The Western Region of British Railways ( in view of post-World War II sensibilities ) negotiated a licence with German manufacturers to scale down the German Federal Railway 's `` V200 '' design to suit the smaller loading gauge of the British network , and to allow British manufacturers to construct the new design . The Western Region of British Railways negotiated a licence with German manufacturers to scale down the German Federal Railway 's `` V200 '' design to suit the smaller loading gauge of the British network , and to allow British manufacturers to construct the new design .