The Metropolitan-Vickers Type 2 Co-Bo Diesel-Electric Locomotives

From Design to Destruction

Anthony P. Sayer

• Publisher: Pen & Sword Transport
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781526742827
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Rail Transportation
• Index: Technology & Engineering

A thorough history of the Metropolitan-Vickers locomotive, also known as "Class 28, " featuring 160 color and black & white photos. This book provides an in-depth history of the Metropolitan-Vickers diesel-electric Type 2 locomotives, more frequently known collectively as the "Co-Bo's" due to their unusual wheel arrangement. Twenty locomotives were constructed during the late-1950s for use on the London Midland Region of British Railways. The fleet was fraught with difficulties from the start, most notably due to problems with their Crossley engines, this necessitating the need for extensive rehabilitation work during the early-1960s. Matters barely improved and the option to completely re-engine the locomotives with English Electric units was debated at length, but a downturn in traffic levels ultimately resulted in their demise by the end of 1968 prior to any further major rebuilding work being carried out. Significant quantities of new archive and personal sighting information, supported by over 180 photographs and diagrams, have been brought together to allow dramatic new insights into this enigmatic class of locomotives, including the whole debate surrounding potential re-engining, their works histories, the extended periods in storage, together with in-depth reviews of the various detail differences and liveries.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• Abbreviations
• Chapter 1 Class Introduction
• Chapter 2 Some Technical Aspects
• Chapter 3 Locomotive Design
• Chapter 4 Delivery and Acceptance Testing
• Chapter 5 Allocations
• Chapter 6 Overhaul History
• Chapter 7 Individual Locomotive Histories
• Chapter 8 Early Performance
• Chapter 9 Pre-Dukinfield Storage
• Chapter 10 Pre-Dukinfield Storage Locations
• Chapter 11 Dukinfield Rehabilitation
• Chapter 12 Post-Dukinfield Performance
• Chapter 13 The Re-Engining Proposal and Other Developments
• Chapter 14 Accident and Fire Damage
• Chapter 15 Operations: A High-Level Summary
• Chapter 16 Detail Differences
• Chapter 17 Liveries
• Chapter 18 Unique Identifiers
• Chapter 19 Storage 1965-68
• Chapter 20 Storage Locations 1965-68
• Chapter 21 Withdrawal
• Chapter 22 Disposal
• Chapter 23 Post Withdrawal
• Chapter 24 Conclusions
• Bibliography