LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Nuneaton

Castle Bromwich Station: mrcb1722

Bulleid 1CoCo1 Diesel Electric No 10203 passes the fine array of signals, controlled by Castle Bromwich Junction Signal Box, on 15th May 1957. Unusually for pioneer British diesels, the first two protypes No 10201 and No 10202 were originally specified (prior to alteration of gear ratios to improve tractive effort when operating as mixed-traffic units) with a top speed of 110 mph ather than the 90 mph of 10203, pre-dating the three-figure maximum speeds of the Deltic and Class 50 designs by some years. Percie Bollen's bogie design and the power train of 10203 were taken almost unmodified for the first ten production D16/1 but with a more traditional English Electric design of body with prominent noses and louvered side panels.

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