4-6-0 GT3 gas turbine prototype Profile and Models

GT3 (gas turbine number 3) was a prototype mainline gas turbine locomotive built in 1961 by English Electric at their Vulcan Foundry in Newton-le-Willows to investigate the use of its gas turbines in rail traction applications. It followed 18000 and 18100 as gas turbines 1 and 2. It was designed by English Electric engineer J. O. P. Hughes in a project that started in the early 1950s. Externally it resembled a steam tender locomotive, but the tender carried kerosene fuel. The designer said the traditional chassis and mechanical transmission avoided complications with (at the time of its conception) relatively untried technologies for bogies and electrical transmission. Despite returning favourable performances on longer runs requiring sustained power outputs, the prototype nature of the locomotive would have required further investigation and development into a configuration which would have matched the convenience of the new double ended diesel electric locomotives then being built. Neither English Electric or British Railways were prepared to fund this work. It was finally scrapped at Thos. W. Ward, Salford in February 1966 having been towed there, ironically, by a BR standard steam locomotive.

(Information provided via Wikipedia)

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