British Rail Class 50
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (January 2014) |
English Electric Type 4 British Rail Class 50 | |
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Air and Vacuum) |
Performance figures | |
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Maximum speed | 100 mph (161 km/h) |
Power output | Engine: 2,700 bhp (2,010 kW) |
Tractive effort | Maximum: 48,500 lbf (216 kN) Continuous: 33,000 lbf (147,000 N)@ 23.5 mph (37.8 km/h)[1] |
Career | |
---|---|
Operators | British Rail |
Numbers | D400–D449; later 50001–50050 |
Nicknames | Hoovers |
Axle load class | Route availability 6 |
Withdrawn | 1987–1994 |
Disposition | 18 preserved, remainder scrapped |
The British Rail Class 50 is a class of diesel locomotives designed to haul express passenger trains at 100 mph (160 km/h). Built by English Electric at the Vulcan Foundry in Newton-le-Willows between 1967 and 1968, the Class 50s were initially on a 10-year lease from English Electric Leasing, and were employed hauling express passenger trains on the then non-electrified section of the West Coast Main Line between Crewe and Scotland. Initially numbered D400–D449 and known as English Electric Type 4s, the locomotives were purchased outright by British Rail (BR) at the end of the lease and became Class 50 in the TOPS renumbering of 1973.
The class gained the nickname "Hoovers" because of the noise made by the clean air plant at the No. 2 end, prior to refurbishment, which was likened to that of a vacuum cleaner, a name believed given to them by the staff at Paddington Station.
Description
Development
The origins of the Class 50 lie in an invitation from the British Transport Commission (BTC) to manufacturers to produce a design for a lightweight Type 4 diesel locomotive with a gross power output of at least 2,500 hp.[3] In order to produce a prototype quickly, English Electric based their design on that for their Deltic locomotives which were then in production. Unlike the Deltics, this design was powered by a single engine, the 16CSVT, a development of the 16SVT used in the Class 40 locomotives. Parts related to the contemporary Class 37s were also used. The result was DP2, a 2,700 hp Diesel-electric locomotive weighing 105 tons and with a top speed of 100 mph.[4]
However, before the prototype could be completed, English Electric's design was rejected by the BTC, primarily on the grounds that the 16CSVT was unproven, and doubted its ability to produce the required power levels. Even after the delivery of DP2 in May 1962, any hope of future orders seemed over with the BTC's decision to standardise its Type 4 fleet on the Brush-Sulzer Class 47 design.
The DP2 design earned a reprieve in 1965, when the National Traction Plan of that year identified a need for an additional 50 Type 4 locomotives. By this time the Class 47 fleet were starting to suffer serious problems with engine stress cracking,[5] a problem which necessitated the derating of the fleet to 2,580 hp. At the same time, DP2 and its 16CSVT engine had proved far more reliable than expected. Negotiations took place with English Electric for a production batch of 50 locomotives for use on the Eastern Region.[6] English Electric intended to build the new batch as similar to DP2 as possible[7] but the British Railways Board (successor to the BTC) had produced a standard locomotive cab with a flat front and headcode box and also had specific requirements relating to the engine room and other equipment. English Electric produced several alternative front-end designs including one with a wrap-around windscreen[7] but the standard front-end design was eventually adopted for the class.
Production
The complete production run of 50 locomotives was built in just over a year and numbered from D400 to D449. D400 entered service in October 1967 and deliveries were completed with D449 in November 1968.[8] Unusually, the ownership of the locomotives remained with the manufacturer and they were operated by British Rail on a 10-year lease which included certain stipulations relating to availability.[2] The D prefix was quickly dropped for all diesel engines after steam was banned from British Rail's mainline in 1968. The Class 50 engines were numbered as 400 to 449 from 1969 to 1974.
Service
Code | Name | Quantity |
---|---|---|
BR | Bristol Bath Road | 8 |
CD | Crewe Diesel | 42 |
Total: | 50 |
The class was built for working passenger services on the
By 1974 the northern WCML was electrified, and the Class 50 fleet was displaced by new
In the late-1970s, following a period where the policy of locomotive naming had been abandoned, BR was persuaded to name the class 50s after Royal Navy ships with notable records in World War I and II. As a result, the first locomotive naming occurred in January 1978, when 50035 was named Ark Royal by the captain and crew of then current aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal. The rest of the fleet was named during the course of the next few years.
From 1977, British Rail introduced
Refurbishment
To deal with increasing reliability problems, the Class 50 fleet was refurbished at
Externally, the locomotives all received high-intensity headlights, which changed the appearance of the front end. Starting with 50006, the first six refurbished locomotives were outshopped in the standard BR Blue livery. However, 50006 Neptune and 50017 Royal Oak initially ran with blanking plates covering the headlight apertures, prior to headlights becoming available.
Following refurbishment, the fleet was concentrated at two depots;
In 1984, 50007 Hercules was repainted into lined
In 1986 the West of England Main Line came under the control of the Network SouthEast (NSE) sector, which saw the introduction of their bright blue, red and white livery. Two locomotives were repainted ready for the launch day on 10 June 1986, 50023 Howe and 50017 Royal Oak. In NSE livery, the nameplates were moved to a higher bodyside position. 50017 was the only member of the class to have one nameplate moved to an incorrect position, above the NSE branding, something which has been replicated in preservation. The third class member to be painted in the NSE scheme was 50035 "Ark Royal". Following an intermediate overhaul at Doncaster, the loco was released painted in grey primer, and worked a service train back to the Western Region as far as Bristol on 15 July 1986, prior to running to Old Oak Common depot for the NSE livery to be applied. The NSE livery had three versions; the original had upswept red, white and grey stripes at the ends, with white cab window surrounds, and a black roof; the first revision which came in 1987 had the red and white stripes continue to the body ends, with blue cab window surrounds, the original shade of blue was retained, 50044 Exeter and 50050 Fearless being the first two treated. The second revision and third variation of the NSE livery appeared in 1989, when the blue became a darker shade, 50043 Eagle and 50023 Howe, being the first two to appear. In 1990, Old Oak Common depot painted 50033 "Glorious" in NSE livery, and left the nameplates in their original position, so that the result read "Glorious Network SouthEast". To summarise, twenty-nine Class 50s received NSE livery, 50017 Royal Oak and 50048 Dauntless were the only locomotives to be painted in all three variations.[10]
Towards the end of the 1980s, the fleet could be found mostly on the West of England route, as well as fast services from Paddington to Oxford. Some locomotives were also transferred to the civil engineers department to work maintenance and engineering trains. Around this time, the first locomotives were withdrawn, starting with 50011 Centurion in early 1987. This locomotive's nameplates were later transferred to 50040, which was previously named Leviathan. A further two locomotives, 50006 Neptune and 50014 Warspite were withdrawn in 1987, followed by a further five locomotives in 1988 (50010/13/22/38/47).[10]
In 1987, consideration was given to using the class on freight trains. To this end, 50049 Defiance was renumbered to 50149, equipped with modified Class 37, lower-geared bogies and outshopped in the new trainload grey livery with Railfreight General decals. It was based at Plymouth Laira depot, and tested on local china clay trains in Cornwall as well as heavy stone trains to London from Devon quarries.[10] The project was, however, not an outstanding success and by 1989 the locomotive had been returned to its original identity. Ironically, the electronic anti-wheelslip equipment, with which the entire class had originally been built and which would have been key to the success of this experiment, had been removed during the refurbishment process.[10]
At the start of the 1990s, the reliability of the fleet became a problem again. By this time, the class was solely used on the West of England route, having been replaced on the Oxford route by Class 47/4 locomotives, displaced from Railfreight Distribution after the collapse of Speedlink in 1991. Arguably, the Class 50s were not suitable for the stop-start service pattern of Waterloo-Exeter services, nor to the extended single-line sections of this route, where a single locomotive failure could cause chaos. Therefore, the decision was taken to retire the remainder of the fleet, temporarily replacing them with Class 47/7 locomotives,[10] which were in turn replaced by new diesel multiple units. From 1992, the Oxford route was worked by Class 165 and Class 166 units, whilst Class 159 units were introduced onto the West of England route in 1993.
By 1992, just eight locomotives remained in service, these being 50007/008/015/029/030/033/046/050. Several of these locomotives were specially repainted to commemorate the run-down of the fleet. The first-built locomotive, 50050 Fearless was renumbered D400 and painted in its original BR Blue livery. Two other locomotives, 50008 Thunderer and 50015 Valiant were also repainted, the former in a variation of BR Blue (the same as 50019 had previously carried), and the latter in "Dutch" civil-engineers grey/yellow livery. Of the final eight locomotives, three were retained until 1994 for use on special railtours, these being 50007 Sir Edward Elgar, 50033 Glorious and 50050 Fearless. 50007 was returned to working order using parts from 50046, which surrendered its recently overhauled power unit and bogies. By this time, 50050 had been repainted into Large Logo livery and 50007 also received a repaint into GWR green as the 1985 paint was wearing very thin. The final railtours operated in March 1994, during one of which 50033 was delivered for preservation at the National Railway Museum.[15] The final railtour operated with 50007 and 50050 from London Waterloo to Penzance and returning to London Paddington. Both locomotives were later preserved.
Accidents and incidents
- On 23 November 1983, a sleeper train hauled by 50 041 Bulwark was derailed on the approach to
- On 6 August 1989, 50025 Invincible was derailed at West Ealing whilst hauling the 21:15 Oxford to Paddington service. The cause was a length of rail that vandals had placed across the track. There were no fatalities and the locomotive was subsequently scrapped in October that year.[18]
Fleet list
This section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2022) |
Key: | Scrapped | Preserved |
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Number | Name[19] | Built | Named | Withdrawn | Status | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pre-TOPS | TOPS | ||||||
D400 | 50050 | Fearless | 17.10.67 | 23.08.78 | 26.03.94 | Preserved | Carried nameplate 04.08.78 – 07.08.78. Now owned by Boden Rail Engineering Ltd. |
D401 | 50001 | Dreadnought | 09.12.67 | 10.04.78 | 19.04.91 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Booth-Roe scrapyard, Rotherham in December 2002. |
D402 | 50002 | Superb | 12.67 | 21.03.78 | 09.09.91 | Preserved | Preserved by the Devon Diesel Society. It is currently being restored at the South Devon Railway in Buckfastleigh.[20] |
D403 | 50003 | Temeraire | 01.68 | 09.05.78 | 15.07.91 | Scrapped | Scrapped at MC Metals scrapyard, Glasgow in April 1992. |
D404 | 50004 | St Vincent | 12.67 | 09.05.78 | 22.06.90 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Booth-Roe scrapyard, Rotherham in May 1992. |
D405 | 50005 | Collingwood | 01.68 | 05.04.78 | 11.12.90 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Old Oak Common TMD, London in February 1991. |
D406 | 50006 | Neptune | 04.68 | 25.09.79 | 20.07.87 | Scrapped | First Class 50 to be refurbished. Scrapped at Vic Berry's scrapyard, Leicester in February–March 1988. |
D407 | 50007 | Hercules | 03.68 | 06.04.78 | 16.07.91 / 26.03.94 | Preserved | Renamed Sir Edward Elgar on 25.02.84. Originally withdrawn in 1991. Reinstated for railtour use in 1992. Renamed back to Hercules in early 2014. Now owned by Class 50 Alliance.[21]
|
D408 | 50008 | Thunderer | 03.68 | 01.09.78 | 05.06.92 | Active | Owned by Hanson & Hall Rail Solutions, returned to mainline in June 2021 |
D409 | 50009 | Conqueror | 03.68 | 08.05.78 | 11.01.91 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Old Oak Common TMD, London in February 1991. |
D410 | 50010 | Monarch | 03.68 | 16.03.78 | 27.09.88 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Laira TMD, Plymouth by Coopers in May 1992.
|
D411 | 50011 | Centurion | 04.68 | 17.09.79 | 24.02.87 | Scrapped | First Class 50 to be withdrawn. Scrapped at Crewe Works by Texas Metals in September 1992. |
D412 | 50012 | Benbow | 04.68 | 03.04.78 | 16.01.89 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Vic Berry's scrapyard, Leicester in July 1989. |
D413 | 50013 | Agincourt | 04.68 | 19.04.78 | 06.04.88 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Old Oak Common TMD, London in July 1989. |
D414 | 50014 | Warspite | 05.68 | 30.05.78 | 14.12.87 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Vic Berry's scrapyard, Leicester in May–July 1989. |
D415 | 50015 | Valiant | 04.68 | 21.04.78 | 05.06.92 | Preserved | Owned by the Bury Valiant Group. |
D416 | 50016 | Barham | 05.68 | 03.04.78 | 03.08.90 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Booth-Roe scrapyard, Rotherham in June 1992. |
D417 | 50017 | Royal Oak | 04.68 | 24.04.78 | 09.09.91 | Preserved | Owned by Michael Gregory, Great Central Railway as of February 2019. |
D418 | 50018 | Resolution | 04.68 | 06.04.78 | 22.07.91 | Scrapped | Scrapped at MC Metals scrapyard, Glasgow in January 1993. |
D419 | 50019 | Ramillies | 05.68 | 18.04.78 | 19.09.90 | Preserved | Owned by the Class 50 Locomotive Association, Mid Norfolk Railway .
|
D420 | 50020 | Revenge | 05.68 | 07.07.78 | 27.07.90 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Booth-Roe scrapyard, Rotherham in June 1992. |
D421 | 50021 | Rodney | 05.68 | 31.07.78 | 17.04.90 | Preserved | Owned by Paul Spracklen, Eastleigh Works. |
D422 | 50022 | Anson | 05.68 | 20.04.78 | 20.09.88 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Vic Berry's scrapyard, Leicester in May–June 1989. |
D423 | 50023 | Howe | 06.68 | 17.05.78 | 15.10.90 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Barrow Hill, Chesterfield in March 2004.
|
D424 | 50024 | Vanguard | 06.68 | 15.05.78 | 01.02.91 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Old Oak Common TMD, London in July 1991. |
D425 | 50025 | Invincible | 07.68 | 06.06.78 | 14.08.89 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Old Oak Common TMD in October 1989, after derailment at West Ealing in August 1989. The derailment was a result of vandals placing an object onto the track, causing the loco to overturn. |
D426 | 50026 | Indomitable | 07.68 | 29.03.78 | 11.12.90 | Preserved | Owned by Paul Spracklen. |
D427 | 50027 | Lion | 06.68 | 17.04.78 | 23.07.91 | Preserved | Privately owned. Based at the Mid-Hants Railway. It was based at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway from 1992 until 13 June 2012. |
D428 | 50028 | Tiger | 07.68 | 10.05.78 | 01.02.91 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Old Oak Common TMD, London in July 1991. |
D429 | 50029 | Renown | 07.68 | 26.10.78 | 25.03.92 | Preserved | Owned by the Renown Repulse Restoration Group.[22] |
D430 | 50030 | Repulse | 07.68 | 10.04.78 | 08.04.92 | Preserved | Owned by the Renown Repulse Restoration Group.[22] |
D431 | 50031 | Hood |
07.68 | 28.06.78 | 05.08.91 | Preserved | Operated by the Class 50 Alliance.[23] |
D432 | 50032 | Courageous | 07.68 | 07.07.78 | 15.10.90 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Old Oak Common TMD, London in February 1991. |
D433 | 50033 | Glorious | 08.68 | 26.06.78 | 25.03.94 | Preserved | Currently based at the Severn Valley Railway. |
D434 | 50034 | Furious | 08.68 | 06.04.78 | 29.06.90 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Old Oak Common TMD, London in February 1991. |
D435 | 50035 | Ark Royal | 08.68 | 17.01.78 | 03.08.90 | Preserved | First to be named and preserved. Owned by the Class 50 Alliance.[21] Currently based at the Severn Valley Railway. |
D436 | 50036 | Victorious | 09.68 | 16.05.78 | 12.04.91 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Booth-Roe scrapyard, Rotherham in July 1992. |
D437 | 50037 | Illustrious | 09.68 | 08.06.78 | 09.09.91 | Scrapped | Scrapped at MC Metals scrapyard, Glasgow in December 1992. One cab preserved at the Llanelli & Mynydd Mawr Railway.[24] Second cab stored at Peak Rail with Renown Repulse Restoration Group locos 50029 & 50030 [25] |
D438 | 50038 | Formidable | 10.68 | 05.05.78 | 27.09.88 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Old Oak Common TMD, London in July 1989. |
D439 | 50039 | Implacable | 10.68 | 20.06.78 | 04.06.89 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Old Oak Common TMD, London in July 1991. |
D440 | 50040 | Leviathan | 10.68 | 15.09.78 | 03.08.90 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Sims Metal Management, Halesowen in June–July 2008. |
D441 | 50041 | Bulwark | 10.68 | 08.05.78 | 17.04.90 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Old Oak Common TMD, London in July 1991. |
D442 | 50042 | Triumph | 10.68 | 04.10.78 | 15.10.90 | Preserved | Preserved at the Bodmin and Wenford Railway. |
D443 | 50043 | Eagle | 10.68 | 28.06.78 | 01.02.91 | Scrapped | Scrapped for spares at Blaenavon by Rexstar in January 2002. |
D444 | 50044 | Exeter | 11.68 | 26.04.78 | 11.01.91 | Preserved | Owned by the Class 50 Alliance.[21] |
D445 | 50045 | Achilles |
11.68 | 12.04.78 | 11.12.90 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Booth-Roe scrapyard, Rotherham in April 2000. |
D446 | 50046 | Ajax | 12.68 | 11.10.78 | 25.03.92 | Scrapped | Scrapped at MC Metals scrapyard, Glasgow in June 1992. One cab privately preserved near Looe, Cornwall.[26] |
D447 | 50047 | Swiftsure | 12.68 | 26.05.78 | 13.04.88 | Scrapped | Scrapped at Vic Berry's scrapyard, Leicester in April–June 1989. |
D448 | 50048 | Dauntless | 12.68 | 16.03.78 | 15.07.91 | Scrapped | Scrapped at MC Metals scrapyard, Glasgow in April 1992. |
D449 | 50049 50149 |
Defiance | 12.68 | 02.05.78 | 16.08.91 | Preserved | Owned by the Class 50 Alliance.[21] 50149 carried during trial of using the class on freight trains. |
Portuguese locomotives
The
Like the British Class 50s, they were equipped with an English Electric 16 CSVT engine and produced 2700 hp (2020 HP at the wheels). Unlike the BR locomotives upon which electronic control is extensively used, the Portuguese locomotives employ conventional control gear (the only exceptions being stepless control of tractive effort by a solid-state load regulator and the use of a very effective out-of-balance wheel-slip detector). The main generator and the traction motors are identical to those used on the BR Type 3 and Deltic locomotives. Contrary to BR Class 50, the Portuguese Série 1800 locomotives were built to be as much compatible with the smaller Série 1400 (themselves similar to BR Class 20) as possible and also to use as many common components as possible.
They were the only diesel locomotives in Portugal authorised to run at 140 km/h. The CP Série 1800s were all withdrawn in 2001 and (as of 2012) several have been cut up, and the future of the rest is unclear. Today some of these locomotives are still mostly seen as freight trains rather than passenger trains.
Locomotive 1805 has been preserved in operational condition by the
Preservation
This section needs additional citations for verification. (November 2022) |
Class 50 locomotives proved popular with rail enthusiasts, with eighteen locomotives saved for preservation and several subsequently registered for use on the mainline.
An ambitious project involving preserved Class 50s was "Operation Collingwood", an engineering charity established in the early 1990s. The aim had been to train young engineering
50043 Eagle was purchased in almost working order (the main generator had failed, a very common Class 50 problem) but it was never intended for restoration. Instead the power unit was gutted to provide parts for preserved Class 40 no. 40118 as the two share a very similar design of diesel engine. Eagle was then subjected to a further bout of stripping when electrical and other parts were sold to various Class 50 preservationists. Although cosmetically very smart, the loco was by this stage unrestorable and although an ambitious private individual did try, this effort soon came to naught and it was scrapped to provide parts for 50026 Indomitable. 50026 itself was rescued from Booth's Scrapyard in 1993.[27][28]
Once preserved, 50002 became the first class 50 to operate a train for a private excursion on the South Devon Railway (April 1992), while 50031 was the first to operate a train for fare paying passengers (Severn Valley Railway May 1992). 50031 was also the first to operate on the mainline, hauling the Past Time Railtours Pilgrim Hoover train from
One locomotive, 50017, was hired to
In 2003, the
In 2005, 50031 and 50049 were on long term hire to Arriva Trains Wales (ATW), for use on special services in connection with events at the Millennium Stadium, and over the summer period saw regular use on the Monday to Saturday "Fishguard Flyer" from Cardiff to Fishguard and return, in connection with the ferry sailing to Ireland. One of the two locomotives was used for the service each day, along with 4 Mark 2 coaches, the short formation and high power leading to very good performance. This arrangement lasted for one year. At the end of this period 50031 failed whilst working an ECS (Empty Coaching Stock) train, again for ATW.
During the summer of 2008 50044 "Exeter" was fitted with
Several owning groups have ceremonially re-dedicated their locomotives to the warships whose names they carry. The HMS Hood Association rededicated 50031 Hood at the
October 2018 saw the Severn Valley Railway host the 'Class 50 Golden Jubilee' gala, celebrating fifty years since the class was introduced into traffic. Eleven of the eighteen preserved 50s attended the event, these being: 50007, 50008, 50015, 50017, 50026 (non-operational), 50031, 50033, 50035, 50044, 50049 and 50050. This made it the largest gathering of a single type of locomotive in preservation history. Of significance was 50033, which had undergone a speedy overhaul since transferring to the railway in May of that year, hauling its first passenger trains since 2004.
Seven of the preserved Class 50s have operated on the mainline in preservation, these being: 50050 Fearless, 50007 Hercules, 50008 Thunderer, 50017 Royal Oak, 50031 Hood, 50044 Exeter and 50049 Defiance.
List of preserved locomotives
Numbers (Current in Bold) | Name | Image | Livery | Location | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D400 | 50050 | - | Fearless | BR Blue
|
Nottingham Eastcroft TMD | Owned by Boden Rail Engineering Ltd. First-built locomotive.
Operational, Mainline certified | |
D402 | 50002 | - | Superb | BR Blue
|
South Devon Railway
|
Under restoration.[29] | |
D407 | 50007 | - | Hercules | GBRf[30]
|
Severn Valley Railway | Operational, Mainline Certified. On spot-hire to GBRf.[30] | |
D408 | 50008 | - | Thunderer | Hanson & Hall | Kings Norton | Re-entered preservation in 2006. Repainted by ELR 2009–2010. Operational, Mainline Certified 2017 | |
D415 | 50015 | - | Valiant | BR Blue Large Logo
|
East Lancashire Railway | Only Class 50 to carry "Dutch" civil-engineers livery in BR ownership. Preserved by Bury Valiant Group
Operational | |
D417 | 50017 | 50117 | Royal Oak | Network SouthEast (Original) | Great Central Railway. | Preserved & Operational. Previously Mainline Certified. | |
D419 | 50019 | - | Ramillies | BR Blue Large Logo
|
Mid-Norfolk Railway | Taken out of service for works in 2013. | |
D421 | 50021 | - | Rodney | BR Blue Large Logo
|
Eastleigh | Operational. Restoration completed 2023.[31] | |
D426 | 50026 | - | Indomitable
|
Network SouthEast (Revised) | Eastleigh | Undergoing maintenance. Fitted with OTMR, TPWS and GSMR equipment for future mainline operation. Currently in the final stages of an engine overhaul. | |
D427 | 50027 | - | Lion | Network SouthEast (Revised) | Mid Hants Railway
|
Operational | |
D429 | 50029 | - | Renown | BR Blue Large Logo (Black Roof)
|
Peak Rail | Awaiting Restoration | |
D430 | 50030 | - | Repulse | BR Blue Large Logo
|
Peak Rail | Under Restoration | |
D431 | 50031 | - | Hood
|
Intercity Swallow | Severn Valley Railway | Operational. Currently carries non-prototypical Intercity livery. | |
D433 | 50033 | - | Glorious | BR Blue Large Logo
|
Severn Valley Railway | Previously at Swindon Steam Railway Museum and Tyseley Locomotive Works .
Operational. | |
D435 | 50035 | 50135 | Ark Royal | BR Blue
|
Severn Valley Railway | Operational. | |
D442 | 50042 | - | Triumph | BR Blue Large Logo (Black Roof)
|
Bodmin & Wenford Railway
|
Operational. | |
D444 | 50044 | - | Exeter | BR Blue
|
Severn Valley Railway | Operational. Mainline Certified. | |
D449 | 50049 | 50149 | Defiance | GBRf[30] | Severn Valley Railway | Operational. Mainline Certified. On spot-hire to GBRf.[30] |
Model railways
Lima produced the first model of the Class 50 in OO gauge – initially in unrefurbished condition – with Graham Farish producing the type in British N gauge. Neither of these models are now available new, but second-hand models do appear from time to time.
In 2003, Hornby Railways launched its first version of the BR Class 50 in OO gauge.[32] Hornby have since updated the Class 50 and have produced models of 50007 Hercules and 50049 Defiance in GBRF colours as part of their 2020 range.
Recently, Heljan have also made models of Class 50 in O gauge which includes 50007 Hercules as Sir Edward Elgar in GWR green, 50149 Defiance in BR Railfreight general sector triple grey, 50017 Valiant in BR Civil Engineers 'Dutch' grey and yellow and 50008 Thunderer in BR Laira Blue as well as unnamed and unnumbered 50s in BR Blue, and in the original and revised Network South East livery.
Dapol have also released a model of the Class 50 in N gauge which include samples in BR Blue, BR large logo Blue and the original NSE livery.
Accurascale announced in November 2022 that they would be producing a newly tooled OO gauge Class 50 model, based on a 3D laser scan taken of locomotive 50017 at the Great Central Railway in 2019.[33]
References, literature and notes
Notes
References
- ^ "Locomotive Database – BR Class 50". auran.com. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-78521-060-0.
- ISBN 978-0-7110-3550-8.
- ISBN 978-0-7110-3550-8.
- ^ Why the '50s' triumphed in class struggle Rail Magazine – Retrieved 31 December 2018
- ISSN 0264-3642.
- ^ ISSN 0264-3642.
- ISBN 0-906883-07-5.
- ISBN 0-7110-0558-3.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Class 50s in Operation. D Clough [page needed]
- ^ Perren, Brian (December 1971). "Five years "under the wire" – 2". Railway World. Vol. 32, no. 379. Shepperton: Ian Allan. pp. 528–531.
- ^ BR Locomotive Problems Working Group Minutes
- ^ English Electric Traction for Egypt – EE Co Publicity Document E438 1961
- ^ Class 50 The Large Logo Years. I Horner
- ^ The Laira Years. Locomaster Profiles[page needed]
- ^ Nicholson-Lord, David (24 November 1983). "Eleven coaches derailed in Paddington sleeper crash". The Times. No. 61698. London. col B-F, p. 32.
- ISBN 0-11-550686-1. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
- ^ "Accident at West Ealing in August 1989". Railways Archive.
- ^ "Class 50 Locomotive Names". Class50.com. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
- ^ "Devon Diesel Society – Locos D2246, D6737 and D402". devondiesels.org.uk. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ a b c d Locomotives owned by the Class 50 Alliance Ltd (Accessed 2009-01-28)
- ^ a b Locomotives owned by Renown Repulse Restoration Group
- ^ Locomotives operated by the Class 50 Alliance Ltd (Accessed 2009-01-28)
- ^ "The Cabs – The Cab Yard".
- ^ "Renown Repulse Restoration Group".
- ^ "History The Cab Yard Story – The Cab Yard".
- ^ "50026 Indomitable". English Electric Archive. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
- ^ Travers, Chris. "Diesel Update – November 2017". Epping Ongar Railway. Diesel Restoration Group. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
- ^ "D402 – English Electric Type 4 – BR Class 50 – 50 002 - South Devon Railway". 4 December 2017.
- ^ a b c d "GB Railfreight and Class 50 Alliance collaboration sealed with locomotive repaints". gbrailfreight.com. 15 January 2019. Archived from the original on 21 August 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
- ^ "50021 Rodney". English Electric Archive - British Rail Class 50 locomotives.
- ^ "Hornby BR Class 50". Hornby Railways Collector Guide. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
- ^ "Class 50s – from Accurascale". World of Railways. Bourne: Warners Group Publications. 23 November 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
Sources
- Clough, David (2004). Class 50s in Operation. Hersham: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 0-711029-71-7.
Further reading
- Ballantyne, Hugh (2014). Class 50s to the Cornish Riviera. Book Law Publications. ISBN 9781909625211.
- Beckett, M.J. (1983). The Class 50 Story. Fearless Publications. OCLC 655706030.
- Brooks, Chris; Szwejkowski, Richard (1997). Class 50s on Tour. Peter Watts. OCLC 862609132.
- Coward, Andy; Horner, Ian; Thompson, Richard (2010). First of the Last: The Life and Times of 50050 Fearless. The D400 Fund. ISBN 9780956610706.
- Denton, Brian; Warwick, David, eds. (1991). Main Line Colour Albums No.1: The Class 50s. Airtime Publishing Ltd. OCLC 59899657.
- Derrick, Kevin (2004). Heritage Traction in Colour: The Class 50s. Trans-Pennine Publishing Ltd. ISBN 9781903016404.
- Derrick, Kevin (2011). Looking back at Class 50 Locomotives. Strathwood. ISBN 9781905276455.
- Gillham, G.F. (1983). Class 50s on the Western. Becknell. OCLC 12450338.
- Marsden, Colin J. (1991). Life & Times Series: Class 50. OPC. OCLC 22626487.
- Marsden, Colin J. (1988). Locomotive Recognition: Class 50s. Ian Allan. OCLC 19266339.
- Marsden, Colin J.; Fenn, Graham B. (1988). British Rail Main Line Diesel Locomotives. Sparkford: Haynes. pp. 212–219. OCLC 17916362.
- Oakley, Michael (1979). The Fifty – Fifties EE Class 50 Diesel Electrics. Bradford Barton. OCLC 60077372.
- Saunders, Kevin; Cough, David N. (1998). Class 50 Factfile. Fearless Publications. OCLC 867913413.
- Siviter, Roger (2001). Class 50s on the Route from Waterloo to Exeter. Silver Link Publishing Ltd. OCLC 862602336.
- Vaughan, John (1986). Class 50s at Work. Littlehampton Book Services Ltd. OCLC 17261126.
- Vaughan, John (1983). Profile of the Class 50s. OPC. OCLC 11840595.
- Vehicle Diagram Book No. 100 for Main Line Diesel Locomotives (PDF). Derby: British Railways Board. October 1984. pp. 33, 38–39, 136 (per pdf) – via Barrowmore MRG.
- Woodhouse, Mike; Griffiths, Andy (1994). Thundering fifties: further reminiscences of a Class 50 fitter at Laira. Wolfhayes Publications. OCLC 867913367.
- Johnston, Howard (October 1982). "New locos for old!". OCLC 49957965.
- "The Flying Fifties". OCLC 49957965.
- Johnston, Howard (May 1984). "A '50' in Brunswick green". OCLC 49957965.
- Clough, David (October 1988). "50s in view". OCLC 49953699.
- Vaughan, John (4–17 May 1989). "The one year life of a china clay Class 50". OCLC 49953699.
- "'50s' future in doubt as Operation Collingwood rethinks its strategy". OCLC 49953699.
External links
- 50015 Bury Valiant Group – Information on D415/50015 based at the East Lancashire Railway
- The Fifty Fund – Supporters group for the locomotives owned and operated by The Class 50 Alliance Ltd. – Information on all class 50s and specific coverage of 50007 Hercules, 50031 Hood, 50035 Ark Royal, 50044 Exeter and 50049 Defiance all nominally based at the Severn Valley Railway
- Class 50 loco-by-loco photo gallery
- English Electric Archive – gallery dedicated to English Electric Type 4 Co-Co (British Rail Class 50) locomotives in preservation and their restoration
- 50042 Archived 1 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine – Information on 50042 Triumph based at the Bodmin and Wenford Railway