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RAILWAY OPERATING DEPARTMENT

 
     
 

THE CLASS 47 CONNECTION

 
     
  1962 was a year of change and innovation. November saw the withdrawal of Britain's final express steam locomotive design - 71000 "Duke of Gloucester" but while the October crisis over Cuba brought the world to the edge of thermonuclear war, it did lead to a hotline being set up between the two superpowers to try and avoid such a predicament happening again.

On an even more positive note the potentially hypersonic Bristol 188 research aircraft flew for the first time and the governments of France and Britain agreed to build a supersonic airliner. John Glenn also became the first American to orbit the Earth; "Dr No", the first James Bond film, was released; Liverpool offered the World a television police show called Z Cars and a pop group called The Beatles who released their first single - "Love Me Do". And on a November day in Loughborough, a British railway icon first rolled out of the Falcon Works of Brush.

 
     
  Brush Type 4 Co-Co 47 002 waits at Chester with excursion stock from Gloucester and Cheltenham on 12 May 1979  
     
 

Brush Type 4 Co-Co 47 002 waits at Chester with excursion stock from Gloucester and Cheltenham on 12 May 1979

 
     
  It carried the number D1500 and was a Type 4 diesel electric locomotive with a Co-Co wheel arrangement and flat ends with two panel windscreens. It was not the first locomotive of this specification built by Brush. The unique D 0280 "Falcon" had been outshopped in September 1961.

Nor was it the first production diesel electric locomotive in British Railway's Type 4 ( 2 000 - 2 750 bhp ) power range. English Electric's D 200 series ( later Class 40 ) had entered service as far back as 1958 and British Railway's own Derby Workshops had completed its first "Peak" a year later. Like the English Electric 16 SVT prime mover inside the D200s, the 12 cylinder twin bank Sulzer 12LDA28A power plant of the original ten Peaks also had a long history of reliable work abroad.

 
     
 

Bulleid designed 10202 - built at Ashford in 1951 - rests at Stewarts Lane depot, London, on 5 September 1952

 
     
  Bulleid designed 10202 - built at Ashford in 1951 - rests at Stewarts Lane depot, London, on 5 September 1952  
     
  Indeed, both the Class 40s and the Peaks shared the same heavy, robust construction and 1Co-Co1 wheel arrangement of three English Electric engined locomotives designed by O.V.S. Bulleid of the Southern Railway. In stylistic terms too, the three Bulleid locomotives of the early British Railways ( 10201, 10202 and 10203 ), the Class 40s and the Peaks all assumed that cab corridor connections would be essential to allow train crew to move from one locomotive to another whilst two or more were running in multiple unit - a feature that was rarely used in practice. Both the Peaks and Class 40s - like all the English Electric dual cab bogie diesel designs built for British Railways up to 1967 - also featured nose ends derived from 1940s American practice.  
     
 

English Electric Type 4 D305 acclerates the seven carriage 15.55 Manchester service from Platform 6 of Birmingham New Street station on 17 May 1961

 
     
 

English Electric Type 4 D305 acclerates the seven carriage 15.55 Manchester service from Platform 6 of Birmingham New Street station on 17 May 1961

 
     
  .But D1500 - with its stressed skin construction, uncluttered by bodyside grilles and single Sulzer powerplant - did mark the first of 512 locomotives built both by Brush and British Railways workshops in Crewe. In a career of over four decades,they would look smart carrying a rainbow of liveries to every part of the British Railways network and be as useful at the head of a named express as at the front end of a humble ballast train.  
     
  INVENTING AN ICON  
     
  By 1960, five years after the publication of British Railways Modernisation Plan that called for the replacement of steam traction, none of the pilot classes of diesel electric locomotive in the Type 4 power band already built were considered powerful enough for future express passenger traffic needs.

Or as Mr G.F. Fiennes of British Railway's Eastern Region Board put it: "The policy of building diesels of 2 000 hp lies in ruins around us. Nothing less than well over 3 000 hp under the bonnet will do."

 
     
 

English Electric 3 300 bhp Type 5 Co-Cos D9000 "Royal Scots Grey", D9016 "Gordon Highlander" and 55 015 "Tulyar" at Horton Road for Gloucester Rail Day 1991

 
     
 

English Electric 3 300 bhp Type 5 Co-Cos D9000 "Royal Scots Grey", D9016 "Gordon Highlander" and 55 015 "Tulyar" at Horton Road for Gloucester Rail Day 1991

 
     
  Possible avenues of development included the Napier Deltic engine as fitted to the blue and white English Electric "Deltic" Co-Co. Although a pair of Deltic prime movers - first installed in naval patrol boats - had made "Deltic" the most powerful single bodied diesel electric locomotive in the World in 1955 - and would later be fitted to Class 55 on Eastern Region - the quick running Napier powerplants were complicated and expensive to build and maintain.

Pairs of lightweight, quick running Maybach engines were also being lowered into Western Region diesel hydraulics as Swindon works adapted German designs. Built under licence by Bristol Siddeley, these could produce 2 200 bhp inside the stressed skin D800 series "Warship" locomotives which only weighed 79 tons. In contrast a Peak of what would become Class 45 produced 2 500 bhp from its single Sulzer 12LDA 28B engine but tipped the scales at 138 tons. However, not only were the D800s to prove top heavy - and in need of a complete redesign of their B-B bogies as a result - but most of British industry was orientated toward diesel electric traction.

 
     
 

W.G. Drewett took this August 1962 shot of D856 "Trojan" at Swindon, about to leave for London Paddington. The diamond shaped North British Locomotive plate is visible below the BR emblem and nameplate and just to the right of the 20 mph sign. Only outshopped from Glasgow in November 1961 with works number 27985, it was originally allocated to Plymouth Laira depot. It was to be withdrawn from Newton Abbot in May 1971 and cut up at Swindon works the following January.

 
     
  W.G. Drewett took this August 1962 shot of D856 "Trojan" at Swindon, about to leave for London Paddington. The diamond shaped North British Locomotive plate is visible below the BR emblem and nameplate and just to the right of the 20 mph sign. Only outshopped from Glasgow in November 1961 with works number 27985, it was originally allocated to Plymouth Laira depot. It was to be withdrawn from Newton Abbot in May 1971 and cut up at Swindon works the following January.  
     
  Indeed, both the D800 Warships - and later C-C bogied D1000 Westerns - were later to prove that the compact lightweight construction offered by stressed skin techniques could be a double edged sword. Unlike the Peaks - with all loads carried by a heavy chassis and enough wheels on each bogie to successfully brake long trains of unfitted goods wagons - the Swindon built diesel hydraulics anticipated an era when all trains would have continuous brakes. They could therefore be built using monocoque principles in which the side walls and roof of the locomotive could carry deadweight, buffing and drawing loads as well as the floor above the bogies. However, the "Warships" began to be withdrawn after 1968 and were never fitted with the air brakes that were replacing the older vacuum system on the most modern rolling stock. Similarly, although the larger - and flat rather than curved fronted - Westerns were fitted with air brakes and survived into the late 1970s they were unable to supply electric rather than steam heat for train carriages. The Bristol Siddelely Maybach engines were already at full stretch with traction demands and there was no room inside the body shell to fit a separate diesel motor to generate the necessary current.

Although able to limp home on one engine in the event of another failing in traffic, using two prime movers in one body -as was the case with Deltics, Warships and Westerns - also added to the cost and complexity of maintenance. Although incorporating stressed skin construction to combine lightness with strength, the more common electric rather than hydraulic transmission and visionary cab styling, Brush's D0280 "Falcon" of 1961 was also to be limited to one example by the inclusion of two Western type Bristol Siddelely Maybach engines.

 
     
 

D0280 Falcon newly outshopped by Brush at Finsbury Park on 13 October 1961

 
     
  D0280 Falcon newly outshopped by Brush at Finsbury Park on 13 October 1961  
     
  However, an single engine in such a locomotive carapace had possibilities for development and Brush, English Electric and the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company were to respond to British Railways requirements for a large fleet of 2 700 bhp Co-Co diesel electrics with an axle loading of 19 tons.  
     
 

DP2 was captured on an overcast day in 1965 at Marylebone by Andy Peckham. The 105 ton 2 700 bhp diesel electric was powered by an English Electric 16 cylinder 16CSVT prime mover, offering 50 000 of tractive effort through 3' 6" diameter wheels. Following the Thirst accident of 31 July 1967 it was returned to its makers.

 
     
  DP2 was captured on an overcast day in 1965 at Marylebone by Andy Peckham. The 105 ton 2 700 bhp diesel electric was powered by an English Electric 16 cylinder 16CSVT prime mover, offering 50 000 of tractive effort through 3' 6" diameter wheels. Following the Thirst accident of 31 July 1967 it was returned to its makers.  
     
  Unfortunately for English Electric, who had created their prototype DP2 with a Class 55 Deltic style body around a 16 cylinder V type engine in 1962, Mr J.F. Harrison, the Chief Mechanical and Electrical Engineer of British Railways Board ( which replaced the British transport Commission in 1962 ) favoured slow speed engines and flat fronts without corridor connections for all new Type 4 diesel locomotives. However, DP2 was to become the basis for the later Class 50 flat fronted diesel electrics and itself would prove a very useful performer on British Railways until being written off in a collision with some derailed Gloucester built Cemflo wagons at Thirsk in 1967.

This left Brush and the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company in competition with two very similar concepts based around the12 cylinder Sulzer twin bank engine. In both cases the British Railways Design Panel requested that the industrial designers Wilkes and Ashmore prepare an initial idea of how the new machines would look.

Wilkes and Ashmore had already worked with Brush to restyle their Type 2 design ( later Class 31 ) from a locomotive exported to Ceylon ( now Sri Lanka ) and also on D0280 "Falcon". The industrial designers had also advisd Birmingham RCW on the distinctive bow-fronted look of what would become British Rail Classes 26, 27 and 33.

 
     
  Class 35 Hymek D7017 at Gloucester Rail Day 1991  
     
 

Class 35 Hymek D7017 at Gloucester Rail Day 1991

 
     
  The inspiration for this Type 4 brief however came from the work that they had done with Beyer Peacock of Gorton, Manchester, on the D7000 series ( later Class 35 ) diesel hydraulics built for Western Region. These "Hymeks", introduced in 1961, featured cabs slightly lower in height than the engine room of the locomotive and, more importantly, with two rectangular windscreens above a central four digit route indicator. Although flat at first glance, the cab profile of Hymeks D7000 - D7100 also had a very slight "shark nose" positive and negative camber.

Birmingham RCW followed the British Railways Design Panel thinking almost to the letter with their prototype D0260 "Lion", which also featured dual steam and electric train heating, an Alsthom rubber bogie / superstructure suspension and a lightweight steel stressed skin construction. Like the Hymeks, "Lion" had a slightly hump backed appearance with its low cabs but unlike the Beyer Peacock products had all its grilles above cantrail height. Its white paintwork was even accentuated by silver flutes along the bodyside to prevent the stressed skin rippling but by 1962 Birmingham RCW was in financial trouble. Like the Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company, it had first lost its traditional wooden coal wagon market and Colonial markets and had then run out of smaller, simpler self propelled vehicles to build for British Railways.

As a result, no more locomotives like D0260 "Lion" were built in Smethwick but several hundred very similar locomotives - starting with D1500 - were built in Loughborough and Crewe.

 
     
  D1500 ONWARDS  
     
  In comparison with "Lion", D1500 featured cabs the same height as the main engine room ( surmounted by air intakes ), two glazed bodyside windows instead of four and bodysides devoid of any fluting. As initially outshopped however, this lack of bodyside strengthening and decoration was made up for by a horizontal two tone green livery - even if the subsequent Hornby 00 gauge model really did have a moulded rib to stop the two shades of green running in to each other! This moulding was to continue into the era of modelling plain BR blue, although thankfully retooling now gives both the Hornby model - as well as its prototype - the ability to take on just about any livery and still look smartly busineslike. For me this is the mark of good industrial design but cannot be said for all the diesel locomotives of the era. Who, for instance, can put their hands on their hearts and say that a D800 Warship looks better with overall yellow ends than small, neat warning panels?

That Brush were able to build such an uncluttered monocoque shell for D1500 however owed much to a fellow firm in the Hawker Siddeley Group - Gloster Aircraft. Mr J.F. Cuss, Chief Designer of the Gloster Aircraft Company at the time that the last delta winged Javelins were being completed, was asked to look at the strength calculations of the new Type 4 and suggested that the side metal sheeting formed part of a full depth beam. This allowed any buffer bending movement to be transferred to the top of the beam by a member visible at the rear of each cab - effectively turning the engine compartment between the two cabs into a torsion box.

 
     
 

A British Railways Derby built 1Co-Co1 Class 45 "Peak" rests at Washwood Heath

 
     
 

A British Railways Derby built 1Co-Co1 Class 45 "Peak" rests at Washwood Heath

 
     
  Within the strong but light girder framework, the engine for D1500 had evolved from the twin bank Sulzer powerplant of the Peaks and - delivering 2 750 bhp - was now known as the 12LDA 28C. In fact Peaks numbered D138-193 were later distinguished as Class 46 from their identically engined classmates numbered D11-137 ( Class 45 ) by the installation of Brush rather than Crompton Parkinson main generators and D1500-D1519 received similar generators that had originally been intended for a final batch of twenty Class 46 locomotives.

D1702-1706 would also later be distinguished by the initial fitment of French built Sulzer 12 cylinder V type engines ( officially known as Class 48 under the Total Operations Processing System of the 1970s ) although these prime movers yielded a mere 2 650 bhp and were replaced with regular twin bank engines in 1969.

 
   
  47 901 at Gloucester Rail Day 1989  
     
 

47 901 at Gloucester Rail Day 1989

 
     
  While the ex Class 48 12 cylinder V engine blocks went on to serve in SNCF diesel electrics for many years, mention should also be given when discussing Class 47 engines to the Brush Type 4 that started life as D1628. After becoming 47 046 under TOPS, it suffered severe damage in an accident at Peterborough in September 1974 - only to emerge from Crewe works in 1978 as 47 601 fitted with a 16 cylinder 3250 bhp GEC engine as a test bed for the then new Class 56 Brush Type 5 design.

In September 1978 however this engine was replaced with a twin-turbocharged 3 300 bhp 12 cylinder Ruston diesel that had to be proved before the introduction of the British Rail built Class 58 in 1982. In this guise,and wearing the leaping goat badge of Cardiff Canton depot against three tone Railfreight grey, the renumbered 47 901 was exhibited at Gloucester Rail Day in 1989 before being condemned in mid February 1990. Its engine was then cannibalised for spares and its bogies given to 47 107, a close relative of 47 105 now preserved on the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway.

 
  SUB CLASSES  
     
  When first introduced the Brush Sulzer Type 4 class was designated as class 27/2 by British Railways although most railwaymen and enthusiasts alike simply referred to them as "Brush Type 4s". From D1500 the numbers ran to D1999 and, as the D2000 series of numbers had already been allocated to the Class 03 diesel mechanical shunters, a further twelve locomotives were numbered D1100 to D1111. However, the D - for diesel - prefix was dropped after the end of standard gauge BR steam in 1968.

Unlike some BR classes which were renumbered into TOPS serially, the renumbering of Class 47s was performed in an almost random fashion.

The original 27/2 classification made no distinction between locomotives having different equipment installed, but when the Total Operations Processing System (TOPS) was introduced in the early 1970s the Brush Type 4s became Class 47 and were divided into machines fitted with steam heat, no heat and electric (or dual) heat; and allocated sub-classes 47/0, 47/3 and 47/4 respectively. Further sub classes included the push-pull fitted 47/7 and the long range equipped 47/8 and once more added a layer of renumbering to many individual locomotives.

Train air brakes also became an addition to or sometimes a replacement for traditional vacuum brake systems as Mark II passenger carriages and new types of freight wagons were introduced. However, fitting air compressors into the already crowded bodyshell of the Class 47 meant that other original equipment had to be either moved or modified. The most noticeable example of this was the deletion of engine radiator drain tanks, which were replaced by radiator intake shutters at cantrail height. These moved hydrostatically to prevent freezing in cold weather.

 
     
 

47 218 "United Transport Europe" in Railfreight Distribution markings at Gloucester Rail Day 1991

 
     
 

47 218 "United Transport Europe" in Railfreight Distribution markings at Gloucester Rail Day 1991

 
     
  Brush also developed a slow speed control which allowed locomotives to automatically haul colliery - to - power station merry go round coal trains through loading and unloading facilities at half a mile an hour. All 81 Brush Type 4s built as non train heat 47/3 variants had this equipment by the end of the 1970s although as Classes 56 and 58 took over these duties in the 1980s many 47/3s became Railfreight Distribution assets, many bringing Speedlink wagons for remarshalling at Gloucester.  
     
  47 500 "Great Western" on the public house sign in Alfred Street, Gloucester  
     
 

47 500 "Great Western" on the public house sign in Alfred Street, Gloucester

 
     
  The Class 47/4 upgrade programme was completed in early 1987 when 47 665 emerged from Crewe works. The later 47/4s had alternator powered electric heat systems and high mileage examples of the original D1500-19 group with DC generator driven systems were thus withdrawn as non standard.

Among those eventually fitted with a bright orange cylindrical plug and socket above the right buffer was 47 500 "Great Western". In 1985 this locomotive also became "Gloucester Famous" when its likeness appeared on the sign of a public house in Alfred Street that had been known as "The Plough" up until the GWR 150th Anniversary celebrations of that year. Having started out as D1943 on Midland Region in July 1966, it joined 47 484 "Isambard Kingdom Brunel" and 47 628 "Sir Daniel Gooch" in being painted Great Western green for the occasion.

 
     
 

47 702 "Saint Cuthbert" joined Network South East from ScotRail when Class 158 dhmus took over the fast Edinburgh-Glasgow workings at the start of the 1990s

 
     
 

47 702 "Saint Cuthbert" joined Network South East from ScotRail when Class 158 dhmus took over the fast Edinburgh-Glasgow workings at the start of the 1990s

 
     
  Meanwhile in June 1966 D1938 - later 47 258 - was fitted from new with push pull equipment and jumper cables for a proposed high speed Paddington to Birmingham service. This did not materialise but in 1979 twelve Class 47s were similarly equipped for a Glasgow to Edinburgh service and reclassified as 47/7s. On this route they would either haul or propel Mark II Driving Brake Second Open (DBSO) vehicles and such trains replaced the use of Birmingham RCW Class 27s working at either end of an inter-city rake. A further four locomotives were brought up to 47/7 standard in 1984/5.

Sub class 47/8 first appeared in 1989 from a need by British Rail's Inter-City business sector for a long range locomotive. The basic Brush Type 4 had a pair of fuel tanks with a combined capacity of 720 gallons. This was adequate for mixed traffic working when when short distance diagrams usually followed longer journeys. However, by the late 1980s Inter City allocated 47/4s were required to haul consecutive trains to and from such places as Newcatle and Penzance. Class 47/7s with 1 220 gallon fuel capacities were already at work in Scotland from 1979 and the final 16 conversions from 47/0 to 47/7 had similarly been fitted with extra 500 gallon tanks. This latter group of locomotives - 47 650 to 47 665 - were to form the foundation of the 47/8 sub class.

In all 53 machines were upgraded at Doncaster, either by RFS Industries or British Rail Maintenance Ltd. In each instance the space formerly occupied by a boiler water vessel was filled by a 500 gallon H shaped fuel tank. This configuration avoided moving the starter motor batteries. The two existing tanks fed into the new receptacle via balance pipes and from there fuel was pumped into the engine. The last 47/4 to be converted - 47 556 - thus became 47 884 in May 1990.

However, the working life of the Class 47/8s meant that their tyres, wheel sets, brake blocks and traction motors needed attention more frequently than their Railfreight cousins, compounding the already high running costs of what by then were nearly 30 year old locomotives. In 1991 the electrification of the East Coast Main Line allowed more cross country services to be worked by now-surplus InterCity 125 units and since 2001 these have been replaced in turn by Virgin Voyager trains.

Despite this, Class 47/8s such as One-liveried 47 818 and silver Cotswold Rail marked 813 and 828 ( named "John Peel" and "Joe Strummer" respectively ) are still welcome reminders of the "good old days" of locomotive haulage, being based behind Platform 4 of Gloucester station.

 
  Former Virgin but now One liveried 47 818 parked behind Platform 4 of Gloucester station next to Anglia marked 47 714 in 2006. Both are owned by Cotswold Rail.  
     
 

Former Virgin but now One liveried 47 818 parked behind Platform 4 of Gloucester station next to Anglia marked 47 714 in 2006. Both are owned by Cotswold Rail.

Click on picture for more about the presence of Cotswold Rail in Gloucester.

 
     
  THE CLASS 47 LIMA MODELS  
     
  Inevitably the Class 47s became a part of Gloucestershire railway life and it was no surprise that they hauled all three of the Churchdown School railtours of the 1970s.

By the end of the 1980s though, things were beginning to change. In the real world the new business sectors of British Rail ( which replaced the historic Regions in 1982 ) were both establishing their new identities through new train liveries and also turning their attention to new forms of traction as the first and second waves of diesel locomotives were clocking up between two and three decades of service. Passenger trains were increasingly likely to be hauled by InterCity 125s or newer diesel hydraulic multiple units and freight was in the hands of either home grown Type 5 diesel electrics or, in the case of the heaviest roadstone traffic, by locomotives from America. The 1980s also saw the 150th anniversaries of the Great Western and Midland Counties Railway, organisations at the root of Gloucester's Battle of the Gauges.

At the same time hobby manufacturer Lima was producing a new model of the Class 47 that not only surpassed the Hornby product that had been around since the 1960s in terms of quality and affordability but was also keeping up with all the new liveries. Thinking - rightly as it turned out - that this era could not last I invested in some of these models. After the best part of two decades in store, I now present their histories on these web pages and look forward to sharing them with a wider audience at the Cheltenham GWR Modellers Exhibition of 14 and 15 April 2007.

The date ranges underneath the names and numbers refer to the periods in which the locomotive was actually in the same markings as the relevant Lima model.

 
     
 
47 006
Originally due to carry the Brush Falcon Works number 421, D1528 - part of a Production Order dated 1 January 1962 - eventually entered traffic at Finsbury Park ( 34G) depot on 5 July 1963 with the number 422 on its worksplate.

JANUARY - SEPTEMBER 1990

Originally due to carry the Brush Falcon Works number 421, D1528 - part of a Production Order dated 1 January 1962 - eventually entered traffic at Finsbury Park ( 34G) depot on 5 July 1963 with the number 422 on its worksplate.

Still carrying its ex works two tone green livery with yellow warning panels, D1528 was moved further north on British Railways Eastern Region in October 1966 when the Sulzer powered Type 4 was reallocated to Immingham (40B), then also mother shed to Grimsby and New Holland.

Thirteen months later though, November 1967 was to see another change of shedplates to 30A - indicating a move south to Stratford in London. The East End depot was itself to apply SF stickers to its stud of engines after May 1973, by which time D1528 had been repainted in both early and standard versions of British Rail blue livery. More alarmingly though, D1628 also gained a reputation as Stratford's most unreliable 47 and broke down daily - even at Shenfield on its one and only Royal train duty! D1528 was eventually confined to freight trains, including the Southminster sand duty where it ran away down Wickford bank and caught fire as the brakes burned away.

During refurbishment at Crewe in January 1974 D1528 was renumbered as 47 006 and spent the next eleven months at Gateshead (GD) before returning to Stratford for nearly a decade and gaining the depot's signature silver-grey roof.

May 1984 however saw a move north of the Border to the general freight pool at Glasgow Eastfield (ED) while the start of 1989 saw 47 006 more specifically allocated to the aggregates pool (FAME) at the Scottish depot with the dog mascot, and equipped with cab to shore radio telephony as well as dual air and vacuum brakes. At the start of 1990 meanwhile, the previously isolated steam heating apparatus had been removed and 47 006 was resplendent in the three tone grey Railfreight Construction livery modelled by Lima.

September 1990 though saw a return to England and shed reallocation for the final time. Retaining its Railfreight Construction livery, 47 006 joined the FDAT Railfreight Distribution Pool of Class 47s at Tinsley (TI). By April 1991 though, it had slipped into the sub pool of Class 47s overdue for heavy Class F examinations (FDBT) at the Sheffield depot and by June was stored prior to official withdrawal in October.

47 006 was finally cut up by C.F. Booth of Rotherham in February 1993.

47 283 "JOHNNIE WALKER"
D1985 was built at British Railways workshops in Crewe as part of Order Lot 400 and entered traffic at Gateshead (52A) depot, on 17 January 1966.

11 AUGUST 1988 - 26 SEPTEMBER 1995

D1985 was built at British Railways workshops in Crewe as part of Order Lot 400 and entered traffic at Gateshead (52A) depot, on 17 January 1966.

Still carrying its ex works two tone green livery with yellow warning panels, D1985 was moved south on British Railways Eastern Region in March 1970 when the Sulzer powered Type 4 was reallocated to Tinsley (41A). Staying in Sheffield for both Tinsley's adoption of vinyl TI stickers in May 1973 and its own renumbering as 47 283 in April 1974 ( complete with addition of full yellow ends but no immediate blue repaint ), the Brush Co-Co would only become a Cardiff Canton (CF) machine in June 1977 before crossing the Severn to Bristol Bath Road (BR) in August 1979. Then, in July 1987, 47 283 moved back to Tinsley!

Joining the FGWA Speedlink traffic pool, the one driver capable, dual braked but not train heat fitted 47 283 was named "Johnnie Walker" at Kilmarnock station on 11 August 1988 by David Adam, Director of whisky distillers Johnnie Walker & Son Ltd. 1988 was also to see 47 283 given cab to shore telephones and the then new three tone grey Railfreight Distribution markings.

In a life remarkably stable compared to many of its classmates, 47 283 only lost its "Johnnie Walker" nameplates on 26 September 1995 prior to a move to Crewe (CD) the following November. By the start of 1999, 47 283 had also become a Freightliner asset and had been painted in the Freightliner version of three tone grey with black cab doors and window surrounds and the red triangular freightliner logo. However, a year later 47 283 was in store at Crewe Basford Yard and the start of 2001 saw the locomotive moved to store at Freightliner's Southampton Maritime facility.

Then, in what seemed a sudden reversal of fortune, 47 283 was recorded in early 2004 as being stored at the Ministry of Defence base at Longtown, Cumbria, in the blue markings of Direct Rail Services. However, 47 283 was then scrapped in September 2004.

47 363 "BILLINGHAM ENTERPRISE"
Brush Falcon Works number 644 was part of a Production Order dated 24 March 1964 and entered traffic as D1882 at Immingham (40B) depot on 2 July 1965.

1989 - OCTOBER 1991

Brush Falcon Works number 644 was part of a Production Order dated 24 March 1964 and entered traffic as D1882 at Immingham (40B) depot on 2 July 1965.

Still carrying its ex works two tone green livery with yellow warning panels, D1882 was moved west on British Railways Eastern Region in October 1965 when the Sulzer powered Type 4 was reallocated to Tinsley , then also mother shed to Shirebrook West. At that time, Tinsley had not long taken over the 41A shedplate of Sheffield Darnall.

In fact D1882 was to shuttle back and forth between Immingham and Tinsley almost until TOPS renumbering! The 40B shedplates were once again applied in October 1968 but the non steam heat fitted Brush was back in the South Riding of Yorkshire in July 1972 - only to return to the south bank of the Humber estuary that October and remain there in May 1973 when Immingham locomotives gained their IM vinyl stickers.

September 1973 however saw a move north to Thornaby (TE) and the renumbering of D1882 - by now with full yellow ends - to 47 363 in February 1974. Another era of shifting between two depots then began in the first month of 1980 with 47 363 becoming a Stratford locomotive only for it to return to Thornaby in June 1981. SF stickers were once again applicable in May 1982 only for Teesside to beckon again in May 1984.

It was thus once more as a Thornaby locomotive that 47 363 was named "Billingham Enterprise" at Darlington station by Paul Marsden, Deputy Chairman of ICI Agriculture Division, on 6 December 1985.

By 1988 47 363 had been repainted in both the standard BR blue its silver roofed Stratford variant before receiving both the original large logo grey Railfreight markings and its later red solebar version. As well as dual air and vacuum brakes, the locomotive was now fitted with slow speed controls for merry go round coal train unloading as part of the Trainload Freight Thornaby Pool (FTYT). Large bodyside numbers were visible by the start of 1989 and cab to shore radio telephone equipment was also fitted by this time.

After more than 17 years away, 47 363 once more became a Tinsley engine in October 1990 and was more specifically allocated to the Railfreight Distribution subsector by the start of 1991. In October 1991 meanwhile, a visit to Doncaster Works saw 47 363 lose its "Billingham Enterprise" nameplates but gain the latest three tone grey livery and extra fuel tankage between the bogies, thus rejoining Tinsley in December 1991 as part of the MDDT pool of extended range Railfreight Distribution Class 47 locomotives.

12 July 1994 saw 47 363 further renumbered as 47 385 and moved to the DAMT pool of Tinsley Class 47s fitted with green circle multiple unit wiring to work Felixstowe Freightliner services. By this time the erstwhile D1882 had lost its vacuum brake capacity and now had a route availability of 6 and a maximum speed of 75 mph.

However, the number 47363 was restored on 16 October 1995 and by the start of 1996 the three tone grey Brush 4 was allocated to pool DAET for the movement of Channel Tunnel and automotive traffic.

April 1998 though saw 47 363 move south west to Bescot (BS) depot and - in January 1999 - an allocation to the WHBF Network Freight pool of English, Welsh and Scottish Railways.

Storage then followed in March 1999, at Springs Branch, Wigan, in 2002 and at the end of 2006 at Carnforth, Lancashire under the ownership of Fragonset Merlin railways.

47 475
D1603 was built at British Railways workshops in Crewe as part of Order Lot 400 and entered traffic at Landore (87E) depot, Swansea, on 17 July 1964.

JANUARY 1990 - AUGUST 1992

D1603 was built at British Railways workshops in Crewe as part of Order Lot 400 and entered traffic at Landore (87E) depot, Swansea, on 17 July 1964.

Still carrying its ex works two tone green livery with yellow warning panels, D1603 was moved east on British Railways Western Region in February 1965 when the Sulzer powered Type 4 was reallocated to Cardiff Canton (86A).

A move across the Severn ensued in November 1965 to the then new diesel maintenance facility at Bristol Bath Road (82A), only for D1603 to return to Landore in August 1967 and back again to Canton in October 1968. March 1969 saw yet another return to Landore, although D1603 did stay long enough to see the depot take on the 87A shedplate formerly of Neath (Court Sart ) in November 1969.

Similarly, a transfer back to Bristol Bath Road in May 1972 was in time for the change from 82A shedplates to BR vinyl stickers exactly a year later.

April 1974 meanwhile saw D1603 - now with full yellow ends - become 47 475 in British Rail standard blue. In May 1974 though, the dual braked, electric train heat fitted Brush Type 4 became resident at Bescot (BS) in the West Midlands and would stay there until September 1985.

A move further north up the West Coast Main Line to Carlisle Kingmoor (KD) ensued followed by a transition south to Crewe (CD) in May 1987. A recall to Kingmoor came in June 1987 followed by a return to its birthplace in October - and a journey back to Bristol Bath Road's General Parcels Pool (RXXA) that November!

After a period of relative calm however, July 1988 saw 47 475 return to Crewe and by the start of 1989 it had received cab to shore telephone equipment and a repaint into large logo blue with a grey roof for its work within the Provincial North Trans Pennine Services (PTPA) pool.

By the start of 1990 however, a specialised Provincial livery of grey, light blue, white and dark blue was applied, according to the Platform 5 book of Locomotives and Coaching Stock. This was originally to have been applied to 47 660-5 but by December 1990 47 475 was part of the RXLC Parcels pool at Crewe. This pool was rebranded as Rail Express Systems by the start of 1992 and 47 475 was repainted in red and grey Res livery before being named "Restive"at Crewe Diesel TMD without ceremony in August 1992.

By the start of 1997 47 475 had become part of freight operator English Welsh and Scottish Railway and had also been - along with other Class 47s in the PXLH pool - restricted to 75mph maximum speed.

47 475 was, from 1999, placed in various levels of storage but at the end of 2006 is privately preserved at Healey Mills (HM) near Wakefield in West Yorkshire.

47 522 "DONCASTER ENTERPRISE"
D1105 was built at British Railways workshops in Crewe as part of Order Lot 400 and entered traffic at York ( 50A) on 9 November 1966. York depot was to become 55B in December 1967 and the building that it coccupied is now part of the Great Hall of the National Railway Museum.

3 OCTOBER 1987 - JANUARY 1990

D1105 was built at British Railways workshops in Crewe as part of Order Lot 400 and entered traffic at York ( 50A) on 9 November 1966. York depot was to become 55B in December 1967 and the building that it coccupied is now part of the Great Hall of the National Railway Museum.

Still carrying its ex works two tone green livery with yellow warning panels, D1105 was moved north east in June 1968 to Thornaby (51L) until October that year when the Sulzer powered Type 4 was reallocated south along the East Coast Main Line to Finsbury Park (34G).

March 1970 meanwhile saw a move back north to another shed more associated with Deltics - Gateshead (52A). D1105 was to stay on Tyneside until March 1973 ( with the exception of an allocation to Leeds Holbeck - 55A - for twelve months from October 1971 ) before it was returned to York - a depot now claiming locomotives as its own with YK vinyl stickers. Indeed, D1105 - by now with full yellow ends - was to change some other bodyside nomenclature with TOPS renumbering to 47 522 in March 1974, although its flanks would not feel a paintbrush full of BR standard blue for some time.

In the meantime 47 522 spent the rest of the 1970s shuffling between York, Gateshead (October 1974 - March 1975 and October 1977 and January 1979) and Leeds Holbeck ( now HO, from May 1976 )

October 1980 however saw 47 522 leave York to become a London resident again - this time at Stratford (SF) where the electric train heat fitted locomotive acquired a silver grey roof. Immingham (IM) then beckoned in February 1981.

In May 1982 however, whilst working the 13.35 Glasgow Queen St to Aberdeen service 47 522 collided with a tractor on a farm crossing near Forteviot. The driver had seen the danger and was able to reduce speed but only to about 50mph unfortunately not enough to stop in time. The train derailed, ripped up over 300 yards of track and plunged 35 feet down an embankment. Fortunately there were no fatalaties, although the train crew and 58 passengers were injured; four of them seriously.

Despite suffering serious damage 47 522 was fully repaired at Crewe at a cost estimated to be in the region of £200,000 (including conversion to one driver operation) and continued in operational service from Gateshead (GD) depot.

47 522 was named "Doncaster Enterprise" by Councillor Gladys Ambler, Mayor of Doncaster, at Doncaster Works, on the occasion of the Works Open Day on 3 October 1987. Unfortunately due to a casting error, one of the nameplates had the dot missing from the "i" in "Enterprise". A replacement dot was stuck in position but later fell off. More visibly apparent though was the new LNER style apple green livery with yellow cabs as captured on the Lima model.

May 1988 meanwhile saw another move to Stratford (SF) for the dual braked Parcels Sector locomotive followed by allocation to Crewe (CD) and the fitment of cab to shore telecommunications twelve months later.

In January 1990 however the apple green paintwork and celebrity status of 47 522 (if not its name!) was to end in another accident, this time near Dover. Once again the Number 2 cab had to be replaced, this time with one cannibalised from the withdrawn and fire damaged 47 645, and the rebuilt "Doncaster Enterprise" was outshopped in red and grey Parcels Sector livery and returned to work at Crewe Diesel Locomotive Depot.

November 1994 saw a change of both depots and pools - to Stratford (SF) and EWAS ( Stratford Class 47s ) although July 1995 saw a switch back to Crewe and more specific allocation to the PXLH pool of Parcels Class 47s restricted to 75 mph, as was the case with 47 475, described above.

In January 1997 47 522 boldly went where "Doncaster Enterprise" had never been before - to Immingham (IM) as part of the FDKI Control Contingency pool of Class 47s.

However, 47 522 - now owned by English Welsh & Scottish Railway was withdrawn at the start of 1999 and was cut up at Wigan Springs Branch Component Recovery and Distribution Centre in July 2000.

47 569 "THE GLOUCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT"
On 1 July 1990, 47 569 was named "The Gloucestershire Regiment" by Brigadier S.D.A. Firth OBE at Gloucester Horton Road Open Day after a repaint in red and dark grey Parcels livery.

1 JULY 1990 - APRIL 1991

D1629 was built at British Railways workshops in Crewe as part of Order Lot 400 and entered traffic at Toton depot on 17 October 1964. At this point Toton locomotives were carrying the shedplate 16A, formerly of Nottingham until September 1963. Before that, Toton had been 18A.

Still carrying its ex works two tone green livery with yellow warning panels, D1629 was then given a range of uniquely London Midland area codes from January 1965. These began with D16 (Nottingham Division) until April 1966 until D1629 moved allocation to LMML ( Line Power Controller - Derby ) and then later the same month to LMWL ( London Midland Western Lines ). The Sulzer engined Brush Type 4 then shuffled between these three entities until March 1971 when it joined D05 ( LM Stoke Division ), moving again to Birmingham Division (D02) in October that year before a return to Nottingham Division ( D16 ) in April 1972.

June 1972 meanwhile saw a move right away from London Midland Region to Immingham and D1629 remained on Humberside for the replacement of 40B shedplates with IM stickers in May 1973.

Tinsley (TI) however called in September 1973 and D1629 became blue painted 47 047 while allocated to the South Yorkshire depot in February 1974. A move to West Yorkshire - specifically Leeds Holbeck (HO) - ensued in May 1975 followed by a return to Immingham a year later and a more radical departure to Stratford (SF) in August 1980.

Following the inevitable repaint of the roof to silver grey, another change of number - this time to 47 569 - followed in January 1981. However, the erstwhile D1629 stayed an adopted Cockney until transfer to Gateshead in May 1986, after which the locomotive was modified for one driver operation and further dispatched to Inverness (IS) for parcels duties in October 1987.

The Scottish stint of the dual braked electric train heating fitted locomotive continued with an allocation to Glasgow Eastfield ( ED ) in May 1988 before May 1989 saw 47 569 head south of the Border to Bristol Bath Road (BR) complete with cab to shore radio telephones and a repaint in large logo blue livery with a grey roof and full height numbers.

On 1 July 1990, 47 569 was named "The Gloucestershire Regiment" by Brigadier S.D.A. Firth OBE at Gloucester Horton Road Open Day after a repaint in red and dark grey Parcels livery.

47 569 thus became the first diesel to bear a "Gloucester" title. It was preceded however by nine steam engines that spanned 150 years of progress with such identities. Of these, the Brush Type 4's direct link was with 1932 vintage Great Western 4-6-0 5017, renamed from "St Donat's Castle" in April 1954 to "The Gloucestershire Regiment 28th 61st" in honour of that regiment's bravery in the Korean War. Renaming Swindon built 5017 that day was Major General C.E.A. Firth, the father of Brigadier S.D.A. Firth OBE. The curved "The Gloucestershire Regiment 28th 61st" plates were on display next to 47 569 on 1 July 1990 at Horton Road and today hang in the Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum in Gloucester Docks.

The Parcels colour scheme was later amended to the Rail Express Systems variant with light grey and dark blue embellishments following reallocation to Crewe (CD) in April 1991.

The nameplates of 47 569 were removed in November 1993, shortly after the locomotive had been upgraded with 6887 litre long range fuel tanks and renumbered in a new subsector of Class 47/7 - not machines with early Time Division Multiplex equipment - dedicated to parcels use and cleared to run at 95 mph with a Route Availability of 6.

47 569 thus became 47 727 in January 1994 and was named "Duke of Edinburgh's Award" at Glasgow Central station on 11 October that year by HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The name had previously been carried by 47 716 ( another Crewe based locomotive, formerly 47 507 ) but in this case new Rail Express Systems style nameplates were unveiled, each with a "Gold Award" crest fitted above each plate.

1999 saw 47 727 come under English, Welsh and Scottish ownership and the "Duke of Edinburgh's Award" nameplates were removed in October 2002 (and later transferred to 47 778) during a repaint in EWS red and gold markings. 47 727 was also name "Castell Caerffili / Caerphilly Castle" without ceremony at Toton (TO) in December 2002 before returning to Crewe (CD).

In fact 47 727 "Castell Caerffili / Caerphilly Castle" was to make a more formal move back to its first Nottinghamshire depot in January 2004 although a month later it was on the move again to Willesden (WN) north London as part of the EWS Tactical Reserve. It remains stored there at the end of 2006.

47 579 "JAMES NIGHTALL G.C."
Brush Falcon Works number 540 was part of a Production Order dated 28 September 1962 and entered traffic as D1778 at the six month old Tinsley (41A) depot on 23 October 1964.

1988 - NOVEMBER 1995

Brush Falcon Works number 540 was part of a Production Order dated 28 September 1962 and entered traffic as D1778 at the six month old Tinsley (41A) depot on 23 October 1964.

Still carrying its ex works two tone green livery with yellow warning panels, D1778 was moved south on British Railways Eastern Region in April 1966 when the Sulzer powered Type 4 was reallocated to Stratford (30A). D1778 stayed in the East End of London until May 1971 when it became a Leeds Holbeck (55A) machine.

October 1972 meanwhile saw a move to from the West Riding of Yorkshire to Immingham (40B), D1778 only swapping its IM vinyl stickers for new TI markings in September 1973 on its return to its first depot.

While based at the Sheffield depot in February 1974, D1778 was renumbered 47 183 and given full yellow ends rather than the whole new BR corporate blue livery. However, this was applied later in the 1970s as 47 183 moved back to Immingham (IM) the month after renumbering until York (YK) provided a change of scenery in November 1977. The new county of West Yorkshire welcomed 47 183 back to Healey Mills (HM) near Wakefield in May 1978 before London called again in September 1979. This time Stratford applied both SF stickers and a silver grey roof to the Brush Co-Co - and then again after renumbering to 47 579 in March 1981.

47 579 was named "James Nightall GC" at March station, Cambridgeshire, by Mr Baker - a representative of the Nightall family - on 28 September 1981. At the same ceremony 47 577 was named "Benjamin Gimbert, GC"

James William Nightall and Benjamin Gimbert – LNER fireman and driver respectively remain the only railwaymen – and the only locomotive crew - to have won their George Cross medals in the same incident.

During World War II, an ammunition train, composed of 51 wagons, was pulling into Soham Rail Station in Cambridgeshire when Driver Gimbert discovered that the wagon next to the engine was on fire. He immediately drew Fireman Nightall's attention to the fire and stopped the train. By the time the train had stopped the whole of the truck was enveloped in flames. Realising the danger, Gimbert instructed Nightall to try and uncouple the wagon immediately behind the blazing vehicle. Nightall immediately uncoupled the wagon, despite knowing that it contained explosives.

The blazing wagon was close to the station buildings at Soham, and was an obvious danger to life in the village. Both Gimbert and Nightall realised that they had to separate the truck from the remainder of the train. Gimbert started the locomotive, pulling the burning wagon away from the rest of the train. As they approached the signal box, Gimbert shouted to the signalman to stop the mail train that was almost due. At that instance, the bombs in the blazing wagon exploded.

A 20 feet deep crater was blown in the track and all the buildings at Soham railway station were destroyed. A total of 600 buildings were damaged, including the station hotel. Fireman Nightall was killed instantly, and the signalman later died of his injuries. The train's guard, Herbert Clarke, survived although he was very badly shaken.

Despite being blown sky-high by the explosion, Gimbert survived until 6 May 1976. During his 6-week stay in hospital some 32 assorted pieces of glass, gravel and metal were removed from his body.

One driver operation equipment was fitted by 1987 to the dual braked electric train heat capable 47 579 which was now part of the Network South East sector of British Rail. 47 579 was also one of only two locomotives painted in large logo livery with blue cabsides, the other being fellow George Cross memorial 47 577, although this colour scheme was superceded in 1988 by the first variant of Network South East markings. 1988 also saw 47 579 equipped with cab to shore radio equipment and placed in the NNEA pool of Network South East locomotives working services to Kings Lynn.

In April 1990 however, 47 579 was moved for the first time to what had been Western Region, joining the NWRA pool of Network South East locomotives at Old Oak Common (OC) and later working commuter trains over the North Downs.

A two month stay at Eastleigh (EH) from March 1993 then led to a return to Stratford (SF) - barring two brief reallocations to Crewe (CD) and an upgrade to Class 47/7 standard in November 1995. This not only involved the fitment of long range fuel tankage but also Railway Clearing House standard jumper cables to allow operation with the Propelling Control Vehicles used to aid the shunting movements of locomotive hauled Royal Mail trains.

When 47579 was booked for such conversion it was allocated number 47757, but due to it being still required in the NXXB pool the work was deferred, and it eventually became the final conversion and renumbered 47 793. 47 585 took 47 579's place and became 47 757.

The "James Nightall GC" nameplates were also removed at this juncture before a repaint in Rail Express Systems colours, in which 47 793 was named "Saint Augustine" by The Most Reverend David Hope, Archbishop of York, on 24 June1996 at Newcastle Central station.

By the start of 1997 however, 47 793 "St Augustine" was more firmly based at Crewe (CD) and more specifically its PXLB pool of extended range 95 mph Class 47s.

47 793 "St Augustine" was an English Welsh and Scottish asset by the start of 1999 and during early 2003 was repainted in EWS red and gold colours and renamed "Christopher Wren" in February that year without ceremony at its new home of Toton (TO). However, since 2004 47 793 "Christopher Wren" has been stored at its former depot at Healey Mills (HM) as part of the EWS Tactical Reserve.

47 583 "COUNTY OF HERTFORDSHIRE"
Brush Falcon Works number 529 was part of a Production Order dated 28 September 1962 and entered traffic as D1767 at Tinsley (41A) depot on 29 October 1964.

1982 - JUNE 1993

Brush Falcon Works number 529 was part of a Production Order dated 28 September 1962 and entered traffic as D1767 at Tinsley (41A) depot on 29 October 1964.

Still carrying its ex works two tone green livery with yellow warning panels, D1767 was moved south on British Railways Eastern Region in February 1965 when the Sulzer powered Type 4 was reallocated to Stratford (30A) for just four months before its return to the South Riding of Yorkshire. July 1965 then saw D1767 head north for a loan to Leeds Holbeck (55A) followed by a move to York (55B) in October 1969. A month later though, D1767 was back at Tinsley!

March 1970 meanwhile heralded another London allocation - this time to Finsbury Park (34G) where D1767 stayed for the depot's tenth birthday just a month later. July 1970 though meant a move to Immingham (40B) although the Brush Co-Co was to stay on Humberside through its change of number to 47 172 - and change of colour to new BR blue - in March 1974.

A longer allocation to Stratford (SF) - and a new silver grey roof - began in May 1975 although this was interrupted by a return to Immingham (IM) from October 1977 to May 1978. 47 172 was however based in London's East End on 26 July 1979 when it visited Hertford East station to be named "County of Hertfordshire" by Major A J Hughes, Chairman of Hertfordshire County Council.

This name was retained following a further renumbering in November 1980 when 47 172 became 47 583. The livery was also to be transformed into standard large logo BR Blue and then a special Royal Wedding variant -featuring long horizontal white stripes - of the same in 1981 before the rest of the decade saw 47 583 in both original and revised Network South East markings.

October 1987 marked a move to the Great Western Main Line at Old Oak Common (OC) by which time one driver operation equipment had been fitted to the dual braked ETH capable locomotive. Cab to shore telephones were also aboard by the start of 1990, although 1993 proved a much more unsettled year with 47 583 moving to Crewe in May - via a short allocation to Eastleigh (EH) - and both gaining a new Rail Express Systems livery and losing its nameplates in June.

The name "County of Hertfordshire" was subsequently carried by 47 711 but for now 47 583 became part of the PXLC pool, moving to the PXLB pool of Rail Express Systems extended range Class 47s in March 1996. This followed the addition of twin fuel tanks and Railway Clearing House standard jumper cables to allow operation with the Propelling Control Vehicles used to aid the shunting movements of locomotive hauled Royal Mail trains. This upgrade also involved the application of a new number - 47 734 - and a new name: "Crewe Diesel Depot Quality Approved". These plates appeared at Crewe TMD without ceremony.

1999 saw 47 734 "Crewe Diesel Depot Quality Approved" become part of English Welsh and Scottish Railway and in June part of a pool coded WHDM for locomotives with reliability modifications. In April 2001 it moved to Toton (TO) after spending some time hired to Serco Railtest and joined the EWS Tactical Reserve at Healey Mills (HM) in March 2004.

On 28 September 2002 however 47 734 "Crewe Diesel Depot Quality Approved" piloted Fragonset liveried 47 703 "Saint Mungo" at the head of the 1A78 coded First Great Western 1540 service from Paignton to Paddington - the last regular locomotive hauled Inter City passenger service in the UK.

47 620 "WINDSOR CASTLE"
D1654 was built at British Railways workshops in Crewe as part of Order Lot 400 and entered traffic at Cardiff Canton (86A) on 23 January 1965.

26 JULY 1985 - AUGUST 1989

D1654 was built at British Railways workshops in Crewe as part of Order Lot 400 and entered traffic at Cardiff Canton (86A) on 23 January 1965.

Still carrying its ex works two tone green livery with yellow warning panels, D1654 was moved west along the South Wales coast to Landore (87E) the next month until it returned to Canton (86A) in April. The Sulzer powered Type 4 was then based at Landore again from August 1967 to October 1970, when it moved east of the Severn to Old Oak Common (81A). D1654 stayed put in West London as the depot changed shedplates for OC stickers in May 1973 and for its own number and livery change to 47 070 in February 1974.

47 070 was back in the Principality at Canton (now CF) in May 1975 but was to stay in England after July 1983, first at Bristol Bath Road (BR) and then Old Oak Common (OC) from June 1984, three months before 47 070 was renumbered as 47 620 in September that year.

Unlike a similar event a decade earlier, repainting did not go hand in hand with renumbering but 47 620 was clad in the original BR Inter City colours of the early 1980s when, on 26 July 1985 at Paddington station, Her Majesty The Queen unveiled its name "Windsor Castle". Another - oval - plate fitted beneath the nameplates read "This locomotive was named by HM The Queen in 1985, the 150th anniversary year of the Great Western Railway".

This was not just a tribute to a much loved Royal residence as in 1952 a Great Western 4-6-0 nymbered 4082 and named "Windsor Castle" appeared to haul the funeral train of his late Majesty King George VI - the father of HM Queen Elizabeth II - from Paddington to Windsor. In reality it was the more modern Swindon built 4-6-0 7013 "Bristol Castle", as the real 4082 "Windsor Castle" was at the time under repair at Swindon Works.

However, once the name and number plates had been exchanged for the funeral they were never changed back. To complicate matters further, the real 4082 ( now masquerading as 7013 ) received a double chimney in May 1958 and had its original fluted inside valve casing ( the real giveaway to its 1924 vintage ) replaced with a new design of straight casing with a square edge to the tread plate and centre portion raised to clear the exhaust passages.

A move to Bath Road (BR) in May 1988 coincided with the fitment of cab to shore radio telephones to 47 610 while in August 1989 the number - but not the name - changed again to 47835 with the addition of long range fuel tanks. Liveries for 47 835 "Windsor Castle" would initially be Mainline ( including a yellow lower front and white numbers ) and, from 1991, Inter City Swallow.

Following a lifetime association with the former Western Region, the first day of 1995 found 47 835 "Windsor Castle" based at Crewe (CD) but also about to strengthen its Royal links. The "Windsor Castle" plates were to be removed in May prior to repaint in a regal claret lined with red and black, renumbering as 47 799 and renaming - this time without ceremony at Crewe (CD) - as "Prince Henry" on the eighth day of the month.The locomotive was also embellished by a cast number and Royal crest although the cast RES logo would be removed in August 1997 and replaced by EWS animal head logo applied under the non-driving side window.

As a result, 47 799 "Prince Henry" joined the PXLP fleet of VIP locomotives at Crewe (CD) in November 1996 although the locomotive had been moved by EWS to Toton (TO) by the start of 2004 and a year later was listed as stored unserviceable at the former Ferrybridge power station, West Yorkshire.

47 628 "SIR DANIEL GOOCH"

NOVEMBER 1984 - MAY 1989

D1663 was built at British Railways workshops in Crewe as part of Order Lot 400 and entered traffic at Landore (87E) on 20 February 1965.

Still carrying its ex works two tone green livery with yellow warning panels, D1663 was moved east along the South Wales coast to Canton (86A) thirteen months later, only to boomerang back to Landore (87E) in August 1966.

In the meantime however, D1663 was named "Sir Daniel Gooch" at Paddington station on 8 May 1965 by Sidney Green, General Secretary of the National Union of Railwaymen.

D1663 was to stay in Wales until transferring to Old Oak Common (81A) in February 1973. The Sulzer powered Brush Type 4 was still based in West London for its TOPS renumbering a year later, although it had already been painted blue by the time that D1663 became 47 078. Happily, the Great Western style Egyptian slab serif style nameplates that the locomotive had acquired some nine years before were retained.

47 078 "Sir Daniel Gooch" returned to Canton (CF) in October 1976 but in February 1978 the locomotive collided with derailed tankers on a Southampton to Birmingham freight at Appleford north of Didcot. The non-driver side of the No.1 end cab was badly damaged and the loco was stored for a time at Oxford before being removed to Crewe for repairs.

Fortunately 47 078 "Sir Daniel Gooch" was back in service at Bristol Bath Road in May 1983 and was even upgraded to Class 47/4 status in November 1984. Still called "Sir Daniel Gooch" ( albeit with new nameplates even more reminiscent of GWR practice ), 47 078 became 47 628 and even got a new coat of lined Great Western green paint.

As part of the Great Western Railway's 150th Anniversary celebrations, similar colours were applied to 47 079, 47 484, 47 500 and Class 50 50 007. 47 628 also moved back to Old Oak Common (OC) in January 1985 and would not be back at Bath Road (BR) until May 1989, during which year the nameplates were removed and Mainline livery ( including yellow lower front and white numbers ) was applied to the one driver only capable dual braked ETH fitted Co-Co.

Old Oak Common (OC) had allocated 47 628 to the Western Region Civil Engineer's Department but at Bath Road (BR) the former "Sir Daniel Gooch" formed part of a Parcels pool of locomotives shared between both depots.

Parcels traffic continued to dominate the life of 47 628 after it moved to Crewe (CD) in May 1991 and it had been repainted in Rail Express Systems markings by the start of 1994. The start of 1997 meanwhile saw 47 628 upgraded with the addition of twin fuel tanks and Railway Clearing House standard jumper cables to allow operation with the Propelling Control Vehicles used to aid the shunting movements of locomotive hauled Royal Mail trains.

By the start of 1999 however 47 628 had been selected for component recovery storage at Crewe Basford Hall Yard and despite attempts at preservation the locomotive was moved to the scrapyard of Ron Hull Junior in Rotherham on 13 February 2006 and cut up on 14 March.

47 709 "THE LORD PROVOST"
Brush Falcon Works number 704 was part of a Production Order dated 24 March 1964 and entered traffic as D1942 on the Western Lines of London Midland Region (LMWL) on 16 June 1966.

DECEMBER 1986 - JANUARY 1991

Brush Falcon Works number 704 was part of a Production Order dated 24 March 1964 and entered traffic as D1942 on the Western Lines of London Midland Region (LMWL) on 16 June 1966.

Still carrying its ex works two tone green livery with yellow warning panels, one year later D1942 was loaned to London Midland's Nottingham Division (D16) for a month but stayed on LMWL until the Sulzer powered Type 4 was reallocated to Birmingham Division (D02) in June 1968.

Stoke Division (D05) claimed D1942 from November 1969 to October 1971 although after a second stint of service on D02 the engine moved to Western Region's Bristol Bath Road (82A) in September 1972 - and here it stayed until May 1974, by which time Bath Road had been issued with BR vinyl stickers rather than shedplates and D1942 had become BR blue 47 499 for just thre months.

The new home of 47 499 was across the River Severn at Landore (LE) although a return from Swansea to Bristol was made in May 1977 before the Brush Type 4 really began wandering! Plymouth Laira (LA) beckoned a year later only for 47 499 to heed the skirl of the pipes and head north to Edinburgh Haymarket (HA) in July 1979.

It was here two months later that 47 499 was renumbered 47 709, given a silver grey roof and named "The Lord Provost" in line with a refurbishment for single driver operation of 100 mph push pull services between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Apart from Time Division Multiplex system Railway Clearing House type jumper cables and driver-guard telephones for this purpose, long range fuel tanks were also fitted.

47 709 "The Lord Provost" was to stay at Haymarket until transfer to Glasgow Eastfield in October 1987 although exactly three years later - after the fitment of cab to shore telephones in 1988 - another radical relocation - due to Class 158 dhmus taking over Edinburgh-Glasgow services - was to bring the Brush to West London's Old Oak Common (OC) depot and Network South East North Downs commuter duties.

The nameplates were removed in January 1991 when the revised version of Network South East livery replaced blue stripe Scotrail markings applied by December 1986.

After a brief allocation to Eastleigh (EH) in March 1993, 47 709 was repainted in Rail Express Systems red and grey markings and transferred to Crewe (CD) although in October 1997 it became a part of Fragonset Railways and was moved to their Birmingham depot and repainted in their house colours of black with a silver roof and red bodyside band lined out in white.

The locomotive was further named "Dionysos" at Derby ( its new home from June 2001 ) in August 2001 while during 2005 it was repainted in Nanking Blue to match Fragonset's "Blue Pullman" set of blue and white locomotive hauled carriages.

97 561 "MIDLAND COUNTIES RAILWAY 150 1839-1989"
D1614 was built at British Railways workshops in Crewe as part of Order Lot 400 and entered traffic at Worcester (85A) on 25 August 1964.

23 MAY - 15 JULY1989

D1614 was built at British Railways workshops in Crewe as part of Order Lot 400 and entered traffic at Worcester (85A) on 25 August 1964.

Still carrying its ex works two tone green livery with yellow warning panels, D1614 was moved west to Cardiff Canton (86A) two months later but started 1966 as an Old Oak Common (81A) machine. Despite this however, D1614 returned to South Wales - Swansea Landore (87E) to be precise - in August 1966.

Apart from a spell at Bristol Bath Road (82A) from January 1968 to March 1969, D1614 remained a Landore resident until January 1973 when it joined the Birmingham Division (D02) of London Midland Region. Officially based at Bescot (BS) from May that year, D1614 was repainted in BR blue and renumbered 47 034 on 3 March 1974.

A journey north up the West Coast Main Line ensued in October 1976 when 47 034 was reallocated to Crewe (CD), and blue livery was retained on renumbering to 47 561 on 16 October 1980.

May 1987 saw a five month move back to Bescot, although 47 561- by now fitted for one driver operation and part of the DRTC Railway Technical Centre research pool - was back in Cheshire for departmental renumbering as 97 561 on 15 September 1988. This coincided with a repaint in Midland Railway red livery and at Derby Station on 23 May 1989 97 561 was jointly named "Midland Counties 150 1839-1989 by Councillor John Riley, Lord Mayor of Nottingham and Councillor Leslie Shepley, Lord Mayor of Derby.

This name was retained when the locomotive was renumbered 47 973 on 15 July 1989 although the plates were finally removed on 8 March 1990.

On 25 September 1990 however, the name "Derby Evening Telegraph" was unveiled on 47 973 by Derek Perkins, the longest surviving employee of the Derby Evening Telegraph, at the Advanced Projects Laboratory, BR Research Centre Derby. The Derby coat of arms was also fitted below the nameplates, which were finally removed in September 1996.

By the start of 1992, 47 973 had been repainted in Mainline markings ( including yellow lower front and white numerals ) and the dual braked eth fitted Co-Co began an eleven month reallocation to Bescot (BS) in April 1993 before returning to Crewe (CD)

From March 1996 however, 47 973 was stored inside Adtranz Crewe Works and officially withdrawn that October. it was cut up at the former LNWR locomotive works by MRJ Phillips in March 1997 although one cab survived at Barrow Hill for many years.

For more about Class 47 locomotives visit www.Class47.co.uk