D 306 at Wymondham Abbey station on Friday 4th of April 2014
It was a dull morning and the Wymondham station lights are still on. The train is being taken into to the run round loop, so as D336 can run round its train.
D306 has just ran round its train and is about to back on to its train at Wymondham Abbey station on Friday 4th of April 2014
This class 40 D306 was at the Nene Valley Railway for a number of years. It is now based at Washwood Heath
The English Electric Type 4 later the Class 40
English Electric got a order under the British Railways Modernisation Plan of 1955 for a match of ten 200 h.p locomotives, the first of which was delivered in 1958. 190 more were ordered after successful trails of the first ten. These were all to be built at the the English Electric's Vulcan Foundry but because the Deltics (class 55s) were also being built there at the same time, 20 of the order were built by Robert Stephenson Hawthorn at there Darlington works. D306 was one of these 20 engines.
The English Electric Type 4 as it was known when built is a 1Co-Co1 Diesel Electric. When the TOPS computer system was introduced the The English Electric Type 4 became class 40.
D 306 became Class 40 106 when the TOPS computer system was introduced. Even though most engines were painted in the new BR blue at there first overhaul 40106 kept its green colour and was used on rail tours in between its normal trains.
It was withdrawn in 1983 as it was vacuum braked only. It was purchased in 1984 by Mr G F Boden and was moved onto the Great Central Railway.
D 306 was named on 11th August 1984 "Atlantic Conveyor" in remembrance of the Cunard container ship that was sunk during the Falklands Campaign.
In February 1990 D306 was moved from the GCR to the Nene Valley Railway. it was one of the Nene Valleys main diesel locomotives and was always in tip top condition. It is now based at Washwood Heath.
The Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust
It was only around 1995 that The Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust started to restore this line between Dereham and Wymondham. It now has 17.5 miles of track (11.5 miles is in use) which when its is all in use, will be one of longer preserved railways in the UK. A lot of the other preserved railways had already had a twenty year start when they started.
Trains run now between Dereham and Wymondham. The next section from Dereham to County School is next. There is a even longer term aim to reach as far as Fakenham. The way they are going, they may well get there.
The Mid-Norfolk Railway's own web site is at
