Don't want to get all train-spotty anoraky here, but the Swiss firm of Brown-Boveri produced the world's first gas turbine locomotive during the Second World War !
A project was set up in Great Britian immediately after the end of the Second World War to fund the development of a gas turbine powered locomotive to find a alternative to steam and diesel traction. This was before nationalisation and the two companies jointly behind it were the Great Western Railway and Metropolitan Vickers.
The Swiss Locomotive Company produced their loco with a gas turbine built by Brown-Boveri in 1950. It was BR No 18000; one powered by a Metropolitan Vickers engine became 18100 delivered in 1952. The engine underwent testing and trials and went into mainline service on British Rail's Western Region.
There were problems and failures and BR 18000 was taken out of service in 1959:-)
Slashdot Mirror
Don't want to get all train-spotty anoraky here, but the Swiss firm of Brown-Boveri produced the world's first gas turbine locomotive during the Second World War ! A project was set up in Great Britian immediately after the end of the Second World War to fund the development of a gas turbine powered locomotive to find a alternative to steam and diesel traction. This was before nationalisation and the two companies jointly behind it were the Great Western Railway and Metropolitan Vickers. The Swiss Locomotive Company produced their loco with a gas turbine built by Brown-Boveri in 1950. It was BR No 18000; one powered by a Metropolitan Vickers engine became 18100 delivered in 1952. The engine underwent testing and trials and went into mainline service on British Rail's Western Region. There were problems and failures and BR 18000 was taken out of service in 1959 :-)