Class 46 'Peak' Profile and Models

Class 46 'Peak'

46045 at Exeter St Davids in January 1976. ©Barry Lewis

The British Rail Class 46 is a class of diesel locomotive. They were built from 1961 to 1963 at British Railways' Derby Works. Along with the similar Class 44 and 45 locomotives, they became known as Peaks. 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 the Crompton Parkinson equipment. Whilst seeing intermittent use on freight trains, Class 46s were regular performers on passenger turns, particularly North East-South West, Trans-Pennine and secondary North East-London trains. On 17 July 1984, 46 009, hauling three Mark 1 coaches, was deliberately crashed into a "Flatrol" wagon loaded with a nuclear waste flask. The test was intended to demonstrate 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. Three of the class have been preserved.

(Information provided via Wikipedia)

Type of Locomotive

Diesel-Electric

Builder

BR Derby Works

Build Dates

1961 to 1963

Total Built

56

Tractive Effort

55,000 lbf

Power Output

2,500 bhp

Top Speed

90 mph

Wheel Configuration

1Co-Co1

Operated By

British Railways

Main Duties

Mixed Traffic

In Service Until

1984

Surviving Examples

3