British Rail 18000
British Rail 18000 was a prototype mainline gas turbine-electric locomotive built for British Railways in 1949. It was built by Brown, Boveri & Cie. It was ordered by the Great Western Railway in 1940, but construction was delayed by World War II. It spent its working life on the Western Region of British Railways, operating express passenger services from London Paddington station.
| British Rail 18000 | |
| 300px | |
| British Rail 18000 at Didcot Railway Centre on 6 August 2011 | |
| Power type | Gas Turbine-electric |
|---|---|
| Builder | Brown, Boveri & Cie and Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works |
| Order number | GWR Lot 372 |
| Serial number | BBC: 4559 SLM: 3977 |
| Build date | 1949 |
| UIC classification | (A1A)(A1A) |
| Wheel diameter | Driving: 4 ft 0+1⁄4 in (1,226 mm) Idling: 3 ft 2 in (965 mm) |
| Locomotive weight | 115.18 long tons (117.03 t) |
| Prime mover | Gas Turbine |
| Traction motors | Four |
| Transmission | DC generator DC traction motors |
| Power output | 2,500 hp (1,900 kW) |
| Tractive effort | 31,500 lbf (140,000 N) |
| Train heating | Steam generator |
| Power class | BR: 4 |
| Nicknames | Kerosene Castle |
Preservation
The locomotive is preserved at Didcot Railway Centre.
British Rail 18000 Media
- ETH-BIB SIK 01-002718 BR 18000 Bellinzona 1967.jpg
18000 at Bellinzona, Switzerland (1967)
- 18000 Vienna.jpg
Dave Coxon, personal photo, www.traintesting.com/vienna.htm
- BR GWR 18000 (2).JPG
British Rail 18000 at Barrow Hill in 2009
- N Scale Gas Turbine.jpg
British Rail 18000 in N scale
