Celebrity diesels - the most famous and popular

[pieguyrob]

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This isn't fake news either.
I saw the clairvoyant on TV predicting it before the incident, I took note as being a young enthusiast.

At the date of the accident in 1983, I was only 18 months old!

 

[Trackman]

Aye, believe it was cut up as quickly as it was so that any prospective souvenir hunters would be deterred.

Some myths:
There was a reverser/master switch from 40126 that went to auction signed by Reynolds (There was an auction, but it could have been any old master switch).
Royal Mail have a flame cut of a number panel.

At the date of the accident in 1983, I was only 18 months old!

I was a lot nearer 18 years old than 18 months!

 

[Strathclyder]

But allegedly 35006 at the GWSR has some of the wheelsets beneath its tender.

Some myths:
There was a reverser/master switch from 40126 that went to auction signed by Reynolds (There was an auction, but it could have been any old master switch).
Royal Mail have a flame cut of a number panel.

A lot of myths surrounding this particular 40 to say the least. The one that sticks out in my memory is the one concerning a secondman allegedly being electrocuted while working on it. Could very well have been a case of crossed wires/confusion and the resulting story taking on a life of it's own in railway circles.

 

[Richard Scott]

Some myths:
Royal Mail have a flame cut of a number panel.

At least one exists (or did around 10 years ago) as have seen it!

But allegedly 35006 at the GWSR has some of the wheelsets beneath its tender.

Unlikely, they are Class 40 wheelsets (they still have the gears on them for drive from traction motors) but they were purchased from Swindon works so would think is definitely not likely they were from 40126, unless someone has traced those wheelsets back through their life?

 

[Ashley Hill]

I think the HST is really the only diesel that would be recognised by Joe Public due to the marketing over its life time.
IIRC didn't the DoT trial a railway crossing road sign with an HST on it because of its distinctive shape to replace the steam loco image?

Found one at a foot crossing near Teigngrace station on the Heathfield branch.

 

[Mag_seven]

At least one exists (or did around 10 years ago) as have seen it!


Unlikely, they are Class 40 wheelsets (they still have the gears on them for drive from traction motors) but they were purchased from Swindon works so would think is definitely not likely they were from 40126, unless someone has traced those wheelsets

Thread reopened to allow @Trackman provide an update on "flamecut"

 

[Trackman]

At least one exists (or did around 10 years ago) as have seen it!

It still exists! Someone posted a recent photo of it yesterday on a FB.

A lot of myths surrounding this particular 40 to say the least. The one that sticks out in my memory is the one concerning a secondman allegedly being electrocuted while working on it. Could very well have been a case of crossed wires/confusion and the resulting story taking on a life of it's own in railway circles.

A while back I discussed this with a forum member who was doing some research on the boxing day crash, which I think was subject to some dispute too.
Anyway after some in depth research we drew a blank on the secondman incident, the other electrocutions that year were accounted for and was not 40126.
The only reference we can find is from 'Rail Enthusiast' magazine from around 1982ish and Wikipedia uses that magazine as a source too.

 

[Western Sunset]

Historically, I feel these five were/are significant (in no particular order):

LMS 10000; a real tragedy that the original wasn't preserved
HST power car 43102 - I'd take that over 43159 as 43102 was the one leading/being driven, on the World record run
D8000 - one of the first of the Modernisation Plan diesels and arguably one of the most successful
59001 - opened the floodgates to the North American takeover
13000 - BR standard shunter - the "Diesel" from Thomas the Tank Engine

 

[43096]

HST power car 43102 - I'd take that over 43159 as 43102 was the one leading/being driven, on the World record run

43102 wouldn’t have got to 148mph without 43159, though.

Those two are the most significant British trains since Mallard.

 

[52290]

Historically, I feel these five were/are significant (in no particular order):

LMS 10000; a real tragedy that the original wasn't preserved
HST power car 43102 - I'd take that over 43159 as 43102 was the one leading/being driven, on the World record run
D8000 - one of the first of the Modernisation Plan diesels and arguably one of the most successful
59001 - opened the floodgates to the North American takeover
13000 - BR standard shunter - the "Diesel" from Thomas the Tank Engine

The oldest diesel I saw was an Armstrong Whitworth 0-6-0 carrying a builders plate of 1926 on the Preston Docks Railway. I doubt it was ever preserved.

 

[randyrippley]

Surely the most famous diesel is..........DELTIC

 

[43096]

Surely the most famous diesel is..........DELTIC

Who, outside enthusiasts, is going to have the faintest idea of what it is? Sure, some will have seen it in the Science Museum, but it was many years ago it left and in any case I doubt many would remember it as a highlight from a visit.

 

[Richard Scott]

Who, outside enthusiasts, is going to have the faintest idea of what it is? Sure, some will have seen it in the Science Museum, but it was many years ago it left and in any case I doubt many would remember it as a highlight from a visit.

Some of the general public do know of existence of Deltics as a class but seem to think anything that has a nose is a Deltic.

 

[JKF]

Some of the general public do know if existence of Deltics as a class but seem to think anything that has a nose is a Deltic.

In our house (with two young children, one who is train-obsessed) they’re all ‘Brewsters’.

Brewster

Brewster is a strong, blue and yellow British hybrid diesel. He is an advanced trainee and works with the Chuggineers. He is one of the main characters in the series. During Wilson, Brewster and Koko's first delivery outside of the Depot, a power cut occurred, causing Koko (an electric engine)...

chuggington.fandom.com

I filmed a test train running down the gorge last week top and tailed with 37610 and 37612 and was told ‘double Brewster!’. And that was from their mum…

 

[Whistler40145]

D6700 aka 37119/37350

 

[D6130]

D326/40 126?....Great Train Robbery and two fairly major accidents.

 

[Magdalia]

Some of the general public do know of existence of Deltics as a class but seem to think anything that has a nose is a Deltic.

This has happened since the Deltics were new. Here is a quote from the Peterborough Evening Telegraph in 1963, describing a local Royal Train working:

The train bringing the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh hauled by a highly-polished diesel locomotive - "Aureol" - of the Deltic class, rolled into Barnwell station...

 

[DustyBin]

This has happened since the Deltics were new. Here is a quote from the Peterborough Evening Telegraph in 1963, describing a local Royal Train working:

I once met someone who thought a “Deltic” was any diesel-electric loco, which I can see the logic behind (sort of!).

 

[william.martin]

D326/40 126?....Great Train Robbery and two fairly major accidents.

40106 not 40126

 

[D6130]

40106 not 40126

40 106 was used in the second film....but D326 was the loco involved in the actual robbery.

 

[SteveM70]

so is D326 famous, infamous, or both?

 

[D6130]

so is D326 famous, infamous, or both?

Probably both! (Hedges his bets and leaves....)

 

[E27007]

I consider the iconic diesels not to be British, but products from the USA I nominate the pioneering diesels of the USA, from the many makers such as Baldwin ( babyface and sharknose) , Alco, GM, Fairbanks Morse etc.
The F and E series by GM are high on my list