List of British Rail unbuilt locomotive classes facts for kids

Imagine designing a super cool train, giving it a special number, but then it never gets built! That's what happened with some locomotives in the UK. They were given special 'TOPS' class numbers, which are like unique IDs for trains, but for different reasons, these awesome designs never made it onto the tracks.

Diesel Locomotives: Designs That Never Rolled

Diesel locomotives are trains that use a diesel engine to power them. Over the years, many ideas for new diesel trains were proposed, but some never got built.

Small but Mighty: Type 1 Locomotives

Type 1 locomotives were designed for lighter duties, often shunting (moving wagons around yards) or pulling short trains.

The Unbuilt Class 18

• Class 18 – In the mid-1980s, there was a plan for a new Type 1 locomotive. This train would have had six wheels and an 800 horsepower engine. It was designed to go up to 50 miles per hour. The idea was similar to the Class 14 trains, which were also small but strong. However, no prototype of the Class 18 was ever built.

Powerful Haulers: Type 3 Locomotives

Type 3 locomotives were more powerful than Type 1s, often used for freight trains or passenger services on smaller lines.

The Class 38 That Became a Class 60

• Class 38 – In the 1980s, a new generation of Type 3 freight locomotives was planned. These were going to be called Class 38. But the plans changed, and instead of the Class 38, the Class 60 locomotives were chosen and built. The Class 60s became very successful freight trains.

Versatile Workhorses: Type 4 Locomotives

Type 4 locomotives were designed to be powerful and versatile, capable of pulling both passenger and heavy freight trains.

The Proposed Class 41 (Again!)

• Class 41 – The number Class 41 was used a few times for different train ideas. One idea in the early 1990s was for a version of the Class 60 locomotives. This proposed Class 41 would have had powerful 2,500 horsepower engines.

The Flexible Class 48 Proposal

• Class 48 – The Class 48 number was also used more than once. A proposal in the 1990s was for a new type of locomotive that could be used for different jobs. It could be set up for slower, heavy freight work or for faster passenger trains. The idea was to use parts and systems that were already proven to work well. This would save time and money on developing brand new technology.

Mighty Engines: Type 5 Locomotives

Type 5 locomotives were the most powerful diesel trains, designed for very heavy freight or high-speed passenger services.

The "Super Deltic" Class 51

• Class 51 – This was the planned name for a super powerful train called the "Super Deltic." It was meant to be an even better version of the famous Class 50 and Class 55 "Deltic" locomotives. These trains were known for their unique and powerful engines.

Coal Train Plans: Class 62

• Class 62 – In the early 1990s, there were plans for new Type 5 locomotives specifically for pulling heavy coal trains. These were given the projected classification of Class 62.

Liner Train Power: Class 65

• Class 65 – This was another powerful Type 5 locomotive planned for freight work. It was designed to have 4,000 horsepower. The idea was for it to pull "liner trains," which are long trains carrying containers.

Electro-Diesel Locomotives: Power from Both Worlds

Electro-diesel locomotives can run on both diesel power and electricity from overhead wires or a third rail. This makes them very flexible.

The "Super Electro-Diesel" Class 75

• Class 75 – This number was kept free for a possible "super electro-diesel" train. It would have been an advanced version of the existing Class 73 and Class 74 electro-diesel locomotives.

Electric Locomotives: Running on Wires

Electric locomotives get all their power from electricity, usually from overhead wires or a third rail.

The Electric Class 88 Proposal

• Class 88 – The first time the Class 88 number was used was for a proposed electric version of the Class 58 diesel locomotive. This electric train would have gotten its power from 25,000-volt AC electricity from overhead wires.

The InterCity 250 Project: Class 93

• Class 93 – This was a proposed electric locomotive that was part of a big project called InterCity 250. The idea was to have very fast trains running on the West Coast Main Line, a major railway route in the UK. The Class 93 would have been the powerful electric engine for these new trains.