BR Period Locomotives: lnwrbns_br1791

North British Paxman Diesel Electric 'Bo-Bo' No 10800 is seen departing from Platform 1 with a passenger working probably on a New Street to Norwich passenger service on 3rd March 1955. When purchased by Brush, they replaced the original Paxman engine with a 1400 bhp Bristol Siddeley Maybach MD655, which turned a Brush 3-phase brushless alternating current (ac) generator. The generator output was then passed through sophisticated electronics before powering ac traction equipment. In the tradition of Brush experimental locomotives it was named, although no 'Hawk' plates were ever carried or even cast. It was allocated No 710 on the Brush construction list and after modification Hawk was put through a test programme for most of 1963-64, prior to receiving major body attention and repainting into a green and grey livery.

In early 1965 the loco was inspected by BR and transferred to the Rugby Testing Station for performance tests. After further static trials Hawk was accepted back onto BR tracks for active operation over the former Great Central Leicester to Nottingham route. Although basically successful it suffered a number of technical problems, and by 1968 Brush decided not to continue with the project. Hawk was stored at Loughborough before being finally broken up in 1972-73. During the 1972 Miner's Strike the engine and generator were cannibalised to provide emergency power for the Loughborough works.

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