Class 46

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These locomotives, with a 1Co-Co1 wheel arrangement, had a 2500hp Sulzer 12LDA28B diesel engine and Brush electrical equipment.
46047 waits at Montrose on 12.40 Aberdeen - Edinburgh, 30.4.81. Photo by big55012

  • 56 locos were built from 1961-1963, originally numbered D138-D193, from 1973 renumbered in sequence as 46001-056. Together with the similar Class 44 and Class 45 locomotives, they became known as Peaks.

  • Four of the class had short periods based on the Scottish Region:
    • D147 (later 46010) was allocated to Corkerhill (67A) from January - June 1962.
    • D153 (later 46016) was allocated to Haymarket (64B) from February - April 1962, and St Rollox (65B) from April to June 1962.
    • D170 (later 46033) was allocated to Haymarket (64B) from July - October 1970.
    • D176 (later 46039) was allocated to Haymarket (64B) from October 1970 - March 1971.

  • Holbeck depot in Leeds (55A/HO) had an allocation of the class until 1973, and these locos appeared regularly in Scotland on services via Carlisle.

  • Gateshead depot (52A/GD) had allocation of these locos from the end of 1961 until the final withdrawals, and these locos were frequent visitors to Edinburgh via the East Coast mainline.

  • The last of the Class 46 locos in BR service were withdrawn in November 1984.



See Also