British Rail Class 83

British Railways AL3 British Rail Class 83
83014 at Wolverhampton on 27 May 1978.
Type and origin Power type Electric Builder English Electric at Vulcan Foundry Order number CCH 0916 (EE) 6794 (VF, E3024-8) 6795 (VF, E3029-33) 6796 (VF, E3034-5, E3303-4, E3100)[1] Build date 1960–1962 Total produced 15
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR B-B  • UIC Bo′Bo′  • Commonwealth Bo-Bo Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Wheel diameter 4 ft 0 in (1.219 m)[2] Minimum curve 4 chains (80 m)[3] Wheelbase 40 ft 0 in (12.19 m)[2] Length 52 ft 6 in (16.00 m)[2] Width 8 ft 8+5⁄8 in (2.657 m)[2] Height: ​  • Pantograph 13 ft 0+5⁄8 in (3.978 m)[2]  • Body height 12 ft 4+1⁄4 in (3.766 m)[2] Adhesive weight 19 long tons (19.3 t; 21.3 short tons) Loco weight 76.40 long tons (77.6 t; 85.6 short tons) Electric system/s 25 kV AC Catenary Current pickup(s) Pantograph Traction motors 4 × English Electric 535A[4] 750 hp (560 kW) Train heating Electric Train Heating index: 66[3] Loco brake Davies and Metcalfe (as built) Westinghouse (refurbishment)[5] Train brakes Vacuum, Dual from 1972–1973
Performance figures Maximum speed 100 mph (160 km/h) Power output 2,950 hp (2,200 kW) (continuous) Tractive effort 38,000 lbf (169 kN) (max) Brakeforce 38 tons[3]
Career Operators British Rail Class AL3; later 83 Number in class 15 Numbers E3024–E3035, E3098-E3100; later 83001–83015 Axle load class Route availability 6 Locale West Coast Main Line Retired 1975 (1), 1978 (1), 1983 (10), 1989 (3) Preserved 1 Scrapped 1975, 1978, 1984, and 1993 Disposition One preserved, remainder scrapped

The British Rail Class 83 electric locomotives were built by English Electric at Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows as part of the West Coast Main Line electrification.

History

Construction

Fifteen locomotives of British Rail Class 83 were built between 1960 and 1962 by English Electric at Vulcan Foundry, as part of British Rail's policy to develop a standard electric locomotive. Five prototype classes (81-85) were built and evaluated, which eventually led to the development of the Class 86 locomotive.

Three of these locomotives were to have been built as Type B, geared for freight trains, but as it was only two were so built, becoming E3303 and E3304.^[6] The third Type B, E3305, was never built as such. Instead it was used as a test bed with silicon rectifiers and transductors,^[7] this being the first step towards thyristor control. It became a Type A, geared for passenger trains, and numbered E3100.

The other two Type B locomotives were eventually rebuilt as Type A, being renumbered E3098 (ex E3303) and E3099 (ex E3304). Power was provided by overhead catenary energized at 25,000 V AC.

Under the pre-TOPS British Rail classification, the first fourteen locomotives, E3024 - E3035 and E3303, E3304 (later E3098 and E3099) were Class AL3 (meaning the 3rd design of AC Locomotive). The fifteenth engine, E3100 became Class AL3/1. All fifteen were included in the TOPS numbering system, being renumbered 83001-015.

The Polish EU06 class was produced by English Electric at the same time as the Class 83s and externally they are quite similar.

In service

The class was used to haul trains on the then newly electrified West Coast Main Line, from Birmingham, to Crewe, Manchester Piccadilly, Liverpool and later Preston. By 1965, electrification had spread south to London Euston.

Storage and refurbishment

As with the Class 84, the Class 83 suffered with problems due to the mercury-arc rectifiers.^[8] After spending several years in storage (1967 to 1971), they were rebuilt with silicon rectifiers, as were already fitted to E3100, and dual braking between July 1970 and October 1973.^[1]

The decision to reinstate the fifteen engines of Class 83 was the result of the extension of the electrification from Weaver Junction to Glasgow, which required more electric locomotives.^[6] With both Class 83 and Class 84 being returned to traffic only thirty-six Class 87 were required to be built.

Later use

Electrification finally reached Glasgow in the early 1970s, allowing this class to operate the full length of the West Coast Main Line.

The last three in service (83009, 83012 and 83015) were retained for use on empty coaching stock workings from London Euston Station to Willesden.^[9][10] 83009 had previously been used at Longsight in Manchester, to convert the 25 kV AC supply to 1500 V DC, to allow testing of the Class 506 units^[10] following the closure of Reddish Depot.

Withdrawal

Two engines were withdrawn early as a result of accidents. The first was 83003, withdrawn in May 1975, which was severely damaged in an accident on 23 January 1975 at Watford^[1] with a Class 86 (86209).

The second engine was 83004 which, on 24 December 1977, was severely damaged in a collision with a Class 47 at Willesden.^[1] In 1983, ten of the remaining thirteen engines were withdrawn, all being sent to the Vic Berry Scrapyard in Leicester. The final three were withdrawn in 1989, with two of the three being scrapped at MC Metals of Glasgow in 1993.^[11]

Power supply

The locomotives always worked on power provided by overhead catenary energised at 25,000 V AC. However, the main transformer, normally operated with the four windings in series, could be operated at 6250 V AC with the transformer windings in parallel. This voltage was initially to be used where limited clearances gave concern over use of the higher voltage. Since the clearances were found to be adequate, the lower voltage connections were locked out of use.^[12]

Preservation

One locomotive has been preserved by the AC Locomotive Group.

• 83012 / E3035 - Barrow Hill Engine Shed^[6]

The locomotive was originally preserved by Pete Waterman in 1992, and then purchased by the AC Locomotive Group in 1997.^[11]

Fleet details

References

Sources

• Lilley, Simon (2020). The Class 33s A Sixty Year History. Manchester: Crécy Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-191080-9662.
• Longhurst, Roly (1979). Electric Locomotives of the West Coast Main Line. Truro: D. Bradford Barton Ltd. ISBN 0851533558. OCLC 16491712.
• Marsden, Colin J.; Fenn, Graham B. (2001). British Rail Main Line Electric Locomotives (2nd ed.). Oxford Publishing Co. ISBN 9780860935599. OCLC 48532553.
• Morrison, Gavin (2013). AC Electric Locomotives in Colour. Ian Allan. ISBN 9780711035058. OCLC 812686430.
• Webb, Brian; Duncan, John (1979). AC Electric Locomotives of British Rail. David & Charles. ISBN 9780715376638. OCLC 6916046.
• "British Railways Motive Power Survey". British Rail Locomotives and other motive power: Combined volume. London: Ian Allan. 1968. ISBN 0-7110-0008-5.

Further reading

• Derrick, Kevin (2014). Looking back at AC Electric Locomotives. Strathwood. ISBN 9781905276516. OCLC 931820979.
• McManus, Michael. Ultimate Allocations, British Railways Locomotives 1948 - 1968. Wirral. Michael McManus.
• "Classes 82/83 put into store". Rail Enthusiast. EMAP National Publications. February 1983. p. 47. ISSN 0262-561X. OCLC 49957965.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to British Rail Class 83.

• AC Locomotive Group - Owners of preserved locomotive no. 83012 / E3035

This page was last edited on 5 December 2023, at 22:02