Brightside at Oakmoor. Though not strictly an 02, Brightside is a YEC loco of the same design built for Industrial use. Colin Burgess.
Yorkshire Engine Company BR Class 02 Background
The Yorkshire Engine Company (YEC) has a long history building both steam and diesel locomotives, of both mainline and shunting designs. Building a batch of Swindon designed 57xx Pannier Tanks around 1929/30 and the 94xx Pannier tank engines between 1949 and 1956. followed by a small batch of Gresley designed N2 0-6-2 tanks for the Sheffield area.
They built locomotives both small and large for use around the country and abroad including locomotives to Japan and the diminutive Gresley look a likes for the Miniature Romney Hythe and Dymchurch railway, Fairlie patent bogie steam locomotives for Mexico, and the large 2-8-2 and 4-8-2 destined for South America and India. After the initial flirtations with sub-contracting various locomotive builds, its products for the British market consisted mainly of 0-4-0ST and 0-6-0ST designs. It was one of the first companies to switch to building diesel over steam locomotives in the 1950’s. The frames and bodies for the first ten Clayton Type 1’s (Class 15) pilot scheme locomotives were built by the YEC.
The YEC experimented with Diesel Electric traction from 1950, but with the YEC is most famous for the wide cabbed, narrow bodied designs. The most famous of these being the “Janus” 0-6-0 locomotives that are in industrial use across the country, a type built around the 6 cylinder Rolls Royce engines and Hydraulic transmission. It also built smaller types with a single bonnet Diesel Hydraulic on an 0-4-0-chassis. Locomotives varying between 170hp and 220hp became popular with industry. These are what the BR Class 02 were based on.
They built locomotives both small and large for use around the country and abroad including locomotives to Japan and the diminutive Gresley look a likes for the Miniature Romney Hythe and Dymchurch railway, Fairlie patent bogie steam locomotives for Mexico, and the large 2-8-2 and 4-8-2 destined for South America and India. After the initial flirtations with sub-contracting various locomotive builds, its products for the British market consisted mainly of 0-4-0ST and 0-6-0ST designs. It was one of the first companies to switch to building diesel over steam locomotives in the 1950’s. The frames and bodies for the first ten Clayton Type 1’s (Class 15) pilot scheme locomotives were built by the YEC.
The YEC experimented with Diesel Electric traction from 1950, but with the YEC is most famous for the wide cabbed, narrow bodied designs. The most famous of these being the “Janus” 0-6-0 locomotives that are in industrial use across the country, a type built around the 6 cylinder Rolls Royce engines and Hydraulic transmission. It also built smaller types with a single bonnet Diesel Hydraulic on an 0-4-0-chassis. Locomotives varying between 170hp and 220hp became popular with industry. These are what the BR Class 02 were based on.
|
YEC initially supplied 10 locomotives to British Rail in 1960 (D2850-D2859) and a further 10 (D2860-D2869) in 1961. They were powered by the Rolls Royce C6NFL176. A straight 6 inline diesel engine of 170hp. The coupled four (0-4-0) wheel arrangement was powered through a reversing gearbox connected to Rolls Royce 10000 series torque converter. This was a twin disc, three stage hydraulic converter. This gave 3 forward steps and 3 reverse steps and this was all undertaken automatically based on the amount of throttle applied.
The design had a low bonnet and a single cab, with a door opening out on to a balcony that had a set of steps down to the rail at each side. At the front corners were also a set of steps that were used by shunters to ride on. They were delivered in all over green with wasp stripes. They tipped the scales under 30 tonnes and could traverse a one chain or 20m curve. Most delivered to depots in the North |
|
West mainly in the Liverpool and Manchester areas, given their small wheel base and diminutive size they were ideal for use in areas with a restricted loading gauge and tight curves such as docksides and small yards. D2859 was delivered to Burton-on-Trent depot in December 1960. It remained there for 4 years before moving north to Workington, where it was left to rot in the sea air after withdrawal in 1970
Changes in traffic demands saw the first five were withdrawn in 1969 after only 9 years in service, some made it into industrial use, others were scrapped. During 1970 a further ten more were withdrawn. Again, some entering industrial use. The class lasted into the TOPS era with three of the class being renumbered with the class designation as 02. All three of these were allocated to Allerton Depot at withdrawal in June1975.
A number have been preserved, one by the National Railway Museum, and others at heritage railways.
Changes in traffic demands saw the first five were withdrawn in 1969 after only 9 years in service, some made it into industrial use, others were scrapped. During 1970 a further ten more were withdrawn. Again, some entering industrial use. The class lasted into the TOPS era with three of the class being renumbered with the class designation as 02. All three of these were allocated to Allerton Depot at withdrawal in June1975.
A number have been preserved, one by the National Railway Museum, and others at heritage railways.
Heljan YEC Class 02
|
Heljan’s O gauge Class 02 features a high-performance chassis with all-wheel drive and pick-up, switchable cab lights, LED marker lights, a 21-pin DCC decoder interface and provision for DCC sound (including a speaker). External features include a highly-detailed cab interior and underframe, separate handrails, door handles and pipework and etched Yorkshire Engine Co. Worksplates.
Eight versions have been produced covering a range of liveries including BR green, BR Blue and industrial colour schemes from delivery in 1960 to the present day. Heljan kindly sent us an NCB blue loco to cast our eyes over. |
|