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| Copyright: E N Bellass Collection |
I thought that it was about time that I featured another photograph taken from my collection of old Rail Enthusiast magazines and, this time, it is a magnificent shot of English Electric's Diesel Prototype Number 1 - or DP1.
The actual caption that accompanied the photo in the magazine reads as follows:
"Immaculately restored, externally, pending her transfer to London's Science Museum, the prototype English Electric 3,300 bhp Deltic stands outside Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows, after her five-year proving trials with British Railways, which began in 1955."
Apparently the intention was to name the locomotive 'Enterprise',
however, when it emerged, it carried the name of its prime mover
'Deltic'.
Deltic was initially allocated to Liverpool Edge Hill and began work on 13 December 1955. During the middle part of the following year, Deltic was temporarily allocated to Carlisle Durran shed from where she was subjected to test trials over the Settle and Carlisle route.
By the autumn of 1956 she returned to Liverpool and worked on such services as "The Merseyside Express" and "The Shamrock". Then in 1959 she was transferred again, this time to Hornsey on the Eastern Region, where more trials were conducted including operations of up to 105 mph with a BR dynamometer car. However, it was also during these trials that it scraped the platform edge at Manors near Newcastle and, in another mishap at Darlington, it lost its cab steps.
During June 1959 Deltic crossed the Scottish border for the first time with more tests in and around Edinburgh and over the Waverley Route.
Her tests were almost complete by July 1959 and she was diagrammed to work along the A4 Pacifics on the East Coast Main Line.
Sadly, in March of 1961 and having amassed over 450,00 miles during her time with BR, Deltic suffered a serious powerplant failure and was returned to EE's Vulcan Foundry. Here she was stored whilst a decision was made as to her future.
By this time, however, the production Class 55 lcomotives were coming into service and plans were made to modify Deltic for operation in Canada. This was in an attempt to attract overseas customers, more especially in Canada and the USA. However, these plans fell through and, instead, the locomotive was donated to the Science Museum. It is now in the National Railway Museum in Shildon, County Durham.
By the autumn of 1956 she returned to Liverpool and worked on such services as "The Merseyside Express" and "The Shamrock". Then in 1959 she was transferred again, this time to Hornsey on the Eastern Region, where more trials were conducted including operations of up to 105 mph with a BR dynamometer car. However, it was also during these trials that it scraped the platform edge at Manors near Newcastle and, in another mishap at Darlington, it lost its cab steps.
During June 1959 Deltic crossed the Scottish border for the first time with more tests in and around Edinburgh and over the Waverley Route.
Her tests were almost complete by July 1959 and she was diagrammed to work along the A4 Pacifics on the East Coast Main Line.
Sadly, in March of 1961 and having amassed over 450,00 miles during her time with BR, Deltic suffered a serious powerplant failure and was returned to EE's Vulcan Foundry. Here she was stored whilst a decision was made as to her future.
By this time, however, the production Class 55 lcomotives were coming into service and plans were made to modify Deltic for operation in Canada. This was in an attempt to attract overseas customers, more especially in Canada and the USA. However, these plans fell through and, instead, the locomotive was donated to the Science Museum. It is now in the National Railway Museum in Shildon, County Durham.
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