Class 41 Warship Profile

Introduced in January 1958, this small fleet of Warship locomotives were ordered under the British Railways 1955 Modernisation Plan for the Western Region, who opted for diesel-hydraulic traction in preference to diesel-electric adopted on the other regions. Built by the North British Locomotive Company, these prototype locos led to the later development of the Class 42 and Class 43 Warships. Used on the Western Region, West of England lines, all were named after naval ships. Due to British Railway's later policy to standardise on Diesel Electric locomotives, they were declared 'non-standard' and all were withdrawn from service in December 1967. All were were eventually cut up for scrap, D601 surviving at Woodham Brothers, Barry until July 1980.