British Rail Class 09

British Rail Class 09
09001 at Northam in 1989.
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder British Railways' Darlington Works, Horwich Works Build date 1959, 1961–1962 (09/0) Total produced 26 (09/0) Rebuild date 1992–1993 (09/1, 09/2) Number rebuilt 12 (7 09/1 + 5 09/2)
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 0-6-0DE  • UIC C Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Wheel diameter 4 ft 6 in (1.372 m) Minimum curve 3.5 chains (70.41 m) Wheelbase 11 ft 6 in (3.505 m) Length 29 ft 3 in (8.92 m) Width 8 ft 6 in (2.591 m) Height 12 ft 8+1⁄2 in (3.874 m) Loco weight 49 long tons (49.8 t; 54.9 short tons) Fuel capacity 668 imp gal (3,040 L; 802 US gal) Prime mover English Electric 6KT Generator DC English Electric 801 Traction motors 2 x English Electric 506 Transmission Diesel-electric, double reduction gearing Train heating None Train brakes originally Vacuum, later Dual, some now Air only
Performance figures Maximum speed 27.5 mph (44.3 km/h) Power output Engine: 350 hp (261 kW)[dubious – discuss] Tractive effort Maximum: 25,000 lbf (111.2 kN) Continuous: 8,800 lbf (39.1 kN)[dubious – discuss] Brakeforce 19 long tons-force (189 kN)
Career Operators British Rail Number in class 38 Numbers 09/0: D3665–D3671, D3719–D3721, D4099–D4114; later 09001–09026 09/1: 09101-09107 09/2: 09201-09205 Nicknames Gronk Supergronk[1] Axle load class RA 5 Withdrawn 1981–present Disposition 12 preserved, 25 still in service, 2 scrapped

The British Rail Class 09 is a class of 0-6-0 diesel locomotive designed primarily for shunting and short-distance freight trips along branch lines.^[2]

The 26 locos are nearly identical to the more numerous Class 08 shunting locomotives but have different gearing, giving a higher top speed of 27.5 mph (44 km/h) at the expense of a lower tractive effort. They were introduced from 1959 to 1962 and latterly operated in the Southern Region of British Railways, although some of the class were originally allocated to depots in the Midlands and North.^[3] Further locomotives were converted from Class 08 in 1992 and, following this and privatisation in 1997, the class has been distributed much further afield.