BR Class 47

* WSR: BR Green
* NTP: BR Blue
* BB: BR Blue Remade
* BB: BR InterCity
* BB: BR Large Logo
* Cab

The **British Rail Class 47**, also known as the **Brush Type 4** and nicknamed **"Duff"**, is a class of British Railway locomotives built in the 1960s and used to the present day in the UK. As one of the most dependable locomotives in British Rail's fleet, most were retained post-privatisation, and many are still in mainline service today, being used for a wide variety of tasks, including hauling freight and rescuing failed trains. Class 47s were historically used for both passenger and freight services, however, since the introduction of newer locomotives, they are primarily operated on freight services, though some preserved examples continue to haul passenger excursions.

## An Introduction to the BR Class 47

As the steam-era was quickly drawn up for an abrupt end by the mid-to late 1960s, the British railway network needed a vast and swift conversion to diesel traction, nation-wide. While the Western Region had opted diesels-hydraulic options, the British Transport Commission was doubtful this would be the best approach for the railway's future and started exploring diesel-electric traction.

The new locomotives needed to be both lightweight, and easily attain a "Type 4" locomotive status (meaning they had to produce between 2500 and 2999 horsepower). Two prototypes were built for testing purposes, their names being Lion and Falcon. Each was built by a different manufacturer and featured differing engine types, however before any testing could begin, the necessity for new engines was too great of initial batch of new locomotives started production.

The new locomotives, combined with the trialled Lion, would eventually lead to a much larger batch of locomotives, which would be built Brush Traction. In all, between 1962 and 1968, a grand total of 512 "Brush Type 4" locomotives would roll out of Loughborough and Crewe Works - numbered from D1500 to D1999, and D1100 - D1111. The Type 4's quicky went to work, replacing steam locomotives on both passenger and freight duties.

In the 1970s, Brush Type 4 locomotives were sorted with the new TOPS classification system and became the Class 47. TOPS allowed for sub-classes to be used in further sorting locomotives, and three variants of the Class 47 existed at the time, those with steam heating, those with no heating, and others with dual or electric train heating; these became the Class 47/0, 47/3 and 47/4 respectively. Further modification, to fit additional fuel tanks also brought about the somewhat unofficial 47/8 subclass.

## Sub-Classes

### Class 47/4

Rebuilt from the original Class 47/0, designed with an electric train heating (ETH) equipment, are commonly operated on passenger, mail, and parcel services. This sub-class is included on the West Somerset Railway route DLC, with D1661, in BR Green livery. And on the Northern Trans-Pennine & Blackpool Branches DLC routes, in BR Blue, Largo Logo & InterCity liveries.

## Preservations

### D1661 "North Star"

D1661, the resident Class 47 on the West Somerset Railway, was introduced into service in 1965. Allocated to Landore Depot in Swansea, before being moved to Old Oak Common TMD in 1973, followed by a move to Cardiff Canton. D1661's final allocation was Bristol Bath Road in 1998 and was preserved in 2007. Whilst only D1661 is advertised as part of the West Somerset Railway, all 32 preserved examples are featured in the route DLC in BR Green livery.

## Timetable

The BR Class 47 runs a 24 hr timetable. Links can be found below to the appropriate timetables:

* Service Timetable - West Somerset Railway
* Service Timetable - Northern Trans-Pennine
* Service Timetable - East Coastway
* Service Timetable - Southeastern High Speed
* Service Timetable - Diesel Legends of the Great Western
* Service Timetable - Cathcart Circle Line
* Service Timetable - West Cornwall Local
* Service Timetable - Southeastern High Speed Extended
* Service Timetable - East Coast Main Line

## Version Differences

***Blackpool South Line*: Blackpool South - Squires Gate - St Annes-on-the-Sea - Ansdell & Fairhaven - Lytham - Moss Side**