Class 55

The British Rail **Class 55** was a class of diesel locomotive built in 1961 and 1962 by English Electric as Type 5s. They were designed for the high-speed express passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London King's Cross and Edinburgh. They gained the name "Deltic" from the prototype locomotive, British Railways DP1 *DELTIC* (the running number DP1 was never carried), which in turn was named after its Napier Deltic power units. Twenty-two locomotives were built, which dominated express passenger services on the East Coast Main Line (ECML), particularly London – Leeds and London – Edinburgh services, until 1978 when InterCity 125 'High Speed Trains' were introduced. 1978–81 saw them gradually relegated to semi-fast or newspaper–parcel–sleeper services along the ECML (destinations including Cambridge, Cleethorps, Harrogate, Hull, Scarborough and Aberdeen) plus occasional forays 'offline' such as York – Liverpool Lime Street semi-fast, and Edinburgh – Carlisle via Newcastle stoppers. The fleet was withdrawn from service between January 1980 and December 1981. Three locomotives were retained for a few days, until 2 January 1982, to work the farewell special, all being withdrawn immediately on arrival back at York. Six locomotives entered preservation during 1982 and 1983: one by the National Railway Museum, two by the Deltic Preservation Society, two by the Deltic 9000 Fund and one privately owned. Two cabs were also privately purchased.

## Accidents and incidents

* On 15 December 1961, locomotive **D9012** *Crepello* was hauling an empty stock train when it ran into the rear of a freight train at Conington, Huntingdonshire during permissive block working. Another freight train then ran into the wreckage, followed a few minutes later by a third freight train.
* On 5 March 1967, locomotive No. **9004** *Queen's Own Highlander* was hauling a passenger train that overran a signal and was derailed at Conington. Five people were killed and eighteen were injured. The signalman had moved a set of points under the train. He was convicted of endangering persons travelling on the railway but was acquitted of manslaughter He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment.
* On 7 May 1969, locomotive No. **9011** *The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers* was hauling the "Aberdonian" which derailed at Morpeth, Northumberland due to excessive speed on a curve, although 9011 itself remained on the rails. Six people were killed and 46 were injured.

## References

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 Traction Recognition, Page 50 - 51, Colin J. Marsden, ISBN 978-0-7110-3277-4
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Hoole, Ken (1982). *Trains in Trouble: Vol. 3*. Redruth: Atlantic Books. p. 46. ISBN 0-906899-05-2.
3. ↑ http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/MoT\_Connington1961.pdf
4. ↑ Vaughan, Adrian (1989). *Obstruction Danger*. Wellingborough: Patrick Stephens Limited. pp. 20–28. ISBN 1-85260-055-1.
5. ↑ Rumours persist that *Nimbus* was not scrapped and was sighted intact afterwards. However, there are also photographs of it already dismantled, as officially claimed.Template:Cite web