Locomotive Class

Class 29

Class: Class 29
Type: Diesel-Electric
Designer: North British
Weight: 73 tons
Purpose: Passenger & Freight

Information: Class 29 locomotives were all rebuilds of earlier Class 21, introduced as part of British Railways Diesel Pilot Scheme. Class 21 and the later 29 locomotives are considered one of the least successful first generation diesels.

Details: Classified by British Railways as Type 2 diesel electric locomotives; in May 1957 British Railways placed orders totaling 58-units with NBL for evaluation in service on suburban commuter traffic carried out of London Kings Cross on the Eastern Region (ER).
Problems with mechanical and electrical equipment became evident from the start resulting in the entire class being transferred to Scotland where they were deployed on both passenger and freight workings often double-headed where more power was mandated.
Although closer to their home base, problems continued resulting in a decision to re-engineer and consequently rebuild many, but not all of the locomotives. By October 1967, 20 locomotives were rebuilt as Class 29’s whilst 30 of the surviving 38 original members of the Class 21 group were stored “unserviceable”. By 1969 remaining Class 21’s were withdrawn and all were condemned.
As Class 29’s all but one locomotive were out-shopped in two-tone green. D6123 re-entered traffic in solid green. All featured the mandated small yellow warning panels on cab ends. Several members were later re-painted in Corporate blue with full yellow ends. During re-building cab front access doors were sealed and route indicator boxes were added, easily identifying modified class members.
Despite extensive and costly rebuilding the Class 29 conversions fared little better than the remaining Class 21’s; by 1971 all had been condemned, generally being replaced with the far more successful Class 27 design. None have been preserved.

John Faulkner

Class 29 Releases (8)

MODEL	NO.	LIVERY
Class 29 (Type 2) Bo-Bo Locomotive Released: 1978 1979	6124	B.R. Blue
Class 29 (Type 2) Bo-Bo Locomotive Released: 1978 1979	D6110	B.R. Green
Class 29 (Type 2) Bo-Bo Locomotive Released: 1980 1981 1982 1983	6142	B.R. Blue
Class 29 (Type 2) Bo-Bo Locomotive Released: 1980 1981 1982	D6103	B.R. Green
Class 29 Diesel Electric Locomotive Released: 1999 2000	D6130	B.R. Green
Class 29 Diesel Electric Locomotive Released: 2000 2001	D6119	B.R. Green
Class 29 Diesel Electric Locomotive Released: 2001	D6129	B.R. Blue
Class 29 Diesel Electric Locomotive Released: 2001	D6137	B.R. Blue