British Rail Class 13

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BR Class 13
TOPS numbers	13 001 – 13 003
Early numbers	D4501,D4502,D4500
Builder	BR Darlington
Introduced	1965
Wheel Arrangement	0-6-0 + 0-6-0
Weight	120 t 0 cwt	121,900 kg
Height	12 ft 8 5/8 in	3.88 m
Width\|8 ft 6 in	2.59 m
Length	60 ft 1 in	18.31 m
Wheel Dia.	4 ft 6 in	1.4 m
Wheel Base	2 x5 ft 9 in + 5 ft 9 in; 42 ft 1 ½ in overall	2 x 1.75 m + 1.75 m; 12.84 m
Minimum radius
Maximum speed	20 mph	32 km/h
Engine output	2 x 350 hp at 680 rpm	2 x 261 kW
Max. Tractive Effort	70,000 lbf	311 kN
Cont. Tractive Effort
Brake type
Brake force	38 te	379 kN
Route availability	8
Fuel Tank	1,336 imp gal	6.07 m³
Heating type	None

The British Rail Class 13 was formed because in 1965 it was found necessary to provide more powerful shunters for the Tinsley Marshalling Yard. This was provided by permanently coupling together two Class 08 shunters as a 'master' and 'slave' unit, the latter with its cab removed. Both units were ballasted to improve traction. Initially the units were coupled cab-to-cab but it was found more practical to couple Master nose to Slave cab. The thinking behind adopting this dual locomotive design is that a larger, rigid locomotive could not be used due to the risk of grounding on the hump.

Three pairs were formed as follows:

Master unit D4190 and Slave unit D4189 to form D4501, later 13001
Master unit D4187 and Slave unit D3697 to form D4502, later 13002
Master unit D4188 and Slave unit D3698 to form D4500, later 13003

13001 at Tinsley TMD on 14 April 1984.

With the end of hump shunting Tinsley became obsolete, and the locos were not needed elsewhere and their equipment was aging. Withdrawal was therefore inevitable, 13002 went in 1983, with the remaining two locomotives being withdrawn with the end of hump shunting at Tinsley in 1985. No class 13s survive.

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