Locos Of The Line: Class 20 'Choppers' - D8188 & D8059

Here at the Watercress Line we are fortunate enough to have two class 20s in service, so it's about time we did another 'Locos of the Line' episode with our operations manager Richard, where we give you a comprehensive tour around and inside the locomotive!
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[@juneyoung6357]

As a retired Driver, Driver-Instructor, and Traction Inspector this bought back many memories of the thousand of hours that I spent on Class 20s. At the depot that I was at (Frodingham) in the 1970s This class of loco was used singly on local trip pilots and banking duties and in multiple on train work. I well remember how one had to hang on tightly to your seat when doing 70 mph on the East Coast mainline. They were also used for shunting work in the Scunthorpe steelworks on jobs that were too heavy for Class 08 locos! For instance, pulling up to 100 wagons out of sidings and sorting out fitted wagons, cripples etc. They were generally very reliable locos, I can't ever remember having a complete failure with them. I had the odd occasion where one of the electrical jumper cables was wrongly wired and when coupled to another loco would work against each other, the cure for this was to swap the jumper cables over, this invariably cured the problem. Happy days!

[@robertwilloughby8050]

Didn't they have a minor problem with the speedometers? They used to run high, so you thought you were doing the top speed of 75mph, but you were probably doing something like 68 to 71mph.

[@DiD86]

Immingham men (my dad being one of them) preferred to run 20s cab to cab as having the heavier bonnet leading tended to smooth out rough tracks.

[@bryjan51]

Excellent commentary in layman's terms, and a very good orater👍👍.

[@746laurie]

Thanks for the informative walk around of the Class 20s. Travelled behind 20 118 on 27 August with my son whilst on a visit to my family in England. Two weeks later I was riding behind a 760mm gauge steam locomotive on the Sibiu-Agnita Railway near my home in Romania!

[@briangriffiths1285]

Ugly ducklings that were worked hard and had good reliability. That turbo whistle is unmistakable!

[@gregrudd6983]

Not compared to an ALCO DL-351 in NSWGR service. Now, there flogged.

[@ianjones4116]

Very entertaining, thank you. 'Napier Turbos ' never knew that . 😀👍

[@davidberlanny3308]

What a great video, very well explained. Well done.

[@andyknott8148]

"The characteristic whistle, love it or loath it". Love It. 1957 to still operating on the main line, superb work horse.

[@odenviking]

Thanks for a informative and intresting video about Class 20 diesel electric locos. 👍👍👍🇸🇪

[@kennethstretton5308]

loved the explanation reall insight into controls and what duties and hostory of the class 20s as i know them, would often see them double headed on the mgrs by Warrington

[@likklej8]

Thanks for the BR livery and the proper diesel numbers always saw them double headed on freight as a 60s train spotter.

[@AnthonyFurnival]

Very interesting - many thanks to Richard for such a comprehensive walkthrough.

[@SunshineArsenal]

My recently Favourte diesel locomotives ❤

[@thomasm1964]

Excellent walk-round!

[@carlbentley80]

A very interesting look at these magnificent workhorses.

[@Spookieham]

My favourite BR loco. Just something about the way they look.

[@kennethstill5945]

A very interesting video gents. As an apprentice with E.E.Co. from ‘55 till ‘60 assembling many bits and pieces of ancillary items shown in the video it was very pleasing to that they are still serviceable to this day! Good stuff from Preston works! Lots of items were interchangeable with other classes of their locos including on the engine components eg cylinder heads, pistons, valve gear, pressure switches etc etc. This also applied to the electrical control equipment too, which is very handy in preservation today. On the original drawings in the 1950s the classes were denoted as letters viz type 1s were class A & type 4s (class 40s) were class C. Watching this video brought a host of good teenage memories back, many thanks.

[@kennethhume8628]

This is possibly the best diesel video you have produced , top work .

[@keithpickering2840]

Great video thanks.

[@390h8er]

Interestingly, 20188 featured in the 1995 James Bond film ‘Goldeneye’ whilst disguised to resemble a Russian locomotive. Filming took place on the Nene Valley Railway.

[@maxheadroom7687]

Brilliant! Love the Class 20’s!👍🇦🇺🇬🇧😎

[@ralphgiles4754]

Wonderful class20......my favourite diesel. Brilliant loco and still going strong.

[@rayob9131]

That was a really excellent, comprehensive and clear explanation of this classic traction. Thanks for uploading it.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Thank you, this was most enjoyable to watch. A very similar locomotive can be found working on heritage lines in New Zealand, a reminder of the days when the UK exported locomotives around the world - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_DE_class_locomotive

[@johnd8892]

South Australia Railways 800 class also very similar but on 1600mm gauge.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@johnd8892 www.sdsmodels.com.au/800web.htm I can see the similarities.

[@brianfearn4246]

Absolutely fabulous

[@Shelfandtabletoplayouts00gauge]

These videos are fantastic, enthralling even. Thanks for sharing, tremendously clean engine by the way👍

[@johnbailey5616]

Yes brilliant video thanks.

[@rydermike33]

Many thanks for an excellent film. I've been waiting for a video like this for years, on my favourite loco of all.

[@RichardASK]

This video was excellent and I really enjoyed the tech, description. I visited the Watercress Line on 30th September, as you were preparing for your open day(weekend). I really enjoyed my trip, even though the weather really didn't play ball.

[@roba4297]

Excellent !!!

[@ianforfun1]

I enjoyed that, so much explained in a short time!

[@grahvis]

I have seen two Class 20s pulling the Royal Train at Aberystwyth.

[@stanleyclark7758]

An excellent video. Thank you for this detailed tour of these locomotives! 👍

[@tobys_transport_videos]

Great stuff as always, Will and friends! I look forward to your video each week and always learn something new about British Railways! The Class 20 along with the Class 08/09 rates as my favourite of the early BR diesels. Type 2 would be the Co-Bo (Class 28), Type 3 the Class 37, Type 4 the Class 47 and Class 50, Type 5; Class 58, Class 70 and Class 66 "Shed".

[@BritishRailwaysandSirens]

D8059 also featured in the ‘James May is still alive’ video on the DriveTribe channel

[@majorsprite3568]

i believe D8188 was also used as the locomotive in the bond film Goldeneye

[@PeteMcCrea]

Cracking video - thank you! When running in multiple do you have to set them up so they know which way they’re coupled? Usually they’re nose to nose, but if in the unlikely situation of nose to tail, how do you ensure they both work the right direction?

[@cholloway0046]

5k. Congratulaions!

[@quintoflyer]

travelled on one from Willesden loco to the lodge.

[@lzappa9109]

11/10! Again.

[@donsharpe5786]

Probably my favourite diesel.

[@Nine-Signs]

Off, On, Yes, More. Thus concludes your training on the controls of a class 20.

[@johnbrown9092]

😊Really interesting video. One question if working singly does the drivers seat spin or how can he see along the loco sides much like a steam loco. Forget it I now realise that the rear cab has two driving desks. 😅

[@duodetrenes]

Like 405. Wonderful video. Getting 😉

[@LeitoTrenes]

Brillant video. Likes Subscrito

[@wilberator9608]

Looks like an american switcher that was extruded through a british-loading-gauge-sized hole.

[@michaelbird3183]

I do like the class 20's. A question on the air pressure though why is it at 72.5 psi. What's wrong with 70psi or 75 psi? E.t.c.

[@BigPinkJohn]

Where the fire bottles on these changed to CO2 from BCF/Halon. I'm sure there used to be Halon when I worked on them in BR days?

[@ahahaha3505]

Halon fire extinguishers were banned because the suppression agent was one of the major culprits for damage to the ozone layer.

[@petersmith4455]

hi there. what a great video. love the 20s when i was on the underground we used them to move new stock around.how often do they get an engine service ? ie oil changes etc and tappet clearence checks,i take it the cooling system runs with an anti freeze mixture in. its a pity the class 15 and 16 were not as good more than likely due to clown activity on the drawing board, model wise the new bachmann 20 is top of the pops !

[@rich392117]

Thanks Peter. Maintenance is based on engine hours, as these locos will generally not do thousands of miles, but will be running for quite a time. We also take regular samples of the lubricating oil for analysis (this will indicate any issues in the power unit depending on its contents). The coolant does indeed have anti-freeze.

[@D8059PRODUCTIONS]

Trivia question time! Which class 20 was at the watercress line before the other? I know the answer but do you, reply to this if you know/have a guess!

[@jasonnicholas6357]

20188 you mean

[@donsharpe5786]

Didn't Ivatt of the LMS have a similar diesel in about 1946/7 as an experimental prototype.

[@MrStabby19812]

10800?

[@captainboing]

Wanted to see the headcode box mechanism 😢

[@thewatercressline]

No problem! Stay tuned and we'll include it in one of our videos!

[@captainboing]

@@thewatercressline Cheers guys. 🥰

[@SomersetTrainspotter]

U mean 20188 not 20118

[@chrisgreen8803]

Frodingham deltics 😂😆