GWR Brown Boveri
A1A-A1A Gas Turbine
18000
by B. Peacock
A1A-A1A Gas Turbine
18000
by B. Peacock
The Great Western Railway ordered a Gas Turbine-Electric locomotive in 1946, and the 2,500 HP loco was delivered to British Railways in 1949. The locomotive was designed as a direct comparison with the GWR Castle class 4-6-0 express locos, and was often referred to as 'Kerosene Castle'.
Design and construction was by the Swiss based company Brown Boveri, and the bogie wheel arrangement was A1A-A1A. The gas turbine was coupled to a DC generator and this supplied the four traction motors. The locomotive also had a small diesel engine which could be used as the power supply for light engine movements from Old Oak Common to Paddington; and then just before departure time of the passenger train the gas turbine would be started. This saved fuel and also noise and smoke emissions within the station.
The locomotive was numbered 18000 and wore the BR livery of black with silver lining.
Intended for express passenger duties the loco worked on the West of England lines out of Paddington for 10 years, with various periods at Swindon under repair or awaiting spares. The loco ran with only three traction motors as an A11-A1A for some time due to spares shortages. A regular diagram included a return working on one of evening milk trains from the West Country to London, and as this turn was after dark there are few photographs.
The Western Region of BR committed to replace steam with Diesel-Hydraulic locomotives and therefore 18000 was not multiplied or developed any further.
After withdrawal in 1959 and four years in storage, initially at Swindon and later at Market Harborough, the locomotive was transferred to the International Union of Railways. This organisation may be seen as the combined European Railways equivalent of the BR Technical Centre at Derby. Extensively modified and un-powered the locomotive was used in a test programme on wheel and rail head adhesion for 10 years, and then retired to Vienna for display.
In 1990 the locomotive was returned to the UK for preservation. After initial cosmetic restoration at Tinsley MPD she has been on display at the Crewe Heritage Centre, Barrow Hill roundhouse, and Toddington. 18000 has now joined the exhibits of the Great Western Railway Society, and is displayed at the Didcot Railway Centre.
The inspiration to model the locomotive came in 2008 during the Barrow Hill Roundhouse Rail Power Gala. 18000 was positioned inside the shed on one of the turntable's radiating tracks, and the first impression in green livery was of a locomotive so radically different and interesting to generate the intent to build a model. I had seen the loco in black livery but the change to green was so dramatic as to be almost a new locomotive.
After extensive research and several trips to Barrowhill to produce drawings the model was stated in late 2009. The model is built of steel. The chassis and main body with both cabs are 90% complete.
Design and construction was by the Swiss based company Brown Boveri, and the bogie wheel arrangement was A1A-A1A. The gas turbine was coupled to a DC generator and this supplied the four traction motors. The locomotive also had a small diesel engine which could be used as the power supply for light engine movements from Old Oak Common to Paddington; and then just before departure time of the passenger train the gas turbine would be started. This saved fuel and also noise and smoke emissions within the station.
The locomotive was numbered 18000 and wore the BR livery of black with silver lining.
Intended for express passenger duties the loco worked on the West of England lines out of Paddington for 10 years, with various periods at Swindon under repair or awaiting spares. The loco ran with only three traction motors as an A11-A1A for some time due to spares shortages. A regular diagram included a return working on one of evening milk trains from the West Country to London, and as this turn was after dark there are few photographs.
The Western Region of BR committed to replace steam with Diesel-Hydraulic locomotives and therefore 18000 was not multiplied or developed any further.
After withdrawal in 1959 and four years in storage, initially at Swindon and later at Market Harborough, the locomotive was transferred to the International Union of Railways. This organisation may be seen as the combined European Railways equivalent of the BR Technical Centre at Derby. Extensively modified and un-powered the locomotive was used in a test programme on wheel and rail head adhesion for 10 years, and then retired to Vienna for display.
In 1990 the locomotive was returned to the UK for preservation. After initial cosmetic restoration at Tinsley MPD she has been on display at the Crewe Heritage Centre, Barrow Hill roundhouse, and Toddington. 18000 has now joined the exhibits of the Great Western Railway Society, and is displayed at the Didcot Railway Centre.
The inspiration to model the locomotive came in 2008 during the Barrow Hill Roundhouse Rail Power Gala. 18000 was positioned inside the shed on one of the turntable's radiating tracks, and the first impression in green livery was of a locomotive so radically different and interesting to generate the intent to build a model. I had seen the loco in black livery but the change to green was so dramatic as to be almost a new locomotive.
After extensive research and several trips to Barrowhill to produce drawings the model was stated in late 2009. The model is built of steel. The chassis and main body with both cabs are 90% complete.