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Specifications
Specifications
Configuration:;
• Whyte	0-6-0DE
• UIC	C
Gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Wheel diameter	97650: 3 ft 2+1⁄2 in (0.978 m); 97651-97654: 3 ft 4 in (1.016 m)
Length	24 ft 8+1⁄2 in (7.53 m)
Width	8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)
Height	11 ft 0 in (3.35 m)
Loco weight	97650: 28 long tons (28 t; 31 short tons); 97651-97654: 30 long tons (30 t)
Prime mover	Ruston 6VPHL
RPM range	1,250 rpm (max)
Generator	BTH RTB6034
Traction motors	BTH RTA5041 (nose-suspended), 1 off
Loco brake	Straight air
Train brakes	97650: none, later vacuum; 97651–97654: vacuum

Type and origin
Type and origin
Power type	Diesel-electric
Builder	Ruston & Hornsby
Serial number	312990, 431758–431761
Build date	1953 (650), 1959 (651-654)
Total produced	5

British Rail class 97/6
British Rail class 97/6
	97651 at Radyr in August 1982.
Power type
Type and origin
Power type	Diesel-electric
Builder	Ruston & Hornsby
Serial number	312990, 431758–431761
Build date	1953 (650), 1959 (651-654)
Total produced	5
Configuration:;
Specifications
Configuration:;
• Whyte	0-6-0DE
• UIC	C
Gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Wheel diameter	97650: 3 ft 2+1⁄2 in (0.978 m); 97651-97654: 3 ft 4 in (1.016 m)
Length	24 ft 8+1⁄2 in (7.53 m)
Width	8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)
Height	11 ft 0 in (3.35 m)
Loco weight	97650: 28 long tons (28 t; 31 short tons); 97651-97654: 30 long tons (30 t)
Prime mover	Ruston 6VPHL
RPM range	1,250 rpm (max)
Generator	BTH RTB6034
Traction motors	BTH RTA5041 (nose-suspended), 1 off
Loco brake	Straight air
Train brakes	97650: none, later vacuum; 97651–97654: vacuum
Maximum speed
Performance figures
Maximum speed	20 mph (32 km/h)
Power output	165 hp (123 kW)
Tractive effort	17,000 lbf (75.6 kN)
Operators
Career
Operators	British Railways’ Western Region Chief Civil Engineer's department
Numbers	PWM 650–654 later 97650–97654
Axle load class	RA 1
Disposition	3 preserved, 2 scrapped

The British Rail Class 97/6 0-6-0 diesel shunting locomotives were purpose-built for departmental duties by Ruston & Hornsby at Lincoln in 1953 (97650) or 1959 (97651-654). There are minor technical differences between 97650 and the 1959 batch.

This class of five locomotives is outwardly similar to the Class 04 diesels built around the same time, but internally they are quite different. The Class 97/6 is diesel-electric, while the Class 04 is diesel-mechanical.

The Class 97/6 is related to the older British Rail Class D1/3, which was a 0-4-0 diesel-mechanical version of the Ruston & Hornsby 165DE.

Overview

The fleet was originally numbered PWM650-654 in the Western Region Permanent Way Machines series, hence were commonly referred to as the “PWM shunters” or simply “PWMs”.^[1] Between 1979 and 1981 they were renumbered as Class 97 locomotives. Originally painted in BR Green livery, this was later superseded by BR Blue and finally Civil Engineering Yellow. They were employed at various locations, including Reading West (97650/653/654), Gloucester / Cardiff Canton / Radyr (97651) and Plymouth Laira (97652).

Specification

Diesel engine: Ruston 6VPH of 165 bhp (123 kW) at 1,250 rpm
Transmission: Electric,
- Main generator: 1 x British Thomson-Houston RTB6034
- Traction motor: 1 x British Thomson-Houston RTA5041 (nose-suspended)
Driving wheel diameter,
- 97650: 3 ft 2½in (978 mm)
- 97651-654: 3 ft 4in (1,016 mm)
Weight,
- 97650: 28 tons (29 tonnes)
- 97651-654: 30 tons (31 tonnes)
Maximum tractive effort: 17,000 lb (75 kN)
Maximum speed: 20 mph (32 km/h)
Brake type: Straight air on locomotive, automatic vacuum for train

A notable feature of this class is that the electric traction motor can be disengaged from the wheels. This allows the locomotive to be hauled by another locomotive at speeds above 20 mph.

Withdrawal

With the privatisation of British Rail in the mid-1990s, these locomotives were largely made redundant. Three locomotives had already been withdrawn from traffic, and only nos. 97651 and 97654 survived long enough to pass into English Welsh & Scottish (EWS) ownership. Number 97654 was sold to an infrastructure company based in Edinburgh, and remained in use until 2005, when it was preserved. Number 97651 was one of the first locomotives sold by EWS into preservation.

Preservation

Three of the five locomotives have been preserved on heritage railways.

Incomplete remains of 97653 were stored at the former Ministry of Defence depot at Long Marston, Warwickshire until taken to Hurst's, Andover for scrap in August 2011.^[2]

Fleet details

Key:	Preserved	Scrapped

Number(s)		Built	Final livery	Withdrawn	Disposal
97650	PWM650	1953	BR Blue	1987	Preserved
97651	PWM651	1959	CE Yellow	1996	Preserved - Swindon and Cricklade Railway
97652	PWM652	1959	CE Yellow	1987	Scrapped (1990)
97653	PWM653	1959	CE Yellow	1993	Scrapped (2011)
97654	PWM654	1959	CE Yellow	2005	Preserved

References

^ Booth, A. J. (1992). The PWM's: A History of the BR Western Region class 97/6 Departmental Shunters. Bridlington: Industrial Railway Society. ISBN 0901096741.
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Sources

ABC British Railways Locomotives: Combined Volume, Winter 1962/3. London: Ian Allan. 1962. p. 238. ISBN 0711014361.
Greaves, Simon; Greengrass, Robert, eds. (1998). Locomotive Datafile. Metro Enterprises. p. 99. ISBN 094777310X.