Power of the 20s

It is now 50 years since the final and most successful batch of Type 1 locomotives ordered under the modernisation Plan of 1955, the future Class 20, designed by English Electric and built at the Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows and by Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns at Darlington, first appeared. Since then the class has worked all over Britain and are the firm favourites of many railway enthusiasts.

The initial order was for only 20 locomotives, which entered service in the autumn of 1957. Other orders soon followed and by the time construction ceased in 1968, a total of 228 had been built. It is a testament to the success of the class that, 50 years after the first of the type entered service, examples can still be seen on the main line and many more grace the tracks of Britain’s preserved railways.

Designed primarily for freight traffic, early members of the class were allocated to Devon Road depot in north London, where they also saw limited use on passenger trains. As further locomotives were delivered so they became established in areas, such as the north of England and Scotland, where they became a familiar sight to railway enthusiasts on coal trains and other such duties. Often operated in pairs, they acquired a cult following amongst diesel traction enthusiasts, particularly in the summer when they could be found operating, unusually, passenger services, including those from the East Midlands to Skegness.

Pip Dunn, the editor of the magazine Railways Illustrated, portrays the construction, development and operation of the class from its origins in 1956 through to the present day. Complementing the superb selection of photographs are the author’s well-informed and detailed narrative and captions. In this, the 50th year since the type was introduced, this addition to the highly successful ‘Power of’ series from OPC provides a comprehensive portrait of one of the most enduring and successful designs of diesel locomotive ever to have been produced in Great Britain. This book will appeal to modellers, preservationists and diesel traction enthusiasts alike.