No. 26000 Tommy

No. 26000 Tommy
An illustrated history of the prototype ‘EM1’ Class locomotive

David Gosling

120 pages. 275x215mm. Printed on gloss art paper, perfect bound with laminated covers.

ISBN13 : 9781915069726

£18.00

Born in 1940 as LNER No. 6701 and then renumbered as No. 6000 in 1946, before becoming BR No. 26000 in 1952 and finally No. E26000, the first locomotive of what would be the ‘EM1’ Class has long held a special place in the hearts of Woodhead route enthusiasts. This book looks at all aspects of its construction, testing, working trials for several years in the Netherlands and then its years with BR on Britain’s first electric main line across the Pennines. No. 26000 was named Tommy in 1952 after returning from its time with Dutch Railways – the name affectionally bestowed on it whilst over there. Using construction pictures, plans and many newly published at work photographs, this book details the history of a locomotive that should have been preserved but which instead was sadly scrapped in 1972.

No. 26000 Tommy - Sample Images

A general three-quarters view of the bogies, now fully prepared for assembly to go under the locomotive body after final preparation and painting. Immediately to the right of the four traction motors is the earthing strap that earth’s the traction motor casing to the axle journal. In the background, the array of L&NER tenders are obscuring what looks to be a large Gresley 3-cylinder locomotive.

With a train of ten antiquated wooden-bodied coaches behind the hook, No. 6000 makes light work of its consist on the relatively level Dutch terrain as it runs past the large railway yards at Utrecht’s Central station on 22nd June 1948. As this view emphasises, NS were very short of rolling stock after the war. D.C. Gerdessen, NVBS Rail collection NL