BRITISH RAIL CLASS 44

The British Rail 'Class 44' or 'Sulzer Type 4' diesel locomotives were built by British Railways' Derby Works between 1959 to 1960. They were named after British mountains, and consequently nicknamed 'Peaks'.

Contents

Description

Fleet Details

Preservation

Description

In part inspired by LMS prototypes 10000 and 10001 the Class 44 diesels were some of the first big diesels commissioned for the British Rail modernisation project and were the precursors to the Class 45 and Class 46 locomotives modelled on this design. When initially put into service the locomotives were fitted with multi-unit working and steam heating boilers for passenger service. They worked regularly over the WCML for a couple of years, also between St.Pancras and Manchester. Once the Class 45 units were available with their higher running speed the steam heating boilers were removed and the Class 44 locomotives were assigned to freight duties, largely in the East Midlands where they were all based at Toton.

Fleet Details

Numbers		Name	Withdrawn	Disposal details
Pre-TOPS	TOPS
D1	44001	Scafell Pike	10/1976	Scrapped at BREL Derby Works (02/1977)
D2	44002	Helvellyn	02/1979	Scrapped at BREL Derby Works (10/1979)
D3	44003	Skiddaw	07/1976	Scrapped at BREL Derby Works (08/1976)
D4	44004	Great Gable	11/1980	Preserved
D5	44005	Cross Fell	04/1978	Scrapped at BREL Derby Works (11/1978)
D6	44006	Whernside	01/1977	Scrapped at BREL Derby Works (02/1978)
D7	44007	Ingleborough	11/1980	Scrapped at BREL Derby Works (11/1981)
D8	44008	Penyghent	11/1980	Preserved
D9	44009	Snowdon	03/1979	Scrapped at BREL Derby Works (07/1980)
D10	44010	Tryfan	05/1977	Scrapped at BREL Derby Works (07/1978)

Preservation

Two locomotives have survived to preservation.

Number(s) (Current in bold)		Name	Livery	Location
D4	'44004'	Great Gable	BR Blue	Midland Railway Butterley
'D8'	44008	Penyghent	BR Green	Peak Rail