Jump to content
 

Metropolitan-Vickers Type 2 Co-Bo Locomotives (Class 28).


tony6710
 Share

Recommended Posts

Last month Pen & Sword published my book "The Metropolitan-Vickers Type 2 Co-Bo Diesel-Electric Locomotives" (Anthony P. Sayer). This is far from being a picture book, although it does contain over 180 images within its 272 pages; rather it is an in-depth history of the class, derived from various archive sources and personal information, with considerable quantities of previously unpublished material (particularly surrounding external design (including those very strange windows), Works visits, problems in traffic, the Dukinfield rehabilitation process, and the scheme to re-engine the 20 Metrovicks with an alternative engine (English Electric or Sulzer)) as well as extensive details covering liveries, storage, disposal, etc. Many old myths are debunked (notably the infamous Barrow depot fire) and new insights are provided.

 

Hopefully it might be of interest to some, following in the footsteps of my earlier book "The NBL Type 2 Bo-Bo Diesel-Electric Locomotives Class 21 & 29", which seems to have been well received (and indeed commented upon elsewhere here in this Forum).

  • Like 5
  • Thanks 1
  • Informative/Useful 6
Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes and I echo what has been said. I've never seen so much information and dated detail for such a small class of locomotives. 

It seems that they were loved by their adopted final depot in the end but unfortunately the writing was already on the wall for such a non-standard class as they had very little in common with anything else.

Tony Sayer has performed a magnificent job in collating a fine array of photographs most of which I'd never seen before. Highly recommended.

Well done.

  • Like 2
  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I received my copy on Tuesday and have had a quick look through and very comprehensive the book it is. I was wondering whether there would be any mention of the locomotives usage on the Tunstead to Northwich I.C.I. hopper traffic, on which the Metro-Vicks were trialled in 1963 and 1964. We have both used the same photo of D5714 at Northenden Jnc. on empty hoppers in our books. I managed to source two more photos including a double-header at Altrincham and from personal observations of a Manchester Locomotive Society member confirmed that 9 of the 20 locomotives were known to have been used on the hoppers. My new book The Hoppers was published in July.

 

Regards Paul

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

There is a lot of very interesting information in the book but also a lot in charts and graphs

Both the books are very good but not as readable as the Clayton book by a different author 

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • RMweb Premium

I bought the book and enjoyed reading it. I was surprised to learn that BR authorised the replacement of the troublesome Crossley engines with EE ones as fitted to the class 20.  However, this never actually happened (you’ll have to read the book to find out why).

 

i like to co-bo locos and decided to model one assuming they had been fitted with the EE engine and hence continued in service for many more years.  I managed to obtain a weathered green one, modified the ends (using parts left over from my 40062 project)m repainted and weathered it. This is the result...

 

AB921CB3-E620-4BC3-9202-344737E8A677.jpeg.eab99ca2f4efe42d262a316971a9bcd2.jpeg

 

0FC21602-9CD7-470F-AAAE-62D5C7ED2A34.jpeg.51cb6337e6e409264bc6043cff49ddaf.jpeg

 

All that is left to do is fit sound to it.

 

  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
4 hours ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

I like Regional Railways livery but it seems improbable for this class of loco. One of the freight sub-sectors seems more likely.

As I travelled behind these on passenger trains (including one on the Lakeside branch) on services which later became part of Regional Railways fiefdom it might not be as unbelievable as it at first appears.  But it needs aged Stanier stock in RR colours to go with it ;)

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 7 months later...

I did email Pen and Sword with some info that could have been added to the book (didn't realise that the author was on this forum) but although they said they would forward the info to him, no reply was forthcoming.

The info was regarding the rough riding of the Co end, the noise level being radiator fan end, and the preference of the ConDor drivers to couple pairs of Co-Bo's with the Bo cabs outermost. Where a single Co-Bo was used, the locomotive would be turned so that the Bo end was leading. Most if not all ConDor photos will back that up. 

When the locos were used short haul or later on when transferred to Cumbria, then the drivers were not as fussy.

  • Informative/Useful 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank you for your message about the Metrovicks, SGP. Unfortunately I didn't receive your e-mail via Pen and Sword. When I receive messages/letters in response to my books I do try to answer them as best I can.

I was slightly surprised about the radiator fan noise, given that I have never heard this problem specifically mentioned  and the cabs were noted for having good noise insulation. Maybe the issue was accessing the No.1 cab past the radiator (via that very strangely positioned driver's side door), rather than the noise of the radiator whilst in transit.

The difference in riding characteristics of the two bogies was a separate issue and would have explained the driver's (and maybe Civil Engineer's) preference for the Bo bogie to be the leading bogie.

The shot of D5712 at Grange-over-Sands on 3 August 1968 was taken by Michael Atkinson and appears twice in my book, i.e. on page 266 and on the back jacket cover! An excellent shot and apparently the last time Michael saw a Metrovick working.

 

  • Informative/Useful 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...