British Rail Class 40

English Electric Type 4 British Rail Class 40
A Class 40 at Ayr.
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder English Electric at Vulcan Foundry (180) Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns (20) Build date 1958–1962 Total produced 200
Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC (1′Co)(Co1′)  • Commonwealth 1Co-Co1 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Wheel diameter Driving: 3 ft 9 in (1.143 m) Idling: 3 ft 0 in (0.914 m) Minimum curve 4.5 chains (91 m) Wheelbase 61 ft 3 in (18.67 m) Length 69 ft 6 in (21.18 m) Width 9 ft 0 in (2.74 m) Height 12 ft 10 in (3.91 m) Loco weight 133 long tons (135 t; 149 short tons) Fuel capacity 710 imp gal (3,200 L; 850 US gal) Prime mover English Electric 16SVT MkII Generator DC generator Traction motors DC traction motors Transmission Diesel-electric transmission MU working ★ Blue Star Train heating Steam Train brakes Vacuum; later Dual (Air & Vacuum)
Performance figures Maximum speed 90 mph (140 km/h) Power output Engine: 2,000 bhp (1,490 kW) At rail: 1,550 hp (1,160 kW) Tractive effort: ​  • Starting Maximum: 52,000 lbf (231 kN) at 21.1% adhesion  • Continuous Continuous 30,900 lbf (137 kN) at 18 mph (29 km/h) Brakeforce 51 long tons-force (508 kN)
Career Operators British Rail Numbers D200–D399, later 40 001–40 199 Nicknames Whistler Axle load class Route availability 6 Withdrawn 1967 (1), 1976-1988 Disposition Seven preserved, remainder scrapped

The British Rail Class 40 is a type of British railway diesel electric locomotive. A total of 200 were built by English Electric between 1958 and 1962. They were numbered D200-D399.^{[citation needed]} Despite their initial success, by the time the last examples were entering service they were already being replaced on some top-level duties by more powerful locomotives. As they were slowly relegated from express passenger uses, the type found work on secondary passenger and freight services where they worked for many years. The final locomotives ended regular service in 1985. The locomotives were commonly known as "Whistlers" because of the distinctive noise made by their turbochargers.^[1]