British Rail Class 03

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The British Rail Class 03 locomotive is, together with Class 04, one of BR's most successful smaller 0-6-0 diesel-mechanical shunters. The class, numbering 230 examples, was built by British Railways' Swindon and Doncaster works in 1957-1962 and numbered D2000-D2199 and D2370-D2399 (later 03004 to 03399). D2370 and D2371 were used as departmental locomotives and numbered 91 and 92 respectively.

Like other shunters of this type, they were built for lighter duties where a larger locomotive was not needed, especially at locomotive and carriage depots and as station pilots. The reduction over time in the demand for shunting locomotives meant that they were progressively withdrawn from 1968 onwards, many being sold to private industry. However, some remained in service for much longer, with two example on the Isle of Wight lasting until 1993 (mainland examples had gone by 1987). In 1998, one of these, no. 03179, was reinstated into service by the West Anglia Great Northern Railway Company (WAGN) for service at their Hornsey depot. This remains the last operational Class 03 locomotive on the network. It is is named Clive after a depot employee.

The engine is a Gardner 8-cylinder, 4-stroke 8L3 of 204 hp 152 kW connected to a Wilson-Drewry CA5 R7, 5-speed epicyclic with RF11 spiral bevel reverse and final-drive unit. Drive is through a jackshaft mounted beneath the cab, driving the wheels through coupling rods (US: side rods).

Class 03, no. D2069, at Doncaster Works open day on 27th July 2003. This locomotive is preserved on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.

[edit] Burry Port & Gwendraeth Valley Line

Several examples were rebuilt with cut-down cabs for working on the Burry Port & Gwendraeth Valley Line. This was due to several low bridges on the line, which normal height locomotives would not be able to clear without incident.

The modified examples were nos. 03119, 03120, 03121, 03141, 03142, 03144, 03145, 03151 and 03382. Their duties included shunting (for example at Burry Port) but also hauling full coal trains down from the valley's pits. For this latter duty they worked triple-headed.

They were replaced by Class 08/9 locomotives, which were also rebuilt with cut-down cabs. Several cut-down locomotives have been preserved.

The Isle of Wight shunters, nos. 03079 and 03179, were also rebuilt with cut-down cabs, to enable them to pass through a low tunnel in Ryde.

[edit] Preservation

A fairly large number (over 50) of the class survive in preservation.

• 03078 [17] D2078 Stephenson Railway Museum.
• 03079 [18] D2079 Derwent Valley Light Railway
• 03081 [19] D2081 Mangapps Farm Railway Museum - was used between 1981-2000
• 03084 [20] D2084 Ecclesbourne Valley Railway
• 03089 [21] D2089 Mangapps Farm Railway Museum
• 03090 [22] D2090 Locomotion - the NRM at Shildon
• 03094 [23] D2094 Barrow Hill Roundhouse - Cambrian Railways Trust
• 03099 [24] D2099 Peak Rail
• 03113 [25] D2113 Peak Rail
• D2117 [26] Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway
• D2118 [27] Peak Rail. Worked at Anglian Building Products, Lenwade, Norfolk from August 1973, then at Dow-Mac near Stamford from December 1993.
• 03119 [28] D2119 West Somerset Railway
• 03120 [29] D2120 Fawley Hill Railway
• 03128 [30] D2128 Dean Forest Railway - between 1976 and 1993 based in Belgium.
• D2133 [31] West Somerset Railway. Worked at Cellophane's Bridgwater factory in 1970s
• 03134 [32] D2134 Royal Deeside Railway - between 1976 and 1993 based in Belgium.
• D2138 [33] Midland Railway Centre - Used at Pye Hill Colliery 1969-1984.
• D2139 [34] Peak Rail. - previous used ? see pixs on link
• 03141 [35] D2141 Swansea Vale Railway
• 03144 [36] D2144 Wensleydale Railway
• 03145 [37] D2145 Private Location
• D2148 [38] Ribble Steam Railway.
• 03152 [39] D2152 Swindon & Cricklade Railway
• 03158 [40] D2158 Ecclesbourne Valley Railway
• 03162 [41] D2162Llangollen Railway
• 03170 [42] D2170 Battlefield Railway- owned by Otis Euro Transrail between 1989-1999
• D2178 [43] Gwilli Railway
• 03180 [44] D2180 Battlefield Railway
• D2182 [45] Gloucestershire & Warwickshire Railway
• D2184 [46] Colne Valley Railway
• 03189 [47] D2189 Ribble Steam Railway
• D2192 [48] Paignton & Dartmouth Railway
• 03196 [49] D2196West Coast Railway Co Carnforth
• 03197 [50] D2197Lavender Line
• D2199 [51] Peak Rail. Sold to NCB in 1974 after being overhauled and fitted with air brakes at Doncaster Works. Worked at Rockingham, North Gawber and Royston until being placed into store at Monkton in 1984. Was on loan to Hanson Aggregates, Machen Quarry near Newport 2003 (?)-2006.
• 03371 [52] D2371 Rowden Mill Station Museum
• D2381 [53] West Coast Railway Company, Carnforth
• 03399 [54] D2399 Mangapps Farm Railway Museum

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