40H

The 40H on test at Bedford (Peter Excell)

Although the Simtran-powered S-Series locos had been made available earlier, the 40H was Motor Rail's first attempt at a locomotive with fully hydraulic transmission and was produced at a time when the company was under considerable pressure from its South African distributors for a narrow hydraulic model for use in mines. This hydrostatic design comprised a hydraulic pump connected to the engine and a hydraulic motor connected by roller chains to the wheels. The loco emerged from the works in 1966, although only one was ever built. 

It was fitted with 40 H.P. Dorman 4DA diesel No. AF 82564 and was built to 600-mm gauge (converted to 750-mm gauge before sale), weighing in at 3-Tons 19-cwt. It was sold in February 1967 for a tunnelling contract in Sweden via Carl Strom A.B. (MR agents of Stockholm, Sweden). The loco was employed by Nya Asfalt AB (New Asphalt Ltd.) in the construction of Stensjfallets Power Station, 120 km North West of Stersund. Nya Asfalt joined up with Svenka Vg A.B. (Swedish Road Ltd.) in 1982 to form Johnson Construction Company (J.C.C.) The loco was placed in storage at a J.C.C. storage site in Stockholm and is believed to have been scrapped.

Number Series (built 1966)

40H001