Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon D0260 Lion.
Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon D0260 Lion.
In 1960 the British transport Commission were seeking tenders for a Type 4 locomotive, that would be a locomotive developing between 2000bhp and 2750bhp.
BRC&W stepped up to the challenge by producing ‘Lion’ in 1962.
‘Lion’ or D0260 was a Co-Co demonstrator with a Sulzer 12LDA28C engine with an output of 2750bhp coupled to AEI electrical gear with 6 traction engines giving a maximum speed of 100 mph.
The locomotive was finished in a striking but impractical livery of white with 5 metal bodyside stripes. After running trials on BR in mainline service ‘Lion’ was tested on passenger and freight trains sometimes with a dynamometer car.
After some technical issues the loco was returned to BRC&W, re-emerging 7 months later it was tested on the Lickey incline restarting a 20-coach train and then spent some time out of Kings Cross working the Yorkshire Pullman then the Sheffield Pullman.
A control cubicle fire and severe loss of lubricating oil and water caused the locomotive to be returned to BRC&W again.
As the company was in severe financial difficulty the project was cancelled the electrical equipment going back to AEI and the main diesel engine returning to Vickers at Barrow in Furness, the body was then scrapped in November 1963.
D0260 ‘Lion’ sounds are generic as there are none in preservation.
The sounds are enhanced with archived sounds.
Video best viewed in full screen, press ‘esc’ to exit
Decoders come with a sugar cube speaker kit as standard, alternate speakers HERE
Please add postage HERE