PropertyValue
rdf:type
rdfs:label
  • British Rail Class 55
rdfs:comment
  • The British Rail Class 55 is a class of diesel locomotive built in 1961 and 1962 by English Electric. They were designed for the high-speed express passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London King's Cross and Edinburgh. They gained the name "Deltic" from the prototype locomotive, DP1 Deltic, which in turn was named for its Napier Deltic power units. Twenty-two locomotives were built: they dominated express passenger services on the East Coast Main Line (ECML) particularly London – Leeds and London – Edinburgh services until 1978 when InterCity 125 'High Speed Trains' were introduced. 1978–81 saw them gradually relegated to semi-fast or newspaper–parcel–sleeper services along the ECML (destinations including Cleethorpes, Harrogate, Hull, Scarborough and Aberdeen) plus occa
owl:sameAs
trainheating
  • Steam; later Electric Train Heating
dcterms:subject
dbkwik:uk-transport/property/wikiPageUsesTemplate
dbkwik:uktransport/property/wikiPageUsesTemplate
whytetype
  • Co-Co
trainbrakes
  • Vacuum; later dual
tractionmotors
  • DC traction motors
powertype
  • Diesel-electric
multipleworking
  • Not fitted
Name
  • British Rail Class 55
totalproduction
  • 22
Caption
  • 55008
builddate
  • 1961
axleloadclass
  • Route availability 5
primemover
  • Napier Deltic D18-25, × 2
railroad
uicclass
  • Co'Co'
poweroutput
  • Engines: × 2
Nicknames
  • ‘Deltics’ ‘Boats’
tractiveeffort
  • Maximum:
  • Continuous: @
Builder
  • English Electric at Vulcan Foundry
generator
  • English Electric DC generator
roadnumber
  • D9000–D9021; later 55001–55022
abstract
  • The British Rail Class 55 is a class of diesel locomotive built in 1961 and 1962 by English Electric. They were designed for the high-speed express passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London King's Cross and Edinburgh. They gained the name "Deltic" from the prototype locomotive, DP1 Deltic, which in turn was named for its Napier Deltic power units. Twenty-two locomotives were built: they dominated express passenger services on the East Coast Main Line (ECML) particularly London – Leeds and London – Edinburgh services until 1978 when InterCity 125 'High Speed Trains' were introduced. 1978–81 saw them gradually relegated to semi-fast or newspaper–parcel–sleeper services along the ECML (destinations including Cleethorpes, Harrogate, Hull, Scarborough and Aberdeen) plus occasional forays 'offline' – York - Liverpool Lime Street semi-fast and Edinburgh - Carlisle via Newcastle stoppers. Withdrawal came at the end of 1981. Six locomotives were preserved and are still running today.