Railway Technical Centre (RTC) locos and stock over the years

[Cowley]

Afternoon everyone.

I’ve always had a bit of a fascination with the rolling stock and locos that have been on the books at the RTC Derby over the years. They have at different points had (I think) the last mainline active remaining members of classes 17, 23, 24, 28 and 46 plus the prototype HST power cars and various interesting DMUs.

Does anyone have any memories or photos of things like the Baby Deltic or Cobo when they were still running them, or any other interesting anecdotes about the RTC?

Anything you have would be much appreciated.

 

[hexagon789]

Afternoon everyone.

I’ve always had a bit of a fascination with the rolling stock and locos that have been on the books at the RTC Derby over the years. They have at different points had (I think) the last mainline active remaining members of classes 17, 23, 24, 28 and 46 plus the prototype HST power cars and various interesting DMUs.

Does anyone have any memories or photos of things like the Baby Deltic or Cobo when they were still running them, or any other interesting anecdotes about the RTC?

Anything you have would be much appreciated.

Have you seen the old-dalby site pit up by a former RTC employee? The same chap also runs the Train Testing website.

 

[Cowley]

Have you seen the old-dalby site pit up by a former RTC employee? The same chap also runs the Train Testing website.

No but I’ve just found it. I’ll have a look at it in a bit.

Welcome to the Old Dalby site

 

[hexagon789]

No but I’ve just found it. I’ll have a look at it in a bit.http://www.old-dalby.com/

No worries, was just going to ask if you wanted a link but you've found it anyway!

 

[Cowley]

No worries, was just going to ask if you wanted a link but you've found it anyway!

Yeah, it looks really good, thanks for that.

 

[hexagon789]

Yeah, it looks really good, thanks for that.

There's also the departmentals website, has photos and listings of departmental stock, may be of interest?

Here's a link to the photos section of the website anyway: https://www.departmentals.com/photos

 

[Strathclyder]

Afternoon everyone.

I’ve always had a bit of a fascination with the rolling stock and locos that have been on the books at the RTC Derby over the years. They have at different points had (I think) the last mainline active remaining members of classes 17, 23, 24, 28 and 46 plus the prototype HST power cars and various interesting DMUs.

Does anyone have any memories or photos of things like the Baby Deltic or Cobo when they were still running them, or any other interesting anecdotes about the RTC?

Anything you have would be much appreciated.

A quick Flickr search throws up this in regards to MetroVick D5705 (or S15705 as it was when part of the Derby RTC fleet): https://www.flickr.com/photos/8050359@N07/6110341044

And these for the last Baby Deltic (if only it'd hung on for a few more years after withdrawal, the of course wonderful Baby Deltic project wouldn't have been come to fruition):

Baby Deltic

Looking god-like down from my train as it sped towards York one day in February 1974, my view of Chesterfield's famous crooked spire was suddenly obstructed by huge clouds of steam. There was a loud hissing noise. We had burst a steam pipe between two of the carriages. The steam was for the...

www.flickr.com

08612, D5901. [CH-0-131]

Class 23 "Baby Deltic" D5901, with 08612 behind it, in the yard at Derby Etches Park. 27-05-74

www.flickr.com

Class 23 'Baby Deltic' no:D5903; Derby

Remember the 'Baby Deltics' ? They were the only English Electric built diesels which weren't a success, and required a major rebuild soon after delivery. But after this, they performed quite well, often giving 100% availability. This may have been due to careful maintenance at Finsbury Park...

www.flickr.com

D5901 Trent South 23Feb74

Uploaded for interest value, my first and last shot of a Baby Deltic, D5901, captured running light engine at Trent South Junction on 23rd February 1974. At the time it was allocated to the Derby Research Centre so well away from the more usual haunts of the southern end of the ECML when the...

www.flickr.com

Baby Deltic

D5901 at Derby was at the time at the Research Centre there.

www.flickr.com

 

[Helvellyn]

The Train Testing site might also be of interest to you. Has info about some of the specialist test vehicles as well as BR stock under test.

 

[edwin_m]

In latter years when they started that 31 up the whole site would be enveloped in diesel fog.

 

[Cowley]

Great stuff guys, thanks very much!

 

[Dave Bower]

I spent many years working on the test trains out of the RTC, wish I'd taken more pics, but there's some in my Flickr album:- https://www.flickr.com/photos/82085846@N02/albums/72157700566416475
Also wrote about 20 years experience of testing in 'Rail Vehicle Testing' book.

 

[Cowley]

I spent many years working on the test trains out of the RTC, wish I'd taken more pics, but there's some in my Flickr album:- https://www.flickr.com/photos/82085846@N02/albums/72157700566416475
Also wrote about 20 years experience of testing in 'Rail Vehicle Testing' book.

Thanks Dave that’s brilliant. I’ll have a look through them this evening.

 

[Ash Bridge]

I've just viewed the first page of images, some really fascinating stuff there!

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I have some of Co-Bos (MetroVic) but they are back in UK. I will try and post when I next get back there.

 

[xotGD]

Here's 97201 and Laboratory 10 at the RTC...

 

[Peter C]

Modern Locomotives Illustrated has covered both Departmental Locomotives (Issue 222, Dec. 2016 - Jan. 2017) and Departmental Multiple Units (Issue 231, June - July 2018). I've got the Departmental Locomotives one and it has a small section dedicated to purely Derby RTC locos (10 pages).

Issue 222 covers:

• Pre-Nationalisation Vehicles
• LM Engineering Department
• ER Chief Civil Engineers Locos
• Southern Region Locos
• Workshop and Depot Pilots
• Drewry/Baguley Overhead Car
• PWM650 - PWM654
• Derby RTC Locomotives
• CEGB Flask Crash Class 46s
• Train Heating Class 15, 24 & 31s
• ETHEL - ex Class 25s
• Departmental Class 08/09s
• Departmental Class 03, 05 & 06
• Class 40s – 97405 - 97408
• Class 45s – 97409 - 97413
• Departmental Class 47s
• Training Locomotives
• Class 84 - 968021
• HST Power Cars
• Network Rail Class 31s
• Network Rail Class 97/3s
• Class 73s in Departmental Use
• Class 86s in Departmental Use
• Departmental Class 57s
• The ‘Mag-Lev’ Project
• Class 97/7 Locomotives
• Departmental Loco Fleet List

Issue 231 covers:

• Southern Region EMUs
• Eastern Region EMU Stock
• London Midland Region EMUs
• Southern Region EMUs
• Former BR EMU Stock
• Traction Development Stock
• Southern Region DEMU Vehicles
• First Generation DMMUs
• Track Recording Unit 950001
• Track Recording Coach 'Elliott'
• The 'Railbus' Project
• Former EMU Coaches with Network Rail
• The New Measurement Train
• Class 501s converted to Departmental Locos

Apologies as that's all I've got (I don't have any photos/anecdotes etc.), but those magazines provide quite a bit of information. You can buy them from the links above - £4.60 each.

-Peter

 

[Cowley]

Modern Locomotives Illustrated has covered both Departmental Locomotives (Issue 222, Dec. 2016 - Jan. 2017) and Departmental Multiple Units (Issue 231, June - July 2018). I've got the Departmental Locomotives one and it has a small section dedicated to purely Derby RTC locos (10 pages).

Issue 222 covers:

Thanks Peter, I’ve ordered a copy.

Here's 97201 and Laboratory 10 at the RTC...

View attachment 90040

Great photo @xotGD .

 

[Peter C]

Thanks Peter, I’ve ordered a copy.

You're very welcome - I hope you find it interesting.

-Peter

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Here's 97201 and Laboratory 10 at the RTC...

View attachment 90040

Fantastic