British Rail Class 46

British Rail Class 46
97403 Ixion at Coalville open day, 1 September 1985. The number is in the BR Departmental locomotive series.
Builder:	British Rail Derby
Years built:	1961 – 1963
Early numbers:	D138-D193
TOPS numbers:	46001-46056
Engine:	Sulzer 12LDA28-B
Transmission:	Diesel Electric
Wheel layout:	1Co-Co1
Wheel diameter:	45 in (1,143 mm)
Minimum curve:	3.5 chains (70 m)
Brakes:	Vacuum
Brake force:	63 long tons (64.0 t)
Wheelbase:	59 ft 8 in (18.2 m)
Length:	67 ft 11 in (20.7 m)
Width:	8 ft 10.5 in (2.7 m)
Height:	12 ft 10 in (3.9 m)
Weight:	138 long tons (140 t)
Maximum speed:	90 mph (145 km/h)
Engine power:	2,500 bhp (1860 kW)
Rail power:	1,962 bhp (1460 kW)
Maximum TE:	55,000 lbf (245 kN)
Heating type:	Steam
Multiple working:	Blue Star
Fuel capacity:	790 imp gal (3,600 l)
Route availability:	7

The British Rail Class 46 is a class of diesel locomotive. They were built from 1961-1963 at British Railways' Derby Works and were initially numbered D138-D193. With the arrival of TOPS they were renumbered to Class 46. Fifty-six locomotives were built. The first was withdrawn in 1977 and all of them were withdrawn by 1984. The Class 46 design was structurally the same as the preceding Class 45 build, and had the same Sulzer engine, but differed in the fitment of a Brush generator and traction motors, in place of Crompton Parkinson equipment as fitted to the Class 45. On 17 July 1984, 46009 was deliberately crashed into a nuclear waste flask at about 90mph (145 km/h) on the Old Dalby test track. The test, organised by the CEGB, demonstrated to the public that there would be no leak of radioactive material in the event of a rail accident involving a train carrying a nuclear waste flask. 46009 was scrapped on site at Old Dalby later the same month by Vic Berry of Leicester. Three have been preserved, 46010, 46035 Ixion and D182.

British Rail Class 46 in fiction

A Class 46 Diesel was featured in The Railway Series books by Rev. W. Awdry (the original 'Thomas the Tank Engine' stories). D199 Enterprising Engines.

References

• Sulzer Diesel Locomotives of British Rail, Author Brian Webb, publ. David & Charles 1978, ISBN 0-7153-7514-8

External links

• Crash! - A short article with photographs about the nuclear flask crash test.