BR Period Locomotives: lnwrbns_br389

Ex-Southern Railways Diesel No 10202, the second locomotive of this experimental locomotive class, is seen standing at Platform 5 on a down express in June 1955. Diesels initially followed the same operational practices as applied to steam locomotives with running numbers that did not differentiate them as diesels. Similarly whilst the same system of headcodes were adopted these were displayed as white discs with a small electric light in the lower portion that could be covered by the top section folded down.

Prior to nationalisation, the Southern Railway was the most progressive of all the four main railway companies having invested heavily in 3rd rail electrification during the 1930s. The SR's Chief Mechanical Engineer, OV Bulleid, had plenty of experience with small-wheel multiple unit motor bogies, but was looking at diesel-electric traction as an alternative to costly third-rail electrification on some west of England routes. The result was the SR/EE Co-Co diesel electric No 10201, built at Ashford works in 1950. The power unit was the same 16-cylinder 16SVT engine as fitted to the LMS Co-Cos, but equipped with the EE Co's Napier 75100 Turbocharger producing a 1,750hp prototype.

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