British Rail Class 26
Encyclopedia
The British Rail Class 26 diesel locomotives, also known as the BRCW Type 2, were built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company (BRCW) at Smethwick
in 1958-59. Forty seven examples were built, and the last were withdrawn from service in 1993. Like their higher-powered sisters, the BRCW Classes 27
and 33
, they had all-steel bodies and cab ends with fibreglass cab roofs.
diesel-electric locomotives powered by 1160 hp Sulzer 6LDA28 engines.
The Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company was a rolling stock manufacturer, although they were building diesel multiple unit
s for BR. The first standalone locomotives made by the company were produced in 1956-57 BRCW : 12 diesel locomotives for the Irish railways Córas Iompair Éireann
(CIE 101 Class
), the order going to BRCW due to capacity problems at CIÉ's own Inchicore Works; a partnership was established between BRCW and the Swiss diesel engine manufacturers Sulzer Brothers
at that time.
The Sulzer LDA28 range was found to be particularly suited to BR's needs. In addition to BRCW's Class 26, the 1160 hp 6LDA28 variant was also used in BR's own Class 24
design, while the 1250 hp 6LDA28-B was fitted in the later BRCW Class 27
and BR Class 25
.
(Traction Maintenance Depot) on the Eastern Region of British Railways
between July 1958 and March 1959. They were used on a variety of duties, notably including London commuter services into King's Cross station and were evaluated against designs from the North British Locomotive Company
, English Electric
, Brush Traction
, and British Railways' own works
. Their allocation was switched to the new Finsbury Park TMD
when it opened in 1960.
Locomotive D5303 was on loan to the Scottish Region
from 1958, being operated briefly from Inverness TMD
, and Eastfield TMD
before moving to Leith Central TMD
. This was the precursor to a further twenty seven locomotives of a slightly modified design (D5320-5346, Class 26/1) being delivered to the Scottish Region between April and October 1959. The first two of these locomotives were briefly allocated to Leith Central, but subsequently all of the Scottish batch were based at Haymarket TMD
(although some went to Hornsey on loan for a time).
By the middle of 1960, evaluation of the various Type 2 designs was complete and it was decided to concentrate all of the Class 26s in Scotland. As a result, the Class 26/0s were transferred to Haymarket, displacing the Class 26/1s to Inverness. Although some transferring of individual locomotives between the two depots occurred, the type was then allocated entirely to Haymarket and Inverness until 1987, apart from the brief allocation of a few locomotives to Kittybrewster TMD and Dundee TMD during 1960.
Like other Scottish Region Type 2s, Class 26 were 'maids of all work' during the 1960s and '70s, and could be found on a wide variety of duties. The Inverness based examples were particularly associated with the Far North Line
and Kyle of Lochalsh Line
, as well as operating south of Inverness on the Highland Main Line
. One notable duty, shared with locally based Class 24s, was to operate 'The Royal Highlander' Inverness to London Euston sleeping car express as far south as Perth, a demanding turn which required three locomotives working in multiple. The Haymarket engines were latterly more associated with goods traffic, and the first seven locomotives (D5300-5306, later renumbered 26007, 26001-006) were given slow speed control apparatus in 1967 for use on MGR
coal trains to the then new Cockenzie Power Station
.
Upon elimination of BR standard-gauge steam traction in 1968, the 'D' number prefix was removed and locomotives D5300-5346 became 5300-5346. In 1974 the TOPS
numbering system was implemented and Class 26/0s 5300-5319 were renumbered 26007/1-6/20/08-19, while Class 26/1s 5320-7/9-46 became 26028/1-7/9-46. Number 5328 had been withdrawn in 1972 with accident damage.
The availability of surplus Class 37
and 47
locomotives in the late 1970s and early 1980s displaced the Class 26s from passenger workings and from most goods traffic north of Inverness. However, the type continued to operate goods trains throughout the whole of Scotland, taking over duties previously carried out by Class 25 and 27 locomotives. Most of the class were refurbished in the 1980s to extend their lives, being chosen in preference to the newer Class 25 and 27 due to the better reliability of the Class 26s' lower powered engines.
In May 1987, all of the surviving Class 26s were transferred to Eastfield TMD, except the seven MGR examples which remained at Haymarket until transfer in May 1988. In August 1992, the remaining engines were reallocated to Inverness, although this was essentially a paper exercise as locomotives only returned to their home depot for major maintenance. By this time the service life of the Class 26 locomotives was coming to an end.
in 1991 resulted in a surplus of locomotives. Routine withdrawal of the refurbished locomotives began in 1990, and the last examples were taken out of service in October 1993.
Smethwick
Smethwick is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, in the West Midlands of England. It is situated on the edge of the city of Birmingham, within the historic boundaries of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire....
in 1958-59. Forty seven examples were built, and the last were withdrawn from service in 1993. Like their higher-powered sisters, the BRCW Classes 27
British Rail Class 27
British Rail's Class 27 comprised 69 diesel locomotives built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company during 1961 and 1962. They were a development of the earlier Class 26; both were originally classified as the BRCW Type 2.- Usage :...
and 33
British Rail Class 33
The British Rail Class 33 also known as the BRCW Type 3 or Crompton is a class of Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotives ordered in 1957 and built for the Southern Region of British Railways between 1960 and 1962....
, they had all-steel bodies and cab ends with fibreglass cab roofs.
Origins
The BR Modernisation Plan contained a large requirement for small diesel locomotives in the 800 hp - 1250 hp range and under BR's 'Pilot Scheme', small batches of locomotives were ordered from numerous different manufacturers for evaluation. BRCW obtained an order for 20 mixed trafficMixed-traffic locomotive
A mixed-traffic locomotive is one designed to be capable of hauling both passenger trains and freight trains. The term is mostly used in the United Kingdom and those nations following British practice...
diesel-electric locomotives powered by 1160 hp Sulzer 6LDA28 engines.
The Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company was a rolling stock manufacturer, although they were building diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s for BR. The first standalone locomotives made by the company were produced in 1956-57 BRCW : 12 diesel locomotives for the Irish railways Córas Iompair Éireann
Córas Iompair Éireann
Córas Iompair Éireann , or CIÉ, is a statutory corporation of the Irish state, answerable to the Irish Government and responsible for most public transport in the Republic of Ireland and, jointly with its Northern Ireland counterpart, the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, between the...
(CIE 101 Class
CIE 101 Class
The Córas Iompair Éireann 101 Class locomotives, numbered B101-B112, were built in 1956 by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company. They were fitted with Sulzer 6LDA28 engines of , with four Metropolitan-Vickers MV157 traction motors...
), the order going to BRCW due to capacity problems at CIÉ's own Inchicore Works; a partnership was established between BRCW and the Swiss diesel engine manufacturers Sulzer Brothers
Sulzer (manufacturer)
Sulzer Ltd. is a Swiss industrial engineering and manufacturing firm, founded by Salomon Sulzer-Bernet in 1775 and established as Sulzer Brothers Ltd. in 1834 in Winterthur, Switzerland. Today it is a publicly owned company with international subsidiaries...
at that time.
The Sulzer LDA28 range was found to be particularly suited to BR's needs. In addition to BRCW's Class 26, the 1160 hp 6LDA28 variant was also used in BR's own Class 24
British Rail Class 24
The British Rail Class 24 diesel locomotives, also known as the Sulzer Type 2, were built from 1958 to 1961. One hundred and fifty-one of these locomotives were built at Derby, Crewe and Darlington, the first twenty of them as part of the British Rail 1955 Modernisation Plan. This class was used as...
design, while the 1250 hp 6LDA28-B was fitted in the later BRCW Class 27
British Rail Class 27
British Rail's Class 27 comprised 69 diesel locomotives built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company during 1961 and 1962. They were a development of the earlier Class 26; both were originally classified as the BRCW Type 2.- Usage :...
and BR Class 25
British Rail Class 25
The British Rail Class 25 diesel locomotives were also known as Sulzer Type 2 and nicknamed Rats, as it was alleged they could be seen everywhere in Britain, and hence were "as common as rats"...
.
Work history
The Pilot Scheme batch of twenty locomotives (D5300-5319, Class 26/0) were delivered to Hornsey TMDHornsey TMD
Hornsey Electric Multiple Unit Depot is a railway maintenance depot for First Capital Connect's Great Northern fleet of electric multiple units, as well as carrying out those maintenance tasks on FCC's Thameslink Class 319 and 377 units which Bedford Cauldwell depot is unable to do...
(Traction Maintenance Depot) on the Eastern Region of British Railways
Eastern Region of British Railways
The Eastern Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
between July 1958 and March 1959. They were used on a variety of duties, notably including London commuter services into King's Cross station and were evaluated against designs from the North British Locomotive Company
British Rail Class 21
The British Rail Class 21 was a type of Type 2 diesel-electric locomotive built by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow for British Railways in 1958-1960....
, English Electric
British Rail Class 23
The British Rail Class 23 were a class of ten Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotives built by the English Electric Company in 1959. The power unit used was a Napier Deltic T9-29 9-cylinder engine of driving an EE generator, which powered the four traction motors...
, Brush Traction
British Rail Class 31
The British Rail Class 31 diesel locomotives, also known as the Brush Type 2 and originally as Class 30, were built by Brush Traction from 1957-62.- Description :...
, and British Railways' own works
British Rail Class 24
The British Rail Class 24 diesel locomotives, also known as the Sulzer Type 2, were built from 1958 to 1961. One hundred and fifty-one of these locomotives were built at Derby, Crewe and Darlington, the first twenty of them as part of the British Rail 1955 Modernisation Plan. This class was used as...
. Their allocation was switched to the new Finsbury Park TMD
Finsbury Park TMD
Finsbury Park TMD was a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in London, England. It was the first purpose built main line diesel locomotive depot opened in this country and it was fully commissioned in April 1960 . It was downgraded in June 1981 and closed in October 1983...
when it opened in 1960.
Locomotive D5303 was on loan to the Scottish Region
Scottish Region of British Railways
The Scottish Region was one of the six regions created on British Railways and consisted of ex-London, Midland and Scottish Railway and ex-London and North Eastern Railway lines in Scotland...
from 1958, being operated briefly from Inverness TMD
Inverness TMD
Inverness TMD is a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Inverness, Scotland. The depot, visible from Inverness Station, is operated by First ScotRail...
, and Eastfield TMD
Eastfield TMD
Eastfield TMD was a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Glasgow, Scotland. Eastfield was a steam shed under British Railways with the depot code 65A; the depot code of the diesel depot under BR was ED....
before moving to Leith Central TMD
Leith Central railway station
Leith Central Railway Station was a railway station in Leith, Scotland. It formed the terminus of a North British Railway branch line from Edinburgh Waverley...
. This was the precursor to a further twenty seven locomotives of a slightly modified design (D5320-5346, Class 26/1) being delivered to the Scottish Region between April and October 1959. The first two of these locomotives were briefly allocated to Leith Central, but subsequently all of the Scottish batch were based at Haymarket TMD
Haymarket TMD
Haymarket TMD is a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated inside Edinburgh, Scotland, next to Haymarket Station and Murrayfield Stadium. The depot is operated by First ScotRail. The depot code is HA.-External links:A of the depot.-References:...
(although some went to Hornsey on loan for a time).
By the middle of 1960, evaluation of the various Type 2 designs was complete and it was decided to concentrate all of the Class 26s in Scotland. As a result, the Class 26/0s were transferred to Haymarket, displacing the Class 26/1s to Inverness. Although some transferring of individual locomotives between the two depots occurred, the type was then allocated entirely to Haymarket and Inverness until 1987, apart from the brief allocation of a few locomotives to Kittybrewster TMD and Dundee TMD during 1960.
Like other Scottish Region Type 2s, Class 26 were 'maids of all work' during the 1960s and '70s, and could be found on a wide variety of duties. The Inverness based examples were particularly associated with the Far North Line
Far North Line
The Far North Line is a rural railway line entirely within the Highland area of Scotland, extending from Inverness to Thurso and Wick.- Route :...
and Kyle of Lochalsh Line
Kyle of Lochalsh Line
The Kyle of Lochalsh Line is a primarily single track railway line in the Scottish Highlands, running from Dingwall to Kyle of Lochalsh. The population along the route is sparse in nature, but the scenery is beautiful and can be quite dramatic, the Kyle line having been likened to a symphony in...
, as well as operating south of Inverness on the Highland Main Line
Highland Main Line
The Highland Main Line is a railway line in Scotland. It is long and runs through the Scottish Highlands linking a series of small towns and villages with Perth at one end and Inverness at the other. Today, services between Inverness and Edinburgh, Glasgow and London use the line...
. One notable duty, shared with locally based Class 24s, was to operate 'The Royal Highlander' Inverness to London Euston sleeping car express as far south as Perth, a demanding turn which required three locomotives working in multiple. The Haymarket engines were latterly more associated with goods traffic, and the first seven locomotives (D5300-5306, later renumbered 26007, 26001-006) were given slow speed control apparatus in 1967 for use on MGR
Merry-go-round train
A Merry-go-round train, often abbreviated to MGR, is a block train of hopper wagons which both loads and unloads its cargo while moving. In the United Kingdom, they are most commonly coal trains delivering to power stations...
coal trains to the then new Cockenzie Power Station
Cockenzie power station
Cockenzie power station is a coal-fired power station in East Lothian, Scotland, capable of co-firing biomass. It is situated on the south shore of the Firth of Forth, near the town of Cockenzie and Port Seton, east of the Scottish capital of Edinburgh. The station has dominated the local...
.
Upon elimination of BR standard-gauge steam traction in 1968, the 'D' number prefix was removed and locomotives D5300-5346 became 5300-5346. In 1974 the TOPS
TOPS
Total Operations Processing System, or TOPS, is a computer system for managing the locomotives and rolling stock owned by a rail system...
numbering system was implemented and Class 26/0s 5300-5319 were renumbered 26007/1-6/20/08-19, while Class 26/1s 5320-7/9-46 became 26028/1-7/9-46. Number 5328 had been withdrawn in 1972 with accident damage.
The availability of surplus Class 37
British Rail Class 37
The British Rail Class 37 is a diesel-electric locomotive. Also known as the English Electric Type 3, the Class was ordered as part of the British Rail modernisation plan....
and 47
British Rail Class 47
The British Rail Class 47, is a class of British railway diesel-electric locomotive that was developed in the 1960s by Brush Traction. A total of 512 Class 47s were built at Crewe Works and Brush's Falcon Works, Loughborough between 1962 and 1968, which made them the most numerous class of British...
locomotives in the late 1970s and early 1980s displaced the Class 26s from passenger workings and from most goods traffic north of Inverness. However, the type continued to operate goods trains throughout the whole of Scotland, taking over duties previously carried out by Class 25 and 27 locomotives. Most of the class were refurbished in the 1980s to extend their lives, being chosen in preference to the newer Class 25 and 27 due to the better reliability of the Class 26s' lower powered engines.
In May 1987, all of the surviving Class 26s were transferred to Eastfield TMD, except the seven MGR examples which remained at Haymarket until transfer in May 1988. In August 1992, the remaining engines were reallocated to Inverness, although this was essentially a paper exercise as locomotives only returned to their home depot for major maintenance. By this time the service life of the Class 26 locomotives was coming to an end.
Withdrawals
The first withdrawal, 5328, occurred as a result of accident damage in 1972. Although the Class 26s were a useful and reliable type, there was a surplus of small diesel locomotives, so any locomotive suffering significant damage was in danger of withdrawal. A further six locomotives were claimed by minor accidents or engine fires between 1975 and 1984. Apart from these, routine withdrawals commenced with three Class 26/0s in 1977, followed by two 26/0s and two 26/1s in 1985. The surviving 33 locomotives were all refurbished examples, and it had originally been intended to keep them in service until around 2000. However, three were lost to minor accidents/fire damage in 1988-89, and the closure of Ravenscraig steelworksRavenscraig steelworks
The Ravenscraig steelworks, operated by Colvilles and latterly by British Steel, consisted of an integrated iron and steel works and a hot strip steel mill. They were located in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland....
in 1991 resulted in a surplus of locomotives. Routine withdrawal of the refurbished locomotives began in 1990, and the last examples were taken out of service in October 1993.
Liveries
Nine main livery variants were carried by the class whilst in BR service:- British Railways green, with grey roofs, white cab window surrounds and a thin white stripe midway up the bodysides. All locomotives were delivered in this livery;
- Within a few years all locomotives received small yellow warning panels on the lower cabfronts;
- From the late 1960s some locomotives received full yellow ends as an interim measure pending repainting into Rail Blue;
- From 1967, repainted locomotives received all-over 'Rail Blue' with full yellow ends;
- This was soon modified to include yellow cabside window surrounds. All locomotives had received this livery by the mid-'70s;
- Railfreight grey with yellow cabs, black cab window surrounds and red solebars. Nineteen locomotives repainted in 1985-87 received this livery (26001-8/10/25/6/31/2/4/5/7/8/40/1);
- Railfreight three-tone grey with black cab window surrounds, yellow lower cabsides and yellow/black 'Coal Subsector' markings. This livery was applied to eight locomotives repainted in 1988-89 (26001-8);
- 'Civil Link' (or 'Dutch') grey with yellow upper bodysides and lower cabfronts, and black cab window surrounds was applied to sixteen locomotives (26001-8/11/25/6/35/6/8/40/3) in 1990-92;
- To mark the impending withdrawal of the class, the first two locomotives (26007 and 26001) were repainted into 1960s style BR green with small yellow warning panels in 1992, at which point 26001 became the first and only Class 26 to be named (Eastfield, to commemorate the closure of that depot).
Preservation
Thirteen locomotives have been preserved.| Numbers (current in bold) |
Name | Livery | Location | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D5300 | 26007 | - | BR Blue | Great Central Railway | First-built locomotive. One of the final locomotives in traffic.Operational. |
| D5301 | 26001 | Eastfield (Not carried) | BR Green | Caledonian Railway Caledonian Railway The Caledonian Railway was a major Scottish railway company. It was formed in the early 19th century and it was absorbed almost a century later into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, in the 1923 railway grouping, by means of the Railways Act 1921... |
One of the final locomotives in traffic.Operational. |
| D5302 | 26002 | - | BR Green | Strathspey Railway | Currently awaiting overhaul |
| D5304 | 26004 | - | Railfreight Coal | Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway | Awaiting repair |
| D5310 | 26010 | - | BR Green, small yellow warning panel | Llangollen Railway Llangollen Railway The Llangollen Railway is a volunteer-run preserved railway in Denbighshire, Wales, which operates between Llangollen and Carrog; at long, it is the longest preserved standard gauge line in Wales and operates daily in Summer as well as weekends throughout the Winter months using a wide variety of... |
Operational |
| D5311 | 26011 | - | BR Blue | Barrow Hill Engine Shed Barrow Hill Engine Shed Barrow Hill Roundhouse & Railway Centre, until 1948 known as Staveley Roundhouse & Train Centre, is a former Midland Railway roundhouse in Barrow Hill, near Staveley and Chesterfield, Derbyshire .-History:... |
Operational |
| D5314 | 26014 | - | BR Green | Caledonian Railway Caledonian Railway (Brechin) The Caledonian Steam Railway Ltd is a private limited company formed by a group of steam railway enthusiasts, the Brechin Railway Preservation Society, with the object of operating a railway service on the former Caledonian Railway line between Brechin and Montrose, Angus, Scotland... |
Operational |
| D5324 | 26024 | - | BR Blue | Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway | Operational |
| D5325 | 26025 | - | Undercoat | Strathspey Railway | Stored awaiting painting |
| D5335 | 26035 | - | BR Blue | Caledonian Railway Caledonian Railway (Brechin) The Caledonian Steam Railway Ltd is a private limited company formed by a group of steam railway enthusiasts, the Brechin Railway Preservation Society, with the object of operating a railway service on the former Caledonian Railway line between Brechin and Montrose, Angus, Scotland... |
Awaiting repairs |
| D5338 | 26038 | - | BR Blue | Privately owned, Cardiff Canton depot | |
| D5340 | 26040 | - | BR Blue | Privately owned, Methil | Undergoing restoration |
| D5343 | 26043 | - | To be repainted BR Blue | Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway is a volunteer-run heritage railway on the Gloucestershire/Worcestershire/Warwickshire Borders that has reopened the closed railway line between Laverton Halt and Cheltenham Racecourse railway stations in Gloucestershire/Worcestershire., it currently... |
Undergoing restoration |