Class 20 Locomotives

With the demise of classified repairs to what had been the 'bread and butter' of the works (Classes 45 and 25) Class 20 locomotives began to appear for heavy repairs which included the addition of a full air braking system. The type were no stranger to Derby as they were also overhauled during the 1970s

20023 is seen having been fully stripped


Some considerable time later the locomotive is seen on the south end yard. Note the appearance of additional pipes on the buffer beam as a result of train air braking equipment being fitted.


A bit overexposed but here is 20023 having become the very first member of the class to receive the (then) new Railfreight livery


A nice rare view actually inside the diesel test house showing the second Class 20 to receive Railfreight colours, 20132. Note the vast array of test cables, pipes and gauges used to test many different aspects of the locomotive's performance. Above the ceiling were large banks of resistors which were used to vary the load on the locomotive's main generator. Via other control equipment in the test house many different scenarios were reproduced. Among these were fast running along level track, running at full power up gradients and so on.


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