| The origins of the class come from the Eastern Region
declining an offer of allocations of the Peak class because they had
reservations about the 1Co-Co1 wheel arrangement and they also preferred a
locomotive of a greater horsepower. The Eastern Region had developed a good
relationship with Brush during the production of the type 2 to 4 A1A-A1As
(subsequently class 31) and this spurred the company to develop a new
locomotive for them based around the Peak class equipment. It was the uprating
of the Sulzer engine used in the Peaks to 2750 hp that allowed the project to
gain momentum not only with Brush but also with other manufacturers competing
for the large order of what was emerging as being about 500 locomotives. Brush
emerged as the strongest contender and they offered BR a range of alternative
designs, some, but not all, based on existing Peak class equipment. A Co-Co
design with a new flat fronted load bearing body but using the existing Peak
class equipment package was selected. In fact the first 20 used equipment
originally intended for part of the final batch of the Peak class.
The agreement between BR and Brush included construction of the design using Brush electrical equipment under licence in BR works. In total 512 locomotives were built, 310 by Brush at Loughborough and 202 at BR's Crewe works. |
| Having been transferred from Scotrail for use by Network
SouthEast, Nº47701 is seen prior to naming (as the first) Old Oak Common
Traction and Rolling Stock Depot.
photograph by Jonathan Hall |
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In sparkling ex-works form this is one of the cab ends of
Nº47701.
photograph by Jonathan Hall |
| An unidentified 47/7 on a west of England working during the
final days of loco haulage.
photograph by Jonathan Hall |
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Unbranded Intercity liveried Nº47565 was also seen stabled at
Eastleigh on 7th December 1991.
photograph by Colin Duff |
| Not strictly of Southern interest, but First Great Western did
operate a loco hauled sleeper service out of Waterloo for a while, 47846 (the
current incumbent of the name Thor) was also on display at Old Oak
Common on 6th August 2000.
photograph by Colin Duff |
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Nº47798 Prince William is one of the two class 47s
dedicated by EWS to Royal Train duties. It was named without ceremony upon the
loco's conversion to type 47/7 in July 1995.
photograph by Colin Duff |
| Freightliner Ltd liveried Nº47206 is seen on the down
Southampton line at Worting Junction in May 1998.
photograph by Dave Harris |
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All photographs are copyright
This page was last updated 3 December 2002
