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Andrew Fowler

Andrew Fowler is a well known writer of railway history, with a regular feature in Railway Herald Magazine. The Deltic class 55 Locomotives were some of the most successful, first generation diesels introduced to British Railways, being constructed from 1960-1962 and numbering twenty two, in the production class. The prototype machine was constructed in 1956 and was tested extensively on express trains on the London Midland and Eastern Regions of B R, until 1960. The interest and enthusiasm, for the class is reflected in the fact, that six examples of the class are preserved, including the 1956 prototype. The Baby Deltics, were a derivative Locomotive design, using one rather then two engines, for use on outer suburban and short main line semi fast services. Only ten Baby Deltics were constructed between 1961-1962, for use on services out of London Kings Cross. The Baby Deltics were all withdrawn within a decade, as they were not very successful in main line service.

Pen & Sword Transport

Modern Traction Profiles

The Deltics & Baby Deltics: A Tale of Success and Failure

David Cable

This photographic album portrays the four classes of locomotives introduced to operate on the British Railways system, prior to Privatization in 1994. Increasing loads and deteriorating reliability of older classes necessitated the design of new, higher horsepower classes of diesel locomotives to operate the increasing requirement to operate trains handling loads in bulk, such as coal, minerals, fuels etc. 

The four classes included one American design the class 59 which set new standards in haulage capacity and reliability. The other three designs classes 56, 58 and 60 were more suitable to their tasks than previous models, but in the case of the class 56, suffered a poor reputation for availability for several years, although the few remaining members of the class have now attained acceptable standards. 

Of the four classes, a small number of class 56s operate in private ownership, all the class 58s have been withdrawn, but all the class 59s and 60s are in daily use throughout England and Wales. This album has been written by David Cable, author of a series of illustrated books covering railways in the UK as well as overseas. The book shows examples of all four classes working a variety of duties at a wide range of locations.

Type 5 Heavy Freight Locomotives