The BTH and North British Type 1 Bo-Bo Diesel-Electric Locomotives.

[tony6710]

 

My next book in the Pen & Sword ‘Locomotive Portfolios’ series is now very close to publication and “release into traffic”. The book is entitled “The BTH and North British Type 1 Bo-Bo Diesel-Electric Locomotives”, not surprisingly focusing on the British Railways Class 15 (D82xx) & 16 (D84xx) locomotives.

I am told the books have now arrived at the P&S warehouse in Barnsley and will be available for despatch in the next week or so. Only three weeks late against the original publication date of end-October despite the prevailing world shipping and UK transport issues.

The book covers the two Type 1 classes in the same level of detail as my previous three books on the Class 17, 21/29 and 28 locomotives.

There are chapters covering the precursor NBL 10800 locomotive, locomotive ordering background, some technical stuff, allocations and works visits, operations, accidents, fires, etc., together with in-depth locomotive histories and coverage of detail difference and liveries. A huge amount of research went into determining works dates, with the very specific aim of pinning down livery change dates. Later chapters deal with the run-down of the two classes, withdrawal and disposal. The use of four locomotives as train-heaters is included to conclude the history.

Within the book’s 350 pages, there are over 270 photographs, including two absolutely stunning newspaper shots of D8222 making a bid for freedom from the railway in Ipswich during November 1963.

I hope you like it.

[Dubaimike]

I have it on order. Looking forward to reading it.

 

[Strathwood]

Jolly good news as we have a large order in for our customers and we have included it within our Christmas 3 for 2 special offer too!

 

Full details:

https://strathwood.co.uk/products/the-b-t-h-and-north-british-type-1-bo-bo-diesel-electric-locomotives-british-railways-classes-15-and-16-order-now-released-30-november-2021

 

Kevin

[Bucoops]

Ordered I do like the 15s and got up close and personal with the surviving one when it was at Mangapps.

 

Also ordered your Clayton book as well as I have a soft spot for those too.

 

I don't have any interest in the North British type 1s but hoping to learn more about them.

[BrushVeteran]

Another outstanding and fact packed book by Anthony on the unsung branch line and lower end of BR's diesel motive power. With just 54 locomotives amongst these two type 1's there is a wealth of information relating to usage, works visits, liveries, depot allocations and final disposal and scrapping notes......................all contained in a 350 page well presented publication. There are multiple images of all locomotives built including many that I haven't seen before...........and I have seen loads!

In the days when I was a teenager camera film was expensive and on my visits to Stratford in east London there were more superior classes of locomotives that enticed a photograph yet somehow I always managed to take the odd image of a D8200 or D8400. Therefore I am pleased that a quality publication has surfaced outlining the history and reasons for building these obscure machine. Anthony's style seems to 'leave no stone unturned' and gives plenty of historical references to further information and images. Like the previous books in this series, the NBL Type 1 D6100, the Metrovick D5700 and the Clayton D8500 classes, Pen & Sword's style of presentation makes this a valuable top-notch book which hopefully will cumulate in a complete library of BR's first generation diesel types.

I would add that I am slightly biased, as I have contributed a few images, but am also pleased that these images have been put to good use and presented within a very professional publication. These books get better and better!  Thoroughly recommended

 

Edited December 10, 2021 by BrushVeteran
out of focus image

[russ p]

Mine turned up this morning. 

One thing intrigues me with the NBL 16s is did they have a single tone horn or was it two tone sounding the horns on opposite faces of the cab?

[stewartingram]

My copy turned up yesterday = from Amazon - but it was quite a while coming. Well worth the wait though, a superb book. And just for interests sake, I was a Cambridge trainspotter. The 15s did work occasionally in the Cambridge area (I believe 31B had a small allocation at times, as I have records of the ones I saw. There were some working from Kings Lynn as well, also passenger trains to Hunstanton (on which my layout is based). Also, I have records of 1 or 2 16s through Cambridge as well.

 

Stewart

[Mike_Walker]

I've been told that a pair of Class 15s made it to Marlow one day in the late sixties with the timber train from Bow Creek which was usually the preserve of Brush Tyre 2s.  Sadly no camera was to hand but I have no reason to doubt knowing the person who saw it.

[Bucoops]

Missed parcelforce today (ironically the same driver does work and I saw him there at a distance but didn't know he had it). So will hopefully get it (and the Clayton one Monday.

[jbqfc]

some how i missed this now ordered this is a great series of books 

 

John

[Windjabbers]

Picked up my copy yesterday.  What a great book, I'm very impressed with the level of research that has gone into producing such a well informed, well researched book.

 

Best Wishes

 

David

[Bucoops]

I'm 78 pages into the Clayton book - very interesting so far, and not too heavy going which is always a danger with this kind of subject.