Heljan Class 16

Here we see the latest locomotive to be added to our ever-growing fleet. 

This is a Heljan Class 16, in BR Green Livery, with Full Yellow Ends. The Running Nº is D8407 and the Catalogue Nº is 1603.

Currently she is fitted with a non-sound, DCC decoder, so at least she can be put to use. However, a sound decoder will be fitted in due course.

The Class 16s (together with the Class 15s) were constructed under the initial order for diesel traction, following the British Railways Modernisation Plan of 1955.

They were built by the North British Locomotive Company of Glasgow and the locomotives were powered by the same Paxman 16-cylinder YHXL engine that was used in the Class 15s.

They were also built to the same basic design as the British Thompson Houston / Clayton; Class 15s and, when introduced in 1958, were initially shedded alongside ten of the BTH units at Devons Road Shed in Bow.

Unfortunately these locos proved to be even less reliable than their stable-mates, with major failures of the diesel engine.

This was due to the fact that, although it was of the same type as the engine used in the Class 15, inadequate ventilation of the engine room, coupled with a poor cooling system, led to the pistons having a tendency to seize.

Another problem with these locos was the fact that they were fitted with an electro-magnet control system rather than the, more usual, electro-pneumatic type that was fitted to the majority of other diesel-electric classes.

This restricted their multiple unit operation such that they could only work with other locos of the same class or with Class 28, Class 29 and early Class 31 locomotives.

For much of their short working lives they were to be found on various lightweight cross-London freight trains, together with local trip freight workings in the East London area. 

Although they were not designed for passenger work they did find themselves, very occasionally, on Eastern Region relief trains and some inter-regional excursion traffic.

However, the major problems from which the fleet suffered meant that the BTC cancelled the order for more, leaving them with just the ten pilot scheme locos.

Their continuing technical problems, plus the fact that there was a dramatic decline in the type of traffic for which this fleet was designed, meant that they were quickly earmarked for withdrawal, with all locos taken out of service between July and September 1968.

Sadly all of them were then sold for scrap and cut up meaning that none of them was to survive into preservation.

Hopefully our model will have a more productive and happier life and, having tested her at the weekend, she does run very smoothly.

As far as work on our railway is concerned she will, of course, be used on much the same type of trains as our Class 15 and Class 20s. This will be, predominantly, goods trains plus some shunting duties and the occasional light passenger work.