The Baby Deltic Project
Baby Deltics, a short history, page 2
Leading technical details
| EECo. contract number | CCF0875 |
| EECo. works numbers | D417 to D426 |
| BR painted numbers | D5900 - D5909 |
| BR designation | Type 'B', later Type 2, later Class 23 |
| Livery when built | Green body with cream lower band, red 'wrap round' buffer beams. Headcode discs. |
| Livery when refurbished | Two-tone green body with half yellow panel on nose. Centre headcode number panel. |
| Weight | 73 tons 17 cwt |
| Maximum speed | 75 mph |
| Fuel capacity (engine & CWA) | 550 gallons |
| CWA water capacity | 600 gallons |
| Engine type | Napier Deltic T9-29, 9-cylinder two-stroke, turbocharged |
| Engine power | 1,100 hp (at crankshaft) at 1,600 revs per minute |
| Engine speed control | Pneumatic |
| Engine load control | Governor controlled electrically operated load regulator |
| Power at rail | 768 hp |
| Tractive effort | 31,800 lbs continuous, 46,200 lbs maximum |
| Wheel arrangement | Bo-Bo |
| Wheel diameter (new) | 3' 7" |
| Axle load | 18 tons |
| Traction motor type | EECo. 533A, 850 amps, 250 volts DC continuous |
| Traction motor gear ratio | 63:17 |
| Main generator type | EECo. 835A, 1700 amps, 400 volts DC continuous at 1,600 rpm |
| Auxiliary generator type | EECo. 912/1B, 45 kW, 410 amps, 110 volts DC continuous at 2680 rpm |
| Auxiliary machines | Compressor - 1 off, engine driven from free end gearbox. Later electically driven. |
| Exhausters - 2 off, electrically driven. Exhausters - 2 off, electrically driven. | |
| Traction motor blowers - 2 off, mech driven, 1 from the aux gen, 1 from the free end. | |
| Fuel lift pump - 1 off, electrically driven. | |
| Fire extinguishant | Nose mounted CO2 bottles, 2 in each end. |
| CWA | Stone Vapour type OK-4616 |
| Battery | 48 cells in two sections, 138 amp/hours at 5-hour rate |
| Length over buffers | 52' 6" |
| Overall width | 8' 10 3/4" |
| Overall height | 12' 8" |
| Bogie centres | 32' |
| Route availability | 5 |
| Multiple unit coupling code | Blue star |
Significant dates
23 January 1957 - order placed by British Railways with Vulcan Foundary Ltd (VF) for ten locomotives.
12 July 1958 - contract delivery date for the first locomotive (D5900).
31 January 1959 - contract delivery date for the last locomotive (D5909).
1 April 1959 - first test of a Baby Deltic on BR, D5902 worked with one carriage VF - Chester & return.
3 April 1959 - first loaded test of a Baby Deltic on BR, D5902 worked light VF - Edge Hill (Liverpool), then Edge Hill - Penrith & return.
7 April 1959 - D5909 sent to BR Doncaster Works for weighing, returning to VF on 9 April 1959.
17 April 1959 - D5903 became the first Baby Deltic to be delivered to BR.
24 April 1959 - D5904 delivered.
1 May 1959 - D5902 delivered.
5 May 1959 - D5903 worked the first revenue earning train for BR, Kings + - Royston & return.
8 May 1959 - D5905 & D5906 delivered.
12 May 1959 - D5904 became the first Baby Deltic to appear at Broad St (16:38 Broad St - Baldock).
15 May 1959 - D5907 delivered.
22 May 1959 - D5900 & D5901 delivered.
29 May 1959 - D5908 delivered.
19 June 1959 - D5909 became the last Baby Deltic to be delivered.
February 1962 - D5903 became the first Baby Deltic to be withdrawn pending major overhaul & modification.
4 September 1962 - EECo quotation made to BR for 'thorough refurbishment' of all ten locos.
6 March 1963 - D5901 entered VF for conversion to take an EECo 12CSUT engine.
15 June 1963 - D5905 became the last Baby Deltic to be withdrawn for major overhaul & modification.
25 June 1964 - D5904 became the first Baby Deltic to be delivered from VF to BR Doncaster Works post refurbishment.
14 April 1965 - D5901 became the final Baby Deltic to be delivered from VF to BR Doncaster Works post refurbishment.
February 1968 - D5909 became the only Baby Deltic to be painted BR blue livery.
May 1968 - D5906 became the first refurbished Baby Deltic to be taken out of service.
30 September 1968 - D5906 became the first Baby Deltic to be condemned.
20 October 1968 - D5907 condemned.
30 December 1968 - D5900 & D5903 condemned.
20 January 1969 - D5904 condemned.
9 March 1969 - D5908 condemned.
June 1969 - D5900, D5903 & D5904 cut up at Cohen's, Cransley.
July 1969 - D5906 & D5907 cut up at Cohen's, Cransley.
6 September 1969 - D5901 taken to BR Research at Derby for use as motive power for the Tribometer train.
23 November 1969 - D5902 condemned.
December 1969 - D5908 cut up at Cashmore's, Great Bridge.
August 1970 - D5902 cut up at Cohen's, Cransley.
14 February 1971 - D5905 condemned.
12 March 1971 - D5905 hauled to Stratford DRS, power unit 388 removed and kept as a spare for D5901.
7 March 1971 - D5909 condemned.
August 1973 - D5905 & D5909 cut up at Cohen's, Cransley.
'late-1975' - D5901 withdrawn.
18 February 1976 - D5901 hauled to BR Doncaster Works.
March 1977 - D5901 became the final Baby Deltic to be cut up.
29 March 1977 - power unit 388 claimed by the National Railway Museum (NRM) and moved to York on 16 August 1977.
January 2001 - power unit 388 discovered under a tarpaulin at the NRM and subsequently bought by the nascent BDP.
20 September 2003 - at the opening of the DPS Depot at Barrow Hill power unit 388 makes it's first public appearance.
February 2007 - works begins on 388 with a view to investigating a return to operating condition.
22 October 2008 - 388 runs again for the first time in over 30 years.
April 2009 - 388 installed in 37372.
25 September 2010 - launch of the appeal to raise money to re-create a Baby Deltic loco.
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