British Rail Class 03

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The British Rail Class 03 locomotive is, together with Class 04, one of BR's most successful smaller 0-6-0 diesel-mechanical shunters. The class, numbering 230 examples, was built by British Railways' Swindon and Doncaster works in 1957-1962 and numbered D2000-D2399 (later 03004 to 03399). D2370 and D2371 were used as departmental locomotives and numbered 91 and 92 respectively.

Like other shunters of this type, they were built for lighter duties where a larger locomotive was not needed, especially at locomotive and carriage depots and as station pilots. The reduction over time in the demand for shunting locomotives meant that they were progressively withdrawn from 1968 on, many being sold to private industry, although some stayed on for much longer, including locomotives at Reading Signal Works and on the Isle of Wight, the latter remaining in service until 1993. In 1998, though, 03 179 was reinstated into service by the West Anglia Great Northern Railway Company (WAGN) for service at their Hornsey depot. The locomotive is named Clive.

A fairly large number of the class survive in preservation.

The engine is a Gardner 8-cylinder, 4-stroke 8L3 of 204 hp 152 kW connected to a Wilson-Drewry CA5 R7, 5-speed epicyclic with RF11 spiral bevel reverse and final-drive unit. Drive is through a jackshaft mounted beneath the cab, driving the wheels through coupling rods (US: side rods).

Class 03, no. D2069, at Doncaster Works open day on 27th July 2003. This locomotive is preserved on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.

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