🚂 The British Rail Class 17 “Clayton” — A Diesel That Tried, But Never Quite Triumphed 🚂 Introduced in the early 1960s, the Class 17 was an ambitious attempt by British Rail to replace ageing steam shunters and mixed-traffic engines with a new generation of centre-cab diesel locomotives. Built by the Clayton Equipment Company and Beyer Peacock between 1962 and 1965, these distinctive machines were instantly recognisable by their low profile and central cab — designed to improve visibility for