50050 Fearless at Reading, 1975.

50027 Lion at Birmingham New Street, 1985 in large logo livery.

50 002 Superb in Network SouthEast livery at Birmingham New Street, 1987.

50049 Defiance at Bath Spa Station on 3rd June 2007.

The British Rail Class 50 is a diesel locomotive built from 1967-68 by English Electric at their Vulcan Foundry Works in Newton-le-Willows. Fifty of these locomotives were built to haul express passenger trains on the northern half of the West Coast Main Line. They were originally hired from English Electric Leasings, not being purchased outright by BR until around 1973. Under the pre-1968 classification system these locomotives were known as the English Electric Type 4. The class were affectionately nicknamed "Hoovers" by rail enthusiasts because of their distinctive engine sound, caused by the centrifugal air filters originally fitted. These proved unreliable, and were later removed, but the "Hoover" nickname stuck. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x666, 174 KB) Summary © Max Batten http://www. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x666, 174 KB) Summary © Max Batten http://www. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links 50027_Birmingham_New_Street_-_14. ... Image File history File links 50027_Birmingham_New_Street_-_14. ... Image File history File links 50002_Superb_Birmingham_New_Street_-_19. ... Image File history File links 50002_Superb_Birmingham_New_Street_-_19. ... A train in NSE livery Network SouthEast (NSE) was a sector of British Rail that principally operated commuter trains in the London area, and was formed in 1986 when BR was sectorised. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (3072 × 2304 pixel, file size: 3. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (3072 × 2304 pixel, file size: 3. ... This article is about the defunct entity British Railways, which later traded as British Rail. The History of rail transport in Great Britain is covered in its own article. ... A modern Diesel locomotive. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... English Electric logo English Electric was a 20th-century British industrial manufacturer, initially of electric motors, and expanding to include railway locomotives and aviation, before becoming part of GEC. // 1917: Dick, Kerr & Co. ... Vulcan Foundry was a British locomotive builder sited at Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire. ... For the village, see Newton-le-Willows, North Yorkshire. ... The WCML running alongside the M1 motorway at Watford Gap in Northamptonshire A Virgin Pendolino and freight train on the WCML The West Coast Main Line (WCML) is one of the most important intercity railway lines in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... English Electric logo English Electric was a 20th-century British industrial manufacturer, initially of electric motors, and expanding to include railway locomotives and aviation, before becoming part of GEC. // 1917: Dick, Kerr & Co. ... A wide variety of locomotives and multiple units have operated on Great Britains railway network. ... Railfans practicing their hobby at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. ...

Description

Introduction

The Class 50 fleet was developed following trials with the prototype Deltic-bodied DP2 locomotive. In many ways, the locomotives were a more powerful version of the earlier Class 40, and also included a host of complex electronic control gear, which to some extent was their downfall. British Rail assigned Class 55 to the English Electric Type 5 express diesel locomotives built in 1961/2 for high-speed service on the East Coast Main Line between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh. ... DP2, meaning Diesel Prototype number 2, was a prototype Type 4 mainline diesel locomotive built in 1962 by English Electric at their Vulcan Foundry in Newton-le-Willows to demonstrate its wares to British Railways. ... No. ...

Fifty locomotives were built, initially numbered D400-D449. From 1973 onwards, the locomotives were renumbered into the range 50001-50050, to conform with the TOPS system. With the exception of the first-built locomotive, which was renumbered to 50050, the rest of the fleet retained the last two digits of their number, such that D431 would become no. 50031. For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ...

Technical details

• Builder : Engilsh Electric Co Ltd, Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows, Lancs.
• Engine : English Electric 16 CSVT 16-cylinder diesel
• Wheel arrangement : Co-Co
• Transmission : 6 English Electric type 538/5A axle-hung nose-suspended 400hp traction motors
• Power : 2700 bhp at 850rpm
• Tractive effort
  • Maximum : 48,500lb
  • Continuous : 33,000lb
• Max speed : 100mph
• Weight (in working order) : 115 tons
• Axle load limit : 19 tons 10 cwt
• Dimensions
  • Height : 12ft 9ins
  • Width : 8ft 10ins
  • Length : 68ft 6ins
  • Wheelbase : 56ft 2ins
  • Wheel diameter : 3ft 7ins
• Route Availabiltiy : 6

English Electric logo English Electric was a 20th-century British industrial manufacturer, initially of electric motors, and expanding to include railway locomotives and aviation, before becoming part of GEC. // 1917: Dick, Kerr & Co. ... Vulcan Foundry was a British locomotive builder sited at Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire. ... For the village, see Newton-le-Willows, North Yorkshire. ... Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea. ... English Electric logo English Electric was a 20th-century British industrial manufacturer, initially of electric motors, and expanding to include railway locomotives and aviation, before becoming part of GEC. // 1917: Dick, Kerr & Co. ... The UIC classification is a comprehensive system for describing the wheel arrangement of locomotives. ... English Electric logo English Electric was a 20th-century British industrial manufacturer, initially of electric motors, and expanding to include railway locomotives and aviation, before becoming part of GEC. // 1917: Dick, Kerr & Co. ...

Numbers and names

Categories: Possible copyright violations ... Six ships and one submarine of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Dreadnought in the expectation that they would dread nought but God. ... Nine ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Superb. ... The fighting Temeraire, tugged to her last berth to be broken up by J. M. W. Turner, 1838. ... Four vessels of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS St Vincent. ... Four ships of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Collingwood, after Admiral Collingwood. ... Nine ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Neptune after the Roman god of the ocean. ... Five ships of the British Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Hercules, after the Greek and Roman hero Hercules. ... Six ships of the British Royal Navy have been called HMS Thunderer: The first Thunderer was a 74-gun third-rate launched in 1760 and wrecked 1780. ... Nine vessels of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Conqueror. ... At least three ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Monarch: A Monarch served in the Royal Navy c. ... Eight ships of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Centurion, after the centurions of ancient Rome. ... Two ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Benbow, after Admiral John Benbow: Benbow was an Admiral-class battleship launched in 1885 and scrapped in 1909. ... Five ships of the Royal Navy have been called HMS Agincourt, named after the Battle of Agincourt of 1415, and construction of another was started but not completed. ... Several ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Warspite: Warspite, launched in 1884, was a first-class armoured cruiser scrapped between 1904 and 1906. ... Six vessels of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Valiant. ... Several ships of the British Royal Navy have been given the name HMS Barham in honour of Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham. ... Seven (or eleven, depending on how one counts) vessels of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Royal Oak. ... Resolution in a gale by Willem van de Velde, the younger depicts the first Resolution c. ... Several vessels of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Ramillies after the battle of Ramillies: Ramillies, launched 1664 as Royal Katherine, was a 90-gun second-rate. ... Sixteen warships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Revenge. ... Six ships of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Rodney, at least the last five after Admiral George Brydges Rodney. ... Seven ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Anson, after Admiral George Anson: The first Anson was a 60-gun fourth-rate launched in 1747 and sold in 1773. ... Several ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Howe, after Admiral Richard Howe: Howe, launched 1860, was a 121-gun ship of the line, renamed Bulwark, and then renamed Impregnable in 1886. ... At least ten ships of the British Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Vanguard, meaning the forefront of an action or movement. ... Six ships of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Invincible. ... There have been two warships named Indomitable, but the most powerful ship of the lineage was its last. ... Eighteen vessels of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Lion, after the lion, an animal traditionally associated with courage, and also used in several heraldric motifs representing England and the British Monarchy. ... Twelve ships of the British Royal Navy have carried the name HMS Tiger, after the feline tiger. ... HMS Renown is a ship name used by the Royal Navy. ... Twelve ships of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Repulse. ... Three ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Hood after members of the Hood family, which produced several notable Navy officers: HMS Hood (1859) - 91-gun second-rate ship of the line, launched as Edgar. ... Several ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Courageous or Courageux (the French spelling). ... HMS Glorious was a warship of the Royal Navy. ... Five vessels of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Furious: Furious, launched 1797, was a 12-gun gunvessel. ... HMS Ark Royal (R07) in Greenwich dock, London This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Five ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Victorious. ... There have been five ships in the Royal Navy to bear the proud name Illustrious, and as her name suggests, she and her predecessors have had an illustrious history. ... At least two ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Formidable. ... Three ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Implacable: Implacable, launched in 1800 as the French ship Duguay-Trouin, was a 74-gun ship of the line. ... Several ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Leviathan: Leviathan fought at the Battle of Trafalgar. ... Seven ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Bulwark. ... Several ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Triumph: Triumph, launched in 1764, was a 74-gun third-rate ship-of-the-line built at Woolwich. ... About fifteen ships of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Eagle, after the eagle. ... Five ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Exeter after the city of Exeter in Devon. ... Several ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Achilles, after the Greek hero Achilles. ... Eight ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Ajax after the Greek hero Ajax the Great: The first Ajax, launched in 1765, was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line broken up and sold in 1785. ... The Royal Navy has had ships named HMS Swiftsure since 1573, including: Swiftsure, launched in 1804, was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line which served at the Battle of Trafalgar and was sold in 1845. ... Four ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Dauntless: The first Dauntless was an 18-gun sloop launched at Hull, England in November 1804. ... Several ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Defiance: Defiance was a 3rd rate ship of the line of 74 guns. ...

Service

The class were built for working passenger services on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) north of Crewe, to Preston, Lancaster, Carlisle and Glasgow Central. Services south of Crewe would generally be worked by an electric locomotive, with the Class 50s taking over for the journeys that continued north. Trains were often double-headed to deal with the steep gradients, such as Shap Summit and Beattock Summit. The WCML running alongside the M1 motorway at Watford Gap in Northamptonshire A Virgin Pendolino and freight train on the WCML The West Coast Main Line (WCML) is one of the most important intercity railway lines in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system. ... Map sources for Crewe at grid reference SJ705557 Crewe is a town in south Cheshire, in the north west of England. ... Preston, a city and local government district in Lancashire, England, is located on the River Ribble. ... A view of Lancaster showing the Lune, the Millennium Bridge and the Ashton Memorial Lancaster (2001 census population 45,952: source ONS) is a city in Lancashire, in the north-west of England, UK. It is a commercial, cultural and educational centre. ... , Carlisle is a city in the far north-west of England, and is the largest urban area in Cumbria. ... Glasgow Central is the larger of the two present main-line railway terminals in Glasgow, Scotland, and is managed by Network Rail. ... Modern three-phase AC locomotive (DBAG Class 152) A GG1 An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electric motors which draws current from an overhead wire (overhead lines), a third rail, or an on-board storage device such as a battery or a flywheel energy storage system. ... Shap is a linear village located on the edge of a fell in Cumbria UK, located on the A6 road, near to both the M6 motorway and the West Coast Main Line railway. ... Beattock Summit is a high point of the West Coast Main Line railway and of the A74(M) motorway as they cross from Dumfries and Galloway to South Lanarkshire in south west Scotland. ...

In 1974 the northern WCML was electrified, and the Class 50 fleet was displaced by new Class 87 electrics. The fleet was transferred en-masse to the Western Region, working mainline passenger services from London Paddington along the Great Western Main Line to destinations such as Oxford, Cheltenham Spa, Bristol Temple Meads, Plymouth and Penzance. It was not unusual for locomotives to work services on other routes, such as the Birmingham New Street to Bristol Temple Meads corridor. The introduction of the Class 50s on these routes enabled the last remaining diesel hydraulic "Hymeks", "Warships" and "Westerns" to be withdrawn. These locomotives were non-standard in the BR fleet, and the final "Western" was withdrawn in 1977. Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... No. ... British Railways Western Region totem station sign for Chippenham. ... Paddington station or London Paddington is the name of a major railway station in the Paddington area of London, which is the London terminus for long distance trains to the West of England and South Wales and some West London commuter services. ... Maidenhead Railway Bridge The Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in England that runs westwards from London Paddington station to Temple Meads station in Bristol. ... Oxford is a city and local government district in Oxfordshire, England, with a population of 134,248 (2001 census). ... This article is about the town of Cheltenham in England. ... The original station (left) closed in 1965. ... , Plymouth (Cornish: ) is a city of 243,795 inhabitants (2001 census) in the south-west of England, or alternatively the West Country, and is situated within the traditional and ceremonial county of Devon at the mouths of the rivers Plym and Tamar and at the head of one of the... Penzance Harbour and surrounding area as seen from the air Penzance (Cornish: Pensans) is a civil parish and port town in the Penwith district of Cornwall, England, UK. Granted various Royal Charters from 1512 onwards and incorporated in 1614,[2] it has a population of 21,168[1] people and... Birmingham New Street could refer to: Birmingham New Street Station New Street, Birmingham This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The original station (left) closed in 1965. ... Preserved D7017 at Minehead in 1979 The British Rail Class 35 is a class of mixed traffic Bo-Bo diesel locomotive with hydraulic transmission. ... D852 Tenacious at Old Oak Common, 1964 British Railways Type 4 Warship class diesel hydraulic locomotives were introduced in 1958. ... British Rail assigned Class 52 to the class of 74 large Type 4 diesel-hydraulic locomotives built for the Western Region of British Railways between 1961 and 1964. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ...

In the late-1970s following the withdrawal of the last of the "Warships", BR decided to continue this naming policy, and as a result the Class 50 fleet were all named after Royal Navy warships. The first locomotive naming occurred in January 1978, when no. 50035 was named Ark Royal in honour of the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal. The rest of the fleet was named during the course of 1978, concluding in October with no. 50029, which was named Renown after the Resolution-class nuclear submarine HMS Renown. No. 50049 Defiance is named after a Royal Navy shore establishment rather than a sea-going vessel. The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... D852 Tenacious at Old Oak Common, 1964 British Railways Type 4 Warship class diesel hydraulic locomotives were introduced in 1958. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... Four aircraft carriers, (bottom-to-top) Principe de Asturias, amphibious assault carrier USS Wasp, supercarrier USS Forrestal and light V/STOL carrier HMS Invincible, showing size differences of late 20th century carriers An aircraft carrier is a warship designed to deploy and recover aircraft — in effect acting as a sea... HMS Ark Royal (R09) was an Audacious-class aircraft carrier of the British Royal Navy and, when she was decommissioned in 1978, was the Royal Navys last remaining conventional catapult and arrested-landing supercarrier. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... The Resolution class submarines were the first British strategic ballistic missile submarines, carrying the Polaris missile. ... USS Los Angeles A submarine is a specialized watercraft that can operate underwater. ... HMS Renown (S22) was the third of the Royal Navys Resolution-class ballistic missile submarines. ...

In 1977, British Rail introduced the Class 253 High Speed Trains onto the Great Western Main Line. The Class 50 fleet was therefore partially redeployed onto other routes, such as services to Birmingham New Street from London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads. The class also found work on services along the West of England Main Line from London Waterloo to Salisbury, Exeter and Plymouth. However, due in part to the over-complexity of the design, the class was plagued with reliability problems. As a result, the decision was taken in the late 1970s to refurbish the entire fleet, removing much of the complex electrical gear. Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... Class 253 and Class 254 were the classifications allocated to the production High Speed Train units. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Maidenhead Railway Bridge The Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in England that runs westwards from London Paddington station to Temple Meads station in Bristol. ... Birmingham New Street could refer to: Birmingham New Street Station New Street, Birmingham This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Paddington station or London Paddington is the name of a major railway station in the Paddington area of London, which is the London terminus for long distance trains to the West of England and South Wales and some West London commuter services. ... The original station (left) closed in 1965. ... The West of England Main Line is the British railway line from London Waterloo to Exeter. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles. ... Salisbury (IPA: , or — moving from RP to local dialect) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England. ... The city of Exeter is the county town of Devon, in the southwest of England, also known as the West Country. ... , Plymouth (Cornish: ) is a city of 243,795 inhabitants (2001 census) in the south-west of England, or alternatively the West Country, and is situated within the traditional and ceremonial county of Devon at the mouths of the rivers Plym and Tamar and at the head of one of the... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ...

Refurbishment

Between 1979 and 1984, the Class 50 fleet was refurbished at Doncaster Works, which had taken responsibility for the fleet after purchase from English Electric. The work involved simplifying the complex electronics and removing redundant features such as slow speed control. In addition, modifications took place to the air intake fan arrangement which eliminated the characteristic "sucking" noise which had earned the "Hoover" nickname. The original air circulation arrangement was the cause of many failures in traffic as the filtration system often prevented fresh air entering the engine room and stale, oil mist-filled air could not escape leading to many main generator failures. Externally, the locomotives all received high-intensity headlights, which changed the appearance of the front end. Starting with 50006, the first six locomotives were outshopped in the standard BR Blue livery. However, in 1980, no. 50023 Howe became the first to be outshopped in a revised livery with wrap around yellow cabs, large bodyside numerals and BR logo, in a livery that became known as BR Blue Large Logo. The final loco to be refurbished was 50014 which was released to traffic in the latter half of 1983. Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... This article is about the year. ... Doncaster railway works was in the town of Doncaster in the county of Yorkshire in England. ... English Electric logo English Electric was a 20th-century British industrial manufacturer, initially of electric motors, and expanding to include railway locomotives and aviation, before becoming part of GEC. // 1917: Dick, Kerr & Co. ... 56 036 at the launch of Large Logo livery at Toton works on 9th June 1979 Rail Blue was one of British Rails corporate colours. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... 56 036 at the launch of Large Logo livery at Toton works on 9th June 1979 Rail Blue was one of British Rails corporate colours. ...

Following refurbishment, the fleet was concentrated at two depots; Laira in Plymouth, and Old Oak Common in West London. The class were again used for Western Region services on the GWML out of Paddington, and on the West of England Main Line from Waterloo to Salisbury and Exeter. In 1986, this latter route came under the control of the Network SouthEast (NSE) sector, which saw the introduction of their bright blue, red and white livery. The first locomotive in this livery was again no. 50023 Howe. The NSE livery had two versions; the original had upswept red and white stripes and the ends, with a white cab surround; the revised livery introduced in 1988 had the red and white stripes continue to the body ends, with a blue cab surround. Originally Laira (or Lary or Leeri) was the name given to that part of the Plym estuary from the Cattewater up to Marsh Mills, Plymouth. ... , Plymouth (Cornish: ) is a city of 243,795 inhabitants (2001 census) in the south-west of England, or alternatively the West Country, and is situated within the traditional and ceremonial county of Devon at the mouths of the rivers Plym and Tamar and at the head of one of the... Old Oak Common is an area of London best known for its railway depots. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... The Great Western Main Line at Dawlish The Great Western Main Line crosses the River Thames on Maidenhead Railway Bridge The Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in the United Kingdom, corresponding to the principal routes of the pre-1948 Great Western Railway which were subsequently taken... Paddington station or London Paddington is the name of a major railway station in the Paddington area of London, which is the London terminus for long distance trains to the West of England and South Wales and some West London commuter services. ... The West of England Main Line is the British railway line from London Waterloo to Exeter. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles. ... Salisbury Cathedral by Constable. ... The city of Exeter is the county town of Devon, in the southwest of England, also known as the West Country. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... A train in NSE livery Network SouthEast (NSE) was a sector of British Rail that principally operated commuter trains in the London area, and was formed in 1986 when BR was sectorised. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ...

50007 Sir Edward Elgar in Brunswick green livery in 1993.

In 1984, no. 50007 Hercules was repainted into lined Brunswick green livery and renamed Sir Edward Elgar, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Great Western Railway. Four Class 47 locomotives were similarly treated, and a Class 117 diesel multiple unit was repainted in chocolate and cream livery. As a result, no. 50007 quickly became a favourite with rail enthusiasts. Another locomotive repainted in a special livery was no. 50019 Ramillies, which was repainted in a variation of BR Blue by staff at Plymouth Laira depot. Image File history File links 50007_Worcester_Open_Day_-_2nd_May_1993. ... Image File history File links 50007_Worcester_Open_Day_-_2nd_May_1993. ... This article is about the year. ... Brunswick green is a common name for green pigments made from copper compounds, although the name has also been used for other formulations that produce a similar hue, such as mixtures of chrome yellow and Prussian blue. ... Edward Elgar Sir Edward William Elgar, Bt OM GCVO (June 2, 1857 – February 23, 1934) was a British composer, born in the small Worcestershire village of Broadheath to William Elgar, a piano tuner and music dealer, and his wife Ann. ... The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ... thank god for class 57s that took the bodies of 47s - NO MORE 47 FREAKS!!! POGO, LIVES IN YORK REAL NAME - PAUL ILLINGSWORTH GED THE TRAMP, BIRMINGHAM REAL NAME - GERALD IZAAC HAPPLE ADDRESS - 378 GILLIOTT ROAD, EDGBASTON, BIRMINGHAM PHONE NO - 0121 454 4679 (PLEASE CONTACT ABOVE FOR GEN... 51402 at Northampton & Lamport Railway. ... DMU, type SA108 of Great Poland Voivodship in PoznaÅ„, Poland The Transwa Prospector DEMU capable of up to 200km/h provides a passenger service between Perth, Western Australia and the mining town of Kalgoorlie A Diesel Multiple Unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered... Railfans practicing their hobby at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. ... 56 036 at the launch of Large Logo livery at Toton works on 9th June 1979 Rail Blue was one of British Rails corporate colours. ... Originally Laira (or Lary or Leeri) was the name given to that part of the Plym estuary from the Cattewater up to Marsh Mills, Plymouth. ...

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 started to be withdrawn, starting with no. 50011 Centurion in early 1987. This locomotive's names were later transferred to no. 50040, which was previously named "Leviathan". A further two locomotives, nos. 50006 Neptune and 50014 Warspite were withdrawn in 1987, followed by a further five locomotives (nos. 50010/13/22/38/47) in 1988. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Oxford is a city and local government district in Oxfordshire, England, with a population of 134,248 (2001 census). ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... HMS Leviathan was a Majestic-class aircraft carrier laid down at Swan Hunter on 18 October 1943, and launched on 7 June 1945. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ...

50149 Defiance in Trainload Grey livery.

In 1987, consideration was given to using the class on freight trains. To this end, no. 50049 "Defiance" was renumbered to no. 50149, equipped with lower-geared bogies, and outshopped in the new trainload grey livery with railfreight decals. It was based at Plymouth Laira depot, and tested on local china clay trains in Cornwall. The project was, however, not an outstanding success, and by 1989, the locomotive had returned to its original identity. Part of the reason for the lack of success was that the sanding equipment had been removed during the refurbishment process. Image File history File links 50149_Worksop_Open_Day. ... Image File history File links 50149_Worksop_Open_Day. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Several ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Defiance: Defiance was a 3rd rate ship of the line of 74 guns. ... Originally Laira (or Lary or Leeri) was the name given to that part of the Plym estuary from the Cattewater up to Marsh Mills, Plymouth. ... Kaolin redirects here. ... For other uses, see Cornwall (disambiguation). ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ...

At the dawn of the 1990s, reliability of the Class 50s was still an issue. By this time, the class was solely used on the West of England route, having been replaced on the Oxford route by Class 47/7 locomotives. 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 fleet, temporarily replacing them with Class 47 locomotives, 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. For the band, see 1990s (band). ... thank god for class 57s that took the bodies of 47s - NO MORE 47 FREAKS!!! POGO, LIVES IN YORK REAL NAME - PAUL ILLINGSWORTH GED THE TRAMP, BIRMINGHAM REAL NAME - GERALD IZAAC HAPPLE ADDRESS - 378 GILLIOTT ROAD, EDGBASTON, BIRMINGHAM PHONE NO - 0121 454 4679 (PLEASE CONTACT ABOVE FOR GEN... Diesel multiple units (DMUs) are regional rail cars which contain both passenger accommodations and propulsion. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... Class 165/1, no. ... Class 166, no. ... The British Rail Class 159 Express Sprinter (also known as South Western Turbo by Network South East) is a diesel multiple unit, built from 1992-93 by BREL at Derby Works. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ...

By 1992, just eight locomotives remained in services, these being nos. 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, no. 50050 Fearless was renumbered D400 and painted in its original BR Blue livery. Two other locomotives, nos. 50008 Thunderer and 50015 Valiant were also repainted, the former in a variation of BR Blue (the same as no. 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 nos. 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, no. 50050 had been repainted into Blue Largo 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 no. 50033 was delivered for preservation at the National Railway Museum. The final railtour operated with nos. 50007 and 50050 from London Waterloo to Penzance and returning to London Paddington. Both locomotives were later preserved. Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... 56 036 at the launch of Large Logo livery at Toton works on 9th June 1979 Rail Blue was one of British Rails corporate colours. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar). ... 56 036 at the launch of Large Logo livery at Toton works on 9th June 1979 Rail Blue was one of British Rails corporate colours. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar). ... Locomotives arranged around the turntable in the Great Hall. ... Facade of Waterloo Station, London Waterloo is a major train station and transport interchange located in the Waterloo district of London, which was itself named after the Battle of Waterloo in which Napoleon was defeated near Brussels. ... Penzance Harbour and surrounding area as seen from the air Penzance (Cornish: Pensans) is a civil parish and port town in the Penwith district of Cornwall, England, UK. Granted various Royal Charters from 1512 onwards and incorporated in 1614,[2] it has a population of 21,168[1] people and... Paddington station or London Paddington is the name of a major railway station in the Paddington area of London, which is the London terminus for long distance trains to the West of England and South Wales and some West London commuter services. ...

Portuguese Locomotives

The Portuguese public operator, CP, bought 10 locomotives similar to the BR Class 50, the 1800 series (1801-1810) that entered service in 1968. Like the UK design, they were equipped with an English Electric 16 CSVT engine and produced 2020 HP at the wheels. The specification of the Portuguese locomotives was more basic than the British Rail examples; for example the BR locomotives drive the radiator fan via electric power derived from the electric train heating (ETH) generator whereas on the CP1800s the fan is belt-driven from the diesel engine. The CP1800s are not fitted with ETH and the electrical control equipment is consequently simpler. They were the only diesel locomotives in Portugal authorised to run at 140 km/h. The CP1800s were all withdrawn in 2001 and most still survive, with their future unclear as of September 2006. Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses (abbreviation: CP; English: Portuguese Railways) is the state railway company in Portugal. ... English Electric logo English Electric was a 20th-century British industrial manufacturer, initially of electric motors, and expanding to include railway locomotives and aviation, before becoming part of GEC. // 1917: Dick, Kerr & Co. ... Head end power (also known as hotel power) is a method of providing electricity to the carriages of a train, usually the passenger carriages of a long distance hotel train. ...

Preservation

Overview

Class 50, no. 50035 Ark Royal at Doncaster Works on 27 July 2003. This locomotive carries BR Blue Large Logo livery, and is preserved on the Severn Valley Railway.

50021 Rodney with 50017 Royal Oak behind at the Birmingham Railway Museum on 21 November 2004. The former is painted in non-standard LMS maroon, a legacy from when it was hired to work the VSOE Northern Belle. Both locomotives are currently undergoing restoration to working order.

Class 50 locomotives proved popular, with many saved for preservation. Several of the preserved locomotives have been registered for use on the mainline, including nos. 50031 Hood and 50049 Defiance. One locomotive, no. 50017, was previously hired to Venice Simplon Orient Express (VSOE) to work the Northern Belle service from Bath to Manchester Victoria. As part of the contract it was painted in LMS-style maroon livery. However, it is now undergoing restoration having suffered a serious mechanical failure. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 608 KB) BR Class 50, no. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 608 KB) BR Class 50, no. ... HMS Ark Royal (R09) was an Audacious-class aircraft carrier of the British Royal Navy and, when she was decommissioned in 1978, was the Royal Navys last remaining conventional catapult and arrested-landing supercarrier. ... Doncaster railway works was in the town of Doncaster in the county of Yorkshire in England. ... 56 036 at the launch of Large Logo livery at Toton works on 9th June 1979 Rail Blue was one of British Rails corporate colours. ... LMS Ivatt Class 2MT 2-6-0 no. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 594 KB) BR Class 50, nos. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 594 KB) BR Class 50, nos. ... The Birmingham Railway Museum Trust in Birmingham, England operates two subsidiaries: Tyseley Locomotive Works and Vintage Trains. ... is the 325th day of the year (326th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS1) was a British railway company. ... Poster advertising the Orient Express Orient Express is the name of a long-distance passenger train originally operated by the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits. ... Poster advertising the Orient Express Orient Express is the name of a long-distance passenger train originally operated by the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits. ... Bath is a city in Somerset, England most famous for its baths fed by three hot springs. ... Manchester Victoria Manchester Victoria railway station is the second of Manchesters mainline railway stations, now being much less important than Manchester Piccadilly station. ... The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS1) was a British railway company. ...

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 apprentices by getting them to rebuild railway locomotives and Class 50s were chosen both for the fact that they were a British design throughout and that all were named (so the apprentices would derive some pride from rededication ceremonies at the completion of their work). To this end, Operation Collingwood purchased and stored nos. 50001, 50023, 50029, 50030, 50040 and 50045. All except 50029 and 50030 were heavily-stripped examples sold to scrapyards for final cutting up. The intention was to restore them by using industrial sponsorship money to build an engineering centre and overhaul the components, making brand new ones where necessary to overcome lack of availability of some parts unique to the original design. These ambitions failed when sponsorship did not reach the required level and the project lost various key people. The charity was wound up in 2002; 50001/023/040 and 045 were sold back to scrapyards and their state as little more than bodyshells deterred most further preservation attempts. 50045 was scrapped to provide spares for preserved 50026 and 50001 met a similar fate, A private individual made an attempt to restore 50023 using some parts from 50001 but this was abandoned and the shell was cut up a few years after the initial purchase. 50040 is widely believed to be suitable for cosmetic restoration and its future is unclear as of late 2005. 50029 and 50030 were in far better mechanical condition, and were sold to a preservation group for full restoration. Also see: 2002 (number). ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

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. No. ...

In 2005, 50031 and 50049 were returned to regular mainline use, on long term hire to Arriva Trains Wales, 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 Mk2 coaches, the short formation and high power leading to very good performance. Arriva Trains Wales (Welsh: ) is a train operating company that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches. ...

At a glance

19 locomotives have been preserved& they are listed below:

HMS Fearless (L10) was a landing platform dock of the Royal Navy. ... 56 036 at the launch of Large Logo livery at Toton works on 9th June 1979 Rail Blue was one of British Rails corporate colours. ... The HMS Superb (S109) is a nuclear powered submarine of the Swiftsure class serving in the Royal Navy. ... A train in NSE livery Network SouthEast (NSE) was a sector of British Rail that principally operated commuter trains in the London area, and was formed in 1986 when BR was sectorised. ... The South Devon Railway Trust is a charity organisation that operates a heritage railway from Totnes to Buckfastleigh in Devon, alongside the River Dart. ... Edward Elgar Sir Edward William Elgar, Bt OM GCVO (June 2, 1857 – February 23, 1934) was a British composer, born in the small Worcestershire village of Broadheath to William Elgar, a piano tuner and music dealer, and his wife Ann. ... Midland Railway 156 Class 158A in the museum amongst other exhibits. ... The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ... This article is about the year. ... HMS Thunderer was an Orion class battleship of the Royal Navy. ... Map sources for Crewe at grid reference SJ705557 Crewe is a town in south Cheshire, in the north west of England. ... The latest HMS Valiant was the second of Britains nuclear-powered submarines, and the first of the two Valiant class. ... 56 036 at the launch of Large Logo livery at Toton works on 9th June 1979 Rail Blue was one of British Rails corporate colours. ... LMS Class 3F Jinty 0-6-0T No. ... HMS Royal Oak was a Revenge-class battleship of the British Royal Navy, torpedoed in Scapa Flow by the German submarine U-47 on 14 October 1939. ... The Birmingham Railway Museum Trust in Birmingham, England operates two subsidiaries: Tyseley Locomotive Works and Vintage Trains. ... Poster advertising the Orient Express Orient Express is the name of a long-distance passenger train originally operated by the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits. ... HMS Ramillies was a Revenge-class battleship of the Royal Navy, named after the battle of Ramillies. ... 56 036 at the launch of Large Logo livery at Toton works on 9th June 1979 Rail Blue was one of British Rails corporate colours. ... Class 101 DMU at Dereham. ... HMS Rodney was a Nelson-class battleship of the Royal Navy. ... 56 036 at the launch of Large Logo livery at Toton works on 9th June 1979 Rail Blue was one of British Rails corporate colours. ... The Birmingham Railway Museum Trust in Birmingham, England operates two subsidiaries: Tyseley Locomotive Works and Vintage Trains. ... HMS Indomitable (R92) was a modified Illustrious class aircraft carrier of the British Royal Navy. ... 56 036 at the launch of Large Logo livery at Toton works on 9th June 1979 Rail Blue was one of British Rails corporate colours. ... HMS Lion was a light cruiser of the Royal Navy, ordered in 1942 and laid down that same year as Defence. ... A train in NSE livery Network SouthEast (NSE) was a sector of British Rail that principally operated commuter trains in the London area, and was formed in 1986 when BR was sectorised. ... A diesel train on the NYMR The North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) is a heritage railway in North Yorkshire, England. ... HMS Renown (S22) was the third of the Royal Navys Resolution-class ballistic missile submarines. ... 56 036 at the launch of Large Logo livery at Toton works on 9th June 1979 Rail Blue was one of British Rails corporate colours. ... In 1968 the former Midland Railway main line from London to Manchester (originally built as the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway), was closed between Matlock and Buxton in Derbyshire. ... HMS Repulse (S23) was the second of the Royal Navys Resolution-class ballistic missile submarines. ... 56 036 at the launch of Large Logo livery at Toton works on 9th June 1979 Rail Blue was one of British Rails corporate colours. ... In 1968 the former Midland Railway main line from London to Manchester (originally built as the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway), was closed between Matlock and Buxton in Derbyshire. ... For other ships of this name see HMS Hood (disambiguation). ... 56 036 at the launch of Large Logo livery at Toton works on 9th June 1979 Rail Blue was one of British Rails corporate colours. ... LMS Ivatt Class 2MT 2-6-0 no. ... HMS Glorious was a warship of the Royal Navy. ... 56 036 at the launch of Large Logo livery at Toton works on 9th June 1979 Rail Blue was one of British Rails corporate colours. ... Steam railway trains are hard to make and and put together some times you can get burnt and hurt that why some works make arms and legs for the people ... Locomotives arranged around the turntable in the Great Hall. ... HMS Ark Royal (R09) was an Audacious-class aircraft carrier of the British Royal Navy and, when she was decommissioned in 1978, was the Royal Navys last remaining conventional catapult and arrested-landing supercarrier. ... 56 036 at the launch of Large Logo livery at Toton works on 9th June 1979 Rail Blue was one of British Rails corporate colours. ... LMS Ivatt Class 2MT 2-6-0 no. ... 56 036 at the launch of Large Logo livery at Toton works on 9th June 1979 Rail Blue was one of British Rails corporate colours. ... Coventry Railway Centre is located south of the city, near the airport. ... HMS Triumph (R16) (1944–1981) was a Colossus-class light fleet aircraft carrier, laid down during World War II on 27 January 1943. ... 56 036 at the launch of Large Logo livery at Toton works on 9th June 1979 Rail Blue was one of British Rails corporate colours. ... Categories: United Kingdom-related stubs | Heritage railways | British visitor attractions | Cornwall ... The fourth and best known of the Exeters, HMS Exeter (68), was a York class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy that served in World War II. She was laid down on 1 August 1928 at the Devonport Dockyard, Plymouth, Devon. ... LMS Ivatt Class 2MT 2-6-0 no. ... Several ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Defiance: Defiance was a 3rd rate ship of the line of 74 guns. ... 56 036 at the launch of Large Logo livery at Toton works on 9th June 1979 Rail Blue was one of British Rails corporate colours. ... LMS Ivatt Class 2MT 2-6-0 no. ...

References

• Chalcraft, John; Scott-Lowe, Graham (1979). Book of the Fifties. Gloucester: Peter Watts Publishing. ISBN 0 906025 10 9. 
• Chalcraft, John (1985). Portrait of the Fifties. Bristol: Rail Photoprints. ISBN 0 906883 07 5. 
• Vaughan, John (1979). The Power of the 50s. Oxford: OPC. ISBN 086093 060 2. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

British Rail Class 50

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ...

General information

• Class 50 photo gallery
• The 50's - information website.
• Railways online - Class 50 profile.

Preserved locomotives

• Manchester Class 50 Group - Owners of preserved locomotive no. 50015 Valiant
• Project Defiance - Owners of preserved locomotive no. 50049/50149 Defiance.
• Renown Repulse Restoration Group - Owners of preserved locomotives nos. 50029 and 50030, which are currently undergoing extensive restoration.
• The Fifty Fund - Owners of preserved locomotives nos. 50031, 50035 and 50044. Includes class history, specifications and more information.
• Class Forty Appeal - Owners of 50007 "Sir Edward Elgar"