A MEETING Room in Stafford might seem an innocuous place for the main line diesel revolution to begin, but it was in such a place in May 1947 that representatives from the English Electric Company met with counterparts from the LMS and discussed the next stage of travel in the UK.
For the LMS, the move towards diesel traction was one which it had long been a proponent of. It was a pioneer in the use of diesel engines for shunting but had long seen the benefits that might be brought to the main line. Diesels offered crews a cleaner working environment, without the hassle of long preparation times and with the capacity for increased daily mileage. But first, the theory had to be proven.
The agreement between the LMS and the English Electric Company was for the construction of two 1600hp locomotives which could potentially work in tandem to produce an output of 3200hp – more than enough to handle the formidable AngloScottish services, while also providing enough power for mixed services in other areas. The experiment was designed to give the widest possible operational scope.
The English Electric Company provided the diesel and electrical equipment, including the beating heart of the locomotive in thewas the LMS side which took overall responsibility for the project under the auspices of HG Ivatt, but the result was a true collaboration.
