Sutton's Locomotive Workshop British Railways Sulzer Type 2 Operating Manual - page 4
modeller/collector and often forgotten early diesel aficionado. We have
worked to a specification, not to a price, and have endeavoured to reduce the
areas of compromise to a minimum. Yes, manufacturing costs have risen, but
not to the degree that the big manufacturers would have you believe. It’s the
profit expectation that causes the real pain your the pocket. By accepting a
much smaller margin (SLW has lower costs, no shareholders, no middlemen
and no big premises) and paying the going rate for what is an incredibly high
element of hand assembly, we have been amazed at what can be achieved by
investing in a world-class manufacturing set-up.
With a love of the mundane, the BR/Sulzer ‘Derby’ Type 2 was an obvious
starting point. One of those ‘bread and butter’ designs that led the way as
part of the well-documented Pilot Scheme it continued in production for a
decade resulting in a build total of 478 machines with an incredibly diverse
geographical spread. ‘Ugly ducklings’ they may have been (outside design
consultants said they wouldn’t even attempt to make a silk purse out of this
pig’s ear) but they heralded the difficult transition from steam to diesel.
Enjoy this model, released shortly after the 175th anniversary of the rail
industry in Derby, where the first locomotive of this type was designed and
built. Our first model also serves to mark the important role these particular
machines, and the men that built and operated them, played in the
modernisation of Britain’s railway.
Apart from an official contemporary report on the first locomotive, we
have refrained from providing a comprehensive history of the type. Such
background articles have been relatively commonplace and we leave the
excitement of research to the customer. A word of caution is, however, advised
with many newer books and magazines perpetuating inaccurate information.
A useful start can be made with
Sulzer Diesel Locomotives of British Rail
by Brian Webb, David & Charles, 1978 and
Sulzer Types 2 & 3
by
ATH Tayler,
Ian Allan, 1984. A visit to David Hill’s superb
Derby Sulzers
website at
www.derbysulzers.com
is also highly recommended.
Please support this bold venture into R-T-R model manufacturing, with its
radically different philosophy that flies in the face of current trends. We need
the support of
every one of you
to thrive in a crowded market dominated by
large multi-national and foreign concerns. Making a success of these first few
releases will ensure we can tackle even more projects. Please do not hesitate
(in fact we positively encourage you) to contact us with sensible suggestions
for future model variations and areas for improvement.
Philip Sutton King’s Cliffe, East Northamptonshire. December 2015.
SLW Class 24 Operating Manual
Page 7
Page 6
SLW Class 24 Operating Manual