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| Class 47100 'Merlin' loco at Eastleigh Photo: Charles Moorhen |
Photographed in May 1989, on 35mm colour film, diesel locomotive Class 47100 in BR blue livery, stands in Eastleigh station, Hampshire.
Class 47100 - original number D1687 - was built at the Brush Falcon Works in Loughborough and entered service on 16th November 1963.
On the 20th September 1989 the loco was given the short-lived unofficial name, 'Merlin', before being unnamed two years later on the 17th July 1991.
After 28 years service on the UK railway network, it was withdrawn in 1991. January 1994 saw it cut-up at CF Booths scrapyard in Rotherham, Yorkshire.
This should have been the end of the story of diesel locomotive Class 47100, but a strange thing happened. Although the engine and bodywork was scrapped, by some twist of fate the cab survived.
It was purchased by a Mr. Thorley who was a collector of locomotive cabs which he stored in his garden. At a later date the Merlin's loco cab was acquired by Mr. Richard Benyon of the South Wales Loco Cab Preservation Group.
In 2009 the cab of Class 47100 was on the move once again, this time by low-loader to its final destination - the 'Ribble Steam Railway' in Preston.
Stored in the Railway's workshop the cab is now undergoing renovation with the intention of creating an interactive display for visitors.
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| Photo: Martin Brown |
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| Photo: R. MacVeigh (flickr) |
512 Class 47s were built, of which 30 have passed into preservation and can be found (at time of blog-page publication) at the following locations, though this may be subject to change for various reasons.
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