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The WR gas-turbine 18000 was withdrawn from service after covering around 400,000 miles. Firstly it was transferred to Rugby Locomotive Testing Station to act as a power supply vehicle. Then in 1965 it was returned to Brown Boveri and in the same year was transferred to Swiss Federal Railways and converted into a mobile laboratory. It became known as 'Test Machine 18000' with the unofficial name of 'Elizabetta' (Rather more charming than 'Kerosene Castle)
WR gas-turbine 18100 was withdrawn in 1958 and rebuilt as an A1A-A1A electric locomotive being used on the Styal loop for electric locomotive driver training.
GT-3 turned out to be unreliable and was withdrawn in 1961. It had a 4-6-0 wheel arrangement, one cab and a mechanical drive. Turntables were being abolished on BR around this time which also militated against GT-3 which of course had to be turned.
Whilst the maintenance cost of these locomotives was low the fuel consumption was high. A gas turbine really has to be operating at full speed to be efficient and this is rarely the case with traction duties.
It was said that the two WR gas-turbines acted as vacuum cleaners for all the stations and tunnels they passed through.
I have frequently pondered over how much power is lost by any gas turbine in sheer exhaust noise.
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