B T H and North British Type 1 Bo-Bo Diesel-Electric Locomotives - British Railways Classes 15 and 16: Development, Design and Demise

In order to replace steam traction in East London, the British Railways Pilot Scheme ordered ten BTH and ten NBL Type 1 locomotives in 1955. The BTH fleet expanded to forty-four, but further construction ceased after fifty-four units. The NBL fleet survived until 1968, being withdrawn after ten years of indifferent performance. This book looks at the short history of these two classes, using archive sources and primary observations of enthusiasts. It includes previously unpublished information on introduction, appearance, design, and performance issues, as well as allocations, works histories, storage, and disposals, liveries, and detail differences.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 408 pages
\n Publication date: 16 November 2021
\n Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd
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The British Railways Pilot Scheme of 1955 brought forth a significant transformation with the introduction of ten BTH and ten NBL Type 1 locomotives. These locomotives, which were deployed between 1957 and 1961, played a pivotal role in East London and on the Great Eastern, London, Tilbury & Southend lines. The BTH fleet, thanks to its lightweight design and surplus manufacturing capacity, expanded to forty-four units. However, the preference shifted towards the highly reliable English Electric product, which had reached 128 examples by mid-1962. The NBL fleet, on the other hand, survived until 1968 but was withdrawn after ten years of underwhelming performance.

The BTH locomotives were phased out by 1971, with four units remaining as carriage pre-heating units. The dramatic decline in goods traffic during the 1960s and 1970s, particularly affecting local trip and transfer freight duties, significantly impacted the performance of these locomotives. As a result, the less successful classes were retired from service first.

This book delves into the brief history of these two classes, utilizing extensive archive sources and the firsthand observations of numerous enthusiasts. It presents previously unpublished information, covering the introduction, appearance, design, and performance issues of the locomotives. The book also provides detailed allocations, works histories, storage, disposals, liveries, and detail differences, matching the level of detail found in previous volumes in the Locomotive Portfolio series.

\n Weight: 1694g\n
Dimension: 261 x 247 x 27 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781526761965\n \n