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Class 33

Class 33 animation
 

photograph by Ray Soper

Class 33/0 33023 at Clapham Junction during August 1990.
The BRCW type 3 Bo-Bo diesel electric locomotives built between 1960 and 1962 were the Southern Region's only native diesel locos, excepting the class 09 shunters, introduced by British Railways. 98 members of the class were constructed, of which 12 locos of the final batch were built with narrow bodies for use on the restricted loading gauge Hastings line. With the introduction of electrification to the Bournemouth line in 1967 19 standard width members of the class were modified for push-pull multiple unit operation in order to haul one (or at peak times two) TC (trailer car) units over the remaining non electrified section of the line to Weymouth, and subsequently push them back to Bournemouth in the reverse direction.

They were classified as class 33 under TOPS, with the standard loco becoming sub-class 33/0, the push pull fitted versions 33/1 and the narrow width Hastings machines 33/2. All class 33s were designed to work in multiple with other members of the class or any other "blue star" rated loco.

All locos were fitted with dual brakes and electrical train heating only (in that they were more advanced than many contemporary locos). The Photographer well remembers that when they first appeared in loco spotting books their entry was suitably endorsed "only suitable for hauling passenger stock in the summer" because at that time the majority of coaches were steam heated. Being fitted with Crompton-Parkinson traction motors, they quickly earned the nickname "Cromptons".

Click on the thumbnails for a larger image.
  • D6515
     
    Crompton Type 3 D6515 hauls the stock of the Bournemouth Belle out of the carriage sidings at Clapham Junction towards Waterloo where it will form the 12:30pm departure to Bournemouth behind a Southern Pacific.
    Photograph by Keith Harwood.
  • D6517
     
    D6517 arriving at Eridge with a train of Bulleids en route from London to Brighton via Uckfield.
    Photograph by Keith Harwood.
  • Rescue!
     
    A Crompton to the rescue! This unidentified Crompton is attending the scene of the derailment of Standard Class 5, N°73080 Merlin, at Bournemouth on 21st June 1966.
    Photograph by Ray Soper.
  • Steventon
     
    An unidentified class 33, photographed at Steventon on 19th November 1966 - before electrification but with the 3rd rail in place and the signalling being changed.
    Photograph by Keith Harwood.
  • D6572
     
    D6572 (together with E6039) propels a loaded spoil train into the yard at Newhaven Town, 25th June 1972.
    Photograph by Glen Woods.
  • 33117
     
    33117 in Corporate image blue and 33053 in Railfreight Construction sub-sector two tone grey livery are seen stabled at Woking.
    Photograph by Jonathan Hall.
  • 33008
     
    Celebrity Crompton number one - retro-painted 33008 Eastleigh seen at Cannon Street 23rd August 1986. This locomotive was named by the Mayor of Eastleigh at Eastleigh station on the 11th April 1980 and the name plate remained on this loco until it was withdrawn on 7th October 1996.
    Photograph by Colin Duff.
  • 33056
     
    Celebrity Crompton number two - 33202 The Burma Star seen at a Wimbledon depot open day, the loco by this time being in "Dutch" livery. This name was transferred in 1991 from the original carrier of it - 33056. 33056 was named The Burma Star when in 1980 it was used as one of the locos to haul Lord Mountbatten's funeral train from Waterloo to Romsey.
    Photograph by Jonathan Hall.
  • Engineering
    train
    A class 33 and an engineer's train waiting in the sidings at Barnham during May 1984 - number unknown.
    Photograph by Mark Westcott.
  • 33107
     
    Carrying the "Uckfield Crompton Farewell" headboard, N°33107 near Buxted with the last scheduled loco hauled passenger working, the 7:10 p.m. from Uckfield to East Croydon, which was the return working of the 5:20 p.m. London Bridge - Uckfield M-F only on Friday, 11th May 1984.
    Photograph by Mark Westcott.
  • MU Push-pull
     
    An unidentified 33/1 seen performing the sort of service it was modified to multiple unit push-pull configuration for, pulling away from Wool with a fast Weymouth bound train in 1985.
    Photograph by Colin Duff.
  • 33021
     
    Carrying the Eastleigh name is the brightly coloured Fragonset-owned 33021 seen here on display at Old Oak Common on 6th August 2000.
    Photograph by Colin Duff.
  • D6593
     
    D6593 (33208) is seen again, this time working a Mid Hants service into Ropley on 29th May 2000.
    Photograph by Colin Duff.
  • D6515
     
    Not quite restored to its as-first-introduced condition - the high intensity headlight and the nameplate applied in preservation are two give aways - D6515 (33012) is based on the Swanage Railway and is seen here in Swanage station on 16th September 2000.
    Photograph by Colin Duff.
  • 33063
     
    Class 33 diesel N°33063 on Santa Special duty on the former East Kent Light Railway in 2002. The coaching stock is their preserved 2 EPB N° 5759 but on this occasion has motive power at both ends, steam at one end and Diesel at the other.
    Photograph by Tony Wiggins.
  • 33063 and
    33065
    Both of the EKLR's Class 33 diesels lined up at Shepherdswell on 15th December 2002. Nearest the camera is 33063 whilst alongside it is 33065.
    Photograph by Tony Wiggins.
  • D6566
     
    Crompton (D)6566 (33048) now operates far from home territory on the West Somerset Railway. 6566 is seen here stabled at Minehead on 29th March 2003.
    Photograph by Colin Duff.
  • 33063
     
    33063, one of the Cromptons on the East Kent Railway, hauling their EPB into Shepherdswell on 16th March 2003.
    Photograph by Paul Ferbrache.
  • Detail
     
    Bogie and underframe detail on 33021. Time has taken its toll on the bodywork!
    Photograph by Colin Duff.
Crompton

Technical Details
External dimensions:
Length over buffers:
Overall wheelbase:
Bogie wheelbase:
Bogie centres:
Boiler Pressure:
Overall height from rail:
Overall width:
     Class 33/0 and 33/1:
     Class 33/2:
Wheel diameter:		 50 ft 9 in
39 ft 0 in
10 ft 0 in
29 ft 9 in
12 ft 8 in
 
9 ft 3 in
8 ft 8 in
3 ft 7 in		 Performance specification:
Maximum tractive effort:
Continuous road tractive effort:
Continuous rated rail hp:
Maximum service speed:
Fuel capacity:
Nominal loco weight in working order:
     Class 33/0
     Class 33/1:
     Class 33/2:		  
45,000 @ 26% adhesion
26,000 lbs @ 17.5 mph
1215
85 mph
800 gallons
 
76 tons 9 cwt
77 tons 6 cwt
76 tons 5 cwt
 
Traction equipment:
Diesel engine: Sulzer 8 cylinder vertical single bank in-line type 8LDA28 of 1,550 bhp @ 750 rpm
Main generator: Crompton Parkinson type CP CG 391B1
     main generator rating: 1,012kW, 575V, 1760A @ 750 rpm
     auxiliary generator rating: 57kW, 110V, 518A @ 550 rpm
     train heating generator rating: 235kW, 750V, 313A @ 550 rpm
Traction motors (4 per loco): Crompton Parkinson type CP 171C2, in parallel, rating 305hp, 440A, 580V, gear ratio 62:17
 
Original N° TOPS N° * Built Withdrawn Preserved At / Present Owner
D6500 33001 Jan 60 Mar 88 -
D6501 33002 Feb 60 Feb 97 DRS
D6502 - Mar 60 May 64 # -
D6503 33003 Mar 60 Aug 87 -
D6504 33004 Mar 60 Jun 91 -
D6505 33005 Apr 60 Jun 87 -
D6506 33006 Apr 60 Aug 91 -
D6507 33007 May 60 Dec 86 -
D6508 33008 May 60 Feb 97 DRS
D6509 33009 May 60 Mar 92 -
D6510 33010 Jun 60 Apr 88 -
D6511 33101 Jun 60 May 93 -
D6512 33011 Jun 60 Mar 89 -
D6513 33102 Jun 60 Nov 92 At Churnet Valley Rly
D6514 33103 Jul 60 Feb 97 Fragonset
D6515 33012 Jul 60 Feb 97 At Swanage Rly
D6516 33104 Jul 60 Dec 85 -
D6517 33105 Jul 60 Oct 87 -
D6518 33013 Aug 60 Mar 89 -
D6519 33106 Aug 60 Nov 90 -
D6520 33107 Sep 60 May 89 -
D6521 33108 Sep 60 May 93 Fragonset
D6522 33014 Sep 60 Feb 86 -
D6523 33015 Sep 60 Jul 89 -
D6524 33016 Oct 60 Oct 89 -
D6525 33109 Oct 60 Feb 97 At Crewe LNW
D6526 33017 Oct 60 Jan 88 -
D6527 33110 Oct 60 Sep 92 At Bodmin & Wenford Rly
D6528 33111 Oct 60 Jun 91 At Barrow Hill
D6529 33112 Nov 60 Nov 88 -
D6530 33018 Nov 60 Feb 88 At Midland Rly Centre
D6531 33113 Nov 60 Oct 92 -
D6532 33114 Nov 60 Feb 93 -
D6533 33115 Dec 60 May 89 -
D6534 33019 Dec 60 Dec 98 Fragonset
D6535 33116 Dec 60 Aug 98 NRM
D6536 33117 Dec 60 Feb 97 At East Lancs Rly
D6537 33020 Dec 60 Apr 93 -
D6538 33118 Jan 61 Apr 93 -
D6539 33021 Jan 61 Sep 96 Fragonset
D6540 33022 Jan 61 Dec 89 -
D6541 33023 Jan 61 Feb 97 DRS
D6542 33024 Feb 61 Feb 86 -
D6543 33025 Feb 61 Feb 01 DRS
D6544 33026 Feb 61 Aug 98 -
D6545 33027 Mar 61 Jul 91 -
D6546 33028 Mar 61 Oct 88 -
D6547 33029 Mar 61 Feb 97 DRS
D6548 33030 Apr 61 Feb 01 DRS
D6549 33031 Apr 61 Feb 89 -
D6550 33032 Apr 61 Mar 87 -
D6551 33033 Apr 61 May 93 -
D6552 33034 Apr 61 Jan 88 At Swanage Rly
D6553 33035 May 61 Sep 96 At Barrow Hill
D6554 33036 May 61 Jul 79 -
D6555 33037 May 61 Sep 87 -
D6556 33038 Jun 61 Oct 88 -
D6557 33039 Jun 61 May 89 -
D6558 33040 Jun 61 May 93 -
D6559 33041 Jun 61 Nov 75 -
D6560 33042 Jul 61 Sep 96 -
D6561 33043 Jul 61 Sep 87 -
D6562 33044 Jul 61 Sep 87 -
D6563 33045 Jul 61 Oct 87 -
D6564 33046 Jul 61 Mar 98 Fragonset
D6565 33047 Aug 61 Feb 93 -
D6566 33048 Aug 61 Feb 97 At West Somerset Rly
D6567 33049 Sep 61 Mar 88 -
D6568 33050 Sep 61 May 93 -
D6569 33051 Sep 61 Aug 98 -
D6570 33052 Sep 61 Feb 97 At Kent & East Sussex Rly
D6571 33053 Oct 61 Feb 97 DRS
D6572 33054 Oct 61 Feb 86 -
D6573 33055 Nov 61 Dec 89 -
D6574 33056 Oct 61 Feb 91 At Churnet Valley Rly
D6575 33057 Nov 61 Feb 97 DRS
D6576 - Nov 61 Nov 68 -
D6577 33058 Nov 61 Jun 91 -
D6578 33059 Nov 61 Sep 88 -
D6579 33060 Dec 61 Oct 90 -
D6580 33119 Dec 61 Oct 89 -
D6581 33061 Dec 61 Sep 87 -
D6582 33062 Dec 61 Nov 87 -
D6583 33063 Jan 62 Feb 97 At Spa Valley Rly
D6584 33064 Jan 62 Oct 94 -
D6585 33065 Jan 62 Feb 97 At East Kent Rly
D6586 33201 Feb 62 Oct 93 At Midland Rly Centre
D6587 33202 Feb 62 Dec 98 Fragonset
D6588 33203 Feb 62 Apr 91 DRS
D6589 33204 Feb 62 Feb 97 -
D6590 33205 Feb 62 Jul 92 -
D6591 33206 Mar 62 Sep 96 -
D6592 33207 Mar 62 Feb 97 DRS
D6593 33208 Mar 62 Feb 97 At Mid Hants Rly
D6594 33209 Mar 62 Dec 88 -
D6595 33210 Apr 62 Aug 87 -
D6596 33211 Apr 62 Oct 93 -
D6597 33212 May 62 Sep 87 -
 
*  


#  		  
Class 33/0 numbers in green
Class 33/1 numbers in red
Class 33/2 numbers in blue
D6502 was withdrawn after so such a short working life following a collision at Itchingfield Junction, near Christ's Hospital

This page was last updated 10 January 2009

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