Baby Deltic Project

[Dieselman 63]

Not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I didn't want to put in in 'projects as it's not my own project! (Wish it was though...)

A group of enthusiasts have bought the last remaining Napier Deltic engine from the National Railway Museum and are planning to build a British Rail class 23, utilising a class 37 as the donor. The loco is getting cut up, shortened and re-worked into the smaller locomotive's image. They post fairly regularly with updates.

For those who wish to brush up their knowledge:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_23

And the actual link to the page:
http://www.thebabydelticproject.co.uk/#

 

[zzr1200]

Its based about 10 minutes from my house, I have see it on a paid open day, but the round house can be visited for free on most Sundays, although the Baby Deltic Project isn't on general view as far as I'm aware.

There's a cafe on site that does cheap breakfasts, but you may end up sitting next to a pair of dirty overalls, as the society members like their food.

A great place to visit even if your not into steam loco engines....

 

[Robotstar5]

The Deltic engine has a unique sound

 

[rikrobson]

the baby deltics were 9 cylinders as opposed to 18 cylinders in the "Deltics". They also performed very poorly when in service.

 

[mr migwire]

ive been following them via there facebook page, looking forward to seeing this project running.

 

[Dieselman 63]

the baby deltics were 9 cylinders as opposed to 18 cylinders in the "Deltics". They also performed very poorly when in service.

Yup, the rush of BR to introduce diesels was pretty catastrophic. The absolutely useless class 28 and class 17 Claytons (which had a greater tendency to catch fire than work), the quickly outclassed class 14, 15 and 16 due to a shift in freight handling styles too. British Rail's introduction and subsequent withdrawal of the class 14 Teddy Bears also significantly affected sales of Sentinel diesels; the NCB, British Steel and Blue Circle Cement were basically given them at a fraction of what new locomotives from a private builder would have cost. Sad really, as I think the Sentinels are much sharper looking!

 

[rikrobson]

Yup, the rush of BR to introduce diesels was pretty catastrophic. The absolutely useless class 28 and class 17 Claytons (which had a greater tendency to catch fire than work), the quickly outclassed class 14, 15 and 16 due to a shift in freight handling styles too. British Rail's introduction and subsequent withdrawal of the class 14 Teddy Bears also significantly affected sales of Sentinel diesels; the NCB, British Steel and Blue Circle Cement were basically given them at a fraction of what new locomotives from a private builder would have cost. Sad really, as I think the Sentinels are much sharper looking!

I think the problem was the board has the mdernisation plan and only know it wanted to replace steam with diesels and electric to some extent.
There were no off the shelf locos, that could replace steam, so the likes of EE, NBL et al were tasked with designing the locos. The regions all had different ways of working and had different spects for the various types.
The board realy had no choice in ordering all the different pilot classes, expecting some if them to fail like the Baby deltics. Some were obviously better than others like the EE type 3s (class 37) and the Brush type 2 & 4s (classes 24/5 & 47)
the more you got of 1 type the cheaper the maintenance became.
During the BR days we were still getting a host of diffenrent locos 56s & 58s
now we only really have a few types, 66,67,68,70s with a smattering of re engined/repurposed locos from the smaller operators.

 

[penfold]

NB destroyed themselves trying to licence-build german diesels with no track record and went up the spout through poor sales and warranty costs; they should have kept it simple and just bought the engines and transmission gear in, at least to begin with. Half the problem was there were too many different designs all ordered off the drawing board rather than run as prototypes for a couple of years, sorting the rubbish bits then order the good ones in bulk. Given the US had been running mainline diesel-electrics since the 1930s it's difficult to understand how it went so wrong other than through 'not invented here' and hubris. The 37 was a success through being a conservative design with an understressed engine available off the shelf.

The Baby Deltic asked more of its single engine, so it was more likely to go down and unlike the Class 55 did not have a spare to limp home on.

 

[Dieselman 63]

Indeed - then you've got the whole palaver of train identification codes changing from steam to diesel - the original system was lamps, then discs, then 4 digit headcode (which we still retain), then hiding it completely and replacing it with the domino! And don't even get started on inter-connecting doors for running units in multiple...

 

[steve_s]

Its based about 10 minutes from my house, I have see it on a paid open day, but the round house can be visited for free on most Sundays, although the Baby Deltic Project isn't on general view as far as I'm aware.

There's a cafe on site that does cheap breakfasts, but you may end up sitting next to a pair of dirty overalls, as the society members like their food.

A great place to visit even if your not into steam loco engines....

Wheres that ??

 

[zzr1200]

Wheres that ??

Barrow Hill Roundhouse, Staveley, Chesterfield, the only working steam engine roundhouse shed left, about 4 miles from junction 29a on the M1, it appears they have now added an admission charge of £1.00 for adults and 50p for kids.

Still cheap even with the added cost of a full breakfast for what's on show.



https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...ekwFvoqT3otayzT4w&sig2=kvaDXRy7-kTz9CG5_8LINQ

 

[Dieselman 63]

Barrow Hill Roundhouse isn't it?

 

[Robotstar5]

I'm a diesel hydraulic fan, Westerns, Warships & Hymeks

 

[xmetal]

I'm a diesel hydraulic fan, Westerns, Warships & Hymeks

I like the Westerns. I'm pretty sure it's a diesel weekend at the Severn Valley this week. I might be tempted to go.

Edit: I just checked, it's a Western Weekend.

 

[Robotstar5]

Haven't been to the SVR for years, used to be a member and worked on S&T in the 70's/80's.

 

[xmetal]

I've not been a member although I have a friend who is. I have been tempted at times though. It's been a while since I went there too.

 

[Deltic]

I never realized we had so many railway enthusiasts on here.

 

[zzr1200]

I never realized we had so many railway enthusiasts on here.

They're mechanical, big, heavy, have lots of great engineering and if you follow the right type, they live and smell wonderful......what's not to like.....

 

[colnerov]

I never realized we had so many railway enthusiasts on here.

And at least one undeclared.

 

[mechman]

I'm into that kind of engineering(I don't wear anoraks, duffle coats or owt like that)