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Class 04 D2280
(Photo: John Durrant)
April 2006-Waiting in the
Weybourne Yard
History
A Brief History.
The British Rail Class 04 0-6-0 diesel-mechanical shunting
locomotive class, built between 1952 and 1962, were very
similar to the Class 03 but were built by private industry
rather than the British Railways workshops. Early
locomotives were built by Drewry while later examples were
built by Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn. Mechanically, they
were almost identical to the Class 03, with the same
Gardner engine and the same overall layout, albeit with an epicyclic gearbox, unlike the 03. They had a straight
bonnet (US: hood) from the front to the rear-mounted cab,
unlike the 03's that bulged higher towards the rear, and
the cab's rounded roof met the sides at an angle instead
of with a curve as in the 03's, with a lip all the way
round. They were withdrawn from service earlier than the
Class 03, being taken out of service between 1968-1970,
though a large number were sold to private industry. With
the reduction in the need for shunters, it was decided to
standardise on the Class 03 as a light diesel-mechanical
shunter and the Class 08 and 09 as larger, diesel-electric
shunters. Four of these locomotives were fitted with side
skirting and cowcatchers for use on the Wisbech and Upwell
Tramway (British law requires locomotives running on
unfenced street trackage to be so protected for the
protection of pedestrians).
One of these modified Class 04
locomotives was the basis for "Mavis" in the Thomas the
Tank Engine books. The engine is a Gardner 8-cyl, 4 stroke
8L3 of 204 hp connected to a Wilson-Drewry CA5 R7, 5-speed
epicyclic gearbox with RF11 spiral bevel reverse and final drive
unit.
D2280
Built in 1960, it is believed that D2280 was new to
Norwood Junction in 1960.
Withdrawn by BR from Colchester TMD (CR) in March 1971 and
subsequently sold to Ford Ltd in the same year it worked
at Ford's Dagenham Plant as Ford Number 2, in the 'house'
blue livery.
At some point it moved to the East Anglian Railway Museum
at Chappel & Wakes Colne, and then moved to Sheringham
with two 03s and another 04, D2267 Ford Number 1. D2267
was used as a source of spares for D2280.
In 2002 Joint Line reported that D2280 was undertaking
occasional shunting work at Weybourne.
After many years with Ford, it is very worn, to the extent
that everything will need something doing to it!
An overhaul is planned, and there is a plan to add skirts
and cowcatchers to represent those used on the Wisbech &
Upwell Railway and to use D2280 with the Wisbech and
Upwell coach No 7 which is in the latter stages of
restoration at Weybourne.
Some of the above is based on information from
Wikipedia
Preserved Shunters
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