Class 05 (Hunslet Engine Co. 204hp Diesel-Mechanical)

The Class 05 was yet another type of small shunter built for British Railways in the late 1950s (the Class 05 designation was shared with the Andrew Barclay DJ14 class of 0-6-0DM shunter [1]). This Class 05 (also known as the DJ13, D2/8, 2/15A, D2/9 and 2/15 at various times) was built in two distinct batches, the second batch being somewhat larger with deeper bufferbeams and larger cab windows [2].

However all were withdrawn in 1966-68 along with hundreds of other surplus to requirements shunters except a couple which went into departmental service.

Information
Number built: 120
Built: 1955-61
Builder: Hunslet Engine Co.
Engine: Gardner CLP 8L3 diesel
Power: 204 hp (152 kW)
Wheel arrangement: 0-6-0

One of these was sent to the Isle of Wight to run engineering trains on the newly electrified Island Line. It arrived in 1966 and became the last survivor of the class on BR metals (and indeed any Hunslet loco) serving until 1984 and gaining TOPS numbers. It was replaced by a Class 03 following gearbox problems - though has been preserved by the Isle of Wight Steam Railway [3]. Four Class 05s in total have been preserved [4].
Two views of D2587 preserved at the Heritage Shunters Trust, Rowsley South


[1] Brian Haresnape, Diesel Shunters (Ian Allan, 1984) p. 50
[2] Haresnape p. 48
[3] R.J. Maycock & R. Silsbury, The Isle of Wight Railways from 1923 Onwards (Oakwood Press, 2006) p. 256
[4] Heritage Shunters Trust Stock List p. 8