Diesel Locomotives - British Rail Class 21-29: Books

The North British Type 2 Bo-Bo Diesel-Electric Classes 21 & 29 - Design, Development and Demise

This book provides an in-depth history of the North British diesel-electric Type 2 locomotives which were constructed by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow during the late-1950s / early-1960s for use on the Eastern and Scottish Regions of British Railways.
Despite efforts to improve their poor performance in traffic, by both engine refurbishment or complete replacement, these locomotives were all withdrawn from service by the end of 1971.

Using significant quantities of previously unpublished material, dramatic new insights are revealed about both the original Class 21s and the rebuilt Class 29s, including detailed research into the whole rebuilding decision-making process, as well as providing fully dated information about works visits, periods in storage, detail difference modifications and livery changes.

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Looking Back at Class 24 & 25 Locomotives

Takes a closer look at these plucky and versatile Type 2 locos in a full-colour photographic album. The images follow the locomotives from their introduction in the late 1950s and throughout their service years, continuing to their final demise from everyday service. Inside we look at some of the variations that have appeared over the years and at many of the liveries they have borne.

A varied selection of locations and workings have been chosen from a vast library of colour photographs, which are accompanied by informative captions; they are sure to appeal to both the enthusiast and the modeller alike.

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Class 25, 26 and 27 Locomotives in Scotland

NEW

This comprehensive volume delves into the history of the British Rail Class 25, 26, and 27 locomotives, introduced in 1956 and initially stationed at Eastfield Depot in Glasgow and Haymarket Depot in Edinburgh. Recognized as Type 2s, these locomotives served both passenger and freight functions.
Over time, the Class 26 fleet specialized in coal transport in the Ayrshire region. Notably, certain Class 27 locomotives underwent conversion for push-pull operations on the busy Glasgow Queen Street-Edinburgh route from 1971 until their cessation in 1980.

Covering the entirety of the BR era and extending into the privatization era and beyond, this book meticulously explores the contributions of all three classes. Operating extensively throughout Scotland, these locomotives played a vital role, with several now preserved at heritage lines across the country.

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Class 26, 27 and 33 Locomotives

The 1955 British Rail Modernisation Plan identified a need for small, lightweight diesel locomotives and the Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company, based in Smethwick in the West Midlands, was awarded the contract to build the Class 26, Class 27 and Class 33 locomotives.
All were built with Sulzer engines, and the Class 26 and 27 locomotives were split between the Scottish, Eastern and Midland regions, before being concentrated north of the border.
The Class 33 locomotives were built for the Southern Region.

All three classes were comfortable on freight as well as passenger turns. The locomotives were built to last, with the Class 27s the first to be completely withdrawn in 1987 and the last Class 26 taken out of service in 1993. Some Class 33 locomotives remain active on the main line.

This book shows the three different classes at work and on shed, and also covers the classes into preservation.

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The Metropolitan-Vickers Type 2 Co-Bo Diesel-Electric Locomotives - From Design to Destruction

This book provides an in-depth history of the Metropolitan-Vickers diesel-electric Type 2 locomotives, more frequently known collectively as the "Co-Bo's" due to their unusual wheel arrangement. Twenty locomotives were constructed during the late-1950s for use on the London Midland Region of British Railways.
The fleet was fraught with difficulties from the start, most notably due to problems with their Crossley engines, this necessitating the need for extensive rehabilitation work during the early-1960s.
Matters barely improved and the option to completely re-engine the locomotives with English Electric units was debated at length, but a downturn in traffic levels ultimately resulted in their demise by the end of 1968 prior to any further major rebuilding work being carried out.

Significant quantities of new archive and personal sighting information, supported by over 180 photographs and diagrams, have been brought together to allow dramatic new insights into this enigmatic class of locomotives, including the whole debate surrounding potential re-engining, their works histories, the extended periods in storage, together with in-depth reviews of the various detail differences and liveries.

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