BR Period Locomotives: lnwrbns_br356

North British Paxman Diesel Electric 'Bo-Bo' No 10800 is seen having just arrived with a local passenger service despite carrying a Class 'C' headcode on Saturday 12th March 1955. Although it only ever ran in British Railways service, No 10800 was a diesel locomotive built by the North British Locomotive Company but had been ordered by the LMS in 1946 but did not appear until after the 1948 nationalisation of the railways. The design was by George Ivatt the LMS' last CME and the locomotive was intended as a possible replacement for steam locomotives on secondary and branch lines. The single-cab layout with its long forward bonnet gave the driver a poor view of the road ahead but this was no worse than in a steam locomotive.

Due to having been ordered by the LMS before the creation of British Railways No 10800 became the first British Railways mixed-traffic Diesel-Electric locomotive when it was delivered in 1950. Operationally it was considered to be successful enough for British Railways to order a further 54 in 1955 although these, destined to be come Class 15 and Class 16 locomotives, used the improved YHXL engine. After withdrawal 10800 was taken to Doncaster Works where it lay for many months awaiting a decision on its future. In 1962 however Brush of Loughborough bought the Bo-Bo machine for research into commutatorless traction motors.

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