The ultimate British diesel locos, the fleet of 22 ‘Deltics’ were the mainstay of the East Coast Main Line from 1962 to 1981. Powered by two Napier Deltic 18 cylinder opposed piston diesel engines, an engine that also powered various naval vessels. These included the Royal Navy’s Hunt class minesweepers and the Norwegian built ‘Nasty’ class which saw US Navy service for covert operations during the Vietnam War. Six locos of the class have been preserved. The NRM has 55002 in it’s collection, so I was surprised to find the privately owned 55019 at York instead! She is seen on display in the ‘Route of the Flying Scotsman’ exhibition at the National Railway Museum, York. 09-1-2016

The following info on 55019 comes from the www.englishelectric.org.uk website:-

“55019 Royal Highland Fusilier entered service with British Rail (BR) in December 1961 and was based at Haymarket depot in Edinburgh. It was the last Deltic to be named, the ceremony being held at Glasgow Central station in September 1965. It was renumbered from D9019 in November 1973 and was one of only five members of the class to undergo the extensive Heavy General Repairs (HGR) overhaul at Doncaster works. 55019 worked its last train on 31st December 1981, hauling the Aberdeen-York service between Edinburgh and York. This was the final BR Deltic-hauled service train. The locomotive was withdrawn the same day due to it being surplus to requirements after over 20 years of active service. After withdrawal, 55019 was purchased for preservation in the same year by The Deltic Preservation Society (DPS) and moved to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway where it entered traffic almost immediately. Having been used for the last BR Deltic-hauled service train it was fitting for it to be used on the first Deltic-hauled train in preservation eight months later.