Some other notable uses for a Maybach MD655...

• "FALCON" was not the only Brush prototype to be powered by a Maybach MD655 engine. The "HAWK" prototype (British Railways No.10800) was originally built in 1948 by the the North British Locomotive company using a Davey-Paxman 16 cylinder engine, but was purchased by Brush in 1962 and rebuilt with a single Maybach MD655 engine for experimental purposes.
• Despite Maybach being an established German company the only DB (Deutsche Bundesbahn) locomotive to be powered by MD655 engines was a Krauss Maffei built prototypical variant of the prolific V200 class (that inspired the British Railways/North British D8XX 'Warship' designs) introduced in 1958. In this case the twin engines were rated at a combined 3,000hp and allied with Mekydro K184 hydraulic transmission units on 6 axles. The prototype, classed as V300 and numbered ML3000 was, like "FALCON", overtaken by technology and the design was not propogated, even though DB eventually bought the locomotive from Krauss Maffei (just as British Rail had bought "FALCON" from Brush). In 1968 under the DB equivalent of TOPS, ML3000 became classed as 230 and renumbered to 230.001. The locomotive was withdrawn by DB in 1975 (the same year in which British Rail withdrew "FALCON" from service) and stored, but was later refurbished and sold to Italy in 1977; and then to France in the late 1980's where it was finally cut-up in 1998. Before being scrapped however, ML3000 was offered to several German preservation groups, none of whom, sadly, registered any interest in the unique machine. Despite the striking number of similarities between ML3000 and FALCON the temptation to refer to it as "Die deutsche Falke" should be resisted!
• Another twin MD655 prototype 3,000hp machine was built in Germany in 1962 and exported to the USSR. Designated G3000CC, and equipped with Voith L306 hydraulic transmissions (similar to those used on the North British built D6XX A1A-A1A 'Warships') on C-C bogies, little is known of it once behind the Iron Curtain.

Maybach MD655 photographs reproduced by kind permission of Paul Garvey & Brush Traction...

Construction commenced during December 1960 in the former turbine shop at the Falcon Works in Loughborough, [note] and was completed in September 1961. Carrying the running number D0280, derived from the Brush project number 280, on each cabside; "FALCON" was outshopped in a unique livery consisting of lime-green bodysides, cabs and roof, with mid-green bands along the top and bottom of the body, and (later) around the windows. A white Falcon-shaped silhouette was painted in the centre of each bodyside with the name, in black text, superimposed upon it, and the following legend was printed in white lettering beneath the motif...

A number of test and driver training runs took place before "FALCON" was handed over to British Railways. Initial tests were done on the short test track behind the Falcon Works, but more substantive tests involved running "FALCON" to Chinley and back; these runs, the last of which took place on September 27th 1961, involved "FALCON" running light to Derby where the coaching stock (mostly disused ex-LMS stock) was attached. The test route through Derbyshire to Chinley and back was a regular route used by Brush at this time, and which the doyen Brush Type 2 locomotive, No.D5500 was the first to be tested on. Chinley was probably used as the destination because of its triangular junction layout which enabled the train to be turned for the return journey to Derby.

On October 6th 1961 "FALCON" travelled to Doncaster Works for acceptance trials and pre-service testing. "FALCON" was officially handed over for testing on British Railways' Eastern Region on October 13th 1961 at Finsbury Park MPD (34G), and was accompanied by Brush engineers who would ride in the cab on each outing. By this time the two mid-green bands on the bodyside had been repainted chestnut brown, and the footholds below the doors, and on the front solebar, were picked out in orange.

After crew training, "FALCON"'s first revenue earning runs occurred on October 16th 1961 when it hauled the "Cambridge Buffet Express", this being the 06:52 1B66 King's Cross to Cambridge, the 10:50 return, the 13:05 King's Cross to Cambridge, and finally the 15:15 return. This was a Type 2 diagram, but presistent problems with Finsbury Park's Napier engined "Baby Deltics", and a shortage of Brush Type 2's led to other traction types having to be rostered, chiefly Brush Type 4's but also, allegedly (and with little supporting evidence), "LION", DP2 and even Deltics. Two days later "FALCON" appeared on the 08:15 1N62 King's Cross to Hull service, as far as Doncaster, returning at 13:35 with the 12:20 1E29 Hull to King's Cross.

A fire in one of the cab heaters, caused by a discarded hacksaw blade coming into contact with a live electrical circuit, necessitated a brief return to Loughborough. This incident happened while "FALCON" was working the 20:20 1A66 King's Cross to Edinburgh mail train. By October 27th 1961 "FALCON" had returned to the King's Cross to Hull 1N62/1E29 diagram, which it continued to haul until November 8th 1961, at which time it was transferred to the Great Eastern division, based at Stratford MPD (30A).

"FALCON"'s first working on the Great Eastern division was the 10:30 Liverpool Street to Norwich service. Once "FALCON" had arrived in East Anglia it hauled a number of freight turns between Norwich and Whitemoor Yard, March.

On December 17th 1961 "FALCON" was transferred to the Western Region, based at Swindon MPD (82C), to undertake testing on Lickey Incline and Dainton Bank with Swindon's new "Hawksworth" dynamometer car, The tests on the 1 in 37.7 Lickey incline took place over the two days of 6th and 7th February 1962, "FALCON" hauling 18 bogies and the dynamometer car totalling 638 tons. The tests were repeated several times in fairly quick succession then, again, with freight stock totalling 618 tons. British Railways standard Class 9F 2-10-0 steam engine No.92079 was on hand to act as a "banker" if required, but "FALCON" accelerated away from a standing start and picked up speed all the way to, over, and beyond the summit - the steam engine was not required! The dynamometer car recorded a tractive effort of 70,300 pounds on these tests which were repeated three times a day over the following days, with equal success. Further successful trials on Lickey involved mineral trains well in excess of the Incline's limit of 500 tons. A standing start test on an unspecified 1 in 90 gradient with just one engine running, and 457 tons trailing, was successfully completed with 26,000 pounds of tractive effort being recorded. Subsequent tests on level track saw "FALCON" attaining its maximum speed of 100mph hauling 273 tons, and 75mph with 600 tons.

During the following week "FALCON" made its way from Swindon to Plymouth faultlessly tackling the notorious Devon gradients west of Newton Abbott. On February 13th 1962, exactly one week following the first successful ascent of the Lickey Incline, "FALCON" was ready to tackle the 1 in 38 Dainton Bank with the dynamometer car attached once more, and 527 tons behind. These trials were performed in conjunction with similar trials performed at around the same time involving newly built British Railways Type 4 C-C diesel-hydraulic No.D1001 "WESTERN PATHFINDER". Both locomotives successfully completed the trials although precise results are unavailable. It is popularily believed that both Brush and British Railways engineers used the results of these trials to compare the relative performance of similarily engined diesel-electric and diesel-hydraulic locomotives.

Various other, equally satisfactory tests took place on the Western Region before "FALCON" was returned to Loughborough for a full inspection in March 1962.

One rather odd duty that was assigned to "FALCON" in December 1961 was to accompany newly built British Railways Type 4 "Western" No.D1000 to Paddington station for its official naming as "WESTERN ENTERPRISE" [note] . Accounts differ as to how this exercise was conducted: some reports have it that "FALCON" towed D1000 light engine from Didcot; others claim it was the other way round, and they were pulling the 06.55 ex-Cheltenham train. Quite why "FALCON" was involved in this exercise is not clear, possibly as "insurance" in case the newly outshopped "Western" failed (and it might have done so as it was back in Swindon Works on the 27th). [note]

Following the return to the Falcon Works after its trial period on the Western Region, D0280 was despatched to Sheffield Darnall MPD (41A) in April 1962. Two noticeable external changes had been made...

• The fitting of a cast aluminium Falcon crest and nameplate, replacing the previous painted version.
• A bracket had been fitted, centrally beneath the headcode panel, to allow a "MASTER CUTLER" headboard to be carried.

Throughout the Summer of 1962 "FALCON" worked on Eastern Region services, notably the "The Master Cutler" and "Sheffield Pullman", Sheffield Victoria to King's Cross diagrams. During this period "FALCON" was recording 3,200 miles per week with no reports of any technical problems being encountered. The principal diagram worked during this period is shown below...

• 1B20 07:20 Sheffield Victoria to King's Cross, the up "Master Cutler
• 1G60 11:20 King's Cross to Sheffield Victoria, the down "Sheffield Pullman"
• 1B21 15:20 Sheffield Victoria to King's Cross, the up "Sheffield Pullman"
• 1G61 19:20 King's Cross to Sheffield Victoria, the down "Master Cutler"

In the Autumn of 1962, "FALCON" was switched to freight duties, principally coal traffic, hauling two round trips a day between Langwith Junction and March or New England yards with loads up to 1,800 tons. Again, there are no reports of any problems with the prototype during this period.

1963 saw "FALCON" still based at Darnall, working on a variety of passenger diagrams, and by the end of the year had accumulated more than 125,000 miles in traffic. Much of "FALCON"'s reliability during its tenure on the Eastern Region can be attributed to two factors...

• A large proportion of the work undertaken, especially the passenger services, were lightly loaded diagrams designed for steam haulage, and consequently did not require the 2,800hp locomotive to be operated at, or close to, full power.
• Being officially designated as a test locomotive, and still owned by Brush, "FALCON" received an increased amount of inspection and attention (from both British Railways and Brush engineers), so that potential problems were identified and rectified much earlier than they might have been otherwise.

At the end of 1963 Brush decided that their prototype had been adequately tested and "FALCON" was recalled to Loughborough, its future uncertain at this time.

At the conclusion of testing and the subsequent recall from the Eastern Region, "FALCON" spent almost a year at the Falcon Works whilst a decision was made regarding its future. It was rumoured at one time that it was to be re-engined, and an article in the November 1964 edition of Modern Railways mentioned the possibility of replacing the twin Maybach engines with a single Paxman-Ventura engine. Such speculation probably originated outside Brush rather than from within. Not only would such work have been difficult to justify financially without a sponsor, but replacing the twin Maybach engines with any single engine would have presented a number of serious technical difficulties. Furthermore, production of Brush Type 4's was in full swing at the Falcon Works by this time, so space in the assembly shops for such major work as an almost total re-build would have been hard to find, and probably harder to justify.

Finally it was decided that the prototype was far from being life-expired, and British Railways and Brush came to an agreement whereby "FALCON" would be leased to British Railways at a cost of £8,750 per annum, with Brush being responsible for maintenance of the electrical equipment, and British Railways being responsible for non-electrical equipment. The agreement, which was to run for five years, was made subject to an annual mileage figure of at least 80,000; a figure that was only acheived once - in 1968.

The division of maintenance responsibilities led British Railways to decide that the best place for "FALCON" would be on the Western Region where Swindon Works and the region's major depots had experience of working with Maybach engines, gained from their association with the diesel-hydraulic "Warships" and "Westerns". It would also provide British Railways with a further opportunity to compare the performance of "FALCON" with that of the Western Region's diesel-hydraulic fleet. The agreement was signed on January 1st 1965 and was followed by Brush treating "FALCON" to a complete overhaul and renovation, which included repainting into a two-tone green livery; being still owned by Brush, the number D0280 was retained. This work, the last to be carried out by Brush upon their prototype, was completed towards the end of January 1965 at which time "FALCON" travelled south to Swindon.

After being equipped with the WR's AWS apparatus at Swindon, "FALCON" was despatched to Bristol Bath Road depot (82A) for crew training. Revenue-earning service commenced during February on Paddington-Bristol diagrams, which it shared with Type 4 diesel-hydraulics. These Type 4 diagrams were very different from those "FALCON" had worked on the Eastern region, and required high-speed operation with the twin MD655's pushed to their limit. It was not long before problems began to occur.

By early April the No.2 engine had twice failed due to a fractured water jacket; and following the second failure "FALCON" was returned to Swindon Works where it spent the next three months being overhauled - again. "FALCON" returned to service during August, by which time both engines, the boiler, the compressors, and the exhausters were overhauled; the tyres were turned, the springs had been reset, and the redundant water scoop removed. During September two more failures of the No.2 engine occurred; both times due to a cracked cylinder head. Worse was to come in December when three instances of a cracked cylinder head brought about engine failure. In 1965 only 29,400 miles were recorded - a long way short of the 80,000 written into the lease agreement signed at the start of the year.

1966 was a better year with 57,500 miles recorded - almost twice as many as in the previous year. However this was still well short of the target and there were 92 days lost service due to three visits to Swindon Works, the most serious resulting from a failure of the No.1 engine due to a fractured con-rod caused by water entering the No.3 cylinder. The improvement in mileage and availability during 1966 did not continue into 1967 when 144 days were lost. The most serious problem, burnt out controls on the boiler, accounting for over 60 of them, and just 46,000 miles were recorded. When in service "FALCON" was kept on Paddington-Bristol diagrams - probably to keep it in reasonable proximity to Swindon Works!

Availability and mileage were much improved during 1968. Total mileage was 90,400; not only well above the agreed level, but also higher than the 85,000 average acheived by the Class 42 & 43 'Warships' - the only time that such a result was attained. The only serious problem that occurred during this year was a failed turbocharger during December.

In late 1968, three spectres arose to threaten the future existence of "FALCON":

1. The lack of train air-braking preventing it from hauling the new MK.2 air braked stock.
2. The approaching end to the 5-year agreement between Brush and British Railways.
3. Early rumblings inside British Railways of 'standardisation'. Any prototype is, by definition, 'non-standard' and it seemed that "FALCON" would become an early casualty of British Railways' policy of running a locomotive fleet which conformed to laid-down standards of design and construction - the policy that resulted in the eradication of the WR's diesel-hydraulic fleet in the 1970's.

Two surprises were in store however. Firstly, British Rail decided to equip "FALCON" with air-brakes; and secondly, talks were held with Brush to purchase the locomotive outright, thereby ending the lease agreement, and any involvement by Brush in "FALCON"'s maintenance. A figure of £20,000 was agreed upon (this being the estimated scrap-value of the locomotive at that time). The air-braking conversion, plus a further overhaul was costed at £43,000, and it was not until April 1970 that the expenditure was authorised by British Rail management. Shortly after the purchasing and financial situations were resolved "FALCON" disappeared into Swindon Works once more, where it remained until December.

The fitting of air brakes necessitated the removal of the extant vacuum braking equipment, thus "FALCON" would become a solely air-braked locomotive, rather than dual-braked.

When "FALCON" emerged from Swindon Works - again, apart from now being an air-braked locomotive, a number of other changes were immediately evident:

1. Most obvious of all was the repainting into the ubiquitous standard British Rail monastral blue livery, complete with white double arrow British Rail logos, and full yellow ends wrapping round to the side window frames.
2. Now being British Rail owned it had been renumbered into capital stock as 1200. The "D" which had prefixed the numbers of diesel locomotives since 1957 had been rendered obsolete by 1970 and, contrary to some reports, the 1200 was never prefixed.
3. Under the TOPS system introduced in 1968, "FALCON" was now designated as the sole member of Class 53, and although 1200 carried a TOPS data panel, it was destined never to be re numbered as 53 001!

"FALCON" spent most of December 1970 and January 1971 performing a number of tests; mainly between Swindon and Old Oak Common and Didcot, but with some high speed testing on the line between Bristol and Taunton. In February 1971 another fire in the boiler control panel resulted in yet another lengthy visit to Swindon and it was May before 1200 was back in operational status, returning to its usual Paddington-Bristol diagrams. The Bristol Bath Road Turn 1 Diagram worked by "FALCON" from May 3rd 1971 can be seen by clicking here:

By July 1972 technology had, once more, caught up with "FALCON" in the shape of electrically heated, air-conditioned coaching stock, and this time there was to be no reprieve. "FALCON" had been built with steam heating capabilities only and the installation of ETH equipment was neither technically, or financially, viable. Consequently the troublesome Spanner MK3B boiler was isolated and "FALCON" was transferred to freight duties in South Wales, initially based at Cardiff Canton and working Newport Docks to Llanwern Steel Works duties. By 1973 "FALCON" had been transferred to Ebbw Junction depot, where it became a resident 'celebrity' machine, to spend the remainder of its working life on iron ore trains.

In late May/early June 1974 (noted on June 4th) "FALCON" made a sudden, and unexpected appearance at Loughborough Midland station - the first time it had been back there since early 1965. This surprised the station manager who didn't have a clue what he was supposed to do with it; and even more surprised were Brush themselves - who didn't know what they were supposed to do with it either! Transferring the machine into the works was not an available option as the entry tracks had been lifted some years earlier, so "FALCON" lay in the station sidings for a few days whilst the matter was sorted out, during which time rumours on its future became rife.

In the wake of the power crisis that plagued Britain during the winter of 1973-74, British Rail had devised a cunning plan to sell "FALCON" back to Brush for use as an emergency generator; however, it appears that nobody in BR had thought to consult Brush on the matter! Once the error had been realised (and Brush, presumably, had declined BR's kind offer!) "FALCON" returned to freight duties in South Wales.

When "FALCON" was withdrawn by BR during the Autumn of 1975, the Diesel Traction Group (the saviours of Class 52 'Western' D1015 WESTERN CHAMPION) attempted to save it for posterity. Despite offering a reasonable sum, the DTG's plan was thwarted due to an unusual clause in the contract that was drawn up when "FALCON" was purchased from Brush by BR in 1971. Brush believed that only they should profit from their prototype so, as a condition of the sale, Brush insisted that when BR had no further use for the locomotive it was to be cut-up; and not sold into preservation. The DTG approached Brush in a last ditch attempt to save "FALCON" but its builders were not interested. Coincidentally, the £5,125 that Cashmore's paid BR for "FALCON" was the same sum that the DTG had paid for D1015.

The end of "FALCON"'s working life came on October 5th 1975 when a traction motor bearing failed. After a few months stored at Ebbw Junction, it was sold to Newport scrap merchants Cashmore's for £5,125. "FALCON" arrived at Cashmore's yard on March 26th and was, apparently, reduced to scrap within a matter of days - thereby satisfying the wishes of its builders to have the locomotive scrapped rather than preserved.

A number of theories have abounded over the years as to what happened to the Maybach MD655 engines, but the most likely explanation is that they, like the rest of "FALCON", were 'recycled' as scrap metal.

Almost every account ever written on "FALCON" documents three different liveries carried during the prototype's life: lime-green and chestnut-brown, Brunswick-green and light-green, and finally, BR 'corporate' blue. However, there were, in fact four liveries.

The livery in which "FALCON" was initially outshopped consisted of a lime-green body with darker green bands along the top and bottom of the bodysides. This initial livery did not survive for long and was replaced before "FALCON"'s was put into service on the Eastern Region during October 1961.

The second livery varied from the first in respect to the upper and lower bodyside bands which became chestnut-brown; as did the window surrounds. A unique, additional touch were orange painted foot-holds on the lower front of the locomotive and below the doors. At a very late stage in the 'life' of this livery small yellow warning panels were added to the cab fronts, probably at Darnall MPD, but the only photograph I've found shows "FALCON" inside the Brush Works on June 25th 1964 - where it had been since the end of 1963.

When "FALCON" was leased to the Western Region in 1965 it was repainted into Brunswick green with pale-green bodyside bands and a, now statutory, yellow warning panel.

The final livery carried by "FALCON" was the standard BR blue, with full yellow ends, which was applied at Swindon Works in 1970. The number 1200, together with the TOPS data panel, were applied to diagonally opposite cabsides, and the BR arrow logo (the 2'6" version which was initially used on the first blue 47's) to the other diagonally opposite cabsides.

There are a couple of books containing worthwhile articles on FALCON:

• "Brush Diesel Locomotives 1940-78" by George Toms. Published by Turntable Publishing (1978), ISBN 0 902844 48 2.
• "Prototype Locomotives" by Robert Tufnell. Published by David and Charles (1985), ISBN 0 715383 97 3.

I am indebted to those persons who have, over the years, contributed information and material for this feature, or have simply written to express their interest in it.

Special thanks must go to George Toms, the author of Brush Diesel Locomotives 1940-78 and Brush Diesel & Electric Locomotives 1940-2008, for his time and patience in answering my innumerable questions regarding the development of "FALCON", and various other "FALCON"-related matters. Also, to David Rogers, for sharing his knowledge, photograph collection, and documentary material; and Paul Garvey for his Maybach photographs and information.

Last, and by no means least, to Brush Traction for the use of their photos and diagrams.