Heljan 1201

NER "ES1" No.1

Manufacturer catalogue image - please note that pre-release images may be CAD renders or CGI images rather than photographs

Prototype Era
Era 2 (1875 to 1922) Pre-grouping

Manufacturer description

In the early 20th century, the North Eastern Railway (NER) played a pioneering role in the development of electric traction for railway vehicles. In 1903/04 it converted its busy North Tyneside commuter lines to third-rail electric operation, accelerating services and providing a clean, quiet and fast alternative to competing tram routes.

As part of the work, the short freight branch from Trafalgar Yard in Manors, just north of Newcastle Central, to Quayside Yard was also electrified. This steeply-graded (1-in-27) line dropped 130ft to the quayside in less than one mile and featured deep cuttings and a claustrophobic tunnel situated on a sharp curve. Conditions for steam locomotive crews were extremely unpleasant with little or no ventilation in the tunnels to clear the acrid smoke from locomotives working flat out on the uphill trips.

To work the line, the NER ordered two steeple-cab electric locomotives, built by Brush and fitted with four British Thomson-Houston (BTH) 160hp traction motors. Designated ‘Electric Shunting Type 1’ or ‘ES1’, the two machines were given the NER numbers 1 and 2.Much of the line was electrified with a conductor rail due to limited clearances, but for safe operation in the yards at each end simple overhead catenary was installed with short changeover sections at each end of the branch. As a result, the ‘ES1s’ were initially fitted with elaborate bow collectors mounted on the bonnet at one end, but in 1908 these were replaced by more conventional diamond pattern pantographs on the cab roof. Third-rail collector shoes were placed at the outer ends of the shoe beams on each bogie, although these were later moved to the middle of the shoe beams.

Trains were generally propelled down the branch and hauled back up the hill with the ‘ES1s’ being limited to just 160 tons on the gradient. For 60 years, No.1 and No.2 – renumbered 6480/81 by the LNER in 1946 and 26500/501 by British Railways in May 1948 – plied their unglamorous trade out of the public eye.

However in the early-1960s they had a brief moment in the spotlight when both were repainted into NER style lined green with NER and BR crests on the cabsides.

By 1964, the widespread availability of diesel shunting locomotives had rendered electric operation and the ‘ES1s’ obsolete and they were withdrawn in September of that year.

Fortunately, 26500 was claimed for the National Collection and preserved as an example of early British non-steam traction. After many years at the National Railway Museum in York it currently resides closer to home at Locomotion in Shildon.

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