British Rail Class 03

The British Rail Class 03 locomotive was one of the British Rail's most successful 0-6-0 diesel-mechanical shunters, along with the similar Class 04. The class, numbering 230 examples in total, were built by British Railways' Swindon and Doncaster works from 1957-1962, and were numbered D2000-D2199 and D2370-D2399 (later 03004 to 03399). D2370 and D2371 were originally numbered 91 and 92 respectively, and used as departmental locomotives.
== Overview ==
The Class 03, like other shunters of this size, was built for light duties where a larger locomotive was not needed, particularly for shunting at locomotive and carriage depots and as station pilots, or where larger or heavier locomotives could not be used. Over time the reduction in the demand for shunting locomotives meant that from 1968 onwards they were progressively withdrawn, many of which were sold to private industry. However, some remained in service much longer, with two examples on the Isle of Wight lasting until 1993 (mainland examples were gone by 1987).
One of the Isle of Wight locos, 03179, was reinstated by the West Anglia Great Northern for service at Hornsey depot in 1998. It was named Clive after a depot employee. It was not fitted with Train Protection & Warning System equipment and thus confined to the depot from 2002. Until withdrawal in 2008, it was operated subsequently by First Capital Connect. It was sold by Govia Thameslink Railway to the Rushden, Higham and Wellingborough Railway in 2016.
== Technical details ==
The engine is a Gardner 8-cylinder, 4-stroke 8L3 of 204 hp (152 kW) connected to a Wilson-Drewry CA5 R7, 5-speed epicyclic gearbox with RF11 spiral bevel reverse and final-drive unit. Drive is through a jackshaft mounted beneath the cab, driving the wheels through coupling rods.
During their later life, some locomotives were fitted with dual (air and vacuum) brakes. These were 03059, 03063, 03073, 03078, 03084, 03086, 03089, 03094, 03112, 03152, 03158, 03162, 03179, 03180, 03371, 03397 and 03399.
== Operation ==
=== Shunting ===
The Class 03's originally were frequently deployed where their attributes of short wheelbase and light weight enabled them to operate where other shunters could not. On lines such as that to Ipswich docks, bridge weight restrictions prevented the ubiquitous Class 08s from operating. Another common use was as station pilot, usually coupled to a shunters' truck to ensure operation of track circuits which did not always register the passage of the 03 due to its short wheelbase.
=== Passenger duties ===
Despite the limited scope for the use of such a small locomotive on main line passenger duties, there were a number of duties rostered to the class. Southern Region Class 03's worked Channel Island boat trains through the streets to the harbour along the Weymouth Quay tramway during the 1970's. A Class 03 at Ipswich was booked to shunt the 23:20 Peterborough - Liverpool Street onto the rear of the 23:45 Norwich - Liverpool Street in 1980. Also, according to Mangapps Railway Museum, 03089 once hauled a Blackpool to Scarborough express along the York to Scarborough Line from Malton to Scarborough.
=== Burry Port & Gwendraeth Valley Line ===
Several examples were rebuilt with cut-down cabs for working on the Burry Port & Gwendraeth Valley Line, as there were several low bridges on the line that precluded the use of normal height locomotives.
The modified examples were Nos. 03119, 03120, 03141, 03142, 03144, 03145, 03151, 03152 and late addition (ex-Bristol) 03382. Their duties included shunting (for example at Burry Port), and hauling full coal trains down from the valley's pits. For this latter duty they sometimes worked triple-headed.
They were replaced by BR Class 08/9 locomotives, which were also rebuilt to a reduced height. Several cut-down locomotives have been preserved. The Isle of Wight shunters, nos. 03079 and 03179, were also rebuilt with cut-down cabs, to enable them to pass through a low tunnel in Ryde.
== Preservation ==
A large number (56 in total) of the class survive in preservation, a 56th example (03179) had remained in active service until 2008.
== Models ==
Mainline and Replica each offered an OO gauge model. Mainline's original 'split-chassis' tooling later passed to Bachmann. When the company later took the decision to produce the Class 04 in its place the tooling was altered, retaining the split chassis power arrangement. However, Bachmann later announced that they would be re-introducing several new variations of the 03 in OO gauge, including special edition examples of the Isle of Wight prototypes.
Graham Farish currently offers an N gauge model. Past models have included D2388 in BR green livery and 03066 in BR blue livery.
== Gallery ==
Gallery
Category:Diesel locomotives
Category:British Rail locomotives
Category:United Kingdom
Category:0-6-0 locomotives
Category:Six-coupled locomotives
Category:Diesel switchers
Category:National Railway Museum
Category:Built in 1957
Category:Diesel-mechanical locomotives
Category:Switcher locomotives
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