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British Rail Class 03

Class of 230 204hp diesel-mechanical shunting locomotives

Class of 230 204hp diesel-mechanical shunting locomotives

FieldValue
nameBritish Rail Class 03
powertypeDiesel-mechanical
imageClass 03 29578008981 894ab0ae8d.jpg
caption03008 at Cambridge station in October 1975
fleetnumbers
builderBritish Railways
Doncaster & Swindon
builddate1957–1961
totalproduction230
gauge
primemoverGardner 8L3
transmissionWilson-Drewry CA5 R7, 5-speed epicyclic gearbox, RF11 spiral bevel reverse and final drive unit.
whytetype
uicclassC
wheeldiameter3 ft
minimumcurve2 chain
trainbrakesVacuum (some Dual Air & Vacuum)
locobrakeforce13 LTf
wheelbase9 ft
length26 ft
width8 ft
height12 ft
11 ft (cut down)
locoweight30.2 LT
maxspeed28.5 mph
poweroutputEngine: 204 hp
At rail: 152 hp
tractiveeffortMax: 15300 lbf
rpmrange max1200 rpm
fuelcap300 impgal
trainheatingNone
axleloadclassRA 1
operatorBritish Railways
First Capital Connect
retiredateApril 1968–1993, 2008
disposition56 preserved, remainder scrapped

Doncaster & Swindon 11 ft (cut down) At rail: 152 hp First Capital Connect The British Rail Class 03 locomotive was, together with the similar , one of British Railways' most successful 0-6-0 diesel-mechanical shunters. 230 were built at Doncaster and Swindon works between 1957 and 1962, and were numbered D2000–D2199 and D2370–D2399 (later 03004 to 03399). D2370 and D2371 were used as departmental locomotives and originally numbered 91 and 92 respectively.

Overview

The fleet of 230 locomotives entered service between December 1957 and June 1962. Like other shunters of this size, the Class 03 was built for light duties where a larger locomotive was not needed, especially for shunting at locomotive and carriage depots and as station pilots, or where larger or heavier locomotives could not be used. The reduction over time in the demand for shunting locomotives meant that they were progressively withdrawn from 1968 onwards, many being sold to private industry, including three that were exported to Belgium. However, some remained in service much longer, with two examples on the Isle of Wight lasting until 1993. Mainland examples had gone by 1989, the last being those allocated to Birkenhead North TMD, for use on the Birkenhead Dock Branch.

In 1998, one of the Isle of Wight locos, 03179, was reinstated by the West Anglia Great Northern for service at Hornsey depot. It was named Clive after a depot employee. It was not fitted with TPWS equipment and thus confined to the depot from 2002. It was operated subsequently by First Capital Connect until withdrawal in 2008. In 2016 it was sold by Govia Thameslink Railway to the Rushden, Higham and Wellingborough Railway.

Technical details

The engine is a Gardner 8-cylinder, 4-stroke 8L3 of 204 hp connected to a Wilson-Drewry CA5 R7, 5-speed epicyclic gearbox with RF11 spiral bevel reverse and final-drive unit. Drive is through a jackshaft mounted beneath the cab, driving the wheels through coupling rods.

During their later life, some locomotives were fitted with dual (air and vacuum) brakes. These were 03059, 03063, 03066, 03073, 03078, 03084, 03086, 03089, 03094, 03112, 03152, 03158, 03162, 03170, 03179, 03180, 03196, 03197, 03371, 03397 and 03399.

Operation

Shunting

Originally the Class 03s were often deployed where their attributes of short wheelbase and light weight enabled them to operate where other shunters could not. On lines such as that to Ipswich docks, bridge weight restrictions prevented the ubiquitous Class 08s from operating. Another common use was as station pilot, usually coupled to a shunters' truck to ensure operation of track circuits which did not always register the passage of the 03 due to its short wheelbase.

By 1979, the Class 03's operations included:

  • Depot pilot duties at Hull Botanic Gardens DMU depot and Bradford Hammerton Street DMU depot
  • Ipswich Docks, King's Lynn Docks, and Poplar Dock
  • Freight trips along the Team Valley branch (Gateshead) and the Gwendraeth Valley line
  • Shunting duties at Boston Yard, Ipswich Upper and Lower yards, Lincoln engineers' yard, and Tweedmouth yard near Berwick-upon-Tweed
  • Spare loco on standby at Boston and Kings Lynn
  • Motive power on the Kirkley goods branch line in Lowestoft
  • Station pilot duties at , , , Central, , and

Passenger duties

Despite the limited scope for the use of such a small locomotive on main line passenger duties, there were a number of duties rostered to the class. During the early 1970s Southern Region Class 03s worked Channel Islands boat trains through the streets to the harbour along the Weymouth Harbour Tramway, displacing the last of the 1366 Class 0-6-0 pannier tanks. In 1980, a Class 03 at Ipswich was booked to shunt the 23:20 – onto the rear of the 23:45 – Liverpool Street. Also, according to Mangapps Railway Museum, 03089 once hauled a to express along the York to Scarborough Line from to Scarborough.

Burry Port & Gwendraeth Valley Line

Several examples were rebuilt with cut-down cabs for working on the Burry Port & Gwendraeth Valley Line, as there were several low bridges on the line that precluded the use of normal height locomotives.

The modified examples were nos. 03119, 03120, 03141, 03142, 03144, 03145, 03151, 03152 and late addition (ex-Bristol) 03382. Their duties included shunting (for example at Burry Port), and hauling full coal trains down from the valley's pits. For this latter duty they sometimes worked triple-headed.

They were replaced by Class 08/9 locomotives, which were also rebuilt to a reduced height. Several cut-down locomotives have been preserved.

The Isle of Wight shunters, nos. 03079 and 03179, were also rebuilt with cut-down cabs, to enable them to pass through a low tunnel in Ryde.

Preservation

Fifty-six members of the class survive in preservation.

Loco numbers in bold mean their current number.

TOPS
NumberPre-TOPSOriginal Number AllocatedImagePreserved locationIndustrial useNotes
03018D201811205[[File:03018 at Mangapps,14-7-2018..jpg100px]]Mangapps Railway MuseumCohen's scrapyard, Cransley, Kettering until 20 September 1980 and Cohen's scrapyard Willesden from 28 March 1981. Then to 600 Ferrous Fragmentisers Ltd., Willesden.
03020D202011207[[File:The Lavender Line 09.jpg100x100px]]Lavender Linetitle=Industrial Locomotives 1982 including preserved and minor railway locomotivespublisher=Industrial Railway Societyyear=1982isbn=0-901096-43-1}}
03022D202211209[[File:Blue 03.jpg100x100px]]Swindon and Cricklade Railway-
-D2023[[File:KESR Tenterden 'D2023' 1306 02.jpg100px]]Kent & East Sussex RailwayTees & Hartlepool Dock Authority (1972–1980)
-D2024[[File:D2024 at bodiam.jpg100px]]Kent & East Sussex RailwayTees & Hartlepool Dock Authority (1972–1980)
03027D2027[[File:Class 03 shunters.jpg100px]]Heritage Shunters TrustShipbreakers (Queenborough) Ltd., Queenborough Wharf Scrapyard
03037D2037[[File:13.08.21 Milton of Crathes 03037 (51399824963).jpg100px]]Royal Deeside RailwayNCB, British Oak Disposal Point
-D2041[[File:D2041 at Colne Valley Railway.jpg100px]]Colne Valley Railway
-D2051[[File:Holt Railway Station - Class 03 D2051 (03051) in goods yard - geograph.org.uk - 1249249.jpg100px]]North Norfolk RailwayFord Dagenham (06/1973-04/1997)
03059D2059[[File:BR class 03 D2059.jpg100px]]Isle of Wight Steam RailwayUsed as a general purpose shunter, and also to supplement any locomotive that has broken down. D2059 arrived on the Island during the electrification works to the Island Line, and remained in use by British Rail at Ryde Traincare Depot until 1988, when it was transferred to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. D2059 is affectionately nicknamed Edward by the Isle of Wight Steam Railway's staff.
03062D2062[[File:Class 03 D2062 and D4002 “Arundel Castle” at Bury during The East Lancashire Railway Diesel Gala 290623.jpg100px]]East Lancashire Railway-
03063D2063[[File:Class 03063 sitting at Dereham.jpg100x100px]]Mid-Norfolk Railway03063 was released from Doncaster Work on 14 July 1959 originally as D2063, under Pre-TOPS, and was allocated to the York North (50A). The locomotive was then bequeathed to the Mid-Norfolk Railway in 2023 upon the passing of its owner, the late Paul Mobbs. It was moved to the MNR in November 2023.
03066D2066[[File:03066, Barrow Hill Roundhouse..JPG100px]]Barrow Hill Engine Shed-
03069D2069[[File:D2069 at Doncaster Works.JPG100px]]Vale of Berkeley Railway, Gloucestershire.Vic Berry, Leicester, even worked at Vic Berry's Scrapyard until being sold into preservation in 1991.
03072D2072[[File:03 072 Swindon 204HP 0-6-0DM.jpg100x100px]]Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway-
03073D2073[[File:03073 at the Crewe Heritage Centre 23 03 24 (53606152323).jpg100x100px]]Crewe Heritage CentreUsed for occasional loco shunting and brakevan rides to visitors to the heritage centre
03078D2078[[File:Class 03 No.03078.jpgClass 03 No.03078100px]]North Tyneside Steam RailwayNewcastle Central Station, used as a station pilot.
03079D2079[[File:DVLR shunting - 2009-06-21.jpg100px]]Derwent Valley Light RailwayWorked at Gateshead before moving to the Isle of Wight along with 03179. This loco has a cut-down cab owing to the low tunnels at Ryde, withdrawn 1996.
03081D2081[[File:Class 03 D2081 (03081) Mangapps 01-04-2024.jpg100x100px]]Mangapps Railway Museum
03084D2084[[File:03084 Newcastle.jpg100px]]West Coast Railways, CarnforthSold by the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway in 2010 or 2011.
03089D2089[[File:Class 03 03089 Mangapps , 23-6-2018..jpgalt=100x100px]]Mangapps Railway Museum
03090D2090[[File:03090 at Shildon.JPG100px]]LocomotionPart of the National Collection
03094D2094[[File:Milton of Crathes railway station & train, Royal Deeside Line, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.jpg100px]]Royal Deeside RailwayPreviously at Llynclys Cambrian Heritage Railway, near Oswestry
03099D2099[[File:British Rail Class 03 03099 - October 2014.jpg100x100px]]Heritage Shunters TrustNCB, Monkton Coking Plant
03112D2112[[File:British Rail Class 03 Diesel Shunter D2112.jpg100px]]Rother Valley Railway-
03113D2113[[File:British Rail Class 03 03113 at Peak Rail - October 2014.jpg100x100px]]Heritage Shunters TrustD2113 spent its entire B.R. life at York (50A), it was sold to Gulf Oil at Milford Haven upon withdrawal from BR service in August 1975 as 03113. For a number of years, after becoming surplus to the Gulf Refinery, it was placed on display, along with a four-wheel petroleum wagon, in Milford Haven Harbour. It is now preserved by the Heritage Shunters Trust at Rowsley in Derbyshire, entering service following full restoration during 2011.Number 8
-D2117[[File:D2117.jpg100px]]Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway
-D2118[[File:HDL Leicestershire Bell Railtour and GCN 13.jpg100x100px]]Great Central Railway (Nottingham)Worked at Anglian Building Products, Lenwade, Norfolk from August 1973,
then at Dow-Mac near Stamford from December 1993.
03119D2119[[File:Loco 03119 at North Weald.JPG100px]]Epping Ongar Railway
-D2120[[File:Fawley Hill Railway, Henley-on-Thames 35.jpg100x100px]]Fawley Hill Railway, Buckinghamshire
03901D2128[[File:D2128.jpg100x100px]]Somerset and Dorset Railway at Midsomer NortonSold for scrap to Birds, Long Marston, where engine and coupling removed and then exported to Belgium where fitted with Deutz V12 air-cooled engine, VM hydraulic pump and motor into original change speed box. Repatriated and operated at Peak Rail, eventually to Dean Forest where stored incomplete. Moved to Scunthorpe 2009, where repowered with Cummins 14 litre engine, hydraulic transmission and renumbered 03 901 to reflect this
-D2133[[File:Dunster 2133.jpg100px]]West Somerset RailwayWorked at Cellophane's Bridgwater factory in the 1970s, prior to preservation at the time.
-D2134[[File:Locomotive D2351 at Milton of Crathes (geograph 1821390).jpg100x100px]]Royal Deeside RailwayWas based in Belgium between 1976 and 1993, has since been repatriated back to the UK.
-D2138[[File:Midland Railway Centre, Butterley 06.jpg100px]]Midland Heritage RailwayUsed at Pye Hill Colliery between 1969 and 1984, prior to preservation.
-D2139Heritage Shunters TrustNCB, Coed Ely Coking Plant
03141D2141[[File:British Rail Class 03 03141 on The Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway - July 2017 - 02.jpg100x100px]]Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway
03144D2144[[File:Leeming Bar railway station MMB 03 03144.jpg100px]]Wensleydale Railway
03145D2145D2578 Locomotive Group, Moreton Business Park
-D2148[[File:Preston Riverside - D2148 (bonnet end).JPG100px]]Ribble Steam RailwayNCB, Bowers Row Disposal Point
-D2152[[File:D2152 (03152) Swindon and Cricklade Railway (27415712921).jpg100px]]Swindon & Cricklade RailwayCut-down cab variant
03158D2158[[File:03158 Mangapps September 2022.jpg100px]]Mangapps Railway Museum
03162D2162[[File:Class 03, No.03162 Built 1960 by BR.jpg100px]]Llangollen Railway
03170D2170[[File:Loco 03170 at North Weald.JPG100px]]Epping Ongar RailwayWas owned by Otis Euro Transrail between 1989-1999 and then latterly was present on the Battlefield Line
-D2178[[File:BR Class 03 03178 (D2178) (7836378810).jpg100px]]Gwili RailwayNCB, Coed Ely Coking Plant
03179D2179[[File:FCC 03179 at NVR.jpg100px]]Rushden, Higham and Wellingborough RailwayWorked on the Isle of Wight along with 03079. This loco (03179 Clive) has a cut-down cab owing to the low tunnels at Ryde. This engine was the last 03 to work for a main-line company, before being preserved. Also notable was its naming ceremony at .
-D2180Battlefield Line
-D2182[[File:Class 03 D2182 - Gloucestershire & Warwickshire Railway (14312050219).jpg100px]]Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway
-D2184[[File:D2184 at the Colne Valley Railway.jpg100px]]Colne Valley RailwayNCB, Southend Coal Concentration Depot
03189D2189[[File:24.09.83 Birkenhead Mollington Street MPD 03189 (6191677017).jpg100px]]Ribble Steam Railway
03192D2192[[File:Paignton 2192.jpg100px]]Dartmouth Steam Railway
03196D2196West Coast Railways, Carnforth
03197D2197[[File:British Rail Class 03 No. 03197 at Ropley Sidings and workshop - August 2018.jpg100x100px]]Mid-Norfolk RailwayWas previously at the Mid-Norfolk Railway to help build the new Kimberley Ballast Pit Sidings. Moved to Mangapps Railway Museum in August 2019 however, moved back to the Mid-Norfolk Railway in February 2020.
-D2199[[File:Class 03 No.D2199 on hire duty at Eurotunnel's Cheriton terminal Folkestone 8-4-94 Barrie Hughes.jpg100px]]Heritage Shunters TrustSold to National Coal Board in 1974 after being overhauled and fitted with air brakes at Doncaster Works. Worked at Rockingham, North Gawber and Royston until being placed into store at Monkton in 1984. Was on hire to Eurotunnel as Cheriton Depot shunter 8/4/97.Was on loan to Hanson Aggregates, Machen Quarry near Newport 2003 (?)-2006
03371D2371Departmental 92[[File:Churston - 03371 in the up yard.JPG100px]]Dartmouth Steam Railway
-D2381West Coast Railways, Carnforth
03399D2399[[File:03 399 in station.jpg100x100px]]Mangapps Railway Museum

Scale Models

Mainline Railways and Replica each offered OO gauge models. Mainline Railways introduced their OO gauge Class 03s in 1983; one in BR green and 03382 in BR blue. Mainline's original 'split-chassis' tooling later passed to Bachmann. When the company later took the decision to produce the Class 04 in its place the tooling was altered, retaining the split chassis power arrangement. However, Bachmann later announced that they would be producing a totally new Class 03 in OO gauge, which was introduced in 2010. In early 2011, Modelzone released special edition examples of the Isle of Wight prototypes, which were produced by Bachmann.

Graham Farish currently offers a British N gauge model. Past models have included D2388 in BR green livery and 03066 in BR blue livery.

In 2008, Bachmann introduced O gauge brass models of the Class 03 in BR green and BR blue liveries.

Notes

References

References

  1. "Vehicle Diagram Book No. 120 for shunting diesel locomotives". BRB Residuary Ltd..
  2. (February 1962). "B.R. Standard 204 H.P. Diesel Mechanical Shunting Locomotives Nos. D2000—Onwards also Departmental Locomotives Nos. 91 & 92". [[British Rail]].
  3. Green-Hughes, Evan. (November 2010). "The Class 03 Diesel Shunter". Ian Allan Publishing.
  4. (1992). "Paddington to the Mersey: G.W.R's Forgotten Route from London to Birkenhead". OPC Railprint.
  5. (7 October 1998}}{{page needed). "WAGN 03 named Clive at King's Cross ceremony".
  6. (16 October 2002). "No main line runabouts for WAGN Clive".
  7. (3 August 2016). "GTR disposes of final Class 03".
  8. (September 2016). "Final main lne 03 enters preservation".
  9. (October 2016). "Clive finally Preserved".
  10. (1979). "Shunter Duties". Inter City Railway Society.
  11. "Weymouth Quay Tramway". Dorset Railway Circle.
  12. Lund, E. (1980). "To the last drop". Longden technical Publications.
  13. "Stock List: Locomotives". Mangapps Railway Museum.
  14. (May 1977). "British Railways Locomotives and Multiple Units including Preserved Locomotives 1977 Combined Volume". Ian Allan Ltd.
  15. "Class 03 : : 03018". Preserved Shunters.
  16. (1982). "Industrial Locomotives 1982 including preserved and minor railway locomotives". Industrial Railway Society.
  17. "Class 03 : : 03020". Preserved Shunters.
  18. "Class 03 : : 03022". Preserved Shunters.
  19. "Class 03 : : D2023". Preserved Shunters.
  20. "Class 03 : : D2024". Preserved Shunters.
  21. "Class 03 : : 03027". Preserved Shunters.
  22. "Class 03 : : 03037". Preserved Shunters.
  23. "Class 03 : : D2041". Preserved Shunters.
  24. "Class 03 : : D2051". Preserved Shunters.
  25. "Isle of Wight Steam Railway: Diesel Locomotives".
  26. "Class 03 : : 03059". Preserved Shunters.
  27. "Class 03 : : 03062". Preserved Shunters.
  28. (14 November 2023). "Mid-Norfolk Railway receives Class 03 shunter locomotive".
  29. "Class 03 : : 03066". Preserved Shunters.
  30. "D2069 Class 03 Shunter".
  31. "Class 03 : : 03069". Preserved Shunters.
  32. "Class 03 : : 03072". Preserved Shunters.
  33. "Class 03 : : 03073". PreservedShunters.
  34. "Memories of Edge Hill, Birkenhead & Beyond". derbysulzers.com.
  35. "Results for D2073 03073". Railway Database.
  36. "Class 03 : : 03078". Preserved Shunters.
  37. "Class 03 : : 03079". Preserved Shunters.
  38. (September 1996). "Final Class 03 withdrawn".
  39. "AbRail Rail Databases – Preserved Diesel & Electric Locomotives". AbRail.
  40. "Class 03 : : 03090". Preserved Shunters.
  41. "Class 03 : : 03094". Preserved Shunters.
  42. "Class 03 : : 03099". Preserved Shunters.
  43. "Class 03 : : 03113". Preserved Shunters.
  44. "Class 03 : : D2117". Preserved Shunters.
  45. "Class 03 : : D2118". Preserved Shunters.
  46. "Class 03 : : 03119". Preserved Shunters.
  47. "Class 03 : : 03120". Preserved Shunters.
  48. (September 1993). "Class 03 repatriated from Belgium".
  49. "D2128 – Swindon-built class 03". Andrew Briddon Locos.
  50. "Class 03 : : D2133". Preserved Shunters.
  51. "Class 03 : : 03134". Preserved Shunters.
  52. "Class 03 : : D2138". Preserved Shunters.
  53. "Class 03 : : D2139". Preserved Shunters.
  54. "Class 03 : : 03141". Preserved Shunters.
  55. "Class 03 : : 03144". Preserved Shunters.
  56. "Class 03 : : 03145". Preserved Shunters.
  57. "Class 03 : : D2148". Preserved Shunters.
  58. "Class 03 : : 03152". Preserved Shunters.
  59. "Class 03 : : 03158". Preserved Shunters.
  60. "Class 03 : : 03162". PreservedShunters.
  61. (August 1983). "Readers' round-up". EMAP National Publications.
  62. "D2162 / 03162". Llangollen Railway.
  63. "Results for D2162 03162". Railway Database.
  64. "Rolling Stock Department Diesel Locomotives". Epping Ongar Railway.
  65. "Class 03 : : 03170". PreservedShunters.
  66. "Class 03 : : D2178". Preserved Shunters.
  67. (December 1998). "Class 03 unveiled in WAGN livery".
  68. "Class 03 : : 03180". Preserved Shunters.
  69. "Class 03 : : D2182". Preserved Shunters.
  70. "Class 03 : : D2184". Preserved Shunters.
  71. "Class 03 : : 03189". PreservedShunters.
  72. "Class 03 : : D2192". Preserved Shunters.
  73. "Class 03 : : 03196". Preserved Shunters.
  74. "Class 03 : : 03197". Preserved Shunters.
  75. (October 1987). "Barclay Locomotive Group buys a British Coal 03".
  76. "Class 03 : : D2199". Preserved Shunters.
  77. "Class 03 : : 03371". Preserved Shunters.
  78. "Class 03 : : D2381". Preserved Shunters.
  79. "Class 03 : : 03399". Preserved Shunters.
  80. "Everyone likes Class 03 shunters don't they?". Rail Exclusive.
  81. (March 1983). "Mainline's big plans for 1983". EMAP National Publications.
  82. Wild, Mike. (November 2010). "Bachmann Class 03 Diesel Shunter Debuts". Ian Allan Publishing.
  83. Wild, Mike. (February 2011). "Network SouthEast shunter by Modelzone". Ian Allan Publishing.
  84. Bayer, Gareth. (16 September 2010). "REM: Shunter Clive is Bachmann Club release". Rail Express.
  85. "Graham Farish: BR Class 03 diesel shunter".
  86. "Graham Farish Products by item number". Bachmann.
  87. (March 2008). "Brassworks 2-6-4T and '03' released". Ian Allan Publishing.
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