British Rail Class EF1

The Class EF1 (Electric Freight 1) was a class of electric locomotives used by the North Eastern Railway. They were also classified as EB1 for a short period, although only a single locomotive was modified to EB1 condition.

 History 
In 1913, the NER decided to electrify the line from Shildon to Newport near Middlesbrough. That railway was used to transport coal from the mines near Shildon to the port of Newport. Wires were brought up in stages in 1915 and 1916.

As part of the plan, ten locomotives were built at Darlington Works. Siemens provided the electrical equipment. The first of these engines were delivered in 1914. They were numbered 3 to 12, following the two ES1 locomotives.

At their best, the electrics were only a slight improvement over steam locomotives. On empty trains, they could haul 800 tons, 100 more than the steam engines.

The need to renew the electrical infrastructure and declining coal traffic were becoming a problem. These were the reasons the London and North Eastern Railway decided to pull down the wires in 1935.

The electric engines, now useless but still had potential, were put into store at Darlington. In 1945, all ten engines were classified as EB1. Only one, number 11, was actually modified for banking duties. The other nine were reclassified as EF1 in 1949.

The EF1s were all discarded in 1950. Meanwhile, the sole EB1 was used as a shunter at Ilford depot in 1949. By then it was renumbered 26510. It was then transferred to departmental stock (as No. 100) in 1959. It was eventually 
thrown away in 1964.

 Related pages 
 British Rail Class ES1
 British Rail Class EE1
 British Rail Class 76
 British Rail Class 77

 Notes 

 Sources 





 Other websites 
 The NER Electric Bo-Bo Class EF1 & EB1 Locomotives - LNER Encyclopedia

EB1
Category:1500V DC locomotives