Class 44/45/46 Features As-built

[Evertrainz]

Hi all

 

What were some features that the Peaks were delivered with, removed later on or not common? What was not there initially, that was added later on? What is different between the classes (preferably 44 and 45, the latter two are covered here).

I've heard that the 45s were not originally built with the cylinders under the battery box.

 

Primarily looking for differences between Early Green era vs. Late Green vs. Early Blue vs. Later Blue vs. Final years.

 

What was the deal with the small triangular vent near the center? The previous referenced thread says that it was on some 45s and not on others, but pictures make me thing some had it at first but later removed and plated over. Same question goes for the small rectangular inset grill/vent near the BR emblem, at the same height as the long central grill.

 

Regards

Ron

[Ken.W]

 

I've heard that the 45s were not originally built with the cylinders under the battery box.

 

 

None were, they were additional air reservoirs for train air brakes, so only present on conversion to duel brakes.

[Titan]

None were, they were additional air reservoirs for train air brakes, so only present on conversion to duel brakes.

But BR got fed up of the brakes fighting each other to the death, so fitted them with dual brakes instead.

[keefer]

They were initially fitted with blue-star multiple working eqpt but I think this was removed early '60s

[45125]

None were, they were additional air reservoirs for train air brakes, so only present on conversion to duel brakes.

 

A couple of the first dual braked 45s didn't have the additional air reservoirs.

 

The triangular grill was part of a mod to improve the quality of engine intake air, filter were fitted behind the large body side grill and it was found that more air flow was required so a grill was required in the triangular panel.

 

The bogies also had an axle driven oil pump on the for lubricating various bits of the bogie, these were later removed and replaced by grease nipples. Four oil fillers were located on the body side for lubricating the segmental bearings, these were replace by grease nipples.

 

The nose grills were modified 45s and 46s to and outward opening door, so access to filters was made easier.

Edited January 22, 2018 by 45125

[rodent279]

So was the triangular aperture originally plated over, as-built? If so, what purpose did it serve in the first place?

Edited January 23, 2018 by rodent279

[Ken.W]

So was the triangular aperture originally plated over, as-built? If so, what purpose did it serve in the first place?

I believe it was some sort of maintenance access panel, for changing compressors / exhausters or some such that wouldn't go through the cab.

Photos show them as being bolted on, not welded

[45125]

So was the triangular aperture originally plated over, as-built? If so, what purpose did it serve in the first place?

 

The triangular plate was to allow things like that reverser to be removed, just a bit too small for the compressor. The panels is secured by Dzus fasteners.

[Evertrainz]

Were the air tanks added to all 45s? Because I see Bachmann models depicting some Blue era variants without the air tanks.

 

Any idea what differences existed between the underside of the 44 and 45 bar the air tanks? Looks like there was another structure under the battery box on the 45s.

[slilley]

Were the air tanks added to all 45s? Because I see Bachmann models depicting some Blue era variants without the air tanks.

 

Any idea what differences existed between the underside of the 44 and 45 bar the air tanks? Looks like there was another structure under the battery box on the 45s.

The air tanks were added as the locos got air brakes. Some ran in blue vacuum brake only. You also had the battery boxes and for those locos with steam heating the water tanks. These were removed early on with the 44s leaving them looking a bit undernourished there.

[45125]

The air tanks were added as the locos got air brakes. Some ran in blue vacuum brake only. You also had the battery boxes and for those locos with steam heating the water tanks. These were removed early on with the 44s leaving them looking a bit undernourished there.

 

The full set of air tanks were not fitted on a few of the very early dual braked 45s....

[pheaton]

water tanks on the peaks were internal at no2 end and could not be seen outside, the "structure" between the battery box is part of the engine bed plate...

 

The air tanks were added as the locos got air brakes. Some ran in blue vacuum brake only. You also had the battery boxes and for those locos with steam heating the water tanks. These were removed early on with the 44s leaving them looking a bit undernourished there.

[Clive Mortimore]

Class 44s and some early 45s had longer hand rails either side of the cab doors. The 45s were fitted with shorter ones later on. D9 had short handrails at the end that got the class 46 cab. D9 and D10 had a different pattern side grille. All 44s had longer side grilles and narrower radiator grilles.

 

D11 to 15 had front doors fitted when new. They were part of the refurbishment program and received single window central headcode boxes (and triangular grilles?) .

 

Several other class 45s were refurbished, a full list is somewhere on this forum. All 46s were refurbished in the 60s.

 

When new all had blue star multiple jumper cables. These were removed in the mid sixties. I noticed the other night some photos where locos with the jumpers and no blue star markings and some with the stars painted on but the jumpers removed. 

 

Boiler grilles were plated over during the change from green to blue so some grenn locos have the blanking plate and some blue ones don't.

 

Footsteps to the boiler filler hatches on the roof were plated at about the same time. Again the application of the blanking plates saw some blue locos without them and some green with them. At the same time losing their footsteps on the bogie under the boiler access steps.

 

D4 ran for a while with what looked like ladders on the side of its noses. It still has the additional handles on its noses and at one end a foot step on the bottom of the nose on the side. 

 

A few ran with split headcode boxes one end and central headcodes the other. List have been circulated on here in the past.

[Phil Bullock]

Wasnt it just D11 to D15 - the nose end door batch of 45s - that had the longer cab door handrails Clive

 

Note to self - must change them on our D15

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robertcwp/8012075882/in/photolist-Yo6boQ-fzy6u9-9wx2rb-eRFypz-9LHSHB-awdBg1-ZiRG15-pK8awW-pF5Zdb-c9daXS-nZMWhm-dzEmqX-dRw79D-dL3pit-dcZZ2m-nZiDQg-ogsCH8-p6sVy5-oxKgBC-c3Kx8o-Ho8GkQ-TLTr3p-nR76PZ-nDqJeG-73RnCJ-K67cbc-sxds6L-yyABpx-5jgDhm-xQ7TFc-6jcGYj-5jgDe9-CLiWnN-JgdmrY-JiwPeY-JhBuM3-JzVfC3-yyKFjs-xUu33e-yyKNmy

 

Phil

[Clive Mortimore]

Wasnt it just D11 to D15 - the nose end door batch of 45s - that had the longer cab door handrails Clive

 

Note to self - must change them on our D15

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robertcwp/8012075882/in/photolist-Yo6boQ-fzy6u9-9wx2rb-eRFypz-9LHSHB-awdBg1-ZiRG15-pK8awW-pF5Zdb-c9daXS-nZMWhm-dzEmqX-dRw79D-dL3pit-dcZZ2m-nZiDQg-ogsCH8-p6sVy5-oxKgBC-c3Kx8o-Ho8GkQ-TLTr3p-nR76PZ-nDqJeG-73RnCJ-K67cbc-sxds6L-yyABpx-5jgDhm-xQ7TFc-6jcGYj-5jgDe9-CLiWnN-JgdmrY-JiwPeY-JhBuM3-JzVfC3-yyKFjs-xUu33e-yyKNmy

 

Phil

Hi Phil

 

Without getting out my books I am not sure. You could be right but something in the back my head suggest up to D20ish might have done, but then I have made a few errors this weeks so this could be another.

[Phil Bullock]

You are right Clive - it was more than the nose door batch

 

Heres D16

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmightycat/8456351191/in/photolist-baPiqR-c9daXS-czRsRY-qmhCin-dRw79D-dL3pit-fzy6u9-ftRUcy-9wx2rb-9LHSHB-iKHLFo-frdrxh-TLTr3p-fqYc5e-dTg1At-dN5mmS-9Zce6p-dddbSe-ifraSG-5E7mVL-HAH8KQ-5E7pwd-5E36tZ-5E34Ve-5E35WT-5jgDhm-sxds6L-5jgDe9-HPFL3Y-Hufvxd-5E7oLL-5E36WZ-5E7nFd-5E37QF-5E7mmo-as9geT-5E379P-5E7naG-5E7mFG-5E7pHY-5E7p57

 

And up to and including D19 in the Colour-Rail catalogue

 

Phil

Edited February 7, 2018 by Phil Bullock

[stovepipe]

Slilley comment:

 

The air tanks were added as the locos got air brakes. Some ran in blue vacuum brake only. You also had the battery boxes and for those locos with steam heating the water tanks. These were removed early on with the 44s leaving them looking a bit undernourished there.

 

water tanks on the peaks were internal at no2 end and could not be seen outside, the "structure" between the battery box is part of the engine bed plate...

 

You are both right, the water tanks are under the frames between the bogies flanked by the battery boxes, and also internal at no.2 end, the fuel tanks were internal at no.1 end.

 

https://flic.kr/p/cvcjrj

 

Other details:

 

Air-braking started in 1968 and went on to 1974. Blue livery started being applied in 1967 and was done by 1973, and so there were a good number of vac-braked blue locos around, but very few dual-braked green locos (D62 might be one).

 

Headcodes when originally built varied between batches, but around 20 class 45s changed to centre headcodes when refurbished in the 1967-71 period. The class 46 from D138-173 had split centre headcodes when built but were changed to centre headcode in 1965-1968 when most were still green liveried. The original two batches of side split headcode locos were actually of two different types if you look closely. Almost all locos ended up with sealed beam plated over nose end, starting in 1976, but even then there were some variations. The 0O00 period of headcodes didn't last very long with these replaced by marked dots within 2 years of January 1976, when headcodes ceased to be displayed, only for these to be supplanted by plated over nose ends shortly afterwards.

 

Other things to look out for are plated bodyside steps to cantrail boiler water filler, and the filler itself sealed around late 60s to early 70s. And then there is the whole triangular grille and boiler grill palarver, which were either plated over or grilles depending on..... well no-one has ever worked out that one.

 

 

Liveries were plain green, GSYP, economy GSYP (no white stripe), GFYE (not many - 15?), early BSYP and early BFYE with red bufferbeams, and final BFYE, with various embellishments in the last few years.

 

Some of that already posted above, but left in here.

 

Edit: trouble with multi-quote, still not sorted out....

Edited February 7, 2018 by stovepipe

[pheaton]

Early on in 45149s restoration we were told by more than one source, that original idea for the triangular grill was so you could pass air ducting through to pass warm air to the main generator, not sure how true it is but i have seen a photograph of a 45 at derby with this being employed......

 

the other key difference between a 46 and a 45 is the battery boxes, a 46 is a 110v locomotive where as the 45s and 44s are 220v which means they carry twice the amount of batteries, 45s also have 2 small boxes either side of the locomotive for battery mid point tappings for the control emergency supply to the electrical cubical which internally ran on 110v.

[Phil Bullock]

So battery box visual differences - class 45 have a cross shaped pressing on their side covers, class 46 are plain apart from hand holds

 

Phil

[pheaton]

correct phil

 

class 46s also do not have the bodyside flap which houses the charging sockets and lighting switch and the jump start terminals....

[45125]

Early on in 45149s restoration we were told by more than one source, that original idea for the triangular grill was so you could pass air ducting through to pass warm air to the main generator, not sure how true it is but i have seen a photograph of a 45 at derby with this being employed......

 

the other key difference between a 46 and a 45 is the battery boxes, a 46 is a 110v locomotive where as the 45s and 44s are 220v which means they carry twice the amount of batteries, 45s also have 2 small boxes either side of the locomotive for battery mid point tappings for the control emergency supply to the electrical cubical which internally ran on 110v.

 

The panels was for removing large items out of the control cubicle, removed several reversers through it.

[brushman47544]

a 46 is a 110v locomotive where as the 45s and 44s are 220v

 

So the 46s are Yank Peaks :-)

[pheaton]

No just normal

[Phil Bullock]

You are right Clive - it was more than the nose door batch

 

Heres D16

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmightycat/8456351191/in/photolist-baPiqR-c9daXS-czRsRY-qmhCin-dRw79D-dL3pit-fzy6u9-ftRUcy-9wx2rb-9LHSHB-iKHLFo-frdrxh-TLTr3p-fqYc5e-dTg1At-dN5mmS-9Zce6p-dddbSe-ifraSG-5E7mVL-HAH8KQ-5E7pwd-5E36tZ-5E34Ve-5E35WT-5jgDhm-sxds6L-5jgDe9-HPFL3Y-Hufvxd-5E7oLL-5E36WZ-5E7nFd-5E37QF-5E7mmo-as9geT-5E379P-5E7naG-5E7mFG-5E7pHY-5E7p57

 

And up to and including D19 in the Colour-Rail catalogue

 

Phil

 

Oh wow - and some later locos too!

 

 

https://transportsofdelight.smugmug.com/RAILWAYS/BRITISH-DIESEL-AND-ELECTRIC/PRE-TOPS-DIESEL-LOCOMOTIVES/i-phV6mQH/A

 

Phil

[TravisM]

Love to see pictures of the different battery box styles, air tanks etc as I'm struggling to get my head around the different styles and variations there are.