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119-544: The Gasworks Tunnel is a set of three parallel railway tunnels carrying the East Coast Main Line from London King's Cross terminus under Regent's Canal . Each 1,585 ft (483 m) bore has two tracks. The first of the multiple tunnels was built as part of the construction of the Great Northern Railway opening in 1852. The original tunnel is now the middle of three parallel bores. A second tunnel to

238-471: A consist respond in the same way to throttle position. Binary encoding also helps to minimize the number of trainlines (electrical connections) that are required to pass signals from unit to unit. For example, only four trainlines are required to encode all possible throttle positions if there are up to 14 stages of throttling. North American locomotives, such as those built by EMD or General Electric , have eight throttle positions or "notches" as well as

357-429: A "reverser" to allow them to operate bi-directionally. Many UK-built locomotives have a ten-position throttle. The power positions are often referred to by locomotive crews depending upon the throttle setting, such as "run 3" or "notch 3". In older locomotives, the throttle mechanism was ratcheted so that it was not possible to advance more than one power position at a time. The engine driver could not, for example, pull

476-480: A 'spine' for several diverging branches, serving destinations such as Cambridge , Leeds , Hull , Sunderland and Lincoln , all with direct services to London. In addition, a few ECML services extend beyond Edinburgh to serve other Scottish destinations, such as Stirling , Inverness , Aberdeen or Glasgow Central , although the principal London-Glasgow route is the West Coast Main Line (WCML). The line

595-609: A Rational Heat Motor ). However, the large size and poor power-to-weight ratio of early diesel engines made them unsuitable for propelling land-based vehicles. Therefore, the engine's potential as a railroad prime mover was not initially recognized. This changed as research and development reduced the size and weight of the engine. In 1906, Rudolf Diesel, Adolf Klose and the steam and diesel engine manufacturer Gebrüder Sulzer founded Diesel-Sulzer-Klose GmbH to manufacture diesel-powered locomotives. Sulzer had been manufacturing diesel engines since 1898. The Prussian State Railways ordered

714-583: A diesel locomotive from the company in 1909, and after test runs between Winterthur and Romanshorn , Switzerland, the diesel–mechanical locomotive was delivered in Berlin in September 1912. The world's first diesel-powered locomotive was operated in the summer of 1912 on the same line from Winterthur but was not a commercial success. During test runs in 1913 several problems were found. The outbreak of World War I in 1914 prevented all further trials. The locomotive weight

833-499: A diesel-driven charging circuit. ALCO acquired the McIntosh & Seymour Engine Company in 1929 and entered series production of 300 hp (220 kW) and 600 hp (450 kW) single-cab switcher units in 1931. ALCO would be the pre-eminent builder of switch engines through the mid-1930s and would adapt the basic switcher design to produce versatile and highly successful, albeit relatively low powered, road locomotives. GM, seeing

952-465: A flashover (also known as an arc fault ), which could result in immediate generator failure and, in some cases, start an engine room fire. Current North American practice is for four axles for high-speed passenger or "time" freight, or for six axles for lower-speed or "manifest" freight. The most modern units on "time" freight service tend to have six axles underneath the frame. Unlike those in "manifest" service, "time" freight units will have only four of

1071-560: A major manufacturer of diesel engines for marine and stationary applications, in 1930. Supported by the General Motors Research Division, GM's Winton Engine Corporation sought to develop diesel engines suitable for high-speed mobile use. The first milestone in that effort was delivery in early 1934 of the Winton 201A, a two-stroke , mechanically aspirated , uniflow-scavenged , unit-injected diesel engine that could deliver

1190-473: A minor overrun against its authorised expenditure of £331.9   million. Of the total cost, 60 per cent was for the electrification process itself, while the remaining 40 per cent covered rolling stock, including the new InterCity 225 trains procured specially for the route. These were introduced in 1989 to operate express services. They were developed by the General Electric Company (GEC), as

1309-617: A powerful high-speed locomotive developed and built by English Electric . The prototype was successful and a fleet of 22 locomotives were built and put into BR service for express traffic. Designated Class 55 , they were powered by a pair of Napier Deltic engines that had been developed for fast torpedo boats. The Class 55 'Deltics' were for a time the fastest and most powerful diesel locomotives in service in Britain, capable of reaching 100 mph (160 km/h) and providing up to 3,300  hp (2,500 kW). When introduced into service in 1961,

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1428-421: A prototype diesel–electric locomotive for "special uses" (such as for runs where water for steam locomotives was scarce) using electrical equipment from Westinghouse Electric Company . Its twin-engine design was not successful, and the unit was scrapped after a short testing and demonstration period. Industry sources were beginning to suggest "the outstanding advantages of this new form of motive power". In 1929,

1547-477: A real prospect with existing diesel technology. Before diesel power could make inroads into mainline service, the limitations of diesel engines circa 1930 – low power-to-weight ratios and narrow output range – had to be overcome. A major effort to overcome those limitations was launched by General Motors after they moved into the diesel field with their acquisition of the Winton Engine Company ,

1666-535: A southbound run from Darlington to York. At least two other trains have subsequently recorded higher speeds, but as of February 2023 the InterCity 125 record remains the highest to have been officially verified. A British speed record for electric locomotives of 161.7 mph (260.2 km/h) was achieved on 17 September 1989, also at Stoke Bank, by Class 91 locomotive number 91010. On 26 September 1991, an InterCity 225 shortened electric locomotive train

1785-544: A successor to the Deltics, the InterCity 125 High Speed Train (HST) between 1978 and 1979. These could reach speeds up to 125 mph (201 km/h) on existing infrastructure, bringing the fastest London–Edinburgh timing down by another hour, to 4 + 1 ⁄ 2 hours. They operated most express passenger services on the line until electrification was completed in 1991, after which they continued in use on services that run off

1904-575: Is London North Eastern Railway , but open-access competition on services to Northern England and Scotland is provided by Hull Trains , Grand Central and Lumo . The ECML is part of Network Rail 's Strategic Route G, which comprises five separate lines: The core route is the main line between King's Cross and Edinburgh, the Hertford Loop is used for local and freight services, and the Northern City Line provides an inner-suburban service to

2023-469: Is a 393-mile long (632 km) electrified railway between its northern terminus at Edinburgh Waverley and southern terminus at London King's Cross station . The key towns and cities of Peterborough , Doncaster , York , Darlington , Durham and Newcastle are on the line. The line is a key transport artery on the eastern side of Great Britain running broadly parallel to the A1 road . The main line acts as

2142-477: Is because clutches would need to be very large at these power levels and would not fit in a standard 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in)-wide locomotive frame, or would wear too quickly to be useful. The first successful diesel engines used diesel–electric transmissions , and by 1925 a small number of diesel locomotives of 600 hp (450 kW) were in service in the United States. In 1930, Armstrong Whitworth of

2261-533: Is better able to cope with overload conditions that often destroyed the older types of motors. A diesel–electric locomotive's power output is independent of road speed, as long as the unit's generator current and voltage limits are not exceeded. Therefore, the unit's ability to develop tractive effort (also referred to as drawbar pull or tractive force , which is what actually propels the train) will tend to inversely vary with speed within these limits. (See power curve below). Maintaining acceptable operating parameters

2380-761: Is carried along its route by several bridges and viaducts which are recognised as architecturally significant listed structures ; the longest of which is the 659-metre-long (2,162 ft) Royal Border Bridge at Berwick-upon-Tweed . Others include Digswell Viaduct , near Welwyn Garden City , at 475 m (1,558 ft), the Ouseburn Viaduct in Newcastle at 280 m (920 ft), Durham Viaduct at 240 m (790 ft), and Chester Burn Viaduct in Chester-le-Street at 230 m (750 ft). The 350-metre-long (1,150 ft) King Edward VII Bridge in Newcastle

2499-492: Is currently limiting speeds to 125   mph. There are currently no plans to retrofit ERTMS equipment to the InterCity 225 fleet, as they are expected to be withdrawn before the removal of the lineside signals; this means they will never reach their design speed of 140   mph (225   km/h) in service. The line is mainly quadruple track from London to Stoke Tunnel, south of Grantham , with two double track sections: one between Digswell Jn & Woolmer Green Jn, where

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2618-502: Is generally limited to low-powered, low-speed shunting (switching) locomotives, lightweight multiple units and self-propelled railcars . The mechanical transmissions used for railroad propulsion are generally more complex and much more robust than standard-road versions. There is usually a fluid coupling interposed between the engine and gearbox, and the gearbox is often of the epicyclic (planetary) type to permit shifting while under load. Various systems have been devised to minimise

2737-503: Is on fairly straight track on the flatter, eastern side of England, through Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire , though there are significant speed restrictions because of the line's curvature particularly north of Darlington and between Doncaster and Leeds. By contrast, the West Coast Main Line crosses the Trent Valley and the mountains of Cumbria , with more curvature and had a lower speed limit of 110 mph (180 km/h). Speeds on

2856-414: Is the same as placing an automobile's transmission into neutral while the engine is running. To set the locomotive in motion, the reverser control handle is placed into the correct position (forward or reverse), the brake is released and the throttle is moved to the run 1 position (the first power notch). An experienced engine driver can accomplish these steps in a coordinated fashion that will result in

2975-637: The Burlington Route and Union Pacific used custom-built diesel " streamliners " to haul passengers, starting in late 1934. Burlington's Zephyr trainsets evolved from articulated three-car sets with 600 hp power cars in 1934 and early 1935, to the Denver Zephyr semi-articulated ten car trainsets pulled by cab-booster power sets introduced in late 1936. Union Pacific started diesel streamliner service between Chicago and Portland Oregon in June 1935, and in

3094-717: The Busch-Sulzer company in 1911. Only limited success was achieved in the early twentieth century with internal combustion engined railcars, due, in part, to difficulties with mechanical drive systems. General Electric (GE) entered the railcar market in the early twentieth century, as Thomas Edison possessed a patent on the electric locomotive, his design actually being a type of electrically propelled railcar. GE built its first electric locomotive prototype in 1895. However, high electrification costs caused GE to turn its attention to internal combustion power to provide electricity for electric railcars. Problems related to co-ordinating

3213-600: The Canadian National Railways became the first North American railway to use diesels in mainline service with two units, 9000 and 9001, from Westinghouse. However, these early diesels proved expensive and unreliable, with their high cost of acquisition relative to steam unable to be realized in operating cost savings as they were frequently out of service. It would be another five years before diesel–electric propulsion would be successfully used in mainline service, and nearly ten years before fully replacing steam became

3332-490: The DFH1 , began in 1964 following the construction of a prototype in 1959. In Japan, starting in the 1920s, some petrol–electric railcars were produced. The first diesel–electric traction and the first air-streamed vehicles on Japanese rails were the two DMU3s of class Kiha 43000 (キハ43000系). Japan's first series of diesel locomotives was class DD50 (国鉄DD50形), twin locomotives, developed since 1950 and in service since 1953. In 1914,

3451-552: The Leeds - Hull line direct to York . Through journeys were important and lucrative for the companies and in 1860 they built special rolling stock for the line. Services were operated using "East Coast Joint Stock" until 1922. The trains were hauled by GNR locomotives between King's Cross and York, which entailed utilisation of GNR running powers over the NER between Shaftholme Junction and York (which had been agreed in 1849 and exercised from

3570-508: The Northern City Line to Moorgate . In the late 1970s, a working group of British Rail and Department for Transport officials convened and determined that, of all options for further electrification, the ECML represented the best value by far. Its in-house forecasts determined that increases in revenue and considerable reductions in energy and maintenance costs would occur by electrifying

3689-484: The Società per le Strade Ferrate del Mediterrano in southern Italy in 1926, following trials in 1924–25. The six-cylinder two-stroke motor produced 440 horsepower (330 kW) at 500   rpm, driving four DC motors, one for each axle. These 44 tonnes (43 long tons; 49 short tons) locomotives with 45 km/h (28 mph) top speed proved quite successful. In 1924, two diesel–electric locomotives were taken in service by

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3808-981: The Soviet railways , almost at the same time: In 1935, Krauss-Maffei , MAN and Voith built the first diesel–hydraulic locomotive, called V 140 , in Germany. Diesel–hydraulics became the mainstream in diesel locomotives in Germany since the German railways (DRG) were pleased with the performance of that engine. Serial production of diesel locomotives in Germany began after World War II. In many railway stations and industrial compounds, steam shunters had to be kept hot during many breaks between scattered short tasks. Therefore, diesel traction became economical for shunting before it became economical for hauling trains. The construction of diesel shunters began in 1920 in France, in 1925 in Denmark, in 1926 in

3927-521: The West Coast Main Line (WCML) were increased with the introduction of tilting Pendolino trains and now match the 125   mph speeds on the ECML. The line's current principal operator is London North Eastern Railway (LNER), whose services include regular long-distance expresses between King's Cross, the East Midlands, Yorkshire, the North East of England and Scotland. LNER is operated on behalf of

4046-406: The electrification of the line in 1944. Afterwards, the company kept them in service as boosters until 1965. Fiat claims to have built the first Italian diesel–electric locomotive in 1922, but little detail is available. Several Fiat- TIBB Bo'Bo' diesel–locomotives were built for service on the 950 mm ( 3 ft  1 + 3 ⁄ 8  in ) narrow gauge Ferrovie Calabro Lucane and

4165-432: The 1,500 kW (2,000 hp) British Rail 10100 locomotive), though only few have proven successful (such as the 1,342 kW (1,800 hp) DSB Class MF ). In a diesel–electric locomotive , the diesel engine drives either an electrical DC generator (generally, less than 3,000 hp (2,200 kW) net for traction), or an electrical AC alternator-rectifier (generally 3,000   hp net or more for traction),

4284-452: The 14-mile-long (23 km) Selby Diversion . Construction commenced in 1980, and was completed in late 1983 at a cost of £63   million (equivalent to £214   million in 2023). The new section diverged from the original alignment at Temple Hirst Junction, north of Doncaster, bypassed Selby station and the area to be undermined by coal workings, and then joined the Leeds–York line of

4403-456: The 1960s, the DC generator was replaced by an alternator using a diode bridge to convert its output to DC. This advance greatly improved locomotive reliability and decreased generator maintenance costs by elimination of the commutator and brushes in the generator. Elimination of the brushes and commutator, in turn, eliminated the possibility of a particularly destructive type of event referred to as

4522-513: The 1990s, starting with the Electro-Motive SD70MAC in 1993 and followed by General Electric's AC4400CW in 1994 and AC6000CW in 1995. The Trans-Australian Railway built 1912 to 1917 by Commonwealth Railways (CR) passes through 2,000 km of waterless (or salt watered) desert terrain unsuitable for steam locomotives. The original engineer Henry Deane envisaged diesel operation to overcome such problems. Some have suggested that

4641-582: The CR worked with the South Australian Railways to trial diesel traction. However, the technology was not developed enough to be reliable. As in Europe, the usage of internal combustion engines advanced more readily in self-propelled railcars than in locomotives: A diesel–mechanical locomotive uses a mechanical transmission in a fashion similar to that employed in most road vehicles. This type of transmission

4760-466: The Class 55's ability to rapidly accelerate and maintain high speed with a heavy train over long distances, immediately cut over one hour from the standard London to Edinburgh journey time, from seven hours to under six. Further improvements to the infrastructure meant that by the mid-1970s, another half-hour had been cut from the journey time. In the years following the introduction of the Deltics, sections of

4879-476: The Deltic and High Speed Train, as an interim measure to implement improved services, whilst West Coast electrification proceeded, and was largely complete by 1974. During the period when Richard Beeching was chairman of British Rail, WCML electrification with a spur from Carstairs to Edinburgh was seen as possible justification for the truncation of the ECML at Newcastle. British Rail carried out electrification of

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4998-724: The Department for Transport by a consortium of Arup Group , Ernst & Young and SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit , which took over from Virgin Trains East Coast on 24 June 2018. Other operators of passenger trains on the line are: Eurostar previously held the rights to run five trains a day on the line for services from mainland Europe to cities north of London, as part of the Regional Eurostar plan, which never came to fruition. The overnight Caledonian Sleeper occasionally uses

5117-440: The ECML and onto non-electrified lines. Generally popular with the public, and considered by some to be iconic, they ran on the ECML for 41 years, before being withdrawn in 2019. In 1973, the prototype HST British Rail Class 41 recorded a top speed of 143 mph (230 km/h) in a test run on the line. There had been proposals to electrify all or parts of the ECML as far back as the early 1900s, but no significant scheme

5236-460: The ECML were upgraded for trains running at speeds of up to 100 mph (160 km/h). On 15 June 1965, the first length of high-speed line, a 17 miles (27 km) stretch between Peterborough and Grantham, was completed. The next section was 12 miles (19 km) of line between Grantham and Newark and more sections were upgraded to enable high speeds along much of the line. Continuing demand for reduced journey times led British Rail to introduce

5355-750: The ECML when engineering works prevent it from using its normal train path on the WCML. DB Cargo UK , Direct Rail Services , Freightliner and GB Railfreight operate freight services. The ECML is one of the busiest lines on the British rail network and there is insufficient capacity on parts of the line to satisfy all the requirements of both passenger and freight operators. Diesel-electric locomotive#Diesel-electric traction Early internal combustion locomotives and railcars used kerosene and gasoline as their fuel. Rudolf Diesel patented his first compression-ignition engine in 1898, and steady improvements to

5474-465: The ECML. British Rail 's 1955 modernisation plan placed equal importance on electrification of both the West Coast Main Line (WCML) and ECML; a detailed plan drawn up in 1957 gave a completion date of 1970 for ECML electrification. However, the East Coast authorities decided that they could not wait over a decade for service improvements, and instead decided to invest in high-speed diesel traction,

5593-556: The LMS countered with its own streamlined Coronation Class  – both of which were capable of reaching speeds in excess of 100 mph (160 km/h). The competition was curtailed soon thereafter by the coming of World War II . In the aftermath of the war, Clement Attlee 's Labour Government nationalised the LNER and the other three major railway companies in Great Britain with

5712-526: The NER at Askern , famously described by the GNR's chairman as in "a ploughed field four miles north of Doncaster". Askern was connected to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway , a short section of which was used to reach the NER at Knottingley . In 1871, the line was shortened when the NER opened a direct line from an end-on junction, with the GNR, at Shaftholme, just south of Askern to Selby and over Selby Bridge on

5831-877: The Netherlands, and in 1927 in Germany. After a few years of testing, hundreds of units were produced within a decade. Diesel-powered or "oil-engined" railcars, generally diesel–mechanical, were developed by various European manufacturers in the 1930s, e.g. by William Beardmore and Company for the Canadian National Railways (the Beardmore Tornado engine was subsequently used in the R101 airship). Some of those series for regional traffic were begun with gasoline motors and then continued with diesel motors, such as Hungarian BC (The class code doesn't tell anything but "railmotor with 2nd and 3rd class seats".), 128 cars built 1926–1937, or German Wismar railbuses (57 cars 1932–1941). In France,

5950-629: The North and Midlands stated that the linespeed would be upgraded to 140 mph (225 km/h). The line links London, South East England , East Anglia and the East Midlands , with Yorkshire , the North East and Scotland, and is important to their local economies. It carries commuter traffic in north London as well as cross-country, commuter and local passenger services, and freight . In 1997, operations were privatised. The primary long-distance operator

6069-552: The United Kingdom delivered two 1,200 hp (890 kW) locomotives using Sulzer -designed engines to Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway of Argentina. In 1933, diesel–electric technology developed by Maybach was used to propel the DRG Class SVT 877 , a high-speed intercity two-car set, and went into series production with other streamlined car sets in Germany starting in 1935. In the United States, diesel–electric propulsion

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6188-595: The WCML from the south. In total the electrification programme covered roughly 1,400 single-track miles (2,300 km) and required major infrastructure changes, including resignalling of the line from Temple Hirst Junction (near Selby in Yorkshire) to the Scottish border; the construction of new signalling centres at Niddrie, York, and Newcastle; the commissioning of ten new connections to the national electricity grid; and structure clearance and electrical immunisation works along

6307-490: The War Production Board put a halt to building new passenger equipment and gave naval uses priority for diesel engine production. During the petroleum crisis of 1942–43 , coal-fired steam had the advantage of not using fuel that was in critically short supply. EMD was later allowed to increase the production of its FT locomotives and ALCO-GE was allowed to produce a limited number of DL-109 road locomotives, but most in

6426-700: The Widened Lines route and the GWML, where ERTMS complements traditional lineside signals, the southern ECML will have its signals removed once the transition period to ERTMS is complete. This means that all trains running on the route will be required to be fitted with the appropriate onboard equipment. The Class 800 series (LNER Azuma Classes 800 and 801 , Hull Trains Paragon Class 802 , Lumo Class 803 ), Thameslink Class 700 and Great Northern Class 717 fleets are fitted with ERTMS equipment from manufacture. The Great Northern Class 387 fleet are undergoing retrofit, with

6545-433: The axles connected to traction motors, with the other two as idler axles for weight distribution. In the late 1980s, the development of high-power variable-voltage/variable-frequency (VVVF) drives, or "traction inverters", allowed the use of polyphase AC traction motors, thereby also eliminating the motor commutator and brushes. The result is a more efficient and reliable drive that requires relatively little maintenance and

6664-706: The benefits of an electric locomotive without the railroad having to bear the sizeable expense of electrification. The unit successfully demonstrated, in switching and local freight and passenger service, on ten railroads and three industrial lines. Westinghouse Electric and Baldwin collaborated to build switching locomotives starting in 1929. However, the Great Depression curtailed demand for Westinghouse's electrical equipment, and they stopped building locomotives internally, opting to supply electrical parts instead. In June 1925, Baldwin Locomotive Works outshopped

6783-420: The break in transmission during gear changing, such as the S.S.S. (synchro-self-shifting) gearbox used by Hudswell Clarke . Diesel–mechanical propulsion is limited by the difficulty of building a reasonably sized transmission capable of coping with the power and torque required to move a heavy train. A number of attempts to use diesel–mechanical propulsion in high power applications have been made (for example,

6902-497: The city. The line has engineers line references (ELR) ECM1 to ECM9. The ECML was constructed by three independent railway companies. During the 1830s and 1840s, each company built part of the route to serve its own area, but also intending to link with other railways to form the through route that would become the East Coast Main Line. From north to south, the companies were: The GNR established an end-on connection with

7021-424: The company experienced financial difficulties; the franchise then passed to National Express East Coast until in 2009, when it too encountered financial problems and the government was forced to run the franchise itself as ' East Coast '. Another attempt at returning the franchise to private-sector operation was made by Virgin Trains East Coast in 2015, but this failed in 2018, and thus since then it has been run by

7140-445: The crossing with a flyover or tunnel, which would increase capacity on both lines, have been proposed on several occasions but are complicated by costs and spatial constraints at the site. With most of the line rated for 125 mph (200 km/h) operation, the ECML was the fastest main line in the UK until the opening of High Speed 1 . The high speeds are possible because much of the line

7259-419: The demand for higher speed, British Rail introduced InterCity 125 high-speed trains between 1976 and 1981. In 1973, a Class 41 (an HST prototype) achieved a top speed of 143 mph (230 km/h) in a test run. In the 1980s, the line was electrified and InterCity 225 trains introduced. These have in turn been largely replaced by Class 800 and Class 801 units. The November 2021 Integrated Rail Plan for

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7378-422: The design of diesel engines reduced their physical size and improved their power-to-weight ratios to a point where one could be mounted in a locomotive. Internal combustion engines only operate efficiently within a limited power band , and while low-power gasoline engines could be coupled to mechanical transmissions , the more powerful diesel engines required the development of new forms of transmission. This

7497-443: The engine governor and electrical or electronic components, including switchgear , rectifiers and other components, which control or modify the electrical supply to the traction motors. In the most elementary case, the generator may be directly connected to the motors with only very simple switchgear. Originally, the traction motors and generator were DC machines. Following the development of high-capacity silicon rectifiers in

7616-419: The engine and traction motor with a single lever; subsequent improvements were also patented by Lemp. Lemp's design solved the problem of overloading and damaging the traction motors with excessive electrical power at low speeds, and was the prototype for all internal combustion–electric drive control systems. In 1917–1918, GE produced three experimental diesel–electric locomotives using Lemp's control design,

7735-423: The engine driver operates the controls. When the throttle is in the idle position, the prime mover receives minimal fuel, causing it to idle at low RPM. In addition, the traction motors are not connected to the main generator and the generator's field windings are not excited (energized) – the generator does not produce electricity without excitation. Therefore, the locomotive will be in "neutral". Conceptually, this

7854-516: The fifth aspect was not removed from signals in the test area , and the relevant track Sectional Appendix continued to list the capability to run special test trains in excess of 125   mph as recently as 2008. As part of the privatisation of British Rail in the mid-1990s, passenger operations on the ECML were offered to bidders as the InterCity East Coast franchise. It was held by Great North Eastern Railway from 1996 until 2007, when

7973-456: The first diesel railcar was Renault VH , 115 units produced 1933/34. In Italy, after six Gasoline cars since 1931, Fiat and Breda built a lot of diesel railmotors, more than 110 from 1933 to 1938 and 390 from 1940 to 1953, Class 772 known as Littorina , and Class ALn 900. In the 1930s, streamlined highspeed diesel railcars were developed in several countries: In 1945, a batch of 30 Baldwin diesel–electric locomotives, Baldwin 0-6-6-0 1000 ,

8092-480: The first known to be built in the United States. Following this development, the 1923 Kaufman Act banned steam locomotives from New York City, because of severe pollution problems. The response to this law was to electrify high-traffic rail lines. However, electrification was uneconomical to apply to lower-traffic areas. The first regular use of diesel–electric locomotives was in switching (shunter) applications, which were more forgiving than mainline applications of

8211-564: The first train sent to Worksop Depot in October 2022. Following its return to service in July 2023, the remaining trains will be retrofitted in Hornsey Depot. The introduction of in-cab signaling will allow the ECML line speed to be increased to 140   mph in some places. The Class 800 series trains were designed to reach this speed, but minor modifications will be required to remove the equipment that

8330-553: The following year would add Los Angeles, CA , Oakland, CA , and Denver, CO to the destinations of diesel streamliners out of Chicago. The Burlington and Union Pacific streamliners were built by the Budd Company and the Pullman-Standard Company , respectively, using the new Winton engines and power train systems designed by GM's Electro-Motive Corporation . EMC's experimental 1800 hp B-B locomotives of 1935 demonstrated

8449-506: The former York and North Midland Railway at Colton Junction, south-west of York. The old line between Selby and York was dismantled and is now a public cycleway. Mining subsidence discovered in 2001 also necessitated the realignment of 1.8 km (1.1 mi) of line at Dolphingstone in East Lothian , between Prestonpans and Wallyford stations. The new alignment takes the form of a gentle curve of up to 77 m (253 ft) towards

8568-406: The freight market including their own F series locomotives. GE subsequently dissolved its partnership with ALCO and would emerge as EMD's main competitor in the early 1960s, eventually taking the top position in the locomotive market from EMD. Early diesel–electric locomotives in the United States used direct current (DC) traction motors but alternating current (AC) motors came into widespread use in

8687-488: The full length of the line began on 8 July 1991, eight weeks later than scheduled. Significant traffic increases occurred in the two years after completion; one station recorded a 58 per cent increase in passengers. The programme also electrified the Edinburgh-Carstairs branch of the WCML, to allow InterCity 225 sets to access Glasgow Central , with the added benefit of creating an electrified path to/from Edinburgh on

8806-508: The increased maximum speed, BR experimented in 1988 with using a fifth signalling aspect  – flashing green – on the fast lines between Peterborough and Stoke Tunnel. The flashing green aspect appeared at signals preceding one displaying an ordinary steady green aspect, and authorised running at up to 140   mph. Upon encountering a steady green aspect the driver would reduce speed to no greater than 125   mph, and thus be ready to react to subsequent signals in

8925-527: The irreparably-damaged tunnel; ultimately the line was closed for five months and around 1,100 yards (1 km) of the original alignment had to be abandoned. In the late 1970s in the north of England, the development of the Selby Coalfield  – and the anticipated subsidence that might result from its workings – led the National Coal Board to pay for the construction of

9044-483: The later Class A4 , including 4468 Mallard . During this time Mallard set a new world-record speed for a steam locomotive (see § Speed records ). The East Coast Main Line was engaged in long running rivalry with the West Coast Main Line (WCML), the other main trunk route between London and Scotland. At various points in the late 19th century, highly publicised but unofficial races occurred between express trains on

9163-552: The latter of which achieved a world record speed for a steam locomotive, 126 mph (203 km/h) on the Grantham-to-Peterborough section. In 1948, the railways were nationalised and operated by British Railways . In the early 1960s, steam was replaced by diesel-electric traction , including the Deltics , and sections of the line were upgraded so that trains could run at speeds of up to 100 mph (160 km/h). With

9282-423: The length of the line. Included in the structure clearance works were the 127 overbridges that crossed the ECML. Where the existing bridge clearance was insufficient, project managers favoured wherever possible the rebuilding of the bridge rather than the lowering of the track, as the latter requires considerable civil works and can create long-term drainage problems. Where listed buildings were to be affected by

9401-508: The limitations of contemporary diesel technology and where the idling economy of diesel relative to steam would be most beneficial. GE entered a collaboration with the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) and Ingersoll-Rand (the "AGEIR" consortium) in 1924 to produce a prototype 300 hp (220 kW) "boxcab" locomotive delivered in July 1925. This locomotive demonstrated that the diesel–electric power unit could provide many of

9520-604: The line passes over the Digswell Viaduct , Welwyn North station and the two Welwyn tunnels; and one between Fletton Junction (south of Peterborough) and Holme Junction, south of Holme Fen. The route between Holme Junction and Huntingdon is mostly triple track, with the exception of a southbound loop between Conington and Woodwalton. North of Grantham the line is double track except for quadruple-track sections at Retford , around Doncaster, between Colton Junction (south of York), Thirsk and Northallerton , and Newcastle. The line

9639-460: The line. In 1984, the decision was made to commence the electrification of the rest of the ECML to Edinburgh and Leeds. The Secretary of State for Transport Nicholas Ridley and Minister for Railways David Mitchell played a large role in the decision to proceed. Construction began on the second phase in 1985. In 1986 the section to Huntingdon was completed; Leeds was reached in 1988, then York in 1989 and Edinburgh in 1991. Electric services on

9758-537: The lineside signalling system on the southern ECML between London King's Cross and the Stoke Tunnel was commissioned in 1977 and as such was up for renewal between 2020 and 2029. Instead of renewing the current lineside signalling, it was decided to upgrade this section of the ECML to ERTMS in-cab signalling. This will not be the first instance of ERTMS on the UK rail network; it is in use on the Cambrian Line (where it

9877-431: The locomotive business were restricted to making switch engines and steam locomotives. In the early postwar era, EMD dominated the market for mainline locomotives with their E and F series locomotives. ALCO-GE in the late 1940s produced switchers and road-switchers that were successful in the short-haul market. However, EMD launched their GP series road-switcher locomotives in 1949, which displaced all other locomotives in

9996-572: The mid-1950s. Generally, diesel traction in Italy was of less importance than in other countries, as it was amongst the most advanced countries in the electrification of the main lines and as Italian geography makes freight transport by sea cheaper than rail transportation even on many domestic connections. Adolphus Busch purchased the American manufacturing rights for the diesel engine in 1898 but never applied this new form of power to transportation. He founded

10115-543: The multiple-unit control systems used for the cab/booster sets and the twin-engine format used with the later Zephyr power units. Both of those features would be used in EMC's later production model locomotives. The lightweight diesel streamliners of the mid-1930s demonstrated the advantages of diesel for passenger service with breakthrough schedule times, but diesel locomotive power would not fully come of age until regular series production of mainline diesel locomotives commenced and it

10234-551: The opening of the GNR in 1850); and by NER locomotives between York and Edinburgh, using NER running powers over the NBR between Berwick and Edinburgh (agreed in 1862 but not exercised until 1869). The entire ECML came under control of the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) in 1923, under the Railways Act 1921 which 'grouped' many small railway companies into four large ones . The LNER

10353-402: The output of which provides power to the traction motors that drive the locomotive. There is no mechanical connection between the diesel engine and the wheels. The important components of diesel–electric propulsion are the diesel engine (also known as the prime mover ), the main generator/alternator-rectifier, traction motors (usually with four or six axles), and a control system consisting of

10472-685: The passage of the Transport Act 1947 , and with effect from 1 January 1948 merged them into British Railways (BR). The ECML came under the control of three of BR's regions ; the Eastern Region , the North Eastern Region , and the Scottish Region (the former two were merged together in 1967). In the early 1960s, steam locomotives were replaced by diesel-electrics , amongst them the Deltic ,

10591-580: The performance and reliability of the new 567 model engine in passenger locomotives, EMC was eager to demonstrate diesel's viability in freight service. Following the successful 1939 tour of EMC's FT demonstrator freight locomotive set, the stage was set for dieselization of American railroads. In 1941, ALCO-GE introduced the RS-1 road-switcher that occupied its own market niche while EMD's F series locomotives were sought for mainline freight service. The US entry into World War II slowed conversion to diesel;

10710-478: The prime mover and electric motor were immediately encountered, primarily due to limitations of the Ward Leonard current control system that had been chosen. GE Rail was formed in 1907 and 112 years later, in 2019, was purchased by and merged with Wabtec . A significant breakthrough occurred in 1914, when Hermann Lemp , a GE electrical engineer, developed and patented a reliable control system that controlled

10829-581: The programme, BR sought approval for its plans from the Royal Fine Art Commission . Through this process a special design of overhead wiring was developed for use on the visually-sensitive Royal Border Bridge , as well as the Croxdale and Durham City viaducts . Elsewhere the standard Mk.   3B equipment was deployed. The electrification was completed at a cost of £344.4   million (at 1983 prices, equivalent to £1169.3   million in 2023),

10948-657: The public sector through the government's operator of last resort procedure under the London North Eastern Railway brand. The route of the ECML has been altered or diverted several times, beginning with the opening of the King Edward VII Bridge in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1906. Later, the Penmanshiel tunnel collapse in the Scottish Borders in 1979 necessitated urgent works to divert the line around

11067-467: The record for a steam locomotive at 126 mph (203 km/h) whilst descending Stoke Bank on 3 July 1938. The record remains standing today, and a trackside sign was erected in July 1998 at the 90 + 1 ⁄ 4 milepost to commemorate the achievement. The world record for diesel-powered trains was set at 148 mph (238 km/h) on 1 November 1987, by a shortened InterCity 125 train of two Class 43 power cars and three coaches during

11186-450: The required performance for a fast, lightweight passenger train. The second milestone, and the one that got American railroads moving towards diesel, was the 1938 delivery of GM's Model 567 engine that was designed specifically for locomotive use, bringing a fivefold increase in life of some mechanical parts and showing its potential for meeting the rigors of freight service. Diesel–electric railroad locomotion entered mainline service when

11305-398: The same manner as when driving a lower-speed train. The testing found, however, that drivers couldn't be expected to consistently and accurately interpret and respond to lineside signals when driving at the higher speed, and regulations were later changed throughout Britain to require the use of in-cab signalling whenever running service trains at speeds above 125   mph. Nevertheless,

11424-410: The south, supported by concrete slabs and other ground stabilisation and reinforcement techniques, and is designed to avoid the need for a permanent speed restriction. It came into use in the last week of April 2003, at a cost of £56   million (equivalent to £92   million in 2023). World speed records for both steam and diesel traction have been set on the ECML. LNER's 4468 Mallard set

11543-662: The southern part of the ECML with 25 kV AC overhead lines from London King's Cross to Hitchin between 1976 and 1977. This was authorised in 1971 for the benefit of London suburban services as part of the Great Northern Suburban Electrification Project , using Mk.   3A equipment. The scheme electrified 70 route miles (110 km), including the Hertford Loop Line , part of the Cambridge Line from Hitchin to Royston , and incorporated

11662-405: The success of the custom streamliners, sought to expand the market for diesel power by producing standardized locomotives under their Electro-Motive Corporation . In 1936, EMC's new factory started production of switch engines. In 1937, the factory started producing their new E series streamlined passenger locomotives, which would be upgraded with more reliable purpose-built engines in 1938. Seeing

11781-515: The success of this scheme, in 1919 the North Eastern Railway, planned to electrify 80 miles (130 km) of the main line between York and Newcastle; the scheme progressed as far as a prototype locomotive , however it was cancelled on financial grounds after 1923 when the NER was grouped into the LNER, and the new management had no interest in pursuing the scheme. In the early-1930s, studies were conducted into electrifying sections or all of

11900-432: The throttle from notch 2 to notch 4 without stopping at notch 3. This feature was intended to prevent rough train handling due to abrupt power increases caused by rapid throttle motion ("throttle stripping", an operating rules violation on many railroads). Modern locomotives no longer have this restriction, as their control systems are able to smoothly modulate power and avoid sudden changes in train loading regardless of how

12019-479: The throttle setting, as determined by the engine driver and the speed at which the prime mover is running (see Control theory ). Locomotive power output, and therefore speed, is typically controlled by the engine driver using a stepped or "notched" throttle that produces binary -like electrical signals corresponding to throttle position. This basic design lends itself well to multiple unit (MU) operation by producing discrete conditions that assure that all units in

12138-417: The two routes, most notably in 1888 and 1895. These races were ended over concerns over safety, but later the rivalry resumed in the 1920s and 1930s as both the LNER and its West Coast competitor, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), produced ever-more-powerful express locomotives. This reached its crescendo in the late 1930s, when the LNER introduced the famous streamlined Class A4 locomotives and

12257-547: The usage of lines between the remaining bores to concentrate suburban services in the western tunnel and long-distance services in the central. In 2018, Network Rail announced it proposed to reinstate the eastern tunnel during another major remodelling of the approaches to King's Cross. It opened to traffic on 26 April 2021. [REDACTED] Media related to Gasworks Tunnel at Wikimedia Commons East Coast Main Line The East Coast Main Line ( ECML )

12376-451: The use of an internal combustion engine in a railway locomotive is the prototype designed by William Dent Priestman , which was examined by William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin in 1888 who described it as a " Priestman oil engine mounted upon a truck which is worked on a temporary line of rails to show the adaptation of a petroleum engine for locomotive purposes." In 1894, a 20 hp (15 kW) two-axle machine built by Priestman Brothers

12495-399: The west was built in 1878 and a third one to the east in 1892. The eastern tunnel was taken out of use in 1977 during a significant remodelling of the approach to King's Cross station which included a completely new layout between the tunnels and the platforms, the introduction of bi-directional working in the tunnels, works to improve headroom at the southern end of the tunnels and changing

12614-549: The winners of a competitive tender process. The InterCity 225 sets were used alongside other rolling stock, including Class 90 locomotives and Class 317 electric multiple units. The displaced diesel trains were reallocated predominantly to the Midland Main Line . The infrastructure supported speeds of up to 140   mph, allowing a non-stop run of three hours and 29 minutes between London and Edinburgh on 26 September 1991. As part of testing done to support safe operation

12733-657: The world's first functional diesel–electric railcars were produced for the Königlich-Sächsische Staatseisenbahnen ( Royal Saxon State Railways ) by Waggonfabrik Rastatt with electric equipment from Brown, Boveri & Cie and diesel engines from Swiss Sulzer AG . They were classified as DET 1 and DET 2 ( de.wiki ). Because of a shortage of petrol products during World War I, they remained unused for regular service in Germany. In 1922, they were sold to Swiss Compagnie du Chemin de fer Régional du Val-de-Travers , where they were used in regular service up to

12852-467: Was 95 tonnes and the power was 883 kW (1,184 hp) with a maximum speed of 100 km/h (62 mph). Small numbers of prototype diesel locomotives were produced in a number of countries through the mid-1920s. One of the first domestically developed Diesel vehicles of China was the Dongfeng DMU (东风), produced in 1958 by CSR Sifang . Series production of China's first Diesel locomotive class,

12971-636: Was authorised to reach speeds up to 140mph completing the London to Edinburgh journey in 3 hours 29 minutes. In November 2021, as part of the Integrated Rail Plan , the DfT announced a major upgrade of the line. The upgrade is set to include major track improvements and digital signalling, leading to higher speeds, reduced journey times and increases in seat capacity. The power supply will also be upgraded to allow longer and more frequent trains. The last refresh of

13090-527: Was brought to high-speed mainline passenger service in late 1934, largely through the research and development efforts of General Motors dating back to the late 1920s and advances in lightweight car body design by the Budd Company . The economic recovery from World War II hastened the widespread adoption of diesel locomotives in many countries. They offered greater flexibility and performance than steam locomotives , as well as substantially lower operating and maintenance costs. The earliest recorded example of

13209-705: Was built during the 1840s by three railway companies, the North British Railway , the North Eastern Railway , and the Great Northern Railway . In 1923, the Railways Act 1921 led to their amalgamation to form the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) and the line became its primary route. The LNER competed with the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) for long-distance passenger traffic between London and Scotland. The LNER's chief mechanical engineer Nigel Gresley designed iconic Pacific steam locomotives including Flying Scotsman and Mallard ,

13328-630: Was delivered from the United States to the railways of the Soviet Union. In 1947, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) introduced the first of a pair of 1,600 hp (1,200 kW) Co-Co diesel–electric locomotives (later British Rail Class D16/1 ) for regular use in the United Kingdom, although British manufacturers such as Armstrong Whitworth had been exporting diesel locomotives since 1930. Fleet deliveries to British Railways, of other designs such as Class 20 and Class 31, began in 1957. Series production of diesel locomotives in Italy began in

13447-578: Was first piloted), on the Thameslink core Widened Lines route (with an ATO overlay), and on the Heathrow branch of the Great Western Main Line . However, it is the most complex application yet; never before in the UK has ERTMS been used on such a busy, mixed-traffic line, with freight , commuter , regional and InterCity services sharing as little as two tracks in the tightest sections. Unlike

13566-433: Was implemented until the 1970s and 1980s, with the entire line being electrified in two stages between 1976 and 1991. Early proposed schemes included a 1904 proposal by the Great Northern Railway to electrify its suburban services from London. A short stretch of the ECML in the Newcastle area was electrified with a third rail in 1904, as part of the North Eastern Railway 's suburban Tyneside Electrics scheme. Following

13685-400: Was one of the principal design considerations that had to be solved in early diesel–electric locomotive development and, ultimately, led to the complex control systems in place on modern units. The prime mover's power output is primarily determined by its rotational speed ( RPM ) and fuel rate, which are regulated by a governor or similar mechanism. The governor is designed to react to both

13804-663: Was opened in 1906, replacing the older High Level Bridge as the main railway crossing of the River Tyne . Newark flat crossing , where the ECML crosses the Nottingham–Lincoln line on the same level just north of Newark Northgate station, is one of only two remaining flat crossings in Britain, the other being on the Cambrian Line where it intersections with the Welsh Highland Railway . Plans for grade separating

13923-490: Was shown suitable for full-size passenger and freight service. Following their 1925 prototype, the AGEIR consortium produced 25 more units of 300 hp (220 kW) "60 ton" AGEIR boxcab switching locomotives between 1925 and 1928 for several New York City railroads, making them the first series-produced diesel locomotives. The consortium also produced seven twin-engine "100 ton" boxcabs and one hybrid trolley/battery unit with

14042-477: Was the second largest railway company in Britain, its routes were located to the north and east of London. The LNER appointed Nigel Gresley (who was knighted in 1937) as its Chief Mechanical Engineer, and under his tenure, Pacific steam locomotives were developed as the standard express locomotive to work the line, several of which became famous, these included the Class A3 , including 4472 Flying Scotsman , and

14161-719: Was used on the Hull Docks . In 1896, an oil-engined railway locomotive was built for the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich , England, using an engine designed by Herbert Akroyd Stuart . It was not a diesel, because it used a hot-bulb engine (also known as a semi-diesel), but it was the precursor of the diesel. Rudolf Diesel considered using his engine for powering locomotives in his 1893 book Theorie und Konstruktion eines rationellen Wärmemotors zum Ersatz der Dampfmaschine und der heute bekannten Verbrennungsmotoren ( Theory and Construction of

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