Original: Background The machines were produced from 1963 onwards from the North British Class 21 by replacing the original unreliable license-built MAN of the Class 21s with Paxman Ventura V12 engine at Paxman's Colchester works.
Simplified: The original license-built MAN engines of the Class 21s had proved unreliable, so in 1963 locomotive D6123 was sent to Paxman's Colchester works to receive a new Paxman Ventura V12 engine.