British Rail Class 13

British Rail Class 13
A British Rail Class 13 at Tinsley Marshalling Yard, 1974
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder British Railways Darlington Works (builder and rebuilder) Build date 1965 (rebuilt) Total produced 3
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 0-6-0+0-6-0  • AAR C-C  • UIC C+C Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Wheel diameter 4 ft 6 in (1.372 m) Wheelbase 42 ft 1+1⁄2 in (12.84 m) Length 60 ft 1 in (18.31 m) Width 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) Height 12 ft 8+1⁄2 in (3.87 m) Loco weight 120 long tons (122 t; 134 short tons) Fuel capacity 1,336 imp gal (6,070 L; 1,604 US gal) Prime mover English Electric 6KT, 2 off Generator DC Traction motors EE, four off Transmission Diesel electric, double reduction gearing MU working Not fitted (except control of slave by master) Train heating None Train brakes Vacuum
Performance figures Maximum speed 20 mph (32 km/h) Power output Engine: 350 hp (261 kW) × 2 Tractive effort Maximum: 70,000 lbf (311.4 kN) Brakeforce 37 long tons-force (370 kN)
Career Operators British Railways Numbers D4500–D4502, later 13 001–13 003 Axle load class RA 8 Retired 1981–1985 Scrapped 1982 (13 002) 1985-6 (13 001 and 13 003) Disposition All scrapped

The British Rail Class 13 was a type of diesel-electric shunting locomotive. The type was designed in 1965 because of the need to provide more powerful shunters for the Tinsley Marshalling Yard. Due to Tinsley's status as a hump yard, it was not possible to use a single locomotive owing to the risk of grounding. So, to achieve the required power, a pair of Class 08 shunters were permanently coupled in 'master and slave' formation, with the slave unit having had its cab removed. Both units were then ballasted to improve traction. Initially coupled cab-to-cab, it was found more practical to couple master nose to slave cab.

Units

Three pairs were formed as follows:

Unit number		Master unit	Slave unit	Withdrawn	Fate	Notes
Original	TOPS
D4501	13001	D4190	D4189	January 1985	Scrapped at BREL Swindon, May 1985
D4502	13002	D4187	D3697	June 1981	Scrapped at BREL Swindon, October 1982
D4500	13003	D4188	D3698	January 1985	Scrapped at BREL Doncaster, September 1986

D4501 (later 13 001) at Tinsley

Withdrawal

With the end of hump shunting at Tinsley the class became obsolete. The unique qualities of the locomotives were not required elsewhere and so withdrawal was inevitable; 13 002 was withdrawn in 1981, with the remaining two locomotives going with the closure of Tinsley hump in 1985. None of this unusual class survives.

References

• Strickland, David C. (1983). Locomotive Directory—every single one there has ever been. Camberley, Surrey: Diesel and Electric Group. pp. 53–55. ISBN 0-906375-10-X.

Further reading

• McManus, Michael. Ultimate Allocations, British Railways Locomotives 1948 - 1968. Wirral. Michael McManus.
• Vehicle Diagram Book No. 120 for Shunting Diesel Locomotives (PDF). Derby: British Railways Board. April 1974. 13-a – via Barrowmore MRG.
• Pobgee, Ray (February 1983). "We're two of a kind...". Rail Enthusiast. EMAP National Publications. pp. 22–23. ISSN 0262-561X. OCLC 49957965.
• Cooke, B.W.C, ed. (March 1966). "Composite Hump Shunters". Railway Magazine. Vol. 112, no. 779. pp. 164–166.

External links

• Image of 13001 at Tinsley MPD
• Photographs of 13003 at work at Tinsley hump Marshalling Yard