Class 23

The British Rail Class 23 were a class of ten Type 2 Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotives built by the English Electric Company (EE) in 1959. The power unit used was a Napier Deltic T9-29 9-cylinder engine of 1,100 bhp (820 kW)  driving an EE generator, which powered the four traction motors. They were numbered from D5900 to D5909.undefined

The T9-29 diesel engine was a single, half-sized version of those used in the more powerful Class 55 'Deltic' locomotives, and the overall design and external appearance of the Class 23 was also similar to the Class 55, but much shorter, leading to their nickname of Baby Deltics.

Preservation
The only major component of a Baby Deltic to survive (apart from works plates) is Napier T9-29 engine No. 388 along with its main and auxiliary generators. It had been stored at Stratford TMD being retained as a spare for D5901 whilst it continued in service at the RTC. After D5901 was finally withdrawn the decision was taken to transfer the engine to the National Railway Museum in York. In 2001 the engine was purchased by the Baby Deltic Project and restored to operational condition in 2008.undefined The Baby Deltic Project purchased Class 37, 37372 into which the engine was temporarily fitted whilst undergoing running tests. undefined A photograph of the engine being started has been published in Rail Express magazine, undefined and videos of the event are available online. The T9-29 engine is currently in store at the Barrow Hill Roundhouse near Chesterfield (and not on public display) whilst the Baby Deltic Project completes modification work to the locomotive.

On 5 September 2010, the Baby Deltic Project announced its plans to recreate a replica of the class. This is being achieved by way of shortening 37372's body in three places and mounting it on Class 20 bogies.undefined The locomotive can be viewed in the Barrow Hill Roundhouse near Chesterfield where it currently undergoing the transformation from 37372 into D5910.

A book about the restoration of the sole-remaining 'Baby' Deltic engine has been published by The Baby Deltic Project undefined and is available through their website.undefined