difference between 'EE' and 'EE(D)' works numbers?

[Robinson102]

Hi all,

I've been sorting through photos I've collected, and I am having a bit of confusion over English Electric locomotive works numbers.

I'm finding some appear to have 'EE' numbers, and others 'EE(D)' numbers, however, some of the D prefix numbers are lower in the number series - yet were manufactured later.

I'm not totally sure when they switched from 'EE' to 'EE(D)' numbers, and that's why I'm asking incase anyone can fill in any information here?

Thanks

 

[randyrippley]

Have you matched the plates against where the locos were built?
Any chance D = Darlington?

Remember that EE had three diesel assembly sites
Dick, Kerr in Preston
Vulcan Foundry in Newton-le-Willows
Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns in Darlington

==edit==
Just found there were actually four sites as building continued in Newcastle at the Hawthorn Leslie site until 1961 = seems to have been class 04 and export locos mainly built there

 

[Robinson102]

Have you matched the plates against where the locos were built?
Any chance D = Darlington?

Remember that EE had three diesel assembly sites
Dick, Kerr in Preston
Vulcan Foundry in Newton-le-Willows
Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns in Darlington

That's a good point, which hadn't occurred to me previously. It's impossible to read the makers plates to that sort of detail on these photos, however, there are definitely some of these still around - so I may be able to check the 'real things'. Thank you.

 

[xotGD]

Just fetched my Class 37 works plate. It is from Vulcan Foundry and has the number '3229 / D754'.

Not sure if this helps!

 

[randyrippley]

Just fetched my Class 37 works plate. It is from Vulcan Foundry and has the number '3229 / D754'.

Not sure if this helps!

Certainly scuppers my theory

but so does this photo from Wiki of a plate from the Newcastle site
number is 1735 / E7491, which adds complexity to the question

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rober...dia/File:Ew_EE_-_RS&H_1805_builders_plate.JPG

 

[Robinson102]

Well, I'd never seen an E prefix one before!

I've been looking on the net for an explanation for this one for a while, and that's what led to me eventually posting this question!

My initial theory was that it linked to the Dick, Kerr site, but having see the D prefix from Vulcan and E from Newcastle I'm still just as lost as I was before...

 

[Taunton]

A further possibility for "D" is Drewry, who seemed to have a complex relationship with English Electric, they sold small shunters under their own name but they were built at the various English Electric works detailed above.

 

[Robinson102]

A further possibility for "D" is Drewry, who seemed to have a complex relationship with English Electric, they sold small shunters under their own name but they were built at the various English Electric works detailed above.

Ah, I'd never thought about that possibility!

 

[Clarence Yard]

Not Drewry. They had their own number series and this usually appeared with the makers number of who they sub-contracted the build to.

The answer to the 3229/D754 worksplate question is that the first number is the EE works number and the second is the Vulcan Foundry Diesel (hence the D) works number.

The 1735/7491 worksplate will be similar except the second will be the RSH works number, if it was built at Newcastle. RSH works numbers started at 69xx after the amalgamation of Hawthorn Leslie and Robert Stephenson and went up into the 8xxx range until the RSH works closed.

The last EE/VF works numbers that BR had were the class 50 locos.