|
Welcome to the blog section of this archive for photographs of heritage English Electric Type 4 and Type 5 diesel locomotives. The contents of this blog is not restricted to English Electric locomotives per se but reflects the casual musings of the author. Corporate BlueVisiting the BR Blue theme day at the East Lancashire Railway the other week-end brought back memories of my youth and everything was painted in BR corporate blue. It seemed normal at the time that everything was painted in the same uniform manner since British Rail (BR) operated a strict corporate image policy. No livery infringements were allowed in any form. In the late 1970s, however, staff at certain depots began minor embellishments. Stratford depot painted some of the roofs of its Class 47 locomotives silver and Finsbury Park depot began to give its allocation of Deltic locomotives white cab surrounds. I remember at the time, the excitement of seeing these small variations to certain locomotives - something that would be lost to a modern enthusiast brought up on a diet of varied and colourful liveries. Back On Form50026 Indomitable made a very welcome appearance at the recent Nene Valley Railway diesel gala in late September 2012. After a few glitches at previous galas it was good to see the locomotive on top form. Midget GemOften seen as unglamorous compared to larger mainline locomotives, shunting engines provide a vital role to the running of a railway. The Heritage Shunters Trust, based at Peak Rail in Derbyshire, aims to preserve and restore examples of these workhorses. The Trust has amassed a wide collection and many have been restored to an operational condition from being almost derelict. The collection is housed in a purpose-built shed at Peak Rail, funded by membership monies, donations and a grant from the Lottery Fund. The splendid-looking 03113 pictured here was withdrawn from York depot back in 1975. It was subsequently purchased by Gulf Oil for use at their Milford Haven refinery in Pembrokeshire where it worked until 1991. It was then donated to the Milford Haven Heritage & Maritime Museum and became a static exhibit outside the museum at the harbour. In 2003 it moved to Peak Rail for restoration and transformation into British Rail corporate blue livery. Over The Banks Once MoreRecently I had the pleasure of being on a railtour hauled by 50044 Exeter which ran from Paignton to Plymouth over the South Devon Banks. These are a series of hills that skirt the southern reaches of Dartmoor in Devon. They begin close to Newton Abbot where the line first climbs Dainton Bank. From Totnes it then climbs Rattery Bank reaching a peak at Wrangaton summit and then finally descends Hemerdon Bank to reach Plymouth. Dainton Bank is the third steepest mainline bank, varying between 1 in 38 and 1 in 57. Leaving Newton Abbot station, the line begins almost level until Aller Junction. The climb begins at Stoneycombe where there was a signal box. It continues through the Dainton tunnel to Dainton signal box, a distance of 2 miles and 17 chains. The next, Rattery Bank and the seventh steepest mainline bank is experienced just after leaving Totnes station. Here the line immediately climbs past the site of Tigley signal box and on to the site of Rattery signal box, a distance on 4 miles and 50 chains. It rises at a rate of 1 in 45, easing to 1 in 90 and then increasing again to 1 in 65. Hemerdon Bank is the fourth steepest mainline bank, with a constant gradient of 1 in 42. The climb begins at Plympton and climbs all the way to Hemerdon signal box, a distance of 2 miles and 50 chains. The sight and sound of a Class 50 on this stretch of line was once an everyday occurrence during the 1980s. It was marvellous to hear a class member pounding up these challenging hills again, recreating happy memories from my youth. For preserved locomotive 50044, owned by The Fifty Fund, it was 22 years since it had last ventured over these gradients. Slow But SteadyIt was back in 2007 when I last visited Peak Rail in Derbyshire, the home to 50029 Renown and 50030 Repulse. Back then, both locomotives had been recently cosmetically restored as a condition of their acceptance at the host railway and to slow their exterior deterioration. In the intervening period, the Renown Repulse Restoration Group (RRRG) have made considerable progress internally on 50030 and have managed to secure a spare power unit (ex 50008 Thunderer) which will greatly assist in the restoration of these locomotives. A saddening sight for me personally was seeing the severed cab of 50037 Illustrious which had been bought by the group. I used to frequently encounter this locomotive on my travels and it became one of my favourite members of the class. The last time I saw 50037 (aka 'Lusty') was at Exeter during the summer of 1984. The cab was instantly recognisable to me after all these years as it still had the same tell-tail dent on the corner by the driver's side lamp bracket. |
