page_title: British Rail Class 31
section_title: Class 31/5
hierarchical_section_title: British Rail Class 31 / Classification / Sub-classes / Class 31/5
caption_attribution_description: English: Peterborough.. A fairly old-timer, even then.
context_page_description: The British Rail Class 31 diesel locomotives, also known as the Brush Type 2 and originally as Class 30, were built by Brush Traction from 1957-62. They were numbered in two series, D5500-D5699 and D5800-D5862.
context_section_description: In the late 1980s with increased use of "Sprinter" type units on previously loco hauled diagrams, there were ETH fitted Locomotives to spare and with this in mind, some Class 31's were selected to have their ETH cables removed from the front buffer beam. This was done to try to prevent passenger sectors of BR borrowing the locomotives from the Freight sectors, and to cut down on maintenance of surplus equipment. The re-numbering was achieved by simply adding 100 to the existing TOPS number i.e. 31 407 became 31 507. When the re-numbering was taking place, most locos were still in standard BR Blue livery and the 4 in the number was painted over and a 5 placed over the top. Some of the sub-class were painted into Civil Engineers all over Grey livery, although most were subsequently painted into the "Dutch" Yellow and Grey livery. Only 31 530 (Sister Dora), 31 544 (Keighley and Worth Valley Railway) and 31 568 (The Engineman’s Fund) were named when numbered as a 31/5. 31 544 was also notable as the only one of the sub-class with the original "toffee apple" style cabs without the route indicators on the roof.
caption: 31549 at Peterborough in 1994.
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