British Rail Class 52

British Rail Class 52
D1000 Western Enterprise at Old Oak Common, desert sand livery, 1964
Power type	Diesel-hydraulic
Builder	British Railways’ Swindon and Crewe Works
Configuration	C-C
UIC classification	C'C'
Gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Wheel diameter	3 ft 7 in (1.092 m)
Minimum curve	4.5 chains (91 m)
Wheelbase	54 ft 8 in (16.66 m)
Length	68 ft 0 in (20.73 m)
Width	8 ft 8 in (2.64 m)
Height	12 ft 11¾ in (3.96 m)
Weight	108 long tons (110 t)
Fuel capacity	850 imp gal (3,900 l; 1,020 US gal)
Prime mover	Maybach MD655, 2 off
Transmission	Hydraulic
Multiple working	Not fitted
Top speed	90 mph (140 km/h)
Power output	Engines: 1,350 bhp (1,007 kW) × 2 At rail: 2,000 hp (1,491 kW)
Tractive effort	Maximum: 66,700 lbf (297 kN) Continous: 45,200 lbf (201 kN)@ 14.5 mph (23.3 km/h)[1]
Train heating	Steam
Locomotive brakeforce	50 LTf (498 kN)
Train brakes	Vacuum
Career	British Railways
Number	D1000–D1073
Nicknames	‘Westerns’ & ‘Wizzo's’
Axle load class	Route availability 7
Retired	1973–1977

British Rail assigned Class 52 to the class of 74 large Type 4 diesel-hydraulic locomotives built for the Western Region of British Railways between 1961 and 1964. All were given two-word names, with the first word being Western, and thus the type became known as Westerns.

Historical context

When switching to diesel traction as part of the Modernisation Plan of the 1950s BR designed, and commissioned designs for, a large number of locomotive types. At this time (and arguably right up until Sectorisation in the 1980s), BR's regions had a high degree of autonomy, which extended as far as classes of locomotives ordered, and even the design criteria for those locomotives. Whilst almost all other diesel locomotives were diesel-electric, the Western Region employed a policy of utilising diesel-hydraulic traction, originally commissioning three classes of main line locomotives— a type 2 and two type 4s (later designations class 22, class 41 and class 42). With pressure to increase the speed of the transition from steam to diesel, volume orders for the class 22 and class 42 followed in 1957, a mere two years after the original orders, and well before any idea of performance or reliability could be gained. At the same time it was realised that all of the existing orders (both diesel-electric and diesel-hydraulic) were for types 1, 2 and 4; thus orders were placed for 101 Type 3 diesel-hydraulics (later Class 35). However the increasing demands for more powerful locomotives prompted a further order, in 1961, for 74 diesel-hydraulics of 2,700 hp (2,000 kW); so when the first locomotive was outshopped from Swindon Works in December 1961, less than a year after the order was placed, the Westerns were born.

The theoretical advantage of diesel-hydraulic was simple—it resulted in a lighter locomotive than equivalent diesel-electric transmission. This resulted in better power/weight ratio, and decreased track wear. Unfortunately, it had two key disadvantages:

• The technology was proven in continental Europe, particularly Germany, but was new to the UK. It was considered politically unacceptable at the time for the UK government to order trains from foreign companies, let alone German companies so soon after the second world war.
• The most robust hydraulic transmissions were only capable of handling engines with power output of around 1500 hp (1120 kW); to build a more powerful locomotive would involve two diesel engines and two transmissions.

Experience showed that the Bristol-Siddeley-Maybach engines were superior to those made by NBL-MAN, and although the use of twin engines in the same locomotive was new, the process did not produce any problems which were insurmountable. In the end the diesel-hydraulic experiment foundered on low fleet numbers, poor maintenance conditions, and design issues; not on its German heritage or development of a novel configuration.

The Western

With the Hymeks and Warships already in service, but proving under-powered for topline services, BR Western Region needed a high-powered locomotive for top-link services — the Western therefore needed two diesel engines to achieve the required power output. In keeping with their policy, a new locomotive with a hydraulic transmission was envisaged. Experience had shown that the Maybach engines in the Hymeks were superior to the MAN engines used in the Warships, particularly in power output. Also Maybach were able to offer their 12 MD engines rated at 1,350 bhp (1,010 kW) allied to a Voith transmission; a Mekydro transmission designed to handle such power could not be fitted into the British loading gauge.

Western Fusilier at the National Railway Museum

Prototypes sited the engines behind the driving cabs, but drivers found this too noisy; moving the engines centrally meant making the locomotive heavier, removing some of the design's advantage. In production use, the dual-engine arrangement turned out to have some advantages: in particular, the Westerns were able to continue operating with a single engine running in situations where more conventional single-engine designs would require rescue by another locomotive. This valuable property was intentionally duplicated in the later High Speed Trains, and was one reason for them having two power cars.^{[citation needed]}

The most serious continual problem with the class was the design fault mismatch between the Maybach MD655 engines and the Voith L630rV three speed hydraulic transmissions. The top gear ratio in the transmission was too high for the torque characteristics of the engine: the result was that a single locomotive could struggle to reach its claimed 90 mph (140 km/h) top speed in the absence of down grades, more so when work-weary and due for overhaul. These factors, combined with the 'Devon banks' (a major part of their running grounds) deleterious effect on tired engines, all conspired against the Westerns continuing in top-line service; their replacement by High Speed Trains provided the speed and comfort increases the Western Region sought. Towards the end, the Westerns were all allocated to Laira (Plymouth).

Competition and comfort

Whilst the Class was successful, it was non-standard, which added greatly to its high maintenance costs. In any case, British Rail policy was moving away from diesel-hydraulics. When the Westerns were introduced in 1962, the Western Region had 226 diesel-hydraulics and 10 diesel-electrics (excluding shunters); by 1966 the numbers were 345 and 269 respectively. As a result the early 1970s saw the decision taken to retire all the diesel-hydraulic types. Class 46s and Class 47s took over passenger and heavy freight, while Class 25s covered the lighter duties. Class 50s and the arrival of the High Speed Train provided the final nail in the coffin for the Westerns.

Unlike the similar, but lower-powered, Warship class locomotives, most Westerns did receive air brake equipment in addition to their vacuum exhausters, thus significantly extending their working lives. However, as with the Warships, it proved impossible to equip them with electric train heating (ETH, or head-end power in US terminology). The Western Region faced particularly stiff competition for its prime inter-city services in the mid to late 1970s from the M4 motorway, and it was generally felt within BR that significant speed-up and comfort increases on the prime Paddington-Bristol route were necessary. The lack of ETH meant the Westerns could not power the newly-introduced air-conditioned BR Mark 2d/e/f coaches — a shortcoming that the Class 50s, which were built with ETH, did not share.

Names and numbers

While the first Western was under construction, proposals for livery and names were prepared by the BR design panel. The D1000 series locomotives were going to be named after famous West of England place names; the illustration from the portfolio shows D1000 bearing the name Cheddar Gorge. Subsequently all of the Westerns were named, as per the following table:

D1029 was originally named Western Legionaire [sic] (incorrect spelling), but renamed Western Legionnaire in 1967, the nameplate being cut to allow the additional letter to be inserted.^{[citation needed]}

Although designated Class 52 under the TOPS scheme, no Western ever carried its TOPS number. As withdrawal was already planned when the TOPS numbering scheme was introduced, and because of the cast numberplates, it was not considered necessary.

Liveries

D1062 Westren Courier in maroon, with small yellow warning panel

When the initial batch of Westerns was being built in 1961-2, British Rail was considering a new unified corporate colour scheme, but had not yet made a final decision on what it would be. As a result, D1000 was rolled out of Swindon Works in November 1961 painted in Desert Sand. Initially the numbers, borne on the left hand cab when viewed from the side, were painted on in white, but soon individual numbers and letters, looking like they were cast but apparently made of wood, were fitted. This was in turn replaced by the final design of cast nameplate and numberplate; metal with a black background. This livery was later altered by the addition of a small yellow warning panel and black roof. After this, D1001 was delivered in all over maroon livery with yellow buffer beams, and D1002-D1004 in all over green and small yellow warning panel. The remaining deliveries were all in maroon, with small yellow warning panels after D1009 and D1043 of the Crewe built locomotives. Exceptions to this were the initial Crewe-built batch D1035-D1038 which were in green with red backgrounds to the nameplates, and D1015 which was outshopped in the experimental "golden ochre" livery with one of the small yellow warning panels having narrow whiskers at the top which extended round and onto the bodyside. Some maroon locos retained their original livery while sporting the later full yellow ends.

After the adoption of Rail Blue with full yellow ends in 1966 (D1048 first the first of the class painted in this livery in 1966), for some unexplained reason a small bath of locos (D1030, D1037, D1043, D1047 and D1057) received this variant married to small yellow warning panels, D1030 even carried red buffer beams for a short while. All other repaints were with the full yellow warning panel. The last loco to be repainted into Rail Blue was D1046 which was outshopped from Swindon in May 1971. Some early photographs of the blue livery give it a more metallic shade which is even more evident on the locos with small yellow panels. This has been referred to in the past as "chromatic blue". This however is just a photographic anomaly with early colour film and it has been confirmed that none of the class were ever painted with a metallic paint.

Incidents

• 15 August 1963. Knowle and Dorridge rail crash. No. 1040 Western Queen collided with a freight train, crushing the cab killing the three train crew.
• 19 December 1973. Ealing rail crash. No. 1007 Western Talisman derailed while hauling an express passenger train, after an open battery box door broke off and changed points under the locomotive. Ten people died.^[1]

Gallery

D1026 Western Centurion nearer the camera with D1021 Western Cavalier behind at Reading, May 1964, both in maroon livery

D1005 Western Venturer at Swansea, 1967 in BR blue livery

Front end detail of D1005

Preserved D1013 "Western Ranger" awaits departure at Kidderminster Town on the Severn Valley Railway

Bibliography

• Ford, H L (1973). Diesels on Cornwall's main line. Truro: D Bradford Barton. 
• Hall, Stanley (2006). Railway Milestones and Millstones. Hersham: Ian Allen Publishing. pp. 125–130. ISBN 0 7110 3110 X. 
• Judge, Colin (1977). The Power of the Westerns. Oxford: OPC. ISBN 0 902888 98 6. 
• Kichenside, Geoffrey (1975). Farewell to the Westerns. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. ISBN 0 715370 69 3. 
• Preedy, Norman E; Gillham, G F (1974). WR Diesel Hydraulics. Truro: D Bradford Barton. 
• Taylor, Ken. A Decade After. Walsall: Midland Railfans. 
• Till, J O (1977). Western Stock List. Camberley: Steam & Diesel Publications. 
• Vaughan, John (1977). Western Diesels in Camera. Shepperton: Ian Allen. ISBN 0 711008 31 0. 
• Watts, Peter (1977). Western Memories. Gloucester: Peter Watts. ISBN 0 906025 00 1. 

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References

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (September 2009)

1. ^ "Official accident report". HMSO, reproduced at The Railways Archive. http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/DoE_Ealing1973.pdf. Retrieved 2009-09-16. 

External links

• D1023 at Bury