Deltics Through the Lens

My first encounter with a production-series Deltic was in the spring of 1961, while

I was on an engine-spotting expedition at Doncaster. I must say that I was certainly

impressed. The Deltics were marvellous machines and worthy successors to the

iconic L.N.E.R. Pacifics, it’s a great pity that we can’t say the same for the Deltics’

successors.

For me the ultimate in rail travel was riding in Mark 2D stock hauled by a Deltic, in

my opinion the mark 2D stock was far superior to the Mark 2E, Mark 2F, Mark 3, and

Mark 4 which all came along later. However, we do have six production-series Deltics

preserved which gives us some consolation. Furthermore, early in the twenty-first

century the Deltic Preservation Society began the re-building of an English-Electric

“Type Three” (or class 37), into a “Baby Deltic” (class 23).

If this project is successful, and I can’t see any reason why it shouldn’t be, we will

also have an example of one of those, which will be very welcome.