The Class 52 “Western” – The Pride of the Diesel-Hydraulic Era! 💛🚂 Few locomotives capture the spirit of the Western Region quite like the Class 52 “Western”. Built between 1961 and 1964 at Swindon and Crewe Works, these magnificent diesel-hydraulics were the flagship express locomotives of the Great Western’s diesel age. Powered by two Maybach MD655 engines delivering a combined 2,700 horsepower, the Westerns were capable of speeds up to 90 mph, hauling prestigious trains such as the Bristoli