D5705 was delivered in December 1958, entering service from Derby. Following rebuilding the locomotive was transferred to Barrow in Furness in February 1962, before allocations shifted to Carlisle December 1966, initially at Upperby and Kingmoor from February 1968. D5705 was withdrawn in September 1968 from the 'Preston division' and then life for D5705 got interesting...
British Railways research division, the Railway Technical Centre (RTC) had developed from moves by the LMS towards more scientific approach to developing railway technology. To instrumented haul test trains the RTC needed a locomotive and preferably the same one so repeated tests would not be influenced by differing locomotive characteristics. Metro-vick Class 28 D5705, one of the final 12 examples withdrawn, was transferred to the RTC at Derby in December 1968, while the remaining class 28s were hauled away to Cashmores for recycling. Renumbered S15705 in February 1969 the locomotive was to become the principal power for the Tribometer Test Train which debuted in 1972. This train had been developed to investigate wheel/rail interaction to create a scientific knowledge base around factors of adhesion, wheel slip/slide events, braking performance and the effects of changing environmental conditions, eg. comparing adhesion in mid-summer to during leaf fall season.
D5705s service with the RTC lasted until November 1973, however the introduction of electrically heated and later air conditioned passenger coachesin the 1970s created a need for electric power to pre-heat trains while they were being prepared in carriage sidings. D5705 was adapted as a static train pre-heating generator unit in January 1975, numbered TDB968006 and allocated initially to Swansea and later Bristol. Retired as a train heating unit in 1977 as HSTs had replaced locomotive hauled stock the ex-locomotive was stored at Bristol Bath Road shed until 1980, then moved to Swindon works. Purchased for preservation D5705 moved initially to the Peak Rail Buxton site in 1986 where restoration began and is currently at the East Lancashire Railway where work continues. to return the locomotive to operation.
Specifications
- Designed from original works drawings
- Post-1961 flat screen version
- Next18 decoder socket
- Quality mechanism
- Directional lighting
- Accurately applied liveries down to minute detail differences
- NEM coupler pockets