departmental locomotives and numbered 91 and 92 respectively.
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[edit] Overview
Like other shunters of this size, the Class 03 was built for light duties where a larger locomotive was not needed, especially for shunting at locomotive and carriage depots and as station pilots. The reduction over time in the demand for shunting locomotives meant that they were progressively withdrawn from 1968 onwards, many being sold to private industry. However, some remained in service much longer, with two examples on the Isle of Wight lasting until 1993 (mainland examples had gone by 1987). In 1998, one of the Isle of Wight locos, no. 03 179, was re-instated into service by the West Anglia Great Northern Railway Company (WAGN) for service at their Hornsey depot. This remains the last operational Class 03 locomotive on the network. It is named Clive after a depot employee. It is now owned by First Capital Connect, and was recently painted into an 'interesting' version of FCC's urban lines colours.
[edit] Technical details
The engine is a Gardner 8-cylinder, 4-stroke 8L3 of 204 hp 152 kW connected to a Wilson-Drewry CA5 R7, 5-speed epicyclic gearbox with RF11 spiral bevel reverse and final-drive unit. Drive is through a jackshaft mounted beneath the cab, driving the wheels through coupling rods (US: side rods).
During their later life, some locomotives were fitted with Dual (Air and Vacuum) Brakes. These were 03059, 03063, 03073, 03078, 03084, 03086, 03089, 03094, 03112, 03152, 03158, 03162, 03179, 03180, 03371, 03397 and 03399.
[edit] Operation
[edit] Shunting
Originally the Class 03s were often deployed where their attributes of short wheelbase and light weight enabled them to operate where other shunters could not. On lines such as that to Ipswich Docks, bridge weight restrictions prevented the ubiquitous Class 08s from operating. Another common use was as Station Pilot, usually coupled to a shunters' truck to ensure operation of track circuits which did not always register the passage of the short Class 03.
By 1979, Class 03s' operations included.[1]:
- Depot Pilot duties at Hull Botanic Gardens DMU depot and Bradford Hammerton Street DMU depot
- Docks at Ipswich, Kings Lynn and Poplar (London)
- Freight trips along the Team Valley branch (Gateshead) and the Gwendraeth Valley line
- Shunting duties at Boston Yard, Ipswich Upper and Lower yards, Lincoln engineers yard and Tweedmouth yard near Berwick-upon-Tweed
- Spare loco on standby at Boston and Kings Lynn.
- Station Pilot duties at Bradford Exchange, Hull Paragon, Ipswich, Newcastle Central, Norwich Thorpe, and Sunderland
[edit] Passenger duties
Despite the limited scope for the use of such a small locomotive on passenger duties, in 1980 a Class 03 at Ipswich was booked to shunt the 23:20 Peterborough - Liverpool Street onto the rear of the 23:45 Norwich - Liverpool Street[2], possibly the only time that a Class 03 was designated to haul a train in normal service conditions.
Also, according to Mangapps Railway Museum,[3] 03 089 once hauled a Liverpool to Scarborough Express along the York to Scarborough Line from Malton to Scarborough.
[edit] Burry Port & Gwendraeth Valley Line
Several examples were rebuilt with cut-down cabs for working on the Burry Port & Gwendraeth Valley Line as there were several low bridges on the line, which normal height locomotives would not be able to clear without incident.
The modified examples were nos. 03119, 03120, 03141, 03142, 03144, 03145, 03151 and 03382.[4] Their duties included shunting (for example at Burry Port) but also hauling full coal trains down from the valley's pits. For this latter duty they sometimes worked triple-headed.
They were replaced by Class 08/9 locomotives, which were also rebuilt to a reduced height. Several cut-down locomotives have been preserved.
The Isle of Wight shunters, nos. 03079 and 03179, were also rebuilt with cut-down cabs, to enable them to pass through a low tunnel in Ryde.
[edit] Preservation
A fairly large number (over 50) of the class survive in preservation.
| TOPS Number |
D Number | Preserved location | Industrial use | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03018 | D2018 | Mangapps Railway Museum | - | [1] |
| 03020 | D2020 | Lavender Line | - | [2] |
| 03022 | D2022 | Swindon and Cricklade Railway | - | [3] |
| - | D2023 | Kent & East Sussex Railway | Tees & Hartlepool Dock Authority (1972-1980) | [4] |
| - | D2024 | Kent & East Sussex Railway | Tees & Hartlepool Dock Authority (1972-1980) | [5] |
| 03027 | D2027 | Peak Rail | - | [6] |
| 03037 | D2037 | Peak Rail | - | [7] |
| - | D2041 | Colne Valley Railway | Richborough Power Station (1970) Rye House Power Station (1971) Barking Power Station (1971) Rye House Power Station (1974-1981) |
[8] |
| - | D2051 | North Norfolk Railway | Ford, Dagenham (06/1973-04/1997) | [9] |
| 03059 | D2059 | Isle of Wight Steam Railway | - | [10] |
| 03062 | D2062 | East Lancashire Railway | - | [11] |
| 03063 | D2063 | North Norfolk Railway | - | [12] |
| 03066 | D2066 | Barrow Hill Engine Shed | - | [13] |
| 03069 | D2069 | Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway | Vic Berry, Leicester | [14] |
| 03072 | D2072 | Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway | - | [15] |
| 03073 | D2073 | The Railway Age, Crewe | - | [16] |
| 03078 | D2078 | North Tyneside Steam Railway | Newcastle Central Station, used as a station pilot. |
[17] |
| 03090 | D2090 | Locomotion | - | Part of the National Collection |
| 03099 | - | Heritage Shunters Trust | - | [18] |
| 03113 | - | Heritage Shunters Trust | - | [19] |
| - | D2118 | Heritage Shunters Trust | - | [20] |
| - | D2139 | Heritage Shunters Trust | - | [21] |
| - | D2199 | Heritage Shunters Trust | - | [22] |
[edit] References
- ^ Woodley, Geoff; Wood, Ron (1979). Shunter Duties. Inter City Railway Society.
- ^ Lund, E (1980). To the last drop. Chesterfield: Longden technical Publications. ISBN 0 9507063 0 2.
- ^ Mangapps Railway Museum (see Stock List page) - Accessed 7 June 2008
- ^ Williams, Alan; Percival, David (1977). British Railways Locomotives and Multiple Units including Preserved Locomotives 1977 Combined Volume. Shepperton: Ian Allen Ltd. ISBN 0 7110 0751 9.
[edit] External links
- 03078 [23] D2078 Stephenson Railway Museum.
- 03079 [24] D2079 Derwent Valley Light Railway
- 03081 [25] D2081 Mangapps Farm Railway Museum - was used between 1981-2000
- 03084 [26] D2084 Ecclesbourne Valley Railway
- 03089 [27] D2089 Mangapps Farm Railway Museum
- 03090 [28] D2090 Locomotion - the NRM at Shildon
- 03094 [29] D2094 Barrow Hill Roundhouse - Cambrian Railways Trust
- 03099 [30] D2099 Peak Rail
- 03113 [31] D2113 Peak Rail
- D2117 [32] Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway
- D2118 [33] Peak Rail. Worked at Anglian Building Products, Lenwade, Norfolk from August 1973, then at Dow-Mac near Stamford from December 1993.
- 03119 [34] D2119 West Somerset Railway
- 03120 [35] D2120 Fawley Hill Railway
- 03128 [36] D2128 Dean Forest Railway - between 1976 and 1993 based in Belgium.
- D2133 [37] West Somerset Railway. Worked at Cellophane's Bridgwater factory in 1970s
- 03134 [38] D2134 Royal Deeside Railway - between 1976 and 1993 based in Belgium.
- D2138 [39] Midland Railway Centre - Used at Pye Hill Colliery 1969-1984.
- D2139 [40] Peak Rail. - previous used ? see pixs on link
- 03141 [41] D2141 Swansea Vale Railway
- 03144 [42] D2144 Wensleydale Railway
- 03145 [43] D2145 Private Location
- D2148 [44] Ribble Steam Railway.
- 03152 [45] D2152 Swindon & Cricklade Railway
- 03158 [46] D2158 Ecclesbourne Valley Railway
- 03162 [47] D2162Llangollen Railway
- 03170 [48] D2170 Battlefield Railway- owned by Otis Euro Transrail between 1989-1999
- D2178 [49] Gwili Railway
- 03180 [50] D2180 Battlefield Railway
- D2182 [51] Gloucestershire & Warwickshire Railway
- D2184 [52] Colne Valley Railway
- 03189 [53] D2189 Ribble Steam Railway
- D2192 [54] Paignton & Dartmouth Railway
- 03196 [55] D2196West Coast Railway Co Carnforth
- 03197 [56] D2197Lavender Line
- D2199 [57] Peak Rail. Sold to NCB in 1974 after being overhauled and fitted with air brakes at Doncaster Works. Worked at Rockingham, North Gawber and Royston until being placed into store at Monkton in 1984. Was on loan to Hanson Aggregates, Machen Quarry near Newport 2003 (?)-2006.
- 03371 [58] D2371 Rowden Mill Station Museum
- D2381 [59] West Coast Railway Company, Carnforth
- 03399 [60] D2399 Mangapps Farm Railway Museum
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