Wigan Album

Ron,

I worked on the Class 40 series at the Vulcan. We knew it as the Type 4.

your right it was a type 4 then later a class 40, if memory serves me right its stabled on the old fuel road.

The harbinger of doom: the ugly type 4. This 'alien' would ultimately replace the pacifics on the west coast main line. This ugly green machine, with ugly names like Accra and Apapa, was the most hated locomotive by all Wigan trainspotters in 1966. In fact, trainspotting died shortly after this monster took over the scared LMS metals. Fact! Grrrrrr, indeed.

Keith, l served my time as an electrician at the vulcan from 1957 to nov1962.the first type4 was numbered d200 to d299 then many more to follow.l had the privaledge to be part of the delivry of about 6 type4s to doncaster works with test engineer from loco test department.happy days, look at the vulcan now??

Sacred...indeed. :)

Hi John,

We must have been apprentices at about the same time. 'Wink' Winstanley would have been an apprentice electrician at the same time as yourself.
Post training school I spent three years in the tool room and then a couple years in the different departments. In the erecting shop I worked on the Types 3 and 4 and the Deltic.

this picture speaks volumes lash your speakers up to max and you'll hear it growl gggggrrrrrrrrr beast from hell sat there looking all innocent but be careful it bites 40107 beast gggrrrrrrrr.

Hi, keith, some memories, mr ball was boss maintainace, l as app worked under ken vizard and fred sargent for small time great pair of men.roy nash was test engneer at the time l was in test department.played with ken visard for cricket team in 1961 and won salter cup that year.mike collins was in test dep same time.mr cristopher was elecki forman in erecting shop at the time.l drove a type 1 up and the line at back of test dep. As said before loco engneering ar its best, what a loss??

The best and only sound is a steam locomotive pulling a full load up a steep bank. The sound, sight and smell outstrips any diesel and electric train in the world.

Gary,agree 100%. Come to Bury when they run Steam at Weekends,takes me back Years playing down Springs Branch.

Yes Jimmy your right. Bolton St Station in Bury. East Lancashire Railway, Great and bring back memories for me too. Steam and diesel weather it be class 40 or not, it's men against boys.

Are these glass 40s still about working. I don't mean for private railways but working today on Network rails?
In comparison, what power is a glass 40 against a 9F ie Evening Star type steam loco?

Alex:

"Sir Brian Robertson, chairman of the British Transport Commission, was less than impressed, believing that the locomotives lacked the power to maintain heavy trains at high speed and were too expensive to run in multiple – opinions that were later proved to be correct. Airing his views at the regional boards prompted others to break cover and it was agreed that later orders would be uprated to 2500 hp (a change that was never applied). Direct comparisons on the Great Eastern Main Line showed they offered little advantage over the "Britannia" class steam locomotives, when driven well, and the Eastern Region declined to accept further machines as they deemed them unsuitable to replace the Pacific steam locomotives on the East Coast Main Line[3] preferring to hold on until the "Deltic" Class 55 diesels were delivered." (From Wiki) All withdrawn: wiki gives details.

Here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_40

At 2300 HP, the Derby built Type 4s, introduced around the same time, (commonly known as 'Peaks') were more powerful.

class 40's with a pacific load 14 to 17 coaches took a banker on shap.this was later forbidden by authority and the loads reduced to 12.

Mick East, because of WHAT???