British Rail Class 17
Encyclopedia
The British Rail Class 17 (also known as the Clayton Type 1) was a class of 117 Bo-Bo
diesel-electric locomotives built 1962–1965 by Clayton Equipment Company
and their sub-contractor Beyer, Peacock & Co.
, for British Railways (BR).
Following problems with the single-cabbed pilot scheme Type 1 locomotives, the Class 17s were designed with a centre cab and low bonnets to maximise visibility for the driver. The low engine covers required the use of two Paxman
6ZHXL six-cylinder horizontal engines and these gave unreliable performance even after extensive modifications. The class proved to be one of the least successful of the Type 1s. Withdrawals took place from the late 1960s to 1971, some locomotives having a working life of less than five years. Several were sold to industrial users, but only one has been preserved.
and 16
under the TOPS
classification system) were of a 'road-switcher'
type layout with a single off-centre cab, from which forward visibility for the crew was poor in both directions of travel, while the third (Class 20
) had its cab at one end, giving good visibility in that direction only. After experience with these, and although Class 20 was a technical success, BR decided that it wanted a single-cab Type 1 locomotive with good forward visibility in both directions. The result was the Class 17, fitted with a centre cab and low engine covers. These requirements meant that instead of having a single large engine, it was necessary to use two smaller six-cylinder horizontal engines, one on either side of the cab. Most were powered by two Paxman
6ZHXL engines of 450 hp each, an engine originally used in diesel railcars but the last two of the Clayton-built batch, D8586-D8587, each had a pair of Rolls Royce Type D 450 hp engines.British Railways ordered 117 off the drawing board. The designer, the Clayton Equipment Company
of Hatton, Derbyshire
completed locomotives D8500-D8587 between September 1962 and February 1965, while sub-contractor Beyer, Peacock and Company
of Manchester delivered D8588-D8616 between March 1964 and April 1965. The Clayton examples had 'red diamond' control equipment
while the Beyer Peacock batch had the standard 'blue star' type.
depots at Polmadie and Haymarket, although some later migrated to Kingmoor on the London Midland Region
. The Beyer Peacock locomotives were new to the North Eastern Region
at Thornaby (4) and Gateshead (12) and to the Eastern Region
at Tinsley (12) and Barrow Hill (1). In September 1963 numbers D8501 and D8536 moved to the Tyne Dock area where they were tested in multiple on Consett iron ore trains. They proved far too underpowered for this work, and so were moved to Ardsley shed a few months later where they undertook a variety of freight work both individually and in multiple. Subsequently all of the locomotives allocated to the Eastern Region were transferred to Haymarket where they were employed on freight traffic in southern Scotland and northern England.
. The twin Paxman engines were unreliable, being prone to camshaft and cylinder head problems amongst others; overall availability was around 60%, even after extensive modifications. Forward visibility, which had dictated the whole design of the type, was not as good as had been hoped, the long noses meaning that the crew could not see the area immediately in front of the locomotive. Although the Rolls Royce and Crompton Parkinson engined examples had better reliability no further examples were ordered, BR decided to dispose of the type, replacing them with an order of a further 100 of the already proven Class 20 locomotives
.
After withdrawal in 1971, D8568 went on to see industrial use at Hemelite, Hemel Hempstead
and at Ribblesdale Cement, Clitheroe
, and was then secured for preservation. It is now (2006) at the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway
, Oxfordshire
.
TV Series, a character based on this class appears by the name of Derek.
launched a 00 gauge ready-to-run model of the Class 17 at the 2006 Warley National Model Railway Exhibition which went on sale after some production delays in early 2009. Aside from small runs by TechCad, and in kit form by DC Kits and others, this was the first time the class had been produced as a ready-to-run model. Ironically, given the unreliability of the prototype, the model appears to have suffered from manufacturing problems which have led to a high degree of unreliability -- Heljan arranged for replacement chassis to be manufactured.
As part of their Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
range, Ertl
produced a diecast model of a Class 17 (the character Derek); Learning Curve
similarly produced a wooden version.
Bo-Bo
A Bo-Bo or Bo′Bo′ is a locomotive with two independent four-wheeled bogies with all axles powered by individual traction motors...
diesel-electric locomotives built 1962–1965 by Clayton Equipment Company
Clayton Equipment Company
Clayton Equipment Company Ltd, now known simply as Clayton Equipment Ltd or CEC and CEL, is a locomotive construction company that specialises in locomotives for underground mining operations.-Inception:...
and their sub-contractor Beyer, Peacock & Co.
Beyer, Peacock and Company
Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English railway Locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Gorton, Manchester. Founded by Charles Beyer and Richard Peacock, it traded from 1854 until 1966...
, for British Railways (BR).
Following problems with the single-cabbed pilot scheme Type 1 locomotives, the Class 17s were designed with a centre cab and low bonnets to maximise visibility for the driver. The low engine covers required the use of two Paxman
Paxman (engines)
Paxman is a major British brand of diesel engines. Ownership has changed on a number of occasions since the company's formation in 1865, and now the brand is owned by MAN SE, as part of MAN Diesel & Turbo. At its peak, the Paxman works covered 23 acres and employed over 2,000 people. Engine...
6ZHXL six-cylinder horizontal engines and these gave unreliable performance even after extensive modifications. The class proved to be one of the least successful of the Type 1s. Withdrawals took place from the late 1960s to 1971, some locomotives having a working life of less than five years. Several were sold to industrial users, but only one has been preserved.
Design and construction
The Type 1 was the lowest power classification for BR mainline diesels. Under BR's 'pilot scheme', three different designs of Type 1 locomotive had been produced. Two of these (Classes 15British Rail Class 15
The British Rail Class 15 diesel locomotives, also known as the BTH Type 1, were designed by British Thomson-Houston, and built by the Yorkshire Engine Company and the Clayton Equipment Company, between 1957 and 1961.- Design history :...
and 16
British Rail Class 16
The North British Type 1 was a type of diesel locomotive ordered under British Railways' 1955 Modernisation Plan. Like other Type 1 designs, they were relatively small locomotives intended primarily for local freight traffic....
under the TOPS
TOPS
Total Operations Processing System, or TOPS, is a computer system for managing the locomotives and rolling stock owned by a rail system...
classification system) were of a 'road-switcher'
Road switcher
A road switcher is a type of railroad locomotive used for delivering or picking up cars outside of a railroad yard. Since the road switcher must work some distance away from a yard, it needs to be able to operate at road speeds, it must also have high-visibility while it is switching, and it must...
type layout with a single off-centre cab, from which forward visibility for the crew was poor in both directions of travel, while the third (Class 20
British Rail Class 20
The British Rail Class 20, otherwise known as an English Electric Type 1, is a class of diesel-electric locomotive. In total, 228 locomotives in the class were built by English Electric between 1957 and 1968, the large number being in part because of the failure of other early designs in the same...
) had its cab at one end, giving good visibility in that direction only. After experience with these, and although Class 20 was a technical success, BR decided that it wanted a single-cab Type 1 locomotive with good forward visibility in both directions. The result was the Class 17, fitted with a centre cab and low engine covers. These requirements meant that instead of having a single large engine, it was necessary to use two smaller six-cylinder horizontal engines, one on either side of the cab. Most were powered by two Paxman
Paxman (engines)
Paxman is a major British brand of diesel engines. Ownership has changed on a number of occasions since the company's formation in 1865, and now the brand is owned by MAN SE, as part of MAN Diesel & Turbo. At its peak, the Paxman works covered 23 acres and employed over 2,000 people. Engine...
6ZHXL engines of 450 hp each, an engine originally used in diesel railcars but the last two of the Clayton-built batch, D8586-D8587, each had a pair of Rolls Royce Type D 450 hp engines.British Railways ordered 117 off the drawing board. The designer, the Clayton Equipment Company
Clayton Equipment Company
Clayton Equipment Company Ltd, now known simply as Clayton Equipment Ltd or CEC and CEL, is a locomotive construction company that specialises in locomotives for underground mining operations.-Inception:...
of Hatton, Derbyshire
Hatton, Derbyshire
Hatton is a village in South Derbyshire, England. It is located 6 km north of Burton upon Trent, 20 km west of Derby and 40 km east of Stoke-on-Trent.-Geography:...
completed locomotives D8500-D8587 between September 1962 and February 1965, while sub-contractor Beyer, Peacock and Company
Beyer, Peacock and Company
Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English railway Locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Gorton, Manchester. Founded by Charles Beyer and Richard Peacock, it traded from 1854 until 1966...
of Manchester delivered D8588-D8616 between March 1964 and April 1965. The Clayton examples had 'red diamond' control equipment
Multiple working
Multiple working is a term used on the UK rail network to describe the practice of having more than one diesel or electric locomotive hauling a train under the control of one driver.-Terminology:...
while the Beyer Peacock batch had the standard 'blue star' type.
Operations
The Clayton examples were delivered to the Scottish RegionScottish Region of British Railways
The Scottish Region was one of the six regions created on British Railways and consisted of ex-London, Midland and Scottish Railway and ex-London and North Eastern Railway lines in Scotland...
depots at Polmadie and Haymarket, although some later migrated to Kingmoor on the London Midland Region
London Midland Region of British Railways
The London Midland Region was one of the six regions created on the formation of the nationalised British Railways and consisted of ex-London, Midland and Scottish Railway lines in England and Wales. The region was managed first from buildings adjacent to Euston Station and later from Stanier...
. The Beyer Peacock locomotives were new to the North Eastern Region
North Eastern Region of British Railways
The North Eastern Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. It was merged with the Eastern Region in 1967. It was the near direct post-nationalisation descendant of the North Eastern Railway, that had merged with the LNER just over 20 years early....
at Thornaby (4) and Gateshead (12) and to the Eastern Region
Eastern Region of British Railways
The Eastern Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
at Tinsley (12) and Barrow Hill (1). In September 1963 numbers D8501 and D8536 moved to the Tyne Dock area where they were tested in multiple on Consett iron ore trains. They proved far too underpowered for this work, and so were moved to Ardsley shed a few months later where they undertook a variety of freight work both individually and in multiple. Subsequently all of the locomotives allocated to the Eastern Region were transferred to Haymarket where they were employed on freight traffic in southern Scotland and northern England.
Problems
This design was arguably the least successful diesel locomotive ever employed on British Railways after the ill-fated Co-BoBritish Rail Class 28
The British Rail Class 28 diesel locomotives, or 'Metrovicks' as they were popularly known, were built as part of the British Railways 1955 Modernisation Plan. The locomotives had a Co-Bo wheel arrangement – unique in British Railways practice though not uncommon in other countries, notably Japan...
. The twin Paxman engines were unreliable, being prone to camshaft and cylinder head problems amongst others; overall availability was around 60%, even after extensive modifications. Forward visibility, which had dictated the whole design of the type, was not as good as had been hoped, the long noses meaning that the crew could not see the area immediately in front of the locomotive. Although the Rolls Royce and Crompton Parkinson engined examples had better reliability no further examples were ordered, BR decided to dispose of the type, replacing them with an order of a further 100 of the already proven Class 20 locomotives
British Rail Class 20
The British Rail Class 20, otherwise known as an English Electric Type 1, is a class of diesel-electric locomotive. In total, 228 locomotives in the class were built by English Electric between 1957 and 1968, the large number being in part because of the failure of other early designs in the same...
.
Withdrawal and Preservation
Withdrawals began in July 1968 and the final locomotives were withdrawn in December 1971. The Class 17s had by far the shortest lives of any significant BR diesel-electric locomotive design, with many examples having a working life of less than five years. Most had been scrapped by the end of 1975, but at this time the possibility of converting 9 of the remaining locos to battery operation was mooted. This came to nothing, and although D8521 and D8598 enjoyed a brief reprieve by being sent to Derby Research Centre; one as mobile power plant and the other on test trains, both were withdrawn in 1978 and subsequently scrapped.After withdrawal in 1971, D8568 went on to see industrial use at Hemelite, Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead is a town in Hertfordshire in the East of England, to the north west of London and part of the Greater London Urban Area. The population at the 2001 Census was 81,143 ....
and at Ribblesdale Cement, Clitheroe
Clitheroe
Clitheroe is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Ribble Valley in Lancashire, England. It is 1½ miles from the Forest of Bowland and is often used as a base for tourists in the area. It has a population of 14,697...
, and was then secured for preservation. It is now (2006) at the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway
Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway
The Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway is a heritage railway with its main station at Chinnor on the border between Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, England.-History:...
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
.
In fiction
In the Thomas the Tank Engine and FriendsThomas the Tank Engine and Friends
Thomas and Friends is a British children's television series, first broadcast on the ITV network in September 1984. Until 2003, it was named Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. This series was shot on 35mm film...
TV Series, a character based on this class appears by the name of Derek.
Models
Danish manufacturer HeljanHeljan
Heljan A/S is a Danish model railway company based in Søndersø. Originally specialising in decorations and accessories for model railways, it has now also developed a substantial range of rolling stock. It has diversified into modelling the British scene, and since 2002 have released several OO...
launched a 00 gauge ready-to-run model of the Class 17 at the 2006 Warley National Model Railway Exhibition which went on sale after some production delays in early 2009. Aside from small runs by TechCad, and in kit form by DC Kits and others, this was the first time the class had been produced as a ready-to-run model. Ironically, given the unreliability of the prototype, the model appears to have suffered from manufacturing problems which have led to a high degree of unreliability -- Heljan arranged for replacement chassis to be manufactured.
As part of their Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
Thomas and Friends is a British children's television series, first broadcast on the ITV network in September 1984. Until 2003, it was named Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. This series was shot on 35mm film...
range, Ertl
Ertl
-People:* Gerhard Ertl, the 2007 Nobel Prize laureate for chemistry* Hans Ertl , German cameraman active during the 1930s* Hans Ertl , Austrian ice hockey player* Harald Ertl, an Austrian motorsport journalist and driver...
produced a diecast model of a Class 17 (the character Derek); Learning Curve
Learning Curve
A learning curve in this context is a relationship of the duration or the degree of effort invested in learning and experience with the resulting progress, considered as an exploratory discovery process.Learning Curve may also refer to:...
similarly produced a wooden version.