class-14-teddy-bear

The BR Class 14 'Teddy Bear' was a series of 56 diesel-hydraulic 0-6-0 locomotives built by BR Swindon Works in 1964–65 for light trip and branch freight working — see the main BR Class 14 entry for the full design and service history. The Teddy Bear nickname derived from the small cab positioned high on the locomotive body, giving it an appealing rotund appearance unlike the more angular larger diesel types. Despite being well-regarded by crews for their performance, the Class 14 was made redundant almost immediately by Beeching-era freight rationalisation and was sold en masse to British Steel and National Coal Board collieries and steelworks, where several examples gave another decade or more of industrial service.

An exceptional twelve examples are preserved — by far the largest proportion of any BR diesel class to survive, thanks to their industrial second life giving time for preservation interest to develop before scrapping. See the BR Class 14 entry for full details.