BR Period Locomotives: lnwrbns_br1790

North British Paxman Diesel Electric 'Bo-Bo' No 10800 is seen about to depart the East End of Platform 1 with an up passenger working on 3rd March 1955. When new the livery was standard black with silver bogies and - prior to press demonstrations - a silver hood roof. After release from the North British Locomotive works in Glasgow No 10800 underwent testing in Scotland. After a few months the locomotive was initiaLLY allocated to British Railways London Midland Region (LMR) at Willesden and operated tests in the London area.

In March 1952 it was reallocated to Brighton from where it operated on the Victoria to Oxted line and various Central and South Eastern routes such as those between Victoria and London Bridge to East Grinstead and Tunbridge Wells to assess branch line operation. The Southern sojourn of 10800 ended in early 1955 when it was reallocated to Plaistow shed on Eastern Region for further testing, eventually being returned to the LMR and deployed from Rugby shed on such workings as Birmingham to Norwich line before being withdrawn from service in August 1959.

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