British Rail Class 06


The British Rail Class 06 is a class of 0-4-0 diesel-mechanical shunters built by Andrew Barclay Sons and Company from 1958 to 1960 for use on the Scottish Region of British Railways. They were originally numbered D2410–D2444 and later given the TOPS numbers 06 001–06 010.

Technical details

Engine is a Gardner 8-cylinder 4 stroke "8L3" connected to a Wilson-Drewry CA5 5-speed epicyclic gearbox with Vulcan-Sinclair type 23 fluid coupling and a Wiseman type 15 RLGB gearbox.
While all technically similar, the locomotives had two different designs for the back of the cab, the first 15 locomotives having three windows, the remaining 20, having two.

Numbering

They were originally numbered D2410–D2444. The ten still in service in January 1973, nos. D2413/14/20–23/26/37/40/44, were given the TOPS numbers 06 001–06 010.
D-numberTOPS NumberAllocation in February 1977 ImageStatusNotes
D2410WithdrawnScrapped
D2411WithdrawnScrapped
D2412WithdrawnScrapped
D241306 001WithdrawnScrapped
D241406 002DTScrapped
D2415WithdrawnScrapped
D2416WithdrawnScrapped
D2417WithdrawnScrapped
D2418WithdrawnScrapped
D2419WithdrawnScrapped
D242006 003EDPreservedFor a considerable time, at Eastfield depot, carried the number 206 003
D242106 004DEScrapped
D242206 005DEScrapped
D242306 006ABScrapped
D2424WithdrawnScrapped
D2425WithdrawnScrapped
D242606 007DTScrapped
D2427WithdrawnScrapped
D2428WithdrawnScrapped
D2429WithdrawnScrapped
D2430WithdrawnScrapped
D2431WithdrawnScrapped
D2432WithdrawnUnknownExported to Italy in 1977, fate unknown.
D2433WithdrawnScrapped
D2434WithdrawnScrapped
D2435WithdrawnScrapped
D2436WithdrawnScrapped
D243706 008DTScrapped
D2438WithdrawnScrapped
D2439WithdrawnScrapped
D244006 009WithdrawnScrapped
D2441WithdrawnScrapped
D2442WithdrawnScrapped
D2443WithdrawnScrapped
D244406 010WithdrawnScrapped

Withdrawal

With a decline in shunting, BR was forced to reduce its shunter fleet in the 1960s and 70s, resulting in mass withdrawals. The first class 06 locomotive to be withdrawn was D2441 in March 1967 and the last was 06 002 in September 1981.
YearQuantity in
service at
start of year		Quantity
withdrawn		Locomotive numbersNotes
1967351D2441
1968349D2411–2/15/17–8/25/28/30/32D2432 sold into industrial use
19692552410/19/27/29/34
1970200–
19712042431/35–6/39
19721662416/24/33/38/42–3
1973–4100–
197510206 009/010
19768106 001
19777106 007
197860–
19796106 004
19805306 005–006/008
19812206 002/00306 003 went into departmental use, now preserved.

Preservation

A single locomotive survives, number 06 003. It was the second last locomotive of the class in service when it was withdrawn in February 1981. It was transferred to the departmental fleet following withdrawal and renumbered 97 804, and used at the Reading Signal Works where it replaced 97 020. After being withdrawn again in 1984, it was sold to Booth's scrapyard in Rotherham before being saved for preservation by the local South Yorkshire Railway based at Meadowhall in Sheffield. Later owned by HNRC and visited several locations before been stored at the Museum of Science and Industry, Liverpool Road, Manchester, and in 2013 was moved into the Heritage Shunters Trust's Collection at Peak Rail, Rowsley.
One locomotive, D2432, was sold to P. Wood Shipbreakers of Queenborough, Kent in 1969. It was exported to Italy in 1977, but its subsequent fate is unrecorded.

Model Railways

In 1963 Hornby Railways launched its first version of the BR Class 06 in OO gauge. Since 2011 Hornby have produced a basic representation of the prototype as part of their Railroad range in BR Blue, whilst past examples have carried a variety of liveries.
An etched brass kit of the 06 is in the range of Judith Edge Kits.