BR Class 55 English Electric Co-Co Locomotives

Diesel-Electric DELTICS, max speed 100 mph

Contemporary and Heritage-Preserved, Diesel, Diesel-Electric and Electric Locomotives

My Archive Steam Photos from the 1960s

The original prototype 'DELTIC' in Shildon NRM

The four Class 55 'Deltics' featured and illustrated: 55 022 55022, ROYAL SCOTS GREY (D 9000/D9000), 55 002 55002 002 KINGS OWN YORKSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY (D9002 D 9002), D9019 ROYAL HIGHLAND FUSILIER (D 9019, 55019, 55 019), D9009 ALYCIDON (D 9009, 55 009, 55009)

The British Rail Class 55 are a class of diesel locomotive built in 1961 and 1962 by English Electric at the Vulcan Foundry.

Class 55 locomotives were designed for the high-speed express passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London King's Cross, York, Leeds, Newcastle and Edinburgh.

They were called "Deltic" from the prototype locomotive, named after its Napier Deltic diesel engined power units.

Twenty-two Class 55 locomotives were built hauling many of the express passenger services on the East Coast Main Line until 1978 when the Class 43 hauled InterCity 125 'High Speed Trains' were introduced.

During the period 1978–81 they hauled semi-fast or newspaper–parcel–sleeper services to other destinations including Cambridge, Cleethorpes, Harrogate, Hull, Scarborough and Aberdeen.

Most Class 55 locomotives were then scrapped but six locomotives entered preservation during 1982 and 1983: one by the National Railway Museum, two by the Deltic Preservation Society, two by the Deltic 9000 Fund and one privately owned.

The prototype English-Electric diesel-electric 'Deltic' built in 1955 at the Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows in Lancashire. I remember seeing it as a child on trial runs on the Liverpool line and later doing BR service on the North-West mainline from 1959-1961.

The original Napier diesel engine designed for the 'Deltic' class diesel locomotives (in York NRM) from which engines of the Class 55 Deltic locomotives were developed.

The successors to the 'DELTIC' prototype are the Co-Co Type Class 55 diesel-electric locomotive which were built in 1961-1962 by English Electric at the Vulcan Foundry Works. With a power classification Type 5 3300hp they were ably designed for the high speed express passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London King’s Cross and Edinburgh. 55002 is part of the National Collection at NRM York and the loco carries the livery of British Rail Blue from the 70s and 80s.

In British Rail blue livery, Class 55 Deltic 55002 KINGS OWN YORKSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY in York NRM

D9002 KINGS OWN YORKSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY, British Railways green livery in York NRM, Flying Scotsman celebrations 2016

 

Class 55 diesel locomotive  D9002 in York NRM

 

Class 55 'Deltic' D9009 ALYCIDON (D 9009, 55 009, 55009) in British Railways to two tone green livery, on the turntable of York NRM

Class 55 'Deltic' diesel locomotive 55002 at the NYMR 2014 Heritage Diesel Gala

Type Class 55  DELTIC 55 022 55022, ROYAL SCOTS GREY built as D 9000/D9000 by the English Electric Company in 1960 visiting in the summer of 2012

NYMR Diesel Gala 2011: Class 55 Ex D9002 (D 9002), one of the first 'Deltics' to be built for the east Coast Main-line, at Grosmont station with a train of LNER Teak carriages bound for Pickering. Now numbered 55002/55 002 and named ‘KINGS OWN YORKSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY’.

NYMR Diesel Gala 2011: Class 55 55002 leaving Grosmont for Pickering.

The Barrow Hill Roundhouse: Green liveried Class 55 Co-Co English Electric diesel-electric locomotive D9019 ROYAL HIGHLAND FUSILIER (D 9019, 55019, 55 019) of the 'Deltic' Class built at the Vulcan Foundry in 1961. The Deltics took over the duties of the LNER 4-6-2 pacific locomotives on the East Coast main-line.

Class 55 Deltic diesel-electric locomotive 55002 arriving at Goathland station at the NYMR 2014 Heritage Diesel Gala

In York NRM Class 55 Co-Co DELTIC D9002, 55002 (D 9002, 55 002) THE KINGS OWN YORKSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY was built by English Electric at the Vulcan Foundry in 1961 in York NRM

 Class 555 Deltic 55002 THE KINGS OWN YORKSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY undergoing repair & restoration in the workshops of York NRM

Class 55 'Deltic' 55002 taking a back seat, as a banker, when heading south from Goathland with a train for Pickering on the NYMR.

NYMR Diesel Gala 2011: Deltic Class 55 55002 ROYAL SCOTS GREY passing Moorgates heading for Goathland in the drizzle!

Deltic diesel-electric locomotive Class 55 55002 leaving Grosmont with a train for Pickering at the NYMR 2014 Heritage Diesel Gala

NYMR Diesel Gala 2011: Class 55 55002 ‘Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry’ heading into Levisham with a passenger train from Grosmont to Pickering.

Deltic Class 55 55002 leaving Levisham with a passenger train for Goathland and Grosmont.

Class 55 D9009 "ALYCIDON" (D 9009, 55 009, 55009) powering its way through Newtondale below Skelton Tower with a Pickering to Grosmont train.  At the back, shown below, is Class 55 D9019 "ROYAL HIGHLAND FUSILIERS" (D 9019, 55 019, 55019). These diesel-electric locomotives spent most of their working lives on the East Coast Main Line from the 1960's to the 1980's. Both locomotives were built by English Electric at the Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire and are capable of speeds up to 100 m.p.h. (~150 km/h)

A Class 55 Deltic arriving in Goathland after climbing up from Grosmont - a lot of diesel fumes!

The big bull nose of Class 55 'Deltic' diesel locomotive D9009 ALYCIDON in York NRM (January 2015)

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Class 55 DELTIC 55022 (D9000) ROYAL SCOTS GREY (NYMR Scottish Branch Line Gala, May 2016)

Class 55 55022 masquerading as Class 55 55007 PINZA at Grosmont station in British rail blue livery

 

Class 55 55022/55007 was built at the Vulcan Foundry in 1960-1961

 

Class 55 'Deltics' diesel locomotives D9002 KINGS OWN YORKSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY and D9009 ALYCIDON parked by York NRM, they regularly work excursion trains (July 10th 2016).

My Archive Steam Photos from the 1960s

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Good trainspotting 'TRAINSPOTS' Good trainspotting and photographic locations  Barnetby Station, North Lincolnshire  *  Carlisle Station  *  Clapham Junction Station, London  *  Colton Junction, south of York  *  Crewe Station  *  Doncaster Station, South Yorkshire  * Hellifield station - Carlisle to Settle line * Lancaster station  * Newcastle Station  *  Northallerton Station  *  Nuneaton Station  *  Sheffield Station  *  Stratford Station, East London * Warrington Bank Quay station * Wigan North Western - WCML *  York Station

See Also * Class 01 * Class 02 * Class 03 * Class 04 * Class 08 * Class 09 * Class 10 * Class 11 * Class 14 * Class 20 * Class 24 * Class 25 * Class 26 * Class 27 * Class 31 * Class 33 * Class 37 * Class 40 * Class 43 * Class 44 * Class 45 * Class 47 * Class 50 * Class 52 * Class 55 * Class 56 * Class 57 * Class 60 * Class 66 * Class 67 * Class 68 * Class 70 * Class 71 * Class 73 * Class 76 * Class 77 * Class 86 * Class 87 * Class 90 * Class 91 * Class 92 * Class 101 * Class 108 * Class 114 * Class 117 * Class 121 * Class 127 * Class 141 * Class 142 * Class 144 * Class 150 * Class 153 * Class 155 * Class 156 * Class 158 * Class 159 * Class 165 * Class 166 * Class 170 * Class 175 * Class 180 * Class 185 * Class 220 * Class 221 * Class 222 * Class 252 * Class 313 * Class 315 * Class 317 * Class 319 * Class 320 * Class 321 * Class 322 * Class 323 * Class 325 * Class 332 * Class 333 * Class 334 * Class 350 * Class 357 * Class 360 * Class 365 * Class 373 * Class 375 * Class 376 * Class 377 * Class 378 * Class 379 * Class 380 * Class 387 * Class 390 * Class 395 * Class 414 * Class 423 * Class 442 * Class 444 * Class 450 * Class 455 * Class 458 * Class 460 * Class 465 * Class 466 * Class 507/508 * Class 3000 *

IMAGES OF PRESERVED STEAM LOCOMOTIVES