Locomotive No. 45041 'Royal Tank Regiment'
BR Class 45 1Co-Co1 Diesel Electric
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Builders: British Railways, Crewe Year: 1962 Engine: Sulzer 12LDA28B 2500 h.p (1864 kW.) at 750 r.p.m. Transmission: Electric, Generator; Crompton Parkinson CG426A1, Traction Motors; 6 x Crompton Parkinson C172A1 Driving wheels diameter: 3'9" (1143 mm) Weight: 136 tons (138 tonnes) Maximum tractive effort: 55000 Ibf (245 kN). Train brakes: Air/ vacuum. Maximum speed: 90 mph.(144.8 kmph) Original owner: British Railways London Midland Region. Current owner: Peak Locomotive Company |
Background History
Under the British Transport Commissions (BTC) Pilot Scheme the Sulzer Type C’s of 2300hp (1715 kW) were developed at Derby with a family resemblance to the Pioneer LMS diesels Nos. 10000/1, but using bogies developed from the Bullied Prototypes to keep the axle weight below 20 ton to give a Route Availability of 7. Ten Pilot Scheme Sulzer Type C Class locomotives were built by British Railways at Derby Works using 2,300hp (1715 kW) Swiss-built engines in 1959. Numbered D1 to D10 they were named after the Mountains & Hills of England and Wales, the class became known as the ‘Peak’ class. Both Derby and Crewe works built the production ‘Peaks’ between 1960 and 1962 numbered D11 to D137. The 2,500hp (1864 kW) engines were built by Vickers Armstrong Ltd at their Barrow factory, under licence from Sulzer. The final batch was built at Derby between 1961 and 1963 numbered D138 to D193. They differed with the electrical equipment being changed from Crompton Parkinson to Brush Electrical manufacture.
Externally the pilot scheme design had gangway connection disc head codes, but the production locomotives differed by requiring the four panel route indicators (Headcode panel) necessitating to be grouped in two pairs on each side of the gangway connection. However this feature was soon abandoned and later locomotives were built new with either the two pairs centrally fitted or a full four character headcode panel. Although the original ten Pilot ‘Peaks’ all received names only 27 of the production ‘Peaks’ received names mainly of Regiments but usually without ceremony.
The ‘Peaks‘ were always associated with the Midland main lines including the Settle & Carlisle line to Scotland and the cross-country services from the northeast to the southwest. Some of the Brush-equipped ‘Peaks’ went new to Gateshead for Trans-Pennine and East Coast main line duties through Peterborough.
All ‘Peaks’ were delivered in Green livery with Lower body Eggshell Blue stripe with the yellow warning panel added from 1962. The Corporate Blue era started in 1967 with full yellow ends, although as always there were variations! With the TOPS renumbering starting in 1973 and the fitting off ETH equipment during works visits up to 1975. Under TOPS the Pilot ‘Peaks’ became class 44 Nos.44001 to 44010. The Production ‘Peaks’ became class 45 Nos. 45001 to 45077 & Nos. 45101 to 45150 although this was in order of works visit not the ‘D’ numbers. Class 45/0 retained steam train heating whilst the Class 45/1 were fitted with electrical train heating equipment (ETH) occupying the space formerly housing the boiler. The Brush ‘Peaks’ became class 46 Nos. 46001 to 46056.
The ‘Peaks’ operated on passenger and freight service until the 1970’s as the Class 44’s were confined to freight duties around Toton being withdrawn between October 1976 to November 1980. The Class 46’s were withdrawn between December 1977 and November 1984. Four were allocated to Departmental duties at the Derby Research Department during 1984. Although on 17th July1984, No. 46009 suffered a tragically spectacular end during a 100mph collision test with a CEGB nuclear fuel flask at Old Dalby, Leicestershire on the BR Test Track.
Withdrawals of the class 45/0 started in October 1980 and the first Class 45/1 was only withdrawn due to severe collision damage in December 1984. From 1986 withdrawal started with the influx of ‘Sprinter’ DMU’s and with Sectorisation the ‘Peaks’ were unwanted by the main sectors and the whole fleet transferred to Tinsley depot in September 1986 with the last Passenger Diagrams withdrawn from May 1987. March depot became a storing location for many ‘Peaks’, but four became allocated as Departmental during October 1987 for use on ECML electrification engineering duties north of Newcastle. With the disappearance of the newspaper traffic in July 1988 this finally pushed the ‘Peaks’ out or main line service, and the survivors were switched off on 2 August 1988.
Fortunately the ‘Peaks’ have their followers with two Class 44, three Class 45/0, nine Class 45/1 and three Class 46 preserved, in which D172 (46035) Ixion became the official first preserved diesel to run on BR on the 1st October 1994.
Locomotive History
Locomotive No.45041 carrying the number D53 was built at Crewe Works in 1962 and was released into traffic on 25th June, 1962 and based at Derby (Shed Code 17A). The locomotive and was initially carried a split centre headcode and had vacuum only train brakes with steam heating provided by a Stones Vapor OK4625 boiler. Transferring to Cricklewood (14A) depot in July 1962 before returning to Derby (17A) in March 1963 and on 8th September 1963 Derby shed code became 16C.
On 24th September, 1964 the locomotive was named “Royal Tank Regiment” at Derby Works with no formal ceremony and above the nameplates the Royal Tank Regimental crest was carried. The Royal Tank Regiment finds its beginnings in the original armoured car pioneers of The Great War in 1916. In 1939 the name was changed to Royal Tank Regiment. The regiment is now equipped with Challenger 2 tanks and based at Tidworth, coming under 1st Armoured Infantry Brigade.
In January 1965 the London Midland Region (LMR) organised their Diesel allocation to routes/ areas with No. D53 being allocated to Midland Lines (ML) until transferred to the Nottingham Divison (D16) in October 1966, and back to (LMR)ML in March 1967. During a visit to Derby Works for refurbishment in 1967 D53 lost its green livery in favour of the new corporate blue livery and its headcode was changed to a full four character version. In December 1967 returned to the Nottingham Divison (D16).The locomotive was fitted with air train brakes in 1968. Up to August 1968 No.D53 was a London Midland Region locomotive but was transferred to the Eastern Region at Holbeck (55A). Under the TOPS computer system depots code became to letters from 6th May 1973 and Holbeck shed code became HO. Locomotive No. 53 (‘D’ was ‘dropped’ at the end of steam in 1968) was re-numbered to 45041 in May, 1975. No. 45041 was re-allocated to Tinsley (TI) depot in October 1977 with the boiler was isolated soon after, being one of the first of the class to lose its train heating capability. In March 1979 saw No.45041 enter the Derby workshop for a Generals Classifieds overhaul which once completed the headcode panel were removed from the nose ends and these were replaced with marker lights. No.45041 returned to the LMR with a transfer to Toton (TO) depot in May 1981. the locomotive entered Derby Works in July 1985 for its final works overhaul, re-entering traffic in August 1985 without its nameplates fitted. On 27th May 1986 entered into Derby Works due to its Main Generator Failing and fortunately a Replacement was available. Since it was under a year since its last light overhaul It would be the last Class 45/0 to receive any type of repair at Derby returning to service during July 1986. In September 1986 along with all the remaining Class 45/0 a transfer to Tinsley (TI) took place. During 1987 No.45041 visited St. Pancras, York, Peterborough, Newcastle, Blackpool, and running to Cambridge from Birmingham on the 21st October (last trip past Peterborough?), mainly on passenger services, quite a feat for its last full year in service! In November 1987 the Railfreight Sector took on the Class 45’s probably reluctantly. During January 1988 No.45041 manage to visit Plymouth before working out of Buxton. On 25th April it split the points at Grindleford and derailed, later arrived at Tinsley for repairs. While there No.45041 regained its name but painted “Tinsley Style”, returning to Buxton on 30th April. Whilst working a stone train from Peak Forest to the North East suffering a traction motor problem in early May and was moved to Thornaby depot for assessment. Although later towed to Tinsley the repairs were cancelled and it returned to Thornaby on 19th May. Officially withdrawn on 8th June 1988 and awaiting its fate stored at Thornaby for five years.
Preservation History
Sold for preservation by locomotive collector and music producer Pete Waterman in September 1993 and moved from Thornaby depot on 21st January 1994 to Crewe Heritage Centre. It was displayed at Crewe Works Open day in August, 1994 and at the Crewe Railfair event in August 1995 although no restoration work was undertaken on No. 45041. The locomotive was purchased by the Peak Locomotive Company in February 1996 and had bodywork repairs and a complete repaint into BR Blue livery with Full Yellow ends so that it could be re-dedicated by the Reverend Bernard Baines, the Royal Tank Regiment Padre at Crewe Works Open Day on 17th August 1996. Following the Open Day, the locomotive was moved to Crewe Electric Depot where it had its tyres turned before being hauled over the main line to the Midland Railway Centre, arriving on 23rd August and allocated TOPS no.89453.
After restoration No. 45041 made its debut in preservation on 28th September, 2002 and making a return visit to Crewe Works for an Open Day in September, 2005, subsequently visited diesel events at the East Lancashire Railway in July 2004 & July 2008. The locomotive had body work repairs at Swanwick in 2009 was repainted once again into service on 11th September, 2010 and visited the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Travelled by road to the Great Central Railway in 2012 stayed there until arriving at Wansford on 13th October 2016 for our Diesel Gala. During its stay locomotive No.45041 was repainted before leaving by rail to the Severn Valley Railway on 1st May 2017. On its way home it visited the Swanage Railway and the Chinnor & Princess Risborough Railway arriving back at Butterley on 9th June 2017. Another tour of Railways in 2018 included the Bluebell, Nene Valley, Swanage, Severn Valley and West Somerset. No.45041 Arrived at Wansford on 26th July 2018 from Butterley in full working order replacing Steam during the High Fire risk summer.
The Peak Locomotive Company was formed in 1981 by a group of diesel locomotive enthusiasts based in the Midlands, in order to save Class 44 locomotive No.D4 (44004) Great Gable from going to the scrapyard. In 1992, the Company acquired their second loco, Class 46 No. 46045(D182/ 97404). Class 45/0 No. 45041 Royal Tank Regiment was the third loco purchased in 1996. In 2007, an ETH equipped Class 45/1 locomotive No. 45108 (D120) was saved by the Peak Locomotive Company completing the ‘Peak’ collection of all classes!