Class 55 Profile

English Electric Type 5 Deltic

Introduced in February 1961, this was a fleet of 22 twin-engined locos constructed as a direct result of the prototype Deltic DP1, evaluated by BR in the late 1950s. The locos were used on express passenger services on the Eastern Region of BR. The first locos to be withdrawn in January 1980 were 55001 and 55020, with the remainder all being withdrawn by the end of January 1982.

BUILT: 1961-62 by the English Electric Company at Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows.

ENGINE: Qty 2 Napier D18.25s producing 3,300hp.

NUMBER SERIES: 55001-55022.

PREVIOUS NUMBERS: D9000-D9021.

TRANSMISSION: .

MAX SPEED: 100mph.

TRACTIVE EFFORT: 50,000lb.

WEIGHT: 100 tons.

WHEEL ARRANGEMENT: Co-Co.

QTY BUILT : 22
FLEET STRENGTH: NIL (All Withdrawn - Some Preserved)

Loco Name Details - Class 55

Data taken from the PC TOPS Locomotive Database System by Milburn Associates 



  NUMBER   NAME                                            DATE NAMED                                     
  55001    St Paddy                                        30/06/1961
  55002    The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry         04/04/1963
  55003    Meld                                            30/06/1961
  55004    Queen's Own Highlander                          23/05/1964
  55005    The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire 08/10/1963
  55006    The Fife and Forfar Yeomanry                    31/12/1964
  55007    Pinza                                           22/07/1961
  55008    The Green Howards                               30/09/1963
  55009    Alycidon                                        22/07/1961
  55010    The King's Own Scottish Borderer                15/05/1965
  55011    The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers              28/05/1963
  55012    Crepello                                        09/09/1961
  55013    The Black Watch                                 16/01/1963
  55014    The Duke of Wellington's Regiment               22/10/1963
  55015    Tulyar                                          14/10/1961
  55016    Gordon Highlander                               28/07/1964
  55017    The Durham Light Infantry                       31/10/1963
  55018    Ballymoss                                       06/12/1961
  55019    Royal Highland Fusilier                         11/09/1965
  55020    Nimbus                                          17/01/1962
  55021    Argyll and Sutherland Highlander                29/11/1963
  55022    Royal Scots Grey                                18/06/1962

Unless stated otherwise Photographs in this section are © copyright of Milburn Associates. Permission to use these images in railway society newsletters, etc., can be obtained by e-mailing the Thin Controller.

[55015] [JPEG Image of 55015 size 29K]

Class 55 55015 Tulyar in British Rail Standard Blue Livery at Crewe Open Day 1995

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Last revised: 16 October 1998