History

The Class 47/0 subclass was the original subclass for the locomotives built with steam heat boilers. Subsequent conversions (i.e. 47/4 and 47/7) took place from this subclass and this entailed fitting of ETS equipment (47/4 and 47/7) or multiple working equipment (Class 47/2). Steam heat boilers have been removed or isolated from all but a handful of locomotives all of which are now either preserved or scrapped.

The Class 47/3 subclass members were the original 'freight-only' part of the Class 47 fleet as they were built with no capabilities for steam heat or electric heat train supplies. Members of this subclass were also fitted with the green circle multiple working equipment.

It is important to note that the multiple working fitted locomotives were reclassified to the Class 47/2 subclass but retained their number in the 47001-47299 and 47301-379 series. This modification took place on some locomotives in the Railfreight Distribution and Freightliner fleets to enable double heading to occur on heavier intermodal services.

Remaining in service right up until the introduction of the Class 66 locomotives, these subclasses contained Railfreight Distribution (later EWS International), Transrail, Mainline and Loadhaul (later EWS) and Freightliner locomotives. It also included 'celebrity' locomotives such as 47004, 47016 and 47145.

The EWS/EWS International examples were ousted by Class 66s from early on in the delivery process but there was not the widespread scrapping of these locomotives as predicted by many. Although the oldest was approaching 40 years old, there was a mass sell off of locomotives to Fragonset with most being taken to storage sites at Barrow Hill and MoD Kineton where they remain today.

Current Duties

Freightliner is the only ex-BR freight company that has had a continuous association with Class 47s since creation. It retains just a handful of the Class 47/2 variants service working for the Heavy Haul division on lightweight duties that would be a waste of resources to use a Class 66. The FHH locos are set to remain in traffic until a major fault renders them unusable or there is a change in policy by management. Likewise, Intermodal has Class 47s although just one loco is left in operational pools - 47309 - being restricted to shunting duties at Southampton because of wheelset damage.

Direct Rail Services also operate 2 Class 47s from this subclass, although they have a small difference in that they use the DRS multiple working system making them capable of working in multiple with Classes 20 and 37. 47237 and 47298 have not seen much use since they entered traffic with the company and have been mainly used on route learning duties.

FM Rail owned, former Tinsley celebrity 47145 has been overhauled and returned to active traffic with regular appearances on charter trains along with 47355 also in traffic with FM Rail and another Tinsley favourite undergoing a protracted overhaul is 47375 at FM Rail's Derby HQ.

A new entrant into the market in the last 2 years with Class 47 locomotives was Cotswold Rail who operate 47200 and 47316 from the original, unmodified batch of locos. Often found at Norwich Crown Point, these locos have seen work with Freightliner and also mainline passenger work with Anglia Railways and later on, 'one' Anglia. They also feature regularly on Cotswold's own charter trains with one of the ETS fitted examples also operated by the company.

EWS does have one Class 47/0 locomotive that seems to be safeguarded for the immediate future, and that locomotive is 47004, the oldest Class 47 locomotive still not preserved. 47004 is in the WMOC pool and stored at Old Oak Common, its former namesake. The loco has been to attend galas at various preserved railways, although a change in insurance policy has stopped this from happening for the future.

These locomotives were the standard fleet of locomotives originally fitted with either steam heat or electric train heating, although only the electric heat versions survive today. The Class 47/7 and 47/8 fleets were converted from standard Class 47/4 locomotives. The majority of this sub class are owned by EWS and are in various states of disrepair around the country. Following the massive EWS loco sale programme in 2002, a number of smaller private operators - most notably Fragonset Railways - have acquired locomotives from this subclass although none have been returned to active use.

Current Status

Only one of the remaining locomotives from this subclass is in a main line locomotive pool and that is 47501 owned by DRS. However, as with the other DRS Class 47s it is not used in traffic very often and can at the time of writing be found at Carlisle Kingmoor depot undergoing repairs. Fragonset does have 47488 in a serviceable state, although it cannot be used on the main line as it is not fitted with TPWS equipment; as neither does 47575 which is at the East Lancashire Railway acting as reserve for Riviera Trains' fleet of Class 47s.

The Class 47/7 subclass is split into two different 'batches' of locomotives. Firstly are the former scottish region 'push pull' locomotives and then the RES examples.

Grant Ritchie takes up the former scottish region locos story...

"The original 47/7s (47701-47712) were converted in the early 80s at BREL Crewe from 12 47/4s to operate the Scottish push-pull services between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Communication between the loco and DBSO was via the coach lighting circuits using RCH. They were all named with Scottish associated names (except 47712 Lady Diana Spencer) The fleet was later increased to 17 with the addition of 47713 - 47717 and this enabled push-pull services to be introduced between Aberdeen and Edinburgh/Glasgow. The original fleet were outshopped in rail blue except 47711 and 47712 which were in wrap round yellow/large logo livery. The whole fleet was then painted into the two tone grey/blue stripe ScotRail livery, and branded ScotRail, when sectorisation first took place."

The RES Class 47/7 locomotives (47721 onwards) were converted from the standard 47/4 and 47/8 locomotives when in Rail Express Systems (RES) ownership c.1994. The conversion works included a number of reliability modifications, fitting RCH jumper cables (enabling the locomotives to communicate with the PCV driving trailers while reversing into the PRDC mail centre at Willesden) and also the fitting of long range fuel tanks.

The two batches of locomotives are distinguishable by the different type of jumper cables that they carry on the cab front as is demonstrated in the pictures opposite: 47709 (a former scottish loco) and then 47726 with the RES style modifications.

Once common on mail trains, these locomotives were displaced from these duties by the newer Class 67s, but the demand for the virtually 'go anywhere' electric train heat fitted locomotives saw the Class 47/7s retained long past their EWS sell by date. A group of four locos were hired to Virgin CrossCountry to boost availability for its own fleet of Class 47/8s and two locomotives were also hired daily to First North Western to work its daily loco hauled diagram along the North Wales Coast line. Following the end of the mail by rail contract, the Class 47s were stored almost immediately with their work being taken up by the then redundant Class 67s.

Current Status

Members of the original series of Class 47/7s are can be found at work with FM Rail working charters and occasionally test trains to various parts of the country at weekends. Cotswold Rail also has one locomotive from this series - 47714 - which carries Anglia Railways turquoise livery and is currently stationed at Oxley CARMD for charter work with another Class 47.

Most of the  'second generation 47/7' fleet is still owned by EWS with the exception of 47769 and are stored at various locations around the country, held in reserve for a 'possible upturn in traffic'  - their words not mine! There is a general reluctance to sell these locomotives, perhaps EWS recognises that there is still demand for such a versatile locomotive despite the oldest being around 40 years old. 47769 is owned by Riviera Trains and at Barrow Hill for rectification work prior to re-entering traffic on the main line.

These locomotives were converted from standard Class 47/4 locomotives and after conversion were dedicated to long distance passenger work. During conversion received a heavy overhaul along with long range fuel tanks (taking the range from 3273 litres of a normal 47/4 to 5887 litres for a Class 47/8). This enabled long distance working to be achieved without the need for loco changes en route.

The Class 47/8 locomotives were used almost exclusively by Virgin CrossCountry on its non-electrified services before the 'Voyagerisation' of travel in 2002. The other user was First Great Western who employed the locos on its nightly Paddington to Penzance and vice versa sleeper service. These were replaced by newer Class 57/6 locos in 2003.

Current Status

The fleet currently have no booked passenger workings for the first time in their 40 year history. The last diagram was with 'one' Anglia between Norwich and Great Yarmouth on a weekday morning and night. The possibility still remains of trains operating with Class 47s in the summer timetable between Norwich and Great Yarmouth.

Riviera Trains is a large operator of the 47/8 subclass with 9 locomotives owned by the company. They are frequently hired to Freightliner and are often used as a common pool with Freightliners handful of ETS fitted locos. A large chunk of Riviera's work is to supply Arriva Trains Wales with locos and stock for extra and strengthened services on days when rugby events are taking place at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Cotswold Rail, Fragonset and West Coast Railway Co also received locomotives from Porterbrook after the mainstream ending of usage by Virgin CrossCountry, Virgin West Coast and by First Great Western. These locomotives are preferred by charter operators (excluding EWS) because of the abundance of driver knowlege and the virtual 'go-anywhere' nature of the locos enabling easy operations.

The Class 47/8s though will live on...albeit in a new guise for some. Converted at Brush Loughborough to Class 57/3 locomotives, they are being used to haul the Virgin 'Pendolino' trains on diversionary routes away from the West Coast Main Line at weekends.