Factfile: Br/english Electric Class 20

Arguably one of the major success stories of BR’S 1950s Modernisation Plan, Class 20s continue to clock up mileage on the national network, over 65 years since the first examples were introduced. A total of 228 examples were constructed at Vulcan Works, Newton-le-willows and Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns, Darlington, between 1957-68 and the Type 1 locomotives were designed primarily for freight work. Passenger duties did arise, however, with through steam heat piping provided on many examples for use when double-heading with other locomotive types (such as Class 27s in Scotland). Class 20s also hauled passenger workings alone or in pairs, usually during the summer months, which continued into the 1980s. 2 Various design tweaks occurred over the years, most notably a shift from disc headcodes to four-character display boxes and while the type was used singly for light, short-distance duties, double-heading became the norm, especially in the post-1970s era, when the class became synonymous with merry-go-round coal workings and steel traffic, particularly around the Midlands, Yorkshire, North West, Tyneside and the Scottish Central Belt. After decades of sterling service, withdrawals began in earnest during the later years of British Rail. Some examples were exported for use in France, while a batch was modified for Direct Rail Services to become Class 20/3. Many examples have been preserved for use on heritage railways (including pioneer D8000 at the National Railway 3 Museum), while others found use in industry. DRS has recently put its remaining ‘20/3s’ up for sale, while Harry Needle Railroad Company maintains a fleet of ‘20s’ for main line use, some of which have been employed on stock transfers for Gbrailfreight/london Underground.