UK Class 15

[John Ashworth]

According to Rail Blue, "Possibly one of the pilot schemes least successful designs, the 44 Class 15's were used on the Eastern Region of British Rail. The poor reliability of their Paxman engines and BTH traction motors led to some locomotives being withdrawn after only eight years. Class extinction came in March 1971 but four examples remained in the true 'Rail Blue' era serving as train pre-heating units. One locomotive, D8233, survives in preservation."

My interest in these locos is partly because they are unusual on UK railways in having short and long noses (most other main line diesels have a cab at each end, except the Class 20 which only has one long nose), but also because these are the diesels I saw frequently when travelling to school on the Liverpool Street to Southend line in the 1960s and early '70s.

These pictures were found on the internet and will be removed if any copyright holders object.

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

Pretty little engines!