Technical & Background Details

Current running number - 33103

Engine - Sulzer 8LDA28 of 1550hp   

Main Generator - Crompton Parkinson CG391B1

Traction Motors - 4 Crompton Parkinson 171C2

Train Heat Generator - Crompton Parkinson CAG392A1 of 235kW

Weight - 78.5 Tons                               Route Availability - 6

Maximum Speed - 85 mph

Fuel Capacity - 750 Gallons            Nominal Range - 600 miles

Built in 1960 by the Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company (BRCW) in Smethwick, Birmingham as works number DEL 106 the locomotive entered traffic with British Railways in July 1960 carrying the number D6514 and allocated to Hither Green Depot (73C) where the entire class was initially based.

From here the newly delivered D6514 was sent on the standard acceptance run for Class 33s with 8 or 10 coaches in tow on a round trip from Hither Green - Tonbridge - Dover - Canterbury - Faversham - Chatham and Dartford (or the other way round).

Almost universal route acceptance was granted on the Southern Region. Class 33s initially found work on freight duties as there was very little electrically heated passenger stock.

Train heating trials began in 1961 when D6504 (later 33004) went to Derby for static testing followed by a run from Ferme Park (London) to Craigentinny (Edinburgh) during February of that year.

Driver training at Eastleigh depot began in April 1962 with 10 locomotives being transferred there by July rising to 27 examples by the end of 1964.

In 1965 following a decision not to electrify the route from Bournemouth to Weymouth D6580 (later 33108) was modified to run with multiple unit stock which had also undergone modifications to allow the locomotive to be driven from the unit. Test runs began on 21st July 1965 and the following year high speed test runs began with newly delivered 4-TC units. Shortly after this conversion work began on 19 Class 33s the most obvious external differences were the addition of unit compatible pipes and cables along with a buckeye coupling. Internally much rewiring was undertaken with the control cubicle losing much of the Crompton Parkinson control gear in favour of unit compatible English Electric equipment.

Workings with the newly modified locomotives and new 4-TC units were inaugurated on 10th July 1967 with D6514 being converted for 12th October 1967 which was also the year in which the 'D' prefix was dropped and British Rail blue livery began to be applied. In Southern records the push pull 33s were designated Class 34 a decision not upheld by the BR Board so they reverted to Class 33 in 1969. In January 1974 the locomotives were classified 33/1 and five digit numbers were in the process of being applied with D6514 becoming 33103.

33103 is seen with 4TC units 407 and 415 in tow at Wareham on the 08:53 departure for Weymouth on Sunday 5th August 1984.

Photo courtesy of J Goodale

The loco then led a fairly anonymous life - during the 1980s it visited Eastleigh Works on four occasions for Intermediate overhaul (April 1984 and January 1988); cracked engine sump (November 1985) and for a power unit change in October 1989 when it also received Departmental grey livery. In August 1990 the loco was again repainted in the "Dutch" yellow/grey livery.

The 20:04 Exeter - London Waterloo service of 29th April 1993 was the loco's (then) final passenger working withdrawal in serviceable condition followed on 1st February 1994. It was, however, used as a depot shunter at Eastleigh before moving to Stewarts lane where it was stored serviceable on 15th January 1995.

Early in 1997 numerous Class 33 locomotives were advertised for sale and a bid was submitted with 33103 being the preferred choice. The sale was completed on 11th April 1997 the loco was then moved by road to Tyseley.

On September 12th 1998 33103 was registered to operate once again on the national network. 

By mid 2002 the loco was repainted from BR green into Fragonset Railways (later known as FM Rail) livery for whom it operated on hire until the demise of the company.

The locomotive is currently at the Swanage Railway carrying BR Blue livery

Click here for the 2006 workings diary