D2854 on the Middleton Railway in 1994
The British Railways Class 02 were a class of twenty 0-4-0 diesel-hydraulic shunting locomotives built by the Yorkshire Engine Company in 1960 (first ten, D2850-D2859) and 1961 (D2860-D2869) for service in areas of restricted loading gauge and curvature such as docks. They had the door to the cab at the rear, with a railed veranda behind the cab; this feature was very unusual on British Rail locomotives although was used on many Yorkshire Engine Co. designs and was quite normal in North American practice.
Operation[]
Initial deliveries were to Bank Hall shed in Liverpool and most were allocated to Depots around Liverpool and Manchester. With the changes in the role of the British railway system and the closing of many of the facilities in which the locomotives worked, they were increasingly surplus to requirements. The first locomotives were withdrawn in December 1969 from the Preston division of the Midland Region and by the end of 1971 there were only 4 left in service with British Rail. Of these, all but one survived long enough to enter the BR TOPS computer system: 02 001 (formerly D2851), 02 003 (D2853), and 02 004 (D2856), (D2852 was withdrawn before receiving it's TOPS number (02 002) in 1973) and all three were withdrawn in June 1975 from Allerton depot. Being between nine and fourteen years old when withdrawn, they still had a lot of life left in them, but the majority were sold to private industry, with only 9 being cut up for scrap.
Preservation[]
There are 7 locomotives in preservation, where their small size makes them perfect as a workshop shunter or for use in track maintenance work. One (D2853) survived int the TOPS era where it became 02 003 and another (D2860) is the works shunter for the National Railway Museum in York, where it is used to move much larger exhibits around.
- D2853 (02 003) by Barrow Hill Engine Shed
- D2854 by Heritage Shunters Trust
- D2858 at Midland Railway – Butterley
- D2860 at National Railway Museum, York
- D2866 by Heritage Shunters Trust
- D2867 Diane at Battlefield Line Railway
- D2868 by Heritage Shunters Trust, Rowsley South, Peak Rail