A Short History of 20 110

South Devon Diesel Traction, SDDT







D8110
D8110 Outshopped at Buckfastleigh 1992


Class Twenties, or English Electric type ones as they were then known were introduced by the British Railways Board In 1957. The First group was D8000 to D8128. The BRB then decided they preferred Clayton class 17s, so built a big batch of those. They were so unsuccessful that the decided to build another batch of 99 class twenties between 1965 & 67. These were numbered D8129 to D8199 & D8300 to D8329. They had detail differences such as roller blind route indicators instead of the steam style 'discs' and electronics were introduced into the power control circuits. Our two are from the earlier batch, chosen not least for there simplicity over the later ones.

Twenties were designed to work small pick up freight trains during the day and to be coupled in multiple to work longer faster freights at night. They also worked summer passenger trains, singly around the highlands and further a field in multiple. But were not supposed to do this in the winter as they had no means of train heating! They seemed the obvious choice for us back in 1991 as they are relatively small, light, powerful, reliable and back then there were plenty to choose from. Ideal for a small branchline like ours.






20 110 was originally numbered D8110 and built in January 1962 in English Electric's 'Robert Steven Hawthorn' Factory at Darlington. It was first allocated to Glasgow's Eastfield Depot and was consequently built with the automatic token catcher recesses in the cab sides and the bigger cab side windows that the West Highland line required at the time. 20 110 spent most of it's life around the Glasgow and Edinburgh depots until 1986 when it left Scotland for Sheffield's Tinsley Depot. It then went on to Immingham, Toton and finally Bescot where it finnished it's BR service on Ballast trains on the 14th September 1990.

We bought it in 1991 from Toton, though it had to go to MC metals in Glasgow to be certificated clear of asbestos before we were allowed to collect.

Since then 20 110 has done many hours on passsenger trains, works trains and shunting on the South Devon Railway, as well as visiting Laira open day in September 1991, the Bodmin and Wenford Railway in October 1992, the West Somerset Railway a year later and even a stint of engineering work on the Metropolitan Railway, working out of Ruislip Depot. It attended Exeter Railfair in May 1994 and The last outing to date was the Paignton & Dartmouth Railway gala in 1998.

20110 was repainted into the attractive 'Tinsley Green' Livery for the SDR 2003 Diesel Gala, to complete the transformation she was named "River Dart" and certainly looked splendid as she lead a re run of the famous "Three to the Sea" Railtour!




20110 Toton D8110 Bodmin
20 110 at Toton as bought! D8110 on a fitzgerald
lighting train near Bodmin
D8110 D8110 Watchet
D8110s restored cab D8110 leaves Watchet, West Somerset
20s 0n LUL D8110 Riverford
20s at Northwood Hills, LUL Metropolitan Line D8110 at Riverford Bridge,Staverton
Courtesy & © D.Lewis