Are the Brits Still making Freight diesels?

I know clearences are smaller in England, but I think GE's going to have to make them a little bigger!

Rusty

I have a friend over in the UK that's a train driver..I'll email him and post his reply. I think they still use hydro power quite a bit..like KM's  

Cool looking engines, but what's up with their link style coupling system? Wasn't this abandoned over here many decades ago? 

Surprisingly, the buffer-and chain coupling is still used all over Europe, particularly for freight. The buffers provide tension and a worker has to snug up the chain with a turnbuckle-like screw between the chain and the hook. The newer trend on some locomotives is a dual coupling system with the traditional chain and hook, but which can be folded out of the way and a modern automatic coupling can be put in place. There are now several varieties of "Multi Function Couplings" which combine an automatic latching coupler with fully-automatic connection of electrical and air lines, the German-designed Scharfenberg coupling is the most popular worldwide; it includes pneumatic operated latch/unlatch operation. It does get a little confusing!

>> a worker has to snug up the chain with a turnbuckle-like screw between the chain and the hook.

I would assume that there is a lot less switching and sorting of freight cars in Europe than in the US?  Are there any hump yards? 

Of course, in the US we still have to connect the air hoses manually, but that takes only seconds. 

All the "heavy haul" rock trains, i.e. the Foster Yeoman trains, have regular U.S. couplers. The stander British "hook & buffer" system simply will not stand up to the heavy loads. 

Screw couplings in England; this happens to be on a vintage railway.

Railways in NSW formerly used both English and American type couplers, requiring adaptors.

Bill, the shackle is fine as far as I can see. If you look closely you will see that the right hand side is the 'fixed' end of the shackle and is mounted in its own eye in the coupler hook. Have a look at the left-hand side coupling for more detail. 

It doesn't really take long to couple-up. Here is a video I made a couple of years ago of a very relaxed coupling operation. 

Well, somewhat safer than the 19th Century US Link & Pins - with no buffers!

Not to take anything away from the coupling info (which is interesting) but did we establish whether the English shops are still turning out diesel-electric or diesel-hydraulic locomotives?

Regretably we no longer manufacture much at all in the UK - just a few saucepans. Thanks to the ridiculous notion that 'privatisation' is good most of our railway manufacturing is from Germany (Siemens) 'Desiro' multiple units in the main with the Government supporting an unwanted Hitachi kit building plant in Newcastle for the equally unwanted Intercity express Train. Freight Diesels are either GM class 66's or now GE class 70's which catch fire on a fairly regular basis, otherwise Freight companies still also use former British Railways designed locomotives of classes 20 and 37 (Diesel) or classes 86, 90 and 92 (Electric) or class 73 - electro diesel (3rd rail traction with a 600hp diesel for shunting and local trip work.

The couplings pictured are between two 4 wheel coaches on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway and were photographed at Haven Street - their web site is worth a look too.

Only thanks to youtube have many of us North Americans ever had the opportunity to experience the sound (and smoke) of the English Electric diesel powered locomotives built by the various railway shops of Britain.  Too bad they are fading away.

Does the buffer-and chain coupling system offer any advantages over the regular US couplers? Also are the buffers partially or fully compressed when hooked together?

I have to take issue with the statement that privatisation of the UK railways is bad - it is hated by the railway staff but loved by the customers.  The purpose of railroads, like any other service, is to serve the customer, not the staff.

Passenger traffic has doubled since the demise of the UK nationalised railways from 1997 - even showing growth since the recession stated in 2008.  Freight seems to be holding its own too.

The Staggers Act in the USA has shown how removing obsolete state control, devised back in the days before the was any viable road competition. enables the RR companies to focus their energy where there is business to be done, instead of dissipating resources running unused services.

If state control is so wonderful, why is there no Juice train running regularly from Spain to northern Europe - it's cheaper by truck inspite of our road fuel and undersized trucks costing double the cost in the USA. European railways are inefficient and wholly out of date, commercially speaking.

Further, the only British diesel locomotives still in service were built by private companies, and designed back in the 1950s.  The various classes designed in-house by British railways have all fallen by the wayside, in spite of their relative modernity.