This was was the second such prototype loco, an earlier version, number 18000, had arrived in 1949, built by BBC/SLM. Both had been ordered by the pre-nationalisation Great Western Railway but construction was delayed due to WW2. Nevertheless both spent their working lives on former GWR tracks, operating express passenger services from London Paddington station.
Number 18100's gas turbine was rated at 3,000 horsepower (2,200 kW), it had a maximum speed of 90 mph (140 km/h) and weighed 129.5 tons. The design emphasis had been on power, rather than economy, and the fuel consumption was high. It was designed to use aviation kerosene and was much more expensive to run than No. 18000, which used heavy fuel oil. In 1958 it was withdrawn and convered into a 25 kV electric loco, denoted class 80.
Its livery would have suited Air NZ - black with a silver stripe around the middle of the body and silver numbers.
More specifications
Builder: Metropolitan-Vickers, Trafford ParkAxle arrangement: Co-Co
Wheel diameter 3 ft 8 in (1.118 metres)
Wheelbase 53 ft 0 in (16.15 m)
Length 66 ft 9 1⁄4 in (20.35 m)
Width: 9 ft 0 in (2.74 m)
Height: 12 ft 10 in (3.91 m)
Weight in service: 129.5 long tons (131.58 tonnes)
Generators: 3 x MetroVick
Traction motors: 6 x MetroVick
Tractive effort: 60,000 lbf (266.89 kN)
Train heating: Spanner steam generator
Train brakes: Vacuum
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