First in Class

11506 at Stratford Docks in its original black livery
The lion & wheel logo was carried by 001 and 002 until the end
J Shipman

01 002 (with 01 001 behind) at Holyhead in 1980
Johndarm

01 002 on Holyhead Breakwater in 1974
Peter Brabham

D2953 at the Heritage Shunters Trust in BR green livery
CJM

Having said in my last posting that I would take a look at all of the classes of BR diesels, I thought that I would waste no time and make a start today with, of course, the Class 01.

British Rail's Class 01 diesel locomotive was a short wheelbase, diesel mechanical shunter built in 1956 by Andrew Barclay Sons and Co of Kilmarnock in Scotland.

Four of these locos were built initially and were allocated to Stratford for use at Stratford Docks. They were originally numbered 11503 - 11506 and, in 1948, they were renumbered D2953 - D2956 Two of the four locos survived long enough to enter the TOPS numbering scheme and became 01 001 (D2954) and 01 002 (D2955). 

In 1958 a fifth loco was built for departmental maintenance work and this was initially numbered 81. However, it was renumbered D2956 in mid 1967 when the original D2956 was withdrawn from traffic.

01 001 and 01 002 survived because they were needed at Holyhead breakwater being, as they were, the only locomotives light enough to run on the track there. After 1973 only 01 002 was in use with her sister loco being used to supply her with spares to keep her in service. 01 001 was then withdrawn in 1979 with 01 002 following two years later after a service life of 25 years.

Both locos were cut up on site still sporting the BR Lion Logo and, indeed, were the last locomotives in BR service to do so.

Two of the Class 01s have survived into preservation, these are:

D2953 is owned by the Heritage Shunters Trust.

D2956 is at the East Lancashire Railway.

Because these little 0-4-0 dock shunters were not equipped with train brakes they were unable to haul more than a couple of wagons. That said, however, their small size meant that they were able to work in areas where there were tight curves and limited clearance.

The full loco specification is given in the table below: