Class 47

The British Rail **Class 47** is a class of British railway diesel-electric locomotive that was developed in the 1960s by Brush Traction. A total of 512 Class 47s were built at Crewe Works and Brush's Falcon Works, Loughborough between 1962 and 1968, which made them the most numerous class of British mainline diesel locomotive. They where classified as Type 4s.

They were fitted with the Sulzer 12LDA28C twin-bank twelve-cylinder unit producing 2,750 bhp (2,050 kW) - though this was later derated to 2,580 bhp (1,920 kW) to improve reliability - and have been used on both passenger and freight trains on Britain's railways for over 50 years. Despite the introduction of more modern types of traction, a significant number are still in use, both on the mainline and on heritage railways. As of October 2016, 81 locomotives still exist as Class 47s, with further examples having been converted to other classes; 30 retain "operational status" on the mainline.

## Origins

The Class 47 history begins in the early 1960s with the stated aim of the British Transport Commission (BTC) to remove steam locomotives from British Rail by a target date of 1968. It therefore required a large build of lightweight Type 4 locomotives to achieve this aim. This required locomotives producing at least 2,500 bhp (1,900 kW) but with an axle load of no more than 19 long tons (19 t). However, the BTC was not convinced that the future of diesel traction lay down the hydraulic transmission path of the Western Region, and began looking at various diesel-electric designs.

Despite the construction of two demonstration locomotives (D0260 *Lion*, produced by AEI and BRC&W using a Sulzer engine, and D0280 *Falcon*, built by Brush Traction using Maybach engines), the need for a large number of locomotives quickly was deemed paramount, and the pilot build of what would become Class 47 began before the prototypes could be comprehensively assessed. This initial build of 20 locomotives (Nos. D1500 to D1519) were mechanically different from the remainder of the type, and would be withdrawn earlier. However, based on these and the success of *LION*, an order for 270 locomotives was made, which was later revised upwards a number of times to reach the final total of 512. Five locomotives, Nos. D1702 to D1706, were fitted with a Sulzer V12 12LVA24 power unit and classified as Class 48s; the experiment was not deemed a success, and they were later converted to standard 47s.

## Today

### Current mainline operation

In 2017, after over 55 years of front line passenger and freight operations, 30 locomotives retain operational status on the National network. The following is a list of companies currently operating Class 47s.

* *West Coast Railways* is primarily a charter train operator, and expanded its fleet by overhauling withdrawn locomotives. Its twelve locomotives currently operational are **47237**, **47245**, **47746**, **47760**, **47772**, **47786**, **47802**, **47804**, **47826**, **47832**, **47851** and **47854**.
* *Vintage Trains* own **47773** as a preserved locomotive maintained to mainline standards based at Tyseley. This loco is in BR Green livery.
* *Rail Operations Group* is a new rolling stock provider; locomotives currently operational are **47812**, **47813**, **47815**, **47843**, **47847** and **47848**.
* *Locomotive Services Limited* owns the former Crewe Diesel Depot and they own **47501**, **47790**, **47805** and **47841**. They also purchased derelict **47811** and **47816** from Freightliner Group as a source of spare parts.
* *Arlington Fleet Services* based at Eastleigh own **47810** and **47818** generally used for shunting on site.
* *GB Railfreight* operates a small fleet of three locomotives. These are **47727**, **47739**, **47749**, and are to be used on Caledonian Sleeper duties. These locomotives were formerly with Colas Rail, for duties hauling its track maintenance trains and occasional steel traffic, and had been hired to GBRf prior to transferring.
* *Freightliner*, a freight company, operate **47830** (D1645), which was named *Beeching's Legacy* on 12 November 2015 to mark 50 years since the first container train ran under British Rail. The naming ceremony was held at the National Railway Museum at York, with the Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin in attendance.
* A number of other locomotives are stored in a serviceable condition by these and other operators (currently, **47 501** and **47 701** fall into this category). Both these and some preserved locomotives that are maintained to mainline standards (such as "Royal Train" locomotive **47 798**, along with **47 270**, **47 580**, **47 715** and **47 773**) may appear on the network at any time.
* 19 further locomotives, owned by various companies, remain in non-operational "stored" condition. As of October 2016 these are **47 194**, **47 236**, **47 355**, **47 368**, **47 488**, **47 492**, **47 500**, **47 526**, **47 703**, **47 714**, **47 744**, **47 761**, **47 768**, **47 769**, **47 776**, **47 787**, **47 811** and **47 816**. Some are used for spares, some are awaiting scrapping and the rest are pending repairs to enable them to return to the main line.

## Accidents

* 11 January 1965: **D1734** was severely damaged after the freight train it was hauling ran out of control near Shrewsbury, eventually demolishing a signal box. It was withdrawn two months later, becoming the first Class 47 withdrawn after a working life of only eight months.
* 17 December 1965: **D1671** *THOR* was derailed near Bridgend whilst hauling a train of empty coaches. Shortly afterwards, a freight train collided heavily with the wreckage, killing the drivers of both locomotives. D1671 was withdrawn some four months later. Its nameplates were salvaged, and transferred to No. D1677.
* 8 April 1969: **D1908** was badly damaged when, while hauling a freight train at Monmore Green, it was struck head-on by a passenger train that had passed a signal at danger. D1908 caught fire after the accident and became the third Class 47 withdrawn.
* 13 March 1971: **D1562** was wrecked after its power unit, which had been experimentally uprated, exploded at Haughley Junction while the locomotive was hn which six people were killed. The locomotive was repaired, but much later in its life when numbered 47 849, it was withdrawn from the Class 57 rebuilding programme after damage was discovered which was thought to have
* 25 August 1974: **47 236** was hauling a passenger train that passed a signal at danger and was derailed at Dorchester West. Eighteen peooth the train and the lorry were killed.
* 5 September 1977: **47 402** was hauling a mail train when it was in a head-on collision with a diesel multiple unit at Farnley Junction, Leeds, West Yorkshire due to a signalling fault. Two people were killed and fifteen were injured.
* 22 October 1979: **47 2**awn after suffering severe damage in a fatal accident at Invergowrie in Scotland. 47 208 was hauling a Glasgow to Aberdeen service which collided with a local train which had stopped in front.
* 9 December 1983: **47 299** (formerly 47 216) was involved in a serious accident at Wrawby Junction in Lincolnshire, when whilst hauling an oil train, the locomotive collided with a local train resulting in the death of a passenger. It later emerged that the locomotive's renumbering was allegedly due to a warning given to BR by a clairvoyant who claimed to have foreseen a serious accident involving a locomotive numbered "47216".
* 30 July 1984: **47 707** *Holyrood* was propelling the 17:30 express from Edinburgh to Glasgow from the rear, when the train collided with a cow near Polmont and was derailed, resulting in 13 deaths. The accident raised serious concerns about the safety of push-pull operation where the locomotive was at the rear of the train.
* 20 December 1984: Summit Tunnel fire: Locomotive **47 125** was hauling a freight train of petrol tankers which derailed and caught fire in Summit Tunnel, on the Lancashire/West Yorkshire border.
* 18 January 1986: Locomotive No. **47 111** was run into by a Class 104 diesel multiple unit which had a brake failure and had passed three signals at danger at Preston. Forty-four people were injured.
* 9 March 1986: Locomotive No. **47 334** was one of two light engines that were hit head-on by a passenger train at Chinley, Derbyshire due to a signalman's error. One person was killed. Lack of training and a power cut were contributory factors.
* 20 February 1987: **47 089** *Amazon* was hauling a freight train that ran away and was derailed by trap points at North Junction, Chinley, Derbyshire. Another train ran into the wreckage and was derailed.
* 24 March 1987: **47 202** was hauling a freight train that overran signals and was in a head-on collision with a passenger train (hauled by **33 032**) at Frome North Junction, Somerset. Fifteen people were injured, some seriously.

## References

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 Traction Recognition, Colin J. Marsden, ISBN 978-0-7110-3277-4
2. ↑ The railways archive
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://www.class47.co.uk/c47\_feature\_425.php
4. ↑ http://www.class47.co.uk/c47\_features.php
5. ↑ http://glostransporthistory.visit-gloucestershire.co.uk/RODClass47.htm
6. ↑ http://www.class47.co.uk/c47\_data\_431.php
7. ↑ http://www.brushtype4fund.co.uk/47746/47746index.htm
8. ↑ https://www.railmagazine.com/news/fleet/gb-railfreight-buys-three-class-47s
9. ↑ "Freightliner marks 50 years with a naming". *The Railway Magazine*. Vol. 161 no. 1,377. Horncastle, Lincs: Mortons Media Group. 2 December 2015. p. 7. ISSN 0033-8923.
10. ↑ http://www.brushtype4fund.co.uk/47701/47701index.htm
11. ↑ locomotive D1734 Class47.com
12. ↑ Brush Diesel Locomotives, George Toms, ISBN 0902844482
13. ↑ locomotive D1671 Class47.com
14. ↑ locomotive D1908 Class47.com
15. ↑ [1] Railwaysarchive.co.uk - Retrieved on 2015-11-05
16. ↑ Trevena, Arthur (1981). *Trains in Trouble: Vol. 2*. Redruth: Atlantic Books. p. 47. ISBN 0-906899-03-6.
17. ↑ Invergowrie accident report Railwaysarchive.co.uk - Retrieved on 2007-04-30
18. ↑ Jinxed locomotive 47299 Railfan article - Retrieved on 2007-04-30
19. ↑ The Polmont accident in the light of 2001 Selby Crash Danger Ahead - Retrieved on 2007-04-30
20. ↑ http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/DoT\_Preston1986.pdf
21. ↑ Vaughan, Adrian (1989). *Obstruction Danger*. Wellingborough: Patrick Stephens Limited. pp. 240–48. ISBN 1-85260-055-1.
22. ↑ Earnshaw, Alan (1991). *Trains in Trouble: Vol. 7*. Penryn: Atlantic Books. p. 45. ISBN 0-906899-50-8.
23. ↑ Vaughan, Adrian (2003) [2000]. *Tracks to Disaster*. Hersham: Ian Allan. pp. 10–11. ISBN 0 7110 2985 7.
24. ↑ http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/DoT\_Frome1987.pdf