Wigan Album

what a monster of a loco the class 55 deltic is . sadley theres only 5 out of 6 running today but nice to see the piccy of them at wigan .

Very similar to a Deltic but possibly DP2 which made test runs on the WCML from its birthplace at Vulcan,Newton le Willows

This is DP2(Deltic Prototype 2)forerunner of the Deltics built for the east coast main line in the early 60s. I recall being hauled by this loco from Euston to Wigan when I was a young schoolboy!

Yes it is DP 2, but this was to test the engines/ motors that would eventually be used in the Class 50 diesel which were being built at the Vulcan foundry at Newton le Willows. The y worked the WCML from 1968 - 1974 when to whole route from Weaver Jct(Warrington) to Glasgow was completed.
They were transfered to the Western Region of BR to replace the non standard diesel hydraulics, from 1973 onwards.

It's good to know there are some enthusiasts out there who know a lot more than I do. I have a photo of the prototype Deltic loco, the one with the American type single headlamp, but I doubt if it will be accepted on here as it wasn't photographed in Wigan.

Research on DP2 (Type4) in photo: Damaged beyond repair after hitting derailed cement train at Thirsk 1967,taken to York, then 1968 taken to Newton-Le-Willows and scrapped; power unit used in D400(50050).

There is a photo of this on the site, here, at:

http://www.wiganworld.co.uk/communicate/mb_message.php?opt=f1&opt2=&msd=666780&offset=7840&subject=For%20Train%20Spotters

The entry at 16-32 on 6/6/11

This is a Deltic diesel locomotive of which only 22 were built in 1961, compared with 200 class 40s. A Deltic seen in Wigan would be a very rare appearance as the principal route they operated on was the east coast main line from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh.

This is DP2 - the Deltics didn't have a large bodyside radiator air intake as seen on this photo. It ws built to prove the traction equipment for the Class 50's and utilsed a Class 55 bodyshell as they had just been completed.