Please feel free to look around our site, and find out a bit more about 40118 and the work being done to restore it to its former glory.

Our news section will keep you up to date on developments.  It was last updated on  15 June 2008, and it normally updated at least weekly. 

New Addition - 3 newly added photos of 97408 (40118) in June 1985 (added 4 February 2007).  These can be accessed in the Early Days section - an archive of interesting bits and pieces on 40118 in BR days also added is a superb sound file of a class 40 on station duties (not 40118 unfortunately).  Again this can be accessed through the Early Days section.

Please see the 'What is a class 40?' section, in interactive guide to how a class 40 works.  It contains a 'clickable' diagram of a class 40, which links to data on different aspects of a class 40.  A new data sheet on class 40 Cam shafts has been added (30 October 2006)

A major update was launched on 4 September 2005, with all the 'old' photos being indexed by way of an interactive menu.  Click on the area of the locomotive that interests you, and you will be taken to restoration photos of that section.  This section is slowly being built, so please bear with us!

Mobile Phone Wallpaper can be downloaded here

Download your very own 40118 screen saver - two versions available

40118 screen saver with sound (2.02mb) or  40118 screen saver without sound (0.97mb)

2007 Calandar now available for free download as a PDF document!            

The 16 SVT Society

The 16 SVT Society is responsible for the restoration of 40118, and are based at Tyseley Locomotive Works in Birmingham.  The society works in association with D318 Ltd the owners of the locomotive.  New photos have been added to the  photo gallery detailing the restoration of this vintage vehicle (11 March 2007).

Brief History of 40118

40118 was also built at the factory of Robert Stephenson and Hawthorn in Darlington.  Most English Electric Type 4's (as Class 40's were originally known) were built at Vulcan Foundry in Newton le Willows, Lancashire.  However, in order to build the 22 production Deltics at Vulcan Foundry, construction of a batch of class 40's was moved to Darlington.   Of the RSH batch, it was the last to be withdrawn, outliving 40124 by over 2 years.

As with many of the class 40's, 40118 spent much of its life out of the public gaze hauling freight trains in and around the north and north west of England.   It was however a favourite with the Class 40 enthusiasts, working various passenger trains over a long career.

After first withdrawal from BR service, the loco was reinstated in 1985 (along with 40012, 40060 and 40135) for the Crewe station remodelling work. The engine carried a new departmental number of 97408 and was officially allocated to BR Headquarters. It was withdrawn in September 1985, only to be reinstated once more - in November 1985. It remained in traffic until 26th February 1986 when, after 25 years and one day, it was finally withdrawn from traffic.

Final withdrawal from BR was due to two major faults: a seized cam-follower, causing a damaged camshaft, and a collapsed bearing on number 5 traction motor.  The motor armature had seized, totally destroying the gear wheel on the axle. The pinion cog on the armature was then cut off by BR to enable the engine to remain in traffic on reduced power.

Poor storage between withdrawal and purchase also resulted in damage to the engine block. The coolant had not been drained and this froze, punching a six-inch by six-inch hole in the free end of the block.

40118 was purchased on 22nd September 1988, and moved by rail from Leicester fuel point to Tyseley on 31st October & 1st November 1988.

Contact Information

Society Officers   

Chairman & Managing Director of D318 Ltd - Tim Way

Society Secretary - Colin Frew

Postal address

16 SVT Society, 109 Green Lanes, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B73 5JH

E-mail

General Information: Society Secretary
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