The Peaks
Being born in Nottingham in 1956 and having lived in the Nottingham area for all my life the class of engine that I most associate with my youth has to be the British Railways Type 4, more commonly known as the Peaks. The Peaks actually consisted of three similar but slightly different batches of locomotives that were given three separate class identities. The ten Class 44 locomotives (D1 – D10) were the initial Pilot series locomotives. These were followed by the one hundred and twenty seven Class 45 locomotives (D11 – D137) and finally the fifty six Class 46 locomotives (D138 – D193) fitted with Brush electrical equipment. The first locomotives entered traffic in 1959 and construction finished in 1963. Withdrawals commenced in 1976 but the last locomotive was not withdrawn until 1989. Below in service life length order is a brief history of each locomotive.
D115 (45067), Entered Traffic 8/61, Withdrawn 7/77, Broken Up 6/80
Although not the first Peak to be withdrawn, with a service life of 15 years, 11 months D115 (45067) holds the number one spot for shortest service life. Although a number of Peaks had survived serious accident damage in the 1960’s and early 1970’s by 1977 this was becoming less likely and proved to be the case when 45067 was damaged in a collision with a derailed coal train at Bennerley on the Erewash Valley. Although the damage was not considerable, repair was denied and 45067 was withdrawn in July 1977. It was broken up by Derby Works during June 1980.
D142 (46005), Entered Traffic 12/61, Withdrawn 12/77, Broken Up 3/78
Holding second spot for the shortest service life at 16 years is D142 (46005). At the end of the 1977 summer timetable 46005 was stored unserviceable at Laira and rather surprisingly repair was denied and it was withdrawn in December 1977. During January 1978 it made its way to Derby Works who immediately stripped it of usable parts and unusually for Derby Works then broke it up immediately during March 1978.
46005 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/5707860317/
D161 (46024), Entered Traffic 3/62, Withdrawn 4/78, Broken Up 10/78
Holding third spot for the shortest service life at 16 years, 1 month is D161 (46024). In April 1978 46024 was involved in a minor collision at Hereford and although the damage was not considerable, repair was denied and 46024 was withdrawn in April 1978. It was broken up by Derby Works during October 1978.
D3 (44003), Entered Traffic 9/59, Withdrawn 7/76, Broken Up 8/76
Holding fourth spot for the shortest service life at 16 years, 10 months is the first to be withdrawn D3 (44003) Skiddaw. In 1962, following a short career as passenger locomotives, generally on West Coast Main Line duties the ten Pilot series locomotives were allocated to Toton for freight traffic in the East Midlands. From then until withdrawal the Class 44's would be synonymous with Toton, in general only working to the limits of the route knowledge of Toton's goods link drivers and usually on out and back turns. 44003 was withdrawn in July 1976 and its end came quickly as by the end of September 1976 it had been broken up by Derby Works.
44003 – http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/5528101869/
44003 – http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/5631454289/
D140 (46003), Entered Traffic 11/61, Withdrawn 10/78, Broken Up 3/80
Holding fifth spot for the shortest service life at 16 years, 11 months is D140 (46003). It would spend the first half of its career predominantly on the old Midland Railway lines being allocated to Nottingham, Toton and Holbeck. In 1971 a major fleet re-organisation occurred and 46003 was part of a batch of class 46 locomotives transferred to Bristol Bath Road as replacements for the then rapidly disappearing diesel-hydraulic fleet on the Western Region. This was followed by a transfer to Laira in November 1972. In the summer of 1978 it suffered a major bogie fire and was sent to Derby Works for evaluation. The result was withdrawal in October 1978 and it was broken up at Derby Works in March 1980.
46003 – http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/12450694933/
46003 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/19631833089/
To be continued
Being born in Nottingham in 1956 and having lived in the Nottingham area for all my life the class of engine that I most associate with my youth has to be the British Railways Type 4, more commonly known as the Peaks. The Peaks actually consisted of three similar but slightly different batches of locomotives that were given three separate class identities. The ten Class 44 locomotives (D1 – D10) were the initial Pilot series locomotives. These were followed by the one hundred and twenty seven Class 45 locomotives (D11 – D137) and finally the fifty six Class 46 locomotives (D138 – D193) fitted with Brush electrical equipment. The first locomotives entered traffic in 1959 and construction finished in 1963. Withdrawals commenced in 1976 but the last locomotive was not withdrawn until 1989. Below in service life length order is a brief history of each locomotive.
D115 (45067), Entered Traffic 8/61, Withdrawn 7/77, Broken Up 6/80
Although not the first Peak to be withdrawn, with a service life of 15 years, 11 months D115 (45067) holds the number one spot for shortest service life. Although a number of Peaks had survived serious accident damage in the 1960’s and early 1970’s by 1977 this was becoming less likely and proved to be the case when 45067 was damaged in a collision with a derailed coal train at Bennerley on the Erewash Valley. Although the damage was not considerable, repair was denied and 45067 was withdrawn in July 1977. It was broken up by Derby Works during June 1980.
D142 (46005), Entered Traffic 12/61, Withdrawn 12/77, Broken Up 3/78
Holding second spot for the shortest service life at 16 years is D142 (46005). At the end of the 1977 summer timetable 46005 was stored unserviceable at Laira and rather surprisingly repair was denied and it was withdrawn in December 1977. During January 1978 it made its way to Derby Works who immediately stripped it of usable parts and unusually for Derby Works then broke it up immediately during March 1978.
46005 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/5707860317/
D161 (46024), Entered Traffic 3/62, Withdrawn 4/78, Broken Up 10/78
Holding third spot for the shortest service life at 16 years, 1 month is D161 (46024). In April 1978 46024 was involved in a minor collision at Hereford and although the damage was not considerable, repair was denied and 46024 was withdrawn in April 1978. It was broken up by Derby Works during October 1978.
D3 (44003), Entered Traffic 9/59, Withdrawn 7/76, Broken Up 8/76
Holding fourth spot for the shortest service life at 16 years, 10 months is the first to be withdrawn D3 (44003) Skiddaw. In 1962, following a short career as passenger locomotives, generally on West Coast Main Line duties the ten Pilot series locomotives were allocated to Toton for freight traffic in the East Midlands. From then until withdrawal the Class 44's would be synonymous with Toton, in general only working to the limits of the route knowledge of Toton's goods link drivers and usually on out and back turns. 44003 was withdrawn in July 1976 and its end came quickly as by the end of September 1976 it had been broken up by Derby Works.
44003 – http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/5528101869/
44003 – http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/5631454289/
D140 (46003), Entered Traffic 11/61, Withdrawn 10/78, Broken Up 3/80
Holding fifth spot for the shortest service life at 16 years, 11 months is D140 (46003). It would spend the first half of its career predominantly on the old Midland Railway lines being allocated to Nottingham, Toton and Holbeck. In 1971 a major fleet re-organisation occurred and 46003 was part of a batch of class 46 locomotives transferred to Bristol Bath Road as replacements for the then rapidly disappearing diesel-hydraulic fleet on the Western Region. This was followed by a transfer to Laira in November 1972. In the summer of 1978 it suffered a major bogie fire and was sent to Derby Works for evaluation. The result was withdrawal in October 1978 and it was broken up at Derby Works in March 1980.
46003 – http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/12450694933/
46003 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/19631833089/
To be continued
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