British Rail Class 27

BRCW Type 2
British Rail Class 27

250px 27001 at Bo’ness

Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company Serial number DEL190–DEL258 Build date 1961–1962 Total produced 69

Specifications Configuration Bo-Bo UIC class Bo'Bo' Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Wheel diameter 3 ft 7 in (1.092 m) Minimum curve 5 chains (100 m) Wheelbase 39 ft 0 in (11.89 m) Length 50 ft 9 in (15.47 m) Width 8 ft 10 in (2.69 m) Height 12 ft 8 in (3.86 m) Loco weight Originally: 71–76 tonnes (70–75 long tons; 78–84 short tons) Fuel capacity 685 imp gal (3,110 L; 823 US gal) Prime mover Sulzer 6LDA28-B Generator DC Traction motors four GEC WT459 DC traction motors Transmission Diesel electric MU working ★ Blue Star Train heating As built, Steam generator subclass 27/2, Electric Train Heating, Houchin 120 kW (160 hp) alternator powered by Deutz 8-cylinder air-cooled diesel engine, type F8L413 Train brakes Initially 14 dual-braked, 10 fitted with additional air brakes later on. Remainder vacuum only.

Performance figures Maximum speed 90 mph (145 km/h) Power output Engine: 1,250 hp (932 kW) @750 rpm At rail: Tractive effort Maximum: Continuous: Loco brakeforce 34 long tons-force (340 kN)

Career Operators British Railways Numbers D5347–D5415; later 27001–27066 Axle load class Route availability 6 (RA 5 from 1969) First run 1961

British Rail's Class 27 comprised 69 diesel locomotives built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company (BRCW) during 1961 and 1962. They were a development of the earlier Class 26; both were originally classified as the BRCW Type 2.

Working life

Original allocations were D5347 - 5369 to Glasgow Eastfield, D5370 - 5378 to Thornaby and D5379 - 5415 to London Cricklewood for Tilbury Boat trains and Cross-London freight services. In the period September to December 1963, some of the Cricklewood allocation were transferred to Leicester and in December 1965 the Thornaby allocation was also nominally transferred to Leicester to join them. Traffic changes combined with reallocation of Class 25s led to the gradual transfer of the Leicester and Cricklewood locomotives to Scotland during 1969 thus concentrating the whole class within Scotland and being part of the replacement fleet that allowed the withdrawal of the poorly performing Clayton Class 17 locomotives from traffic. For many years they were extensively used on the West Highland Line. By September 1986, the final vacuum brake only locos had been withdrawn, regular passenger services had ceased and only 21 locos remained, allocated entirely to Eastfield depot. A mass withdrawal in July 1987 due to the presence of blue asbestos left 27008 as the last in service. Its final working was on 13 August and the loco was officially withdrawn on 19 August 1987. The Class 27s were actually outlived by the older Class 26s, whose less powerful engines were more reliable.

Sub-Classes

• 27/0: Locomotives as built with steam heating (excluding 27024 - 27031)
• 27/1: Locomotives converted in 1970 for push pull operation, converted back to 27/0 after 1979.
• 27/2: Locomotives converted in 1970 with Electric Train Heat, converted back to 27/0 after 1979.

Edinburgh-Glasgow push-pull operation

By the late 1960s, the Swindon-built Inter City DMUs operating the Edinburgh Waverley - Glasgow Queen Street express service were becoming unreliable. They were replaced in 1971 by specially adapted Class 27s fitted with push-pull equipment to “top and tail” rakes of six Mark 2 carriages which were specially fitted with air operated disc brakes. At one end would be a Class 27/1, at the other a Class 27/2 (which provided train heating). The very intensive 90 mph (140 km/h) “push-pull” service was demanding on the locomotives and reliability started to suffer. The 27/2s, especially, appeared prone to fire damage, especially from their electric train heating alternators. The push-pull sets were replaced in 1980 by single Class 47/7s at one end of a rake of Mark 3 carriages and a DBSO. The Class 27/1s and 27/2s were then renumbered to 27/0 and could often be found on Edinburgh-Dundee semi-fast passenger services, until their replacement, briefly by class 101 and then Class 150 Sprinter DMUs in 1987, whilst the remainder were largely used on freight.

Accidents and incidents

• On 30 June 1962, locomotive D5386 was in a minor collision with a diesel multiple unit at Cricklewood carriage sidings, London due to confusion over a hand signal.
• Locomotive 27 044 was severely damaged by fire before 5 September 1980. It was consequently withdrawn and scrapped.

Preserved locomotives

Eight examples of the class have been preserved at various heritage railways in Great Britain.

Numbers (current in bold)				Livery	Location
D5347	27001			BR Blue	Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway
D5351	27005			BR Blue	Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway
D5353	27007			BR Green	Mid-Hants Railway
D5370	27024			BR Green (Yellow Warning Panels)	Caledonian Railway (Brechin)
D5394	27050	27106	5394	BR Blue	Strathspey Railway
D5401	27056	27112		BR Green	Great Central Railway
D5410	27059	27123	27205	BR Green	Severn Valley Railway
D5386	27066	27103	27212	BR Blue	Dean Forest Railway

File:27066 Dean Forest Railway April 1 2007.jpg

27066 on the Dean Forest Railway

File:D5401 at Great Central Railway March 2009.jpg

D5401 (27056) at the Great Central Railway

References

Literature

• Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives, 1983 edition

External links

• Scottish Railway Preservation Society home to 27001 and 27005
• Mid Hants Railway home to 27007
• Caledonian Railway Diesel Group, owners of 27024
• Owners of 27056 based at the Great Central Railway
• Severn Valley Railway home to 27059
• Owners of 27066 based at the Dean Forest Railway