BR Class 20 D8188
D8188 is a BR Class 20 Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotive, otherwise known as an English Electric Type 1. 228 of these locomotives were built between 1957 and 1968. Weighing 73 tonnes and delivering 1,000 horsepower, they were designed to work light mixed freight traffic at up to 75 mph. Members of the class are nicknamed “Choppers” because of the distinctive engine beat under load which resembles the sound of a helicopter.
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D8188 in service
D8188 was built by the English Electric Company’s Vulcan Foundry as Works No 3669 of 1966. It was allocated to Nottingham Division, entering service in January 1967 and remaining there until withdrawal from service in January 1990. The locomotive was renumbered to 20188 on 1 January 1973 under TOPS.[1]
D8188 in preservation
D8188 has had a number of different homes in preservation before arriving on the SVR in July 2007. It is owned by the Somerset & Dorset Loco Company, and as of May 2015 it is undergoing maintenance at Washwood Heath.[2]