These were for installation in British Rail Class 42 and Class 52 locomotives which were themselves based on licensed German designs but with as much British-built content as possible.
The Western Region faced particularly stiff competition for its prime inter-city services in the mid to late 1970s from the M4 motorway and it was generally felt within BR that a significant speed and comfort increase on the prime Paddington-Bristol route were necessary.
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The Class 52s were never renumbered into their TOPS number series (52 xxx) and they became the last class of locomotives on BR not to carry a TOPS number.
The locomotive, Class 52 diesel-hydraulic number 1007 Western Talisman, had spent the previous night at Old Oak Common depot and had had its batteries recharged.
Earlier association with railway design was the external styling of British Railways Southern Region British Rail Class 71 electric locomotives of 1958 and Western Region British Rail Class 52 diesel locomotives of 1961.
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