Based on the design of the DB V200 locos, British Railways at Swindon faced considerable problems in adapting the design to the British railway system as they had to accommodate the same engine and transmission within a much smaller loading gauge.. Hence the 'Warships' were notorious for their cramped space within the engine compartment which lead to many problems later in their lives.
They began their working lives almost exclusively on passenger trains as their low weight for braking hindered their use on loose - coupled freight trains. Confined mainly to the Paddington to Bristol and Paddington to Penzance routes, they were rarely seen north of Bristol until 1962