British Rail Class 46

The British Rail Class 46 is a class of diesel locomotive. They were built from 1961–1963 at British Railways' Derby Works and were initially numbered D138–D193. With the arrival of TOPS they were renumbered to Class 46. Along with the similar Class 44 and 45 locomotives, they became known as Peaks.

Derby Type 4
British Rail Class 46
46 045 at Exeter St Davids in 1976.
Type and origin
Power typeDiesel-electric
BuilderBritish Railways’ Derby Works
Build date1961–1963
Total produced56
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • UIC(1′Co)(Co1′)
 • Commonwealth1Co-Co1
Gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Wheel diameter3 ft 9 in (1.143 m)
Minimum curve3.5 chains (70 m)
Wheelbase59 ft 8 in (18.19 m)
Length67 ft 11 in (20.70 m)
Width8 ft 10 1⁄2 in (2.71 m)
Height12 ft 10 in (3.91 m)
Loco weight138 long tons (140 t; 155 short tons)
Fuel capacity790 imp gal (3,600 l; 950 US gal)
Prime moverSulzer 12LDA28-B
GeneratorBrush
Traction motorsBrush
MU working★ Blue Star
Train heatingSteam
Train brakesVacuum
Performance figures
Maximum speed90 mph (145 km/h)
Power outputEngine: 2,500 bhp (1,864 kW)
At rail: 1,962 hp (1,463 kW)
Tractive effortMaximum: 55,000 lbf (245 kN)
Brakeforce63 long tons-force (628 kN)
Career
OperatorsBritish Railways
NumbersD138–D193; later 46 001–46 056
Nicknames‘Peak’
Axle load classRoute availability 7
Withdrawn1977–1984
DispositionThree preserved, one wrecked in nuclear flask test, remainder scrapped

Fifty-six locomotives were built. The first was withdrawn in 1977 and all of them were withdrawn by the end of 1984.

Overview

The Class 46 design was structurally the same as the preceding Class 45 build, and had the same Sulzer engine, but differed in the fitment of a Brush generator and traction motors, in place of the Crompton Parkinson equipment fitted to the Class 45. Along with the other Sulzer class 44 and 45 designs they are often referred to as "Peaks", so named because the earliest of the Class 44 were named after mountains.[1][2]

The British Transport Commission decided to cancel the final twenty Class 46 locomotives then on order and invited bids for twenty locomotives of a new Type 4 specification using the Brush electrical equipment intended for the cancelled order. Brush won the contract with what became the Class 47.[3][4]

Naming
46 026 Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry - the only named Class 46.

Unlike the earlier Peak designs, many of which were named, only one class 46 was so graced: D163 (later 46 026) carried the name Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry from new. This engine was nicknamed "The Lady" by both staff and rail fans alike. This name is now carried by the preserved Class 45 number D123 / 45 125.

Detail of 46 026's nameplate.

Operation
Distribution of locomotives,
March 1974[5]
BR
GD
LA
CodeNameQuantity
BRBristol Bath Road22
GDGateshead24
LALaira10
Total: 56

Despite intermittent use on freight trains, Class 46s were regular performers on passenger turns, particularly North East-South West, Trans-Pennine and secondary North East-London trains,[2][6] and depot allocations reflected this with locos at Gateshead and Plymouth in 1977[7] giving a typical spread. Freight workings were also quite often worked over long distances, particularly "clay hoods" carrying china clay from Cornwall to the area around Stoke-on-Trent.

In the 1980s the remaining locomotives were concentrated at Gateshead depot, and the final booked passenger workings for the class were the dated summer Saturday services Bradford - Weymouth (between Bradford and Birmingham New Street), Newcastle - Plymouth, Newcastle - Blackpool North, and York - Blackpool North.[8]

Nuclear flask crash test
The test at Old Dalby

On 17 July 1984, 46 009 (formerly D146), hauling three Mark 1 coaches, was deliberately crashed into a "Flatrol" wagon loaded with a nuclear waste flask and lying on its side. The train was travelling at about 100 mph (160 km/h) on the Old Dalby Test Track in a test organised by the CEGB.[9][10][11] The test was intended to demonstrate to the public that there would be no leak of radioactive material in the event of a rail accident involving a train carrying a nuclear waste flask.[9][12]

46 009 was scrapped on site at Old Dalby later the same month by Vic Berry of Leicester.Images

Preservation

Three have been preserved: 46 010 at the Great Central Railway - Nottingham; 46 035 Ixion; and D182 (46 045) at Midland Railway - Butterley

  • 46 037 at Manchester Victoria (1983)
  • 46 045 at Walsden (1983)
  • Preserved loco D182 (46 045) at Grosmont (May 2008)

References
  1. "Peak to be sold". Railways Illustrated: 36. November 2007.
  2. Montague, Keith (1978). The Power of the Peaks. Oxford: Oxford Publishing Co. ISBN 0-902888-99-4.
  3. Introduction to Prototypes Class47.com Retrieved on 2007-05-31
  4. D0260 Lion & The Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Co. Ltd. www.derbysulzers.com Retrieved 30 December 2018
  5. British Railways Locoshed Book 1974 edition. Shepperton: Ian Allan. 1974. pp. 31–32. ISBN 0-7110-0558-3.
  6. Lund, E (1980). To the last drop. Chesterfield: Longden technical Publications. ISBN 0-9507063-0-2.
  7. British Rail Locoshed Book 1981. Shepperton: Ian Allan Ltd. p. 26. ISBN 0-7110-1112-5.
  8. Webster, Neil; Greaves, Simon; Greengrass, Robert. Loco-hauled travel 1984-5. York: Metro Enterprises Ltd. ISBN 0-947773-00-2.
  9. Slater, John, ed. (October 1984). "Operation 'Smash Hit'". Railway Magazine. Vol. 130 no. 1002. Sutton, Surrey: Transport Press. pp. 394–5.
  10. Dowler, H. J.; Molyneaux, T. C. K.; Miles, J. C. (1987). "Analysis of the forces on a nuclear fuel transport flask in an impact by a train". Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part A: Power and Process Engineering. 201 (11): 55. doi:10.1243/PIME_PROC_1987_201_007_02. S2CID 111297025.
  11. Coxon, Dave, "CEGB staged collision with Nuclear flask 1985", www.old-dalby.com, archived from the original on 6 December 2005
  12. "Nuclear Flask Train Crash Test - BBC News 1984". www.youtube.com. BBC.

Sources
  • Webb, Brian (1978). Sulzer Diesel Locomotives of British Rail. David & Charles. ISBN 0715375148.

Further reading
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