Class 33 Profile and Models

Class 33

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. 

(Information provided via Wikipedia)

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

 

HO Gauge (1:87 Scale)
trainModels Produced
format_paintLiveries Produced
View All Products Produced

Products awaiting categorisation

Scale Brand Image Construction Type DCC Capability Product Code Product Title Livery
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale) Modern Traction Kits (MTK) B8MT Class 33 Diesel Locomotive Kit (Motor not included) Requires assembly Not set B8MT
View
Class 33 Diesel Locomotive Kit (Motor not included) Awaiting Categorisation
O Gauge (1:43 Scale) RJH No image available Requires assembly Not set RJH33
View
Class 33 Locomotive Kit Awaiting Categorisation