Trevor Page

A Hunslet 0-6-0 Diesel hydraulic locomotive, Makers No. 7016, has been purchased privately and should be at Quainton by the time this issue is published. It was built in August 1971 for the National Coal Board, for use at Hem Heath Colliery, Staffordshire. It was fitted with BR two-line automatic air brakes for working coal trains prior to the full introduction of merry-go-round trains. By 1976 MGR operation had commenced and the loco was kept as a spare in the shed. In 1982 it was sent to Walkden workshops for an overhaul and then on to Bold Colliery at St. Helens, where it replaced the Austerity 0-6-0ST steam locomotives. The national coal strike then commenced and it was left in the shed. Rail traffic never resumed after the strike and all the stock, including 7016, was offered for sale in 1986. It was purchased by C F Booth Ltd. of Rotherham and moved there in March 1986. The locomotive is believed to be in good order, needing only a few small parts and re-commissioning after its long lay-off. Its oddometer shows it as having only covered 9,090 miles from new. It will be repainted in its Mid Brunswick green and be fitted with a vacuum exhauster, in addition to its current brake system. It is fitted throughout with roller bearings and has a tractive effort of37,350lbs.

Details are-
Built by Hunslet Engine Company Ltd. of Leeds.
Engine: Rolls Royce C8TFL 400hp, turbo-charged.
Transmission: Twin Disc CF 115 00 torque converter and Hunslet final drive mounted on the rear axle.
Weight: 55 tons (working order).
Wheelbase: 9ft 6ins.
Height: 11ft 6ins.
Length: 25ft Bins ( + buffers).
Max. speed: 16mph.
Fuel: 250 galls.
Wheel diameter: 3ft 9ins.

Notes:
The text in this Quainton Railway Society publication was written in 1987 and so does not reflect events in the 27+ years since publication. The text and photographs are repeated verbatim from the original publication, with only a few minor grammar changes but some clarifying notes are added if deemed necessary. The photos from the original publication are provided as scans in this internet version of this long out of print publication.

Reference:
A Powerful Diesel for Quainton - Quainton News No. 61 - Autumn / Winter 1986 / 87