An electro-diesel. These locomotives can operate off the third rail electric system to the south of London, or by the diesel engine. Very versatile locos. Several are still in service, especially for works trains, etc. [ September 28, 2005, 05:03 PM: Message edited by: Alan ]
A class 33 around the turntable with other engines being restored. [ September 28, 2005, 05:03 PM: Message edited by: Alan ]
In a new paint shed, a class 37 has been repared and primed, windows masked ready for final coats of paint. [ September 28, 2005, 05:03 PM: Message edited by: Alan ]
A class 40 in the new shed, almost complete. These locomotives were introduced in 1958 and ran most expresses north from London King's Cross for several years. They have a 1Co-Co-1 wheel arrangement. The buffer beams are connected to the bogie and not the locomotive body. [ September 28, 2005, 05:04 PM: Message edited by: Alan ]
What do you mean by "1Co-Co-1"? I think I understand the first group (1Co), but the second group (Co-1) throws me. Buffer beams on bogies...at last, the advocates of mounting couplers on trucks have been vindicated.
Hank, the '1' means one unpowered axle, 'C' is three axles powered by one motor of other drive system, but 'Co' is three axles each with it's own motor. So 1-Co is a 4-axle bogie with three powered and one non-powered. These are big plate frame bogies (trucks), needed as these early diesels were very heavy. With another truck at the other end, it becomes a 1-Co-Co-1.
This class 25 is a Bo-Bo, which means it has 4-wheel trucks with two traction motors per truck. [ September 28, 2005, 05:04 PM: Message edited by: Alan ]
This class 31 has three-axle trucks, but is not a Co-Co, but an A1A-A1A, as the middle axle is non-powered. Again, the loco was too heavy for 4 axles. 'A' is a single powered axle. [ September 28, 2005, 05:05 PM: Message edited by: Alan ]
Thanks, that explains it nicely. I had never seen a code that specified how motors were arranged on a bogie. I don't believe such a code is used in the States. What threw me was the placement of the lower case "o", especially when it followed the upper case "C" in both groups, i.e. 1-Co, and Co-1. I was expecting to see mirror image symmetry to the codes describing the two bogies.
Yes, it is basically A=1 powered axle, B=2, C=3. We had some diesel hydraulic locomotives which had one hydraulic drive per bogie (truck). The 2-axle ones were designated B-B and the 3-axle ones C-C. With seperate power units (motors) for each axle these become Bo-Bo and the 3-axle ones Co-Co.
