Class 33 Profile and Models
33052 'Ashford' at Selsdon in October 1980. ©Lamberhurst
The British Rail Class 33, also known as the BRCW Type 3 or "Crompton", is a class of Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotives. They were produced as a more powerful Type 3 development of the Class 26. This was achieved, quite simply, by removing the steam heating boiler and fitting a larger 8 cylinder version of the previous 6 cylinder engine. This was possible because of the traffic requirements of the Southern Region; locomotive-hauled passenger traffic depended on seasonal tourist traffic and was heavier in the summer, when carriage heating was not needed. In the winter, their expected use was to be for freight. Thus, they became the most powerful BR Bo-Bo diesel locomotive. The perennially unreliable steam heating boiler could also be avoided. A total of 98 were built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company (BRCW) and they were known as "Cromptons" after the Crompton Parkinson electrical equipment installed in them. |
|
Type of Locomotive |
Diesel-Electric |
Builder |
Birmingham RCW |
Build Dates |
1960 to 1962 |
Total Built |
98 |
Tractive Effort |
45,000 lbf |
Power Output |
1,550 bhp |
Top Speed |
85 mph |
Wheel Configuration |
Bo-Bo |
Operated By |
British Rail Direct Rail Services EWS Fragonset Railways West Coast Railway Co. Heritage Operators |
Main Duties |
Mixed Traffic |
In Service Until |
Present |
Surviving Examples |
29 |
Products awaiting categorisation
Scale | Brand | Image | Construction Type | DCC Capability | Product Code | Product Title | Livery |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale) | Modern Traction Kits (MTK) | Requires assembly | Not set |
B8MT View |
Class 33 Diesel Locomotive Kit (Motor not included) | Awaiting Categorisation | |
O Gauge (1:43 Scale) | RJH | Requires assembly | Not set |
RJH33 View |
Class 33 Locomotive Kit | Awaiting Categorisation |