Prototype Gas Turbine locomotive ordered in 1946 by the Great Western Railway from Brown Boveri of Switzerland, but not delivered until 1949.
The locomotive spent its working life hauling express passenger trains from Paddington before being withdrawn in late 1960. The machine, as is perhaps inevitable with prototypes, proved neither reliable nor cheap to run. After withdrawal the locomotive was kept at Swindon Works for four years before being repatriated to mainland europe where the gas turbine was removed and the locomotive used as a testbed for experiments on rail-wheel interaction.
Once these experiments were concluded the locomotive was put on display in Vienna in 1975 and was eventually secured for preservation in the UK in the early 1990s initially being stored at Crewe.
Now that 18000 is at Didcot, a group is being formed to undertake conservation work and information displays. There is no realistic possibility of re-instating the original type of power unit, therefore, a different approach is to be taken. It is intended to work towards returning No 2 end cab - the more complete one - to original condition. Externally, some repairs are needed, to be followed by a repaint to the original livery of black and silver. Internally, there is a good deal of conservation to be undertaken. The intention is to use 18000 as the focal point of a display relating to the post WW2 business plan for the 1950s, published by the GWR under the title NEXT STATION, of which the new gas turbine electric locomotive was an important part.
Further research work is also being undertaken on and off site, our greatest wish is find an original sound recording ...
On arrival a photographic survey of the current condition of the locomotive was undertaken. Some of these photographs are available to view.
Click on any of the pictures on this page for a larger version.
| Wheel Arrangement | A1A-A1A |
| Traction Motors | 4 |
| Driving wheel diameter | 4 feet 0.25 inches |
| Tractive Effort | 31,500 pounds |
| Weight | 115 tons |
| Transmission | DC Generator and Traction Motors |
| Max Speed | 90 mph |
| Route Availability | |
| Power Class | BR Class 4 |