British Rail Class ES1

The British Rail Class ES1 was a class of two electric locomotives commissioned by the North Eastern Railway in 1902. They were of steeplecab design.

North Eastern Railway Class ES1
NER No.1, Locomotion museum, Shildon
Type and origin Power type Electric Builder British Thomson-Houston, with help from Brush Build date 1903-1904 (contract signed with builders on 15 December 1902) Total produced 2
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte Bo+Bo Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Wheel diameter 3 ft 0 in (0.914 m) Wheelbase 27 ft 0 in (8.230 m) Length 37 ft 11 in (11.557 m) Height with pantograph lowered 12 ft 11 in (3.937 m); raised 15 ft 9 in (4.801 m) Loco weight 56 tons (51 tonnes) Electric system/s 600–630 V DC Current pickup(s) Third rail or pantograph Traction motors British Thomson-Houston, 4 off Train heating None
Performance figures Maximum speed 27 mph (43 km/h) Power output 640 hp (477 kW) Tractive effort 25,000 lbf (111.2 kN)
Career Operators North Eastern Railway London and North Eastern Railway British Railways Numbers NER: 1–2 LNER 1–2, later 6480–6481 BR: 26500–26501 Axle load class Route availability 2 First run 1905 Retired 1964 Disposition No.1 preserved, No.2 scrapped in 1966

History

There was a short railway from Trafalgar Yard in Manors East to Newcastle Quayside that was opened in 1870. Shaped like a horseshoe, it had tight corners, small tunnels and steep slopes. As steam locomotives and their crews found it hard, the NER wanted this railway electrified. Thus, on 5 June 1905, electric operations started. For this purpose, two electric locomotives were built. They were able to operate on both overhead wires and third rail. This is because third rail is dangerous for workers in yards to walk over, and the small tunnels did not have room for the overhead wires.

As built, with the original bow collector

Train crews found these electric engines too cold during early work shifts. This was because crews were used to the heat from steam locomotives. To fix this problem, heaters were added to the cab in 1906. The nose-fitted bow collector was changed to the roof-mounted pantograph sometime after the First World War.

In 1945, both engines were properly known as class ES1. They were simply known as numbers 1 and 2 until then. The London and North Eastern Railway changed numbers for both locomotives to 6480 and 6481 in 1946. This was changed again by British Railways in 1948, this time to 26500 and 26501.

In June 1961, number 26500 was recoloured from black to bright green. 26501 also received this same colour in March 1962. Both locomotives had this colour when built in 1904. On 29 February 1964, British Railways stopped using electric operations on the Quayside Branch. Class 03 diesels were used instead, until the line was closed on 16 June 1969.

The two ES1 locomotives were then put aside at Hellifield sheds in January 1965. Number 26501 was thrown away and recycled in April 1966. 26500 ended up in the Leicester museum, which was closed in 1975. It was then moved to the National Railway Museum in York. It is on display at the Locomotion Museum in Shildon since October 2004 when the venue opened.

Related pages

• British Rail Class EE1
• British Rail Class EF1
• British Rail Class EB1
• NER electric units

Sources

Books

• Gleaves, Graeme (2021). North Eastern Electric Stock, 1904–2020: Its Design and Development. Pen and Sword Transport. ISBN 9781526740359.
• Glover, John (2003). Eastern Electric. Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 0711029342.
• Waller, Peter (2008). Locomotives from the National Collection. Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 9780711033405.
• Jones, Robin (2010). Electric Trains: A Pocket History. Pixz. ISBN 9781906887810.

Other websites

• The NER Electric Bo-Bo Class ES1 Locomotives - LNER Encyclopedia