Preserving Deltics
Murray Brown has been chairman of the DPS for over two decades and worked in the CM&EE office at York which ran the Deltic fleet. He gave an insight into how the fleet was run and the ups and downs of trying to keep such an obsolete and phenomenally complex locomotive in operational order.
English Electric DP1, commonly known as Deltic, was a prototype 3,300 hp (2,500 kW) demonstrator locomotive employing two Napier Deltic engines, built by English Electric in 1955.
The high power of the locomotive at an acceptably low axle load resulted in 22 similar locomotives being ordered by British Railways for use on East Coast Main Line express passenger services; the serial production of which became the British Rail Class 55.
Background and design
The English Electric company, which had absorbed the engine-maker Napier & Son into its group at the instruction of the Ministry of Aircraft Production in 1942, was a major builder of diesel and electric locomotives. The two George Nelsons (Sir George, and his son, known in the works as “Half”) saw the potential of Napier’s Deltic engine for rail traction and in 1954–1955 built a demonstrator at its Dick, Kerr works in Preston. Officially numbered DP1, its internal project title was Enterprise, and it was intended that the locomotive would carry that name. However, in 1954, before completion, Hudswell Clarke announced a range of small diesel-mechanical locomotives using the same name. After initial trials in 1955, the locomotive received the DELTIC in large cream letters on its sides, and the name became synonymous with the locomotive.
Long aluminium beadings on the sides were painted cream, a visual device to make the locomotive’s high sides appear more slender and add to the impression of speed. Three curved chevrons on each nose, in the same cream, added to that effect. To British eyes, the locomotive’s bulldog nose styling was reminiscent of American locomotives, such as the EMD E-unit or ALCO PA designs (partly because English Electric initially planned to offer the type for export), with high noses and small, somewhat swept-back cab windows set behind them. To add to the American look of the locomotive, a large headlight was to have been fitted to each nose (the lights were never installed but would have been of the rotating ‘Mars Light’ type as fitted to North American locomotives of the era). Two 18-cylinder Deltic engines were fitted, derated from the 1,750 horsepower (1.3 MW) of the marine engines in minesweepers to 1,650 horsepower (1.2 MW) each, generating 3,300 horsepower (2.5 MW) total. This derating reduced the stress on the engines, thereby increasing the service life and length of time between overhauls.
Napier Deltic
The Napier Deltic engine is a British opposed-piston valveless, supercharged uniflow scavenged, two-stroke diesel engine used in marine and locomotive applications, designed and produced by D. Napier & Son. Unusually, the cylinders were disposed in a three-bank triangle, with a crankshaft at each corner of the triangle.
The term Deltic (meaning “in the form of the Greek letter (capital) delta”) is used to refer to both the Deltic E.130 opposed-piston, high-speed diesel engine and the locomotives produced by English Electric using these engines, including its demonstrator locomotive named DELTIC and the production version for British Railways, which designated these as (TOPS) Class 55.
A single, half-sized, turbocharged Deltic power unit also featured in the English Electric-built Type 2 locomotive, designated as the Class 23. Both locomotive and engine became better known as the “Baby Deltic”.
The “Deltic” engines were used in two types of British rail locomotive: the 1961–62 built class 55 and the 1959 built class 23. These locomotive types were known as “Deltics” and “Baby Deltics”, respectively.
Napier Deltic engine at the National Railway Museum, York, UK
The Class 55 used two D18-25 series II type V Deltic engines: mechanically blown 18-cylinder engines each rated at 1,650 hp (1,230 kW) continuous at 1500 rpm.[7] The Class 23 used a single less powerful nine-cylinder turbocharged T9-29 Deltic of 1,100 hp (820 kW).[8][9]
Six out of the original 22 “Deltic” locomotives survive, four of which have, at various times since 1996, returned to work on the main line, operating both service trains and charter trains. D9000 “Royal Scots Grey”, the doyen of the class, was returned to main line serviceable status in 1996 and continued to work throughout the UK for nearly twenty years. Following a power unit failure this locomotive was fitted, for a time, with an ex-Norwegian Navy T18-37K type, after various modifications were cleverly designed to make the new unit compatible.
Service and testing
The locomotive first saw service on the London Midland Region of British Railways in 1955, generally operating fast London to Liverpool freight trains; it was withdrawn and after modifications re-entered services in 1956. Tests were carried out on the Settle to Carlisle line in August/September 1956, after which it operated passenger trains, The Shamrock and The Merseyside Express, between London and Liverpool, followed by London-Carlisle trains, and in 1957, returning to London-Liverpool trains. The region’s chief mechanical and electrical engineer, J.F.Harrison, rejected the design, believing high-speed engines (i.e. 1500 rpm) unsuitable for railway applications.
In 1957, Gerry Fiennes, the line traffic manager on the former Great Northern route out of London King’s Cross station, was seeking high power locomotives to run services on the East Coast Main Line, having found the 2000 hp English Electric type 4 locomotives produced under the 1955 modernisation plan lacking sufficient power for his planned timings; as a consequence, he proposed using ‘Deltic’ type locomotives on the line. Objections to the order included those arising from: a limited permitted top speed due to the mass of the locomotive; the potential for the order to delay a proposed electrification scheme of the line; as well the size which required modifications to the King’s Cross platforms. An order was placed in 1959 for 22 Class 55s to replace 55 steam locomotives.
Preservation
DP1 was in service until 24th November 1960 when a severe oil leak in one of the engines was discovered. The locomotive was sent to English Electric Company’s Works at Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire the next day for repair. However, no repairs were sanctioned and the locomotive was withdrawn from service in March 1961 having completed 450,000 miles (720,000 kilometres). Plans to test it in Canada fell through, and the locomotive was donated in April 1963 to the Science Museum, South Kensington and placed on public display.
After 30 years at the Science Museum, it was transferred to the National Railway Museum, York in October 1993. About 11 years later it was moved north to the National Railway Museum Shildon, County Durham in July 2004. In August 2012 it was loaned to The Ribble Steam Railway in Preston, Lancashire, which is barely a mile away from where it was originally built, returning to Shildon in October 2015 where it remains as of May 2020.
Restoring the two Deltic engines installed in DP1 to running condition is proving a challenge. The engines (Type E158, D18-12) although similar, differ from those used in British Rail Class 55 locomotives (Type E169, D18-25B). Aside from the original issue with the severe oil leak in the phasing gear cover, significant engine components were removed for use as spare parts for the Royal Navy prior to DP1 being donated to the Science Museum as the locomotive was not owned by British Railways.
The Deltic Perservation Society
Magnificent Seven
A view overlooking the site with all the Deltics visible by Gary Lupton
The Deltic Preservation Society Ltd is the largest diesel locomotive preservation society in the United Kingdom and owns three of the six surviving Deltics. A total of 22 Deltics were built for British Rail in 1961/62, for use on the East Coast Main Line out of Kings Cross. By the late 1970s, they were being replaced by new Inter-City 125 trains and were gradually phased out, the last examples being taken out of service at the beginning of 1982.
In 1977, many people realised that the future introduction of High-Speed Trains on the East Coast Main Line meant the days of the Deltics were numbered. A small group of enthusiasts decided on a long-term aim to preserve a working Deltic locomotive and formed the Deltic Preservation Society in order to raise funds to do this.
They were so successful that, following withdrawal from British Rail in 1982, membership had reached more than 1500, and the society was able to purchase not one but two locomotives, Alycidon (55009) and Royal Highland Fusilier (55019). Following completion of the sale, the two locos were moved from Doncaster Works, where they had been stored, to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway in August 1982 and put into service immediately. A third example, Tulyar (55015), based at the Midland Railway Centre, was added in 1986 when it was purchased from Peter Sansom.
Since then, the locomotives have made appearances over the country, and have hauled trains on a wide variety of private lines including the East Lancashire, Great Central, Keighley & Worth Valley, Llangollen, Mid-Hants, Nene Valley, Severn Valley, and West Somerset Railways.
Now over 35 years after the first purchases, the society is well placed to build on its success as a leading locomotive preservation society. The society aims to preserve its locos for many years to come, and with this in mind, a purpose-built depot was constructed at Barrow Hill in 2003 to house our locos. One of our machines (55015 Tulyar) is currently undergoing a major overhaul at our depot. A major overhaul at ICI Wilton, lasting almost eight years and one of the most comprehensive overhauls carried out to any preserved diesel locomotive to date, was completed on D9009 Alycidon in 1998 prior to the loco returning to the main line.
Early in 1998, the society announced that it was negotiating with VSOE (Venice Simplon Orient Express) to return its machines to the main line for use in its’ northern-based Pullman commencing operation in 1999. These negotiations were successful and two of the locomotives were certified for use on Railtrack lines during 1999, D9009 and 55019 seeing regular use on VSOE workings until the company ceased operating its own train in October 2000. The locos remained on the main line until 2003 and 2005 respectively, and after a break from mainline operations, D9009 returned to mainline duties in July 2012. The loco is normally available for hire for charter train duties or other work such as movement of locos to preserved railways, but following a major failure in March 2019 is currently out of service. 55019 remains available for use on preserved railways.
As mentioned above, the third, 55015 Tulyar, is currently part way through a major overhaul, and it is the society’s intention to certify this loco for mainline running also, once repairs are complete. In addition, with the long term preservation of the loco’s in mind, the society constructed a depot and maintenance facility at Barrow Hill in 2003 – providing undercover accommodation.
July 2003 saw the DPS granted Charitable Status by the Charity Commission, recognising the society’s commitment to educating the public about the achievements of the Deltic Locomotive in British Railway history. The charitable objectives of the society are:
- To advance the education of the public through the preservation, operation and exhibition of locomotives of historical and scientific importance especially the Deltic diesel locomotive.
- To provide working exhibits of locomotives and related rolling stock for study by and for the education of the public by maintaining them in mainline working order.
- To promote interest in the preservation of diesel locomotives and associated equipment that is of historic and scientific value
Visit the DPS website:
where , you can learn some of the histories of the Deltics, and it is planned to expand the FAQ and other sections during the next few months.
If you are interested in joining the UK’s largest diesel locomotive preservation group, please click on the ‘Join’ section on the main menu above.
