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British Rail Class 77

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
British Rail Class 77
Preserved locomotive, no. 27000 in original black livery.
Type and origin
Power typeElectric
BuilderBR Gorton Works [en]
Build date1953–1954
Total produced7
Specifications
Configuration:
 • WhyteCo-Co
Gauge4 ft 8 12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Wheel diameter4 ft 2 in (1.270 m)
Length59 ft 0 in (17.98 m)
Loco weight102.5 long tons (104.1 t)
Electric system/s1500 V DC
Current pickup(s)Pantograph, x 2
Traction motors6 x Metropolitan Vickers 415 hp (309 kW)[1]
Train heatingSteam generator
Loco brakeAir and electrical regenerative
Train brakesVacuum
Performance figures
Maximum speed90 mph (145 km/h)
Power output2,490 hp (1,857 kW)
Tractive effort45,000 lbf (200 kN)
Brakeforce85 long tons-force (847 kN)
Career
OperatorsBritish Railways (1954-1968)
Nederlandse Spoorwegen (1968-1986)
Numbers27000–27006
Retired1968 (UK)
1986 (Netherlands)
DispositionThree preserved, remainder scrapped

The British Rail Class 77,[2] also known as Class EM2, is a class of 1.5 kV DC, Co-Co electric locomotive. They were built by Metropolitan Vickers in 1953–1954 for use over the Woodhead Line [en] between Manchester and Sheffield.

These were the bigger and more powerful version of the Class 76 (EM1) to haul passenger trains. Once the Woodhead Line lost passenger trains, all of the Class 77s were sold to Nederlandse Spoorwegen. They would serve in the Netherlands for 15 more years until being retired. Three are now preserved. One stayed in the Netherlands, while the other two has since returned to the UK.

Background

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When the London and North Eastern Railway started electrifying the Woodhead Line [en] in the late 1930s, they planned to have a total of 88 electric locomotives. Nine of these were planned to be used on express trains.[3] In 1939, the project was halted because of the Second World War. In 1944, the LNER decided to make changes to the project to save money. They decided to use only the EM1 (later Class 76) mixed-traffic locomotives.[4]

There were doubts about the EM1s being instable at high speeds.[4] This lead to another change to the project later in the late 1940s.[a] 27 express passenger locomotives were ordered. These would become the Class EM2, and would be used alongside the 58 EM1s.[5][1]

As the Woodhead Line electrification was becoming more expensive, in 1950, the order for the EM2s was reduced to seven locomotives.[5][1] To make up for the loss, the last ten of the smaller EM1s were fitted with roller bearings [en] to make them suitable for passenger trains.[5]

Service in the UK

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27000 at Manchester Piccadilly station, 1967

The seven EM2s were built by Gorton Locomotive Works [en] in 1954. Metropolitan Vickers provided the electrical equipment.[6] It was said that the EM2s were too heavy and outdated by the time they entered service. Despite this, the EM2s faired well in service.[7] All seven locomotives were named after Ancient Greek and Roman goddesses (see below).[8]

Like the smaller EM1s, the Class EM2s at first were painted black. This was later changed to dark green from 1956. Then light blue, the same shade worn by AC-current electric locomotives, was applied to the EM2s in the 1960s.[8]

In January 1967, the British Railways Board [en] published a report. It proposed the end of electric-hauled passenger trains over the Woodhead Line and divert them to the unelectrified Hope Valley line [en]. It was claimed that these trains get in the way of freight trains and required specialised locomotives, referring to the Class EM2s.[9] This lead to all seven locomotives being taken out of service on 2 March 1968. They were then stored at Bury depot.[6]

Further use in the Netherlands

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NS 1503 at Utrecht, 1972

In 1969, the entire class was sold to Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS). They were shipped to the Netherlands in September of that same year.[6] They became the Class 1500.[10] They were modified to suit the NS. This included replacing the steam boiler that was used to heat the carriages with an electrical generator.[6][10] They were adapted to right-hand driving found in the Netherlands, as opposed to left-hand driving in the UK. The traction motors were refreshed so that they could output more power, but at a lower speed at 84 mph (135 km/h).[6]

Six reentered service with the NS from 1970 to 1971. The seventh, No.27005, was taken apart to provide spare parts for the other six locomotives.[6] The Class 1500s were employed on passenger trains from Amsterdam to Heerlen, and between Maastricht and Venlo.[11] Four of them remained in use until their retirement on 14 June 1986.[8] Three are now preserved.[11]

Fleet details

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NS 1501 at the Utrecht Railway Museum
Key: Preserved Scrapped
BR number NS number Name
[12]
Disposal
1955 1957
27000 E27000 1502 Electra Preserved at Midland Railway - Butterley [en]
27001 E27001 1505 Ariadne Preserved at the Science and Industry Museum [en] in Manchester[8]
27002 E27002 1506 Aurora Scrapped (February 1985)
27003 E27003 1501 Diana Preserved in the Utrecht Railway Museum [en] by Werkgroep 1501
27004 E27004 1503 Juno Scrapped (October 1986)
27005 E27005 - Minerva Used for parts by NS. Scrapped (November 1969)
27006 E27006 1504 Pandora Scrapped (February 1985)
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  1. Two sources conflicted over which exact year the change happened. John Glover said that it happened in 1949,[5] but John C. Gillham argued it was 1947.[1]

References

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  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Gillham 1988, p. 108.
  2. Percival, David, ed. (1985). Railway World Annual 1986. Ian Allan Publishing. p. 99. ISBN 9780711015067 – via Internet Archive.
  3. Glover 2003, p. 50.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Glover 2003, p. 51.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Glover 2003, p. 53.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Glover 2003, p. 55.
  7. Haut, F.J.G. (1977). Electric Locomotives of The World. p. 9. ISBN 085153256X – via Internet Archive.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Glover 2003, p. 56.
  9. Glover 2003, p. 63.
  10. 10.0 10.1 Hollingsworth & Cook 2000, p. 111.
  11. 11.0 11.1 Ross, David (2005). The Encyclopedia of Trains and Locomotives. Silverdale Books. p. 426. ISBN 9781856057929 – via Internet Archive.
  12. Ian Allan ABC British Railways locomotives. Shepperton: Ian Allan. 1962. p. 248.

Other websites

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