British Rail Class 52

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BR Class 52
TOPS numbers	Never carried
Early numbers	D1000–D1073
Builder	BR Swindon, BR Crewe
Introduced	1962-1964
Wheel arrangement	C-C
Weight	108 long tons	110 t
Height	12 ft 11.75 in	3.956 m
Width	8 ft 8 in	2.64 m
Length	68 ft 0 in	20.73 m
Wheel Dia.	3 ft 7 in	1.09 m
Wheelbase	54 ft 8 in	16.66 m
Minimum radius	4.5 chains	90.5 m
Maximum speed	90 mph	145 km/h
Engine	2 x Maybach MD655
Engine output	2 x 1,350 hp	2 x 1010 kW
Max. tractive effort	66,700 lbf	297 kN
Power at rail	2,000 hp	1,490 kW
Brake type	Air & vacuum
Brake force	50 tons force	500 kN
Route availability	7
Fuel tank	850 imperial gallons	3,860 litres
Heating type	Steam
Multiple working	Not equipped

British Rail assigned Class 52 to the class of 74 large Type 4 diesel-hydraulic locomotives built for the Western Region of British Railways between 1961 and 1964. All were given two-word names with the first word being Western, and thus the type became known as Westerns.

The Diesel-hydraulic experiment

When switching to diesel traction, as part of the Modernisation Plan of the 1950s, BR designed and commissioned designs for a large number of locomotive types. At this time (and arguably right up until Sectorisation in the 1980s), BR's regions had a high degree of autonomy, which extended as far as classes of locomotives ordered, and even the design criteria for those locomotives. Whilst almost all other diesel locomotives were diesel-electric, the Western Region employed a policy of utilising diesel-hydraulic traction, commissioning three classes of main line locomotives—the Westerns, and the lesser-powered Hymeks and Warships.

The theoretical advantage of diesel-hydraulic was simple—it resulted in a lighter locomotive than equivalent diesel-electric transmission. This resulted in better power/weight ratio, and decreased track wear. Unfortunately, it had two key disadvantages:

• The technology was proven in continental Europe, particularly Germany, but was new to the UK. It was considered politically unacceptable at the time for the UK government to order trains from foreign companies let alone German companies so soon after the second world war.
• The most robust hydraulic transmissions were only capable of handling engines with power output of around 1500 hp (1120 kW); to build a more powerful locomotive would involve two diesel engines and two transmissions.

Thus the Westerns—high-powered locomotives for top link Western Region services—needed two diesel engines to achieve the required power output. Prototypes sited the engines behind the driving cab, but drivers found this too noisy; moving the engines centrally meant making the locomotive heavier, removing some of the design's advantage. In production use the dual engine arrangement turned out to have some advantages, in particular the Westerns were able to continue operating with a single engine running in situations where more conventional single engine designs would require rescue by another locomotive. This valuable property was intentionally duplicated in the later high speed trains and was one reason for them having two power cars.

Whilst the Class was successful, it was also non-standard; the early 1970s saw the decision taken to retire all the diesel-hydraulic types. Class 47s and 50s began to take over on the Western Region, whilst the arrival of the High Speed Train was the final nail in the coffin for the Westerns. The final class member was withdrawn in February 1977. Unlike the similar, but lower-powered Warship class locomotives, most Westerns did receive air brake equipment in addition to their vacuum exhausters, thus significantly extending their working lives. However, as for the Warships, it proved impossible to equip them with electric train heating (ETH, or head-end power in US terminology). The Western Region faced particularly stiff competition for its prime inter-city services in the mid to late 1970s from the M4 motorway and it was generally felt within BR that significant speed up and comfort increases on the prime Paddington-Bristol route were necessary. The lack of ETH meant the Westerns could not power the newly-introduced air conditioned BR Mark 2f coaches - a shortcoming that the Class 50s, which were built with ETH, did not share. A more serious problem was the design fault mismatch between the Maybach MD655 engines and the Voith L630rV three speed hydraulic transmissions. The top gear ratio in the transmission was too high for the torque characteristics of the engine: the result was that a single locomotive would struggle to reach its claimed 90mph top speed in the absence of down grades, more so when work-weary and due for overhaul. These factors all conspired against the Westerns continuing in top-line service and their replacement by High Speed Trains provided the speed and comfort increases the Western Region sought.

Names and numbers

All of the Westerns were named, as in the following table:

Number	Name	Builder	Disposition
D1000	Western Enterprise	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1001	Western Pathfinder	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1002	Western Explorer	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1003	Western Pioneer	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1004	Western Crusader	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1005	Western Venturer	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1006	Western Stalwart	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1007	Western Talisman	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1008	Western Harrier	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1009	Western Invader	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1010	Western Campaigner	BR Swindon	Preserved
D1011	Western Thunderer	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1012	Western Firebrand	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1013	Western Ranger	BR Swindon	Preserved
D1014	Western Leviathan	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1015	Western Champion	BR Swindon	Preserved
D1016	Western Gladiator	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1017	Western Warrior	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1018	Western Buccaneer	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1019	Western Challenger	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1020	Western Hero	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1021	Western Cavalier	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1022	Western Sentinel	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1023	Western Fusilier	BR Swindon	Preserved
D1024	Western Huntsman	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1025	Western Guardsman	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1026	Western Centurion	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1027	Western Lancer	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1028	Western Hussar	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1029	Western Legionaire	BR Swindon	Scrapped
D1030	Western Musketeer	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1031	Western Rifleman	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1032	Western Marksman	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1033	Western Trooper	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1034	Western Dragoon	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1035	Western Yeoman	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1036	Western Emperor	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1037	Western Empress	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1038	Western Sovereign	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1039	Western King	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1040	Western Queen	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1041	Western Prince	BR Crewe	Preserved
D1042	Western Princess	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1043	Western Duke	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1044	Western Duchess	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1045	Western Viscount	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1046	Western Marquis	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1047	Western Lord	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1048	Western Lady	BR Crewe	Preserved
D1049	Western Monarch	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1050	Western Ruler	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1051	Western Ambassador	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1052	Western Viceroy	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1053	Western Patriarch	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1054	Western Governor	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1055	Western Advocate	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1056	Western Sultan	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1057	Western Chieftain	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1058	Western Nobleman	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1059	Western Empire	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1060	Western Dominion	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1061	Western Envoy	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1062	Western Courier	BR Crewe	Preserved
D1063	Western Monitor	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1064	Western Regent	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1065	Western Consort	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1066	Western Prefect	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1067	Western Druid	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1068	Western Reliance	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1069	Western Vanguard	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1070	Western Gauntlet	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1071	Western Renown	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1072	Western Glory	BR Crewe	Scrapped
D1073	Western Bulwark	BR Crewe	Scrapped

 

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