Class 47100 'Merlin' Silver Roof UK Diesel Loco Eastleigh 1989

 

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After 28 years service on the UK railway network, it was withdrawn in 1991.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.

 

Photo: Martin Brown

 

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.

D1524  47004 - Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway.

D1693  47105 - Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.

D1705  47117 'Sparrowhawk' - Great Central Railway.

D1842  47192 - Crewe Heritage Centre.

D1855  47205/47395 - Northampton & Lamport Railway.

D1994  47292 - Great Central Railway Nottingham.

D1787  47306 'The Sapper' - Bodmin & Wenford Railway.

D1886  47367 - Mid Norfolk Railway.

D1895  47376 'Freightliner 1995' - Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.

D1500  47401 'North Eastern' - Midland Railway Butterley.

D1501  47402 - East Lancashire Railway.

D1516  47417 - Midland Railway Butterley.

D1566  47449 - Llangollen Railway.

D1662  47484 'Isambard Kingdom Brunel' - (Private Location).

D1107  47524 - Dean Forest Railway.

D1778  47183/47579/47793 'James Nightall G.C. - Mid Hants Railway.

D1762  47167/47580/47732 'County of Essex - Carnforth.

D1933  47233/47596 'Aldeburgh Festival' - Mid Norfolk Railway.

D1606  47029/47635 'Jimmy Milne' - Epping Ongar Railway.

D1970  47269/47643 - Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway.

D1948  47505/47712 'Lady Diana Spencer' - Crewe Heritage Centre.

D1619  47038/47564/47761 - Midland Railway Butterley.

D1643  47765/47059/47631 - East Lancashire Railway.

D1946  47503/47771 - Eastleigh Works.

D1755  47541/47773 - (Location Not Known).

D1909  47232/47785/47820 - Wensleydale Railway.

D1656  47072/47609/47834/47798 'Prince William' - York Railway Museum.

D1654  47070/47620/47799/47835 'Prince Henry' - Eden Valley Railway.

D1966  47266/47629/47828 - Carnforth.

D1661  47077/47613/47840 'North Star' - West Somerset Railway.

More Class 47 and 57 images on 'Along These Tracks'.

Class 47701

Class 47822

Class 47790 'Galway Princess'

Class 57307 'Lady Penelope'

Class 57316 'Fab 1'

Class 57305 'John Tracy'

Class 57308 'Tin Tin'

Photo BR Class 33002 'Sea King' UK Diesel Loco Through Leamington Spa Stn 1988

Class 33002 Diesel Loco 

Class 33002 Loco at Leamington Spa   Photo: Charles Moorhen

Welcome to 'Along These Tracks' railway photos blog

British Rail 'Crompton' Class 33002 UK diesel locomotive photo, in BR blue livery, passing through Leamington Spa railway station heading in the direction of Banbury on the 8th August 1988.

 

Built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Co. Ltd., at Smethwick, England - one of a total of 98 locos of the class - 33002 (original number D6501) which was at one time named, 'Sea King', was delivered new to Hither Green Depot, Kent, in 1960.

Used on passenger, goods, and 'push-pull' EMU services, locomotive Class 33002 served for 37 years on the British Rail railway network before being withdrawn on the 13th February 1997.  It was temporarily re-instated in January 2002.

33002 was saved from the scrapyard fate of so many of its class by eventually being purchased by the South Devon Diesel Traction Group.

 

 

 
Class 33002, in BR Dutch livery, seen at the South Devon Railway in 2005 shortly after its arrival.  (Photo:  Richard Bruford).

 

 

The loco, the oldest surviving Crompton diesel Class 33, has since been fully restored and is once more in its original working order.

Class 33002 diesel loco can be seen in service at the South Devon Railway, Buckfastleigh, Devon, UK.


Class 33 locomotives on YouTube:

Class 33002 at Loughborough.
Class 33002 on South Devon Railway.

Class 33002 on Great Central Railway.

Class 33002 leaves Spanwick Junction.

Class 33s in the 1990s.

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Photo Class 45133 British Rail Peak Diesel Loco Whitemoor Depot 1989

BR 'Peak' Class 45133 Diesel Locomotive at Whitemoor Yard, March

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

'Peak' UK diesel locomotive Class 45133, in BR Blue livery, is seen in a sorry, dilapidated state, waiting on sidings at Whitemoor Yard, near March station in Cambridgeshire; a prime candidate for the scrapyard?

 

Thankfully, the cutter's torch was destined not to touch this impressively strong diesel locomotive.

D40 (45133) was used to test the abilities of this class of 127 diesel locomotives by hauling 16 coaches up the notorious Lickey Incline, between Barnt Green and Bromsgrove station in Worcestershire, on the 20th September 1961...it was successful!

Sulzer Type 4 Class 45133, which held the original number D40 after production, was built at the BR Derby Works in July 1961 and went on to give 26 years of service across various regions with BR.

In October 1990 the locomotive was sold into preservation with the Class 45/1 Preservation Society and is based at the Midland Railway, Butterley.

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