| Then in 1948 British Railways constructed a third locomotive, Nº20003. It looked significantly different with its cab front being similar to the latest EMUs, by this time being the slab front design with larger windows of the "Queen Mary" Subs. This locomotive was also 1ft 6in longer, weighed 105 tons, was capable of 45000lb tractive effort, had fewer sanding boxes and a larger boiler water tank on the underframe between the bogies. Included from scratch were refinements learned from the earlier two and more modern electrical equipment. Nº20003 was also introduced in malachite livery with yellow lining but with yellow British Railways lettering and numbering in the Gill Sans font. |
Nº20003 at Stewarts Lane circa 1958-60 photograph: Steve Roffey collection |
| Various modifications happened to these locomotives
throughout their lives. MU jumpers were an early addition to CC1/2 as were
marker lights. Three sandboxes from each bogie were also removed from the
earlier pair. CC1 was built with a headcode panel which was subsequently
modified to be a boxed headlight but later converted back to a headcode panel.
CC2 (20002) received a headcode panel in later life but 20003 never received
did They were classified as class 70 under TOPS although photographic evidence
suggests they never carried a TOPS format number.
They settled down to a productive but unremarkable life doing exactly what they were designed to do. They were closely associated with Victoria-Newhaven boat trains, assuming this duty from the Brighton Atlantics in 1949. They were popular, powerful, reliable and efficient locomotives though no more were produced and the Southern's next electrical locomotives were the HA (later class 71) design introduced in 1959. CC1 and 2 were withdrawn by 1969 and curiously the younger CC3 in October 1968, despite their virtues all being victims (like other classes) of being non standard. |
| From 1949/50 they adopted the initial black and aluminium colour scheme chosen by British Railways for diesel, electric and gas turbine locomotives, however prior to this in 1948/9 Nº20002 carried an experimental light blue livery and was exhibited in this colour to the railway executive at Kensington Addison Road station. From the late 1950s they carried green livery (thought to be a modified malachite) with a red and white line half way up the side stopping short of the cab doors and a pale green frame. Nº20001 was withdrawn in BR blue with full yellow ends, by which time it had also gained twin air horns on the roof. |
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Nº20002 in charge of a goods train at East Croydon.
photograph by Keith Harwood |
| Nº20003 in the works with green livery and "BRITISH RAILWAYS" in full.
Photograph: Mike Morant collection |
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Nº20003 in black livery with a train of plum and spilt milk liveried Bulleid coaches. The
location would appear to be by South Croydon Signalbox.
photograph: Mike Morant collection |
| Nº20002 on the southbound slow line passing the footbridge near
Norbury station 17th September 1966. The route headcode panel is plain to see, as
is the fact that the folding headcode discs and their inbuilt lamps have been
removed.
photograph by Mike Morant |
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| Nº20001 at Nehaven Harbour whilst working The Sussex Venturer Rail
Tour on 4th January 1969. This was almost certainly the last tour to visit the
Uckfield - Lewes line and the last passenger train to use the Polegate - Stone
Cross Junction line.
Photograph: Mike Morant collection |
| Nº20002 seen in its later days at Brighton depot, presumably
after withdrawal as the collector beams have been removed. As far as can be
seen through the dirt the livery is still the unlined mid (coach stock?) green
it received during a September 1964 repaint at Eastleigh but by the time of
this picture (between April and September 1969?*) with full yellow ends
added. A headcode panel and rooftop airhorns were added at or prior to the 1964
repaint.
photograph by Alan Robinson |
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* Nº20002 was cut up in September 1969 whilst the locomotive standing next to it, D2031, was withdrawn in April 1969. |
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This page was last updated 7 August 2011
