British Rail Class 46

The Class 46 design was structurally the same as the preceding Class 45 build, and had the same Sulzer engine, but differed in the fitment of a Brush generator and traction motors, in place of the Crompton Parkinson equipment fitted to the Class 45. Along with the other Sulzer class 44 and 45 designs they are often referred to as "Peaks", so named because the Class 44s were named after mountains.{{cite journal |journal=Railways Illustrated |date=November 2007 |title=Peak to be sold |page=36}}

The British Transport Commission decided to cancel the final twenty Class 46 locomotives then on order and invited bids for twenty locomotives of a new Type 4 specification using the Brush electrical equipment intended for the cancelled order. Brush won the contract with what became the Class 47.[http://www.class47.co.uk/c47_features.php Introduction to Prototypes] Class47.com Retrieved on 31 May 2007[https://www.derbysulzers.com/smethwick.html D0260 Lion & The Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Co. Ltd.] www.derbysulzers.com Retrieved 30 December 2018

In common with the other classes of Peak diesel which had the same design, Class 46 locomotives were prone to cracking of the bogie castings. This was due to the stresses of negotiating sharp curves with a bogie of such length, and also because the buffing gear was mounted on the bogie itself and not on the main frame of the locomotive.{{sfn|Derrick|2004|p=32}}

All Class 46s were delivered in BR Green with a broad horizontal grey stripe on the lower bodyside and small yellow warning panels on the ends. From the late 1960s all were repainted into the corporate image Rail Blue, although repaints carried out at BR depots between works visits did vary and at least D138 (later 46 001) was recorded in Rail Blue with full yellow ends, but retaining the grey stripe on the lower body side.{{sfn|Derrick|2004|p=48}}

File:46026 - Crewe Works (10755068946).jpg

Unlike the earlier Peak classes where many had names, only D163 (later 46 026) carried one (Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry) from new. This engine was nicknamed "The Lady" by both staff and rail fans alike. This name is now carried by the preserved Class 45 number D123/45 125.

File:Nameplate 46026.jpg

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Whilst seeing intermittent use on freight trains, Class 46s were regular performers on passenger turns, particularly North East-South West, Trans-Pennine and secondary North East-London trains,{{cite book | last = Montague | first = Keith | title = The Power of the Peaks | publisher = Oxford Publishing Co | year = 1978 | location = Oxford | isbn = 0-902888-99-4}}{{cite book | last = Lund | first = E | title = To the last drop | publisher = Longden technical Publications | year = 1980 | location = Chesterfield | isbn = 0-9507063-0-2}} and depot allocations reflected this with locos at Gateshead and Plymouth in 1977{{cite book | title = British Rail Locoshed Book 1981| year = 1981 | publisher = Ian Allan Ltd | location = Shepperton | isbn = 0-7110-1112-5 |page=26 }} giving a typical spread. Long-distance freight workings were common, particularly "clay hoods" carrying china clay from Cornwall to the Stoke-on-Trent area.

For a period around 1980, several Class 46 locomotives were placed into storage at Swindon Works. Some were only stored for a few months, but most were reinstated by the end of 1981.{{sfn|Derrick|2004|p=35}}

In the 1980s, the remaining locomotives were concentrated at Gateshead depot, and the final booked passenger workings for the class were the dated summer Saturday services Bradford - Weymouth (between Bradford and Birmingham New Street), Newcastle - Plymouth, Newcastle - Blackpool North, and York - Blackpool North.{{cite book | last = Webster | first = Neil |author2= Greaves, Simon|author3= Greengrass, Robert| title = Loco-hauled travel 1984-5 | publisher = Metro Enterprises Ltd | location = York | isbn = 0-947773-00-2}} The last five locomotives were officially withdrawn on 25 December 1984.{{sfn|Derrick|2004|p=48}}

Beyond revenue service, two Class 46s were transferred to departmental stock in December 1984. 46 035 became 97 403 and was named 'Ixion'. It was used for tests into adhesion and had a large red panel painted on the sides in the then-standard departmental livery. 46 045 was renumbered 97 404 and was retained as a source of spare parts for 97 403 as required.{{sfn|Derrick|2004|p=53}}

Disposal of Class 46s was almost exclusively carried out at BR works, with Swindon Works doing much of the work along with Derby Works and Doncaster Works. The two exceptions were 46 027 which was cut up at Vic Berrys scrapyard in Leicester, and 46 009 whose final demise is described below.{{sfn|Derrick|2004|p=48}}

File:Old Dalby nuclear flask test-by-Brian-Robert-Marshall.jpg, 17 July 1984]]

On 17 July 1984, 46 009 (formerly D146), hauling three Mark 1 coaches, was deliberately crashed into a "Flatrol" wagon loaded with an empty nuclear waste flask and lying on its side. 46 009 had been adapted so that it could be operated remotely, and also had a camera mounted on the nose to record the impact. At the point when the locomotive hit the flask it was travelling at about {{convert|100|mph|abbr=on}}, and the resulting impact was recorded and later broadcast publicly. The test was carried out on the Old Dalby Test Track and was organised by the CEGB.{{cite magazine |title=Operation 'Smash Hit' |magazine=Railway Magazine |date=October 1984 |editor-first=John |editor-last=Slater |publisher=Transport Press |location=Sutton, Surrey |volume=130 |issue=1002 |pages=394–5 }}{{Cite journal | last1 = Dowler | first1 = H. J. | last2 = Molyneaux | first2 = T. C. K. | last3 = Miles | first3 = J. C. | doi = 10.1243/PIME_PROC_1987_201_007_02 | title = Analysis of the forces on a nuclear fuel transport flask in an impact by a train | journal = Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part A: Power and Process Engineering | volume = 201 | issue = 11 |page=55 | year = 1987 | s2cid = 111297025 }}{{citation| url =http://www.old-dalby.com/Crash.htm| title =CEGB staged collision with Nuclear flask 1985| work =www.old-dalby.com| first =Dave| last =Coxon| url-status =dead| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20051206013744/http://www.old-dalby.com/Crash.htm| archive-date =6 December 2005| df =dmy-all}} The test was intended to demonstrate to the public that there would be no leak of radioactive material in the event of a rail accident involving a train carrying a nuclear waste flask.{{cite web|title=Nuclear Flask Train Crash Test - BBC News 1984|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHtRZ_k0s7M| work = www.youtube.com| publisher = BBC |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150304235913/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHtRZ_k0s7M |archive-date=4 March 2015}}{{cbignore}}

46 009 was scrapped on site at Old Dalby later the same month by Vic Berry of Leicester. Sister locomotive 46 023 had been the standby locomotive in case 46 009 failed.{{sfn|Derrick|2004|p=44}} The flask that was used in this test is on display outside Heysham 1 power station training centre.[http://www.6lda28.com/od1a.htm Images]

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Three of the class have been preserved: 46 010 (formerly D147) at the Great Central Railway (Nottingham), 46 035 Ixion (formerly D172) at Peak Rail owned by the Waterman Railway Trust, and D182 (46 045) which is owned by the Peak Locomotive Company at the Midland Railway – Butterley{{cite web |url= https://peakdieselarchive.co.uk/heritage%2Fpreservation |title= Heritage/Preservation |author= |date= 2023 |website= The Peak Diesel Archive |publisher= Peak Diesel Archive |access-date= 21 January 2024

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In February 1994, D172 became the first privately owned ex-BR diesel to be certified for main line operation.{{cite magazine |title=Breaking the Ban |magazine=Trackside Magazine |date=September 2022 |first=Ben |last=Jones |publisher=Transport Publishing Network Ltd |location=Peterborough |issue=14 |pages=24–29 }}

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{{gallery

|File:46037 at Manchester Victoria.jpg|46 037 at Manchester Victoria (1983)

|File:46045 Walsden.jpg|46 045 at Walsden (1983)

|File:Class 46 D182 at Grosmont 10th May 2008.jpg|Preserved loco D182 (46 045) at Grosmont (May 2008)

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{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book| last = Derrick| first = Kevin| title = Historic traction in colour : The Peaks| publisher = Nostalgia Road Publications| series = Heritage Traction Series| volume = 2| date = 2004| location = Kendal| isbn = 1-903016-41-X}}
• {{cite book |first1=Brian |last1=Webb |author-link=Brian Webb (railway historian) |title=Sulzer Diesel Locomotives of British Rail |publisher=David & Charles |year=1978 |isbn=0715375148}}

• {{cite book|title=British Rail Main Line Diesel Locomotives|first1=Colin J.|last1=Marsden|first2=Graham B.|last2=Fenn|pages=196–199|publisher=Haynes|location=Sparkford|year=1988|isbn=9780860933182|oclc=17916362}}
• {{cite book|url=http://www.barrowmoremrg.co.uk/BRBDocuments/Locos/Book_no_100_N1_web.pdf|title=Vehicle Diagram Book No. 100 for Main Line Diesel Locomotives|via=Barrowmore MRG|publisher=British Railways Board|location=Derby|date=October 1984|pages=27, 37, 108–109 (per pdf)}}
• {{cite magazine|title=New life for '46s'|magazine=Rail Enthusiast|publisher=EMAP National Publications|date=February–March 1982|page=52|issn=0262-561X|oclc=49957965}}
• {{cite magazine|title=Class 46: Update on a dying breed|author=Yeoman|magazine=Rail Enthusiast|publisher=EMAP National Publications|date=June 1984|page=22|issn=0262-561X|oclc=49957965}}

{{commons category|British Rail Class 46}}

• [http://www.railblue.com/Fleet/class_46_fleet.htm Railblue.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081122000452/http://www.railblue.com/Fleet/class_46_fleet.htm |date=22 November 2008 }} A list of fleet numbers with dates withdrawn.

{{British Rail Locomotives}}

Category:1Co-Co1 locomotives

46

Category:Railway locomotives introduced in 1961

Category:Standard-gauge locomotives of Great Britain

Category:Diesel–electric locomotives of Great Britain