British Rail Class 10

The British Rail Class 10 diesel locomotive was a variation on the Class 08 diesel-electric shunter in which a Blackstone diesel engine was fitted instead of one made by the English Electric company. Traction motors were by the General Electric Company plc (GEC); the class D3/5 were similar, but had British Thomson-Houston (BTH) traction motors.

British Rail Class 10
.D3634 (never renumbered in "10" series) in BR green at Stratford MPD, July 1967.
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder BR Darlington Works (140) and Doncaster Works (6) Build date 1955–1962 Total produced 146
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 0-6-0  • UIC C Gauge 4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Wheel diameter 4 ft 6 in (1.372 m) Wheelbase 11 ft 6 in (3.505 m) Length 29 ft 3 in (8.92 m) Width 8 ft 6 in (2.591 m) Height 12 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (3.874 m) Loco weight 48.6 long tons (49.4 t; 54.4 short tons) Fuel capacity 668 imp gal (3,040 l; 802 US gal) Prime mover Blackstone ER6T Traction motors GEC nose suspended, 2 off Transmission Diesel-electric, double reduction gearing MU working Not fitted Train heating None Train brakes Vacuum
Performance figures Maximum speed 27.5 mph (44 km/h) Power output Engine: 350 hp (261 kW) Tractive effort Maximum: 35,000 lbf (155.7 kN) Continuous: 11,100 lbf (49.4 kN)
Career Operators British Railways Numbers 13137–13151; later D3137–D3151, D3439–D3453, D3473–D3502, D3612–D3651, D4049–D4094 Axle load class RA 5 Withdrawn February 1967- June 1972 Disposition Four preserved, remainder scrapped

The locomotives were built at the BR Works in Darlington and Doncaster over the period 1955–1962. At first they were classified D3/4, then 3/1C before becoming Class 10 under TOPS

Technical details

• Engine: Blackstone 6-cylinder, 4-stroke, ER6T
• Traction motors: 2 x GEC nose suspended motors

Withdrawn

The class were withdrawn between February 1967 and June 1972.

Table of withdrawals[1]

Year	Quantity in service at start of year	Quantity withdrawn	Locomotive numbers
1967	146	6	D3151, D3449/96, D3620/28/31.
1968	140	77	D3139–40/42/46–48/51, D3439–48/50–53/73–78/80–82/84–85/87–91/93–95[lower-alpha 1]/97–99. D3500–02, D3624–27/30/32–33/35–37/40/43, D4064/71/76/80–94.
1969	63	21	D3143–44, D3479/83/92, D3612–14/16–19/21/23/29/38–39/42/45/47[lower-alpha 2]/49.
1970	41	9	D3137/49, D3486, D3638[lower-alpha 3]/44/47, D4052/67/77.
1971	34	14	D3141, D3634/41/46/48/50–51, D4050–51/53/55/59–60/65.
1972	20	20	D3138/45, D4049/54/56–58/61–63/66/68–70/72–75/78–79.

1. D3494 withdrawn due to accident damage
2. Withdrawn July, reinstated August
3. Reinstated March, withdrawn November

Preservation

D3452, at Bodmin on 28 August 2003. This locomotive is preserved on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway

Twenty locomotives were sold to industrial customers; of which, four have been preserved:

• D3452 at Bodmin and Wenford Railway
• D3489 at Spa Valley Railway
• D4067 at Great Central Railway
• D4092 at Barrow Hill Engine Shed
• A fifth example was stored on the Colne Valley Railway, though has since been scrapped.

References

• Strickland, David C. (September 1983). Locomotive Directory: Every Single One There Has Ever Been. Camberley, Surrey: Diesel and Electric Group. pp. 53–61. ISBN 978-0-9063-7510-5. OCLC 16601890.

1. Strickland 1983, pp. 56–57.