British Rail Class 13

British Rail Class 13
File:Class 13 no. 13003, permanently coupled Master-Slave locomotives, Tinsley Marshalling Yard, Nigel Tout, 6.8.74.jpg A British Rail Class 13 at Tinsley Marshalling Yard, 1974
Type and origin Power type Diesel–electric Builder British Railways Darlington Works (builder and rebuilder) Build date 1965 (rebuilt) Total produced 3
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 0-6-0+0-6-0  • AAR C-C  • UIC C+C Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Wheel diameter 4 ft 6 in (1.372 m) Minimum curve 3 ch (60 m) Wheelbase 42 ft 1+1⁄2 in (12.84 m) Length 60 ft 1 in (18.31 m) Width 8 ft 10 in (2.69 m) Height 12 ft 8+5⁄8 in (3.88 m) Loco weight 120 long tons (122 t; 134 short tons) Fuel capacity 1,336 imp gal (6,070 L; 1,604 US gal) Prime mover English Electric 6KT, 2 off Generator DC Traction motors EE, four off Transmission Diesel electric, double reduction gearing MU working Not fitted (except control of slave by master) Train heating None Train brakes Vacuum
Performance figures Maximum speed 15 or 20 mph (24 or 32 km/h) Power output Engine: 400 hp (298 kW) × 2 Tractive effort Maximum: 70,000 lbf (311.4 kN) Brakeforce 37 long tons-force (370 kN)
Career Operators British Railways Numbers D4500–D4502, later 13 001–13 003 Axle load class RA 8 Retired 1981–1985 Scrapped 1982 (13 002) 1985-6 (13 001 and 13 003) Disposition All scrapped

The British Rail Class 13 was a class of diesel–electric shunting locomotive designed in 1965 to provide more powerful shunters for the Tinsley Marshalling Yard. Due to Tinsley's status as a hump yard, it was not possible to use a single locomotive owing to the risk of grounding. To achieve the required power, a pair of Class 08 shunters were permanently coupled in master and slave formation, with the slave unit having its cab removed and both units ballasted to improve traction. Initially coupled cab-to-cab, it was found more practical to couple master nose to slave cab.

Units

Three pairs were formed as follows:

Unit number		Master unit	Slave unit	Withdrawn	Fate	Notes
Original	TOPS
D4501	13001	D4190	D4189	January 1985	Scrapped at BREL Swindon, May 1985
D4502	13002	D4187	D3697	June 1981	Scrapped at BREL Swindon, October 1982
D4500	13003	D4188	D3698	January 1985	Scrapped at BREL Doncaster, September 1986

File:Master and slave, Tinsley Marshalling Yard (geograph 5493909).jpg

D4501 (later 13 001) at Tinsley

Withdrawal

With the end of hump shunting at Tinsley the class became obsolete. The class's unique features were not required elsewhere and as such were withdrawn; 13 002 was withdrawn in 1981, with the remaining two locomotives scrapped with the closure of Tinsley hump in 1985.

External links

• Image of 13001 at Tinsley MPD
• Photographs of 13003 at work at Tinsley hump Marshalling Yard