British Rail Class 07

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British Rail Class 07
British Railways
Number in class14
NumbersD2985–D2998, later 07001–07014
Axle load classRA 7 (RA 6 from 1969)
LocaleSouthampton Docks
Eastleigh Works
WithdrawnMay 1973 – July 1977
DispositionSeven preserved, remainder scrapped

The British Rail Class 07

Southampton Docks and later also at Eastleigh Works
.

Background

The 07 class was originally designed to replace steam power on the Southampton Docks network, which at its peak consisted of some 80 miles of track and immediately prior to the introduction of diesel power was operated by six ex-

USA class[a] 0-6-0 tank locomotives
.

The specifications for the class arose from a report produced by the General Managers of British Transport Docks and the Southern Region of British Railways, in which the relative merits of the 204 hp Class 04 and 350 hp Class 12 0-6-0 diesel shunters were discussed. Due to the need to traverse small radius curves on the docks network, it was concluded that a compromise between the shorter wheelbase of the former and greater power output of the latter was desirable, thus giving rise to the requirement for a locomotive with a fixed wheelbase not exceeding 10 ft and maximum power output of around 275 hp to 300 hp (with a weight not exceeding 10 tons).[1]

Operation

The class was notorious for having the

Selhurst Depot for tyre profiling also resulted in overheating axlebox problems[2] and all subsequent moves of any distance, particularly those to British Rail Engineering Limited workshops, were made by road. This is in contrast to other shunter classes that would commonly have had their coupling rods removed and traction motors isolated and would then form part of a train heading in the appropriate direction. Class 08s were commonly moved in this fashion at up to 35 mph (56 km/h) – overnight wagon-load trains being utilised if possible.[citation needed
]

For operation at Southampton Docks, the class was based in the former steam shed in the Old Docks near the River Itchen, work being carried out there by a fitter sent from Eastleigh.[citation needed]

The members of the class that had

headcode marker lights (six for the SR). In practice they were seldom used for this because of the hot axlebox problem, which also affected the possibility of the class working away from either Southampton Docks or Eastleigh Works
.

Withdrawal

Numbers 2988, 2992 and 2998 were withdrawn from BR service without bearing TOPS numbers, and were cut up at Eastleigh Works; 2988 in 1973, 2992 and 2998 in 1976.[3][4] 2991, which was allocated the number 07007, was also withdrawn from capital stock before bearing its TOPS number, but remained in use at Eastleigh Works. Of the locos to bear TOPS numbers, 07003 and 07009 were withdrawn in 1976, and sold to P Wood of Queenborough, Kent; 07009 was exported to Italy,[5] and 07003 was sold to British Industrial Sand at Oakamoor, Staffordshire, being subsequently scrapped in 1985.[4][6] 07010 was sold directly into preservation, and the remaining locos were sold for industrial use during 1976 and 1977: 07001 to Staveley Limeworks, Buxton; 07002/6/12 to Powell Duffryn, Kidwelly (where 07002 and 07006 were scrapped in the 1980s); 07013 to Dow Chemical Company, King's Lynn.[3][7]

Table of withdrawals
Year Quantity in
service at
start of year		 Quantity
withdrawn		 Locomotive numbers Notes
1973 14 4 2988/91–92/98 2991 went into industrial use
1976 10 3 07003/09–10 All went into industrial use except 07010
1977 7 7 07001–02/05–06/11–13 All went into industrial use

Post-BR use and preservation

D2991 in 1994.
07007 at Eastleigh Works open day, 2009

The locomotives were short-lived and this class had been withdrawn by British Rail by the end of 1977. Several were bought for industrial use and have subsequently passed into preservation. Two locomotives, no. 07001, owned by Harry Needle Railroad Company (HNRC), and 07007, owned by Knights Rail Services, are mainline registered. All surviving locomotives are listed below.[8]

  • 07001 – Formerly HNRC, now preserved by Heritage Shunters Trust at Peak Rail. Fully operational, currently repainted into a blue livery with 'wasp' ends but without numbering (as of 1 September 2013).
  • 07005 – Preserved at the
    Great Central Railway
  • 07007 – In use by Knights Rail Services at Eastleigh Works.
    Rail Blue
    livery.
  • 07010 – Preserved on Avon Valley Railway in BR Blue livery. Currently awaiting repairs following electrical failure December 2014. Repainted into BR Blue September 2013.[10]
  • 07011 – Privately owned at
    St Leonards TMD
    . Rail Blue livery.
  • 07012 – Formerly HNRC, now preserved at
    Barrow Hill
    .
  • 07013 – Formerly HNRC, externally restored in Rail Blue livery[11] Now at the East Lancashire Railway.

Class summary

Pre-TOPS Number TOPS number Date into Service Date withdrawn Image Further use or date scrapped
D2985 07001 27 June 1962 2 July 1977 Staveley Limeworks,
Barrow Hill
D2986 07002 16 June 1962 Powell Duffryn, Kidwelly, 1976,
Scrapped on site in the 1980s
D2987 07003 4 October 1976 P Wood, Queenborough 1976, later British Industrial Sand at Oakamoor, scrapped 1985
D2988 07004 (not carried) 6 May 1973 Scrapped at Eastleigh Works in 1973
D2989 07005 27 June 1962 2 July 1977 ICI Wilton, Middlesbrough 1976, named Langbaurgh whilst at ICI Wilton.[12] Now preserved at the Great Central Railway
D2990 07006 13 July 1962 Powell Duffryn, Kidwelly 1976, scrapped on site in the 1980s
D2991 07007 (not carried while in capital stock) 21 July 1962 6 May 1973 Knights Rail Services at Eastleigh Works
D2992 07008 (not carried) 28 July 1962 Scrapped at Eastleigh Works in 1976
D2993 07009 21 August 1962 4 October 1976 P Wood, Queenborough 1976, later exported to Italy, scrapped in 1997
D2994 07010 5 September 1962 Preserved firstly at West Somerset Railway, now at Avon Valley Railway
D2995 07011 22 September 1962 2 July 1977 Privately owned at
St Leonards TMD
, fitted with high-level brake pipes on one end for shunting DEMU vehicles
D2996 07012 6 October 1962 Powell Duffryn, Kidwelly 1976, currently at Scunthorpe Steelworks
D2997 07013 20 October 1962 Dow Chemical Company, King's Lynn 1976, preserved firstly at Barrow Hill, now at the East Lancashire Railway
D2998 07014 (not carried) 10 November 1962 6 May 1973 Scrapped at Eastleigh Works in 1976

Technical details

  • Engine: Ruston/
    V6
    , 29.3-litre, 6-cylinder, indirect injection, 4-stroke
  • Main Generator: AEI RTB6652
  • Traction motor: AEI RTA6652, spigot mounted on a double reduction, axle-hung, final drive gearbox

Locomotive (

air) and train (vacuum) brakes were fitted from new. Air train braking was added later, in some cases with high-level air brake pipes for use with Southern Region electric multiple units. Originally the class had radio communication sets fitted for use at Southampton Docks, the aerial located on the top right-hand corner of the engine bonnet.[2]
These were removed when operation at the docks ceased.

Models

Class 07 is available as a kit and a ready-to-run model in OO gauge by Heljan.[13]

Notes

  1. ^ So-called because they were purchased from the US Army Transportation Corps following World War II.

References

  1. ^ "Diesel shunters for Southampton Docks". The Railway Magazine. Vol. 108, no. 737. London: Tothill Press. September 1962. pp. 599–600.
  2. ^ a b c Wakelam, Frank (July 1979). "07s at Eastleigh". Railway Modeller. Vol. 30, no. 345. Beer: Peco Publications & Publicity Ltd. p. 248.
  3. ^ a b Taylor, Ken. A Decade After. Walsall: Midland Railfans.
  4. ^ a b Furness, Ian (7 September 2008). "Disposals: Class 07". WNXX End of the Line: Withdrawn & Stored Locomotives UK. WNXX.com. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  5. ^ "UK Traction Overseas". Modern Locomotives Illustrated. No. 235. February 2019. p. 8.
  6. ^ Johnson, Howard (November 1985). "Traction Talk". Rail Enthusiast. No. 50. Peterborough: EMAP National Publications. p. 43.
  7. ^ Taylor, Ken. A Decade After (Appendix 1). Walsall: Midland Railfans.
  8. ^ Furness, Ian (7 September 2008). "Fleet Status: UK Locomotive Database". WNXX End of the Line: Withdrawn & Stored Locomotives UK. WNXX.com. Archived from the original on 1 May 2007. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  9. ^ Carr, Richard (29 October 2008). "Paxman and Diesel Rail Traction". Richard Carr's Paxman History Pages. paxmanhistory.org.uk. Retrieved 1 December 2008.
  10. ^ "Avon Valley Railway YouTube". YouTube. 22 September 2013.
  11. ^ Wilson, Andrew. "Shunters : 07013". Heritage Shunters Trust. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  12. ISBN 0-901096-43-1
    .
  13. ^ "Class 07 0-6-0 Ruston & Hornsby Dock Shunter". Archived from the original on 6 October 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2024.

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to British Rail Class 07.
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