History

When BR's Southern Region required new locomotives it opted for electro-diesel locomotives to work off the 3rd rail supply with a maximum speed of 80mph, and also capable of shunting and powering trains when the 3rd rail supply was turned off using a small 600hp diesel engine. The first locomotives were built in BR's Eastleigh works and all started life allocated to Stewarts Lane. The locomotives were classified Class 73/0.

Current Duties

All five locomotives from the 73/0 sub class are preserved. The only main line operator to have owned and operated locomotives from this subclass since BR were Arriva Trains Merseyside who purchased 73001/002/005/006 from BR for its sandite trains. 73002 was in inoperable condition, 73001/006 were renumbered to 73901/906 as dedicated locomotives for the sandite workings, and 73005 was kept as depot shunter at Kirkdale depot. 73901/906 were stored in late 2001 following the delivery of Railtrack MPV's for sandite workings but 73005 was still occasionally used for shunting manoeuvres. They were all sold to a member of the Dean Forrest Railway in late 2002. The other serviceable 73/0 is BR Green 73003 Sir Herbert Walker which is currently based at the Great Central Railway.

History

After the first six 73/0 locomotives had proved themselves a success, an additional 43 locomotives were ordered by BR, to be built by English Electric at Newton- Le-Willows. Among other things, they were capable of 90 mph, so they were numbered in the different 73/1 series. Before EWS took over the trainload freight operations, most of the freight operations in the 3rd Rail region of the South of England were handled by Class 73 locomotives.

Current Duties

After the Class 66 arrivals, the EWS mass withdrawal programme hit the Class 73 fleet hard, and in October 2002 only 3 out of the total of 16 EWS locomotives are in a serviceable state, the rest were stored around the South East. The active fleet were mainly used on infrastructure trains around the London area and the only booked duty for the class was the daily London - Dover and return TPO. The EWS fleet were also regular performers on the Orient Express charters out of Victoria station with 73101 painted in the Umber and Cream livery and up until withdrawal in Mid-2002 was dedicated to the train. The final curtain came for the EWS machines came in December 2003 with 73136 working a final railtour from London Waterloo to Weymouth and return.

There are a number of locomotives in private ownership with a much brighter future however following sale from EWS; 73104/105/114/139 are owned by FM and awaiting overhaul, 73107 has been overhauled and is in traffic with FM Rail. Alongside these, a large percentage of the 73/1 fleet has been preserved.

History

This sub class was renumbered from standard 73/1 locomotives in the late '80s to early '90s and were dedicated to the London Victoria - Gatwick Airport 'Gatwick Express' operation. A number of modifications including the removal of vacuum brake equipment were made to the locomotives.

Current Duties

On Gatwick Express workings, locos have all been superseded by Class 460 EMU's, but can sometimes still be seen out and about working some trains that 460's cannot cover for various reasons. One locomotive (73202) is being retained for use as Thunderbird locomotives in case of unit failures and has modifications so to enable safe operation of the units door systems. Effectively these locos are to become extra power cars which can be attached to the units to help them carry on in service.

In 2004, GB Railfreight became another user of the ex-Gatwick Express machines when it reactivated 4 of the subclass for freight duties in the southern region. The locos were overhauled by FM Rail at Derby and in late 2005 the fleet was boosted with the addition of 73208, bringing the total to 5 active locomotives with 2 in store.

Network Rail (formerly Railtrack) have a small fleet of 2 locomotives which were originally purchased for use on the Southern region power upgrade but since that finished they have seen the occasional use with GB Railfreight while covering for its locomotives. Further work is planned for these pair and they will be fitted with snowploughs at some point in the future.

South West Trains are the final user of 2 ex-Gatwick Express locos which are used for 'Thunderbird' duties and empty stock moves along with 73109. One locomotive is based at Woking, one at Wimbledon and another at Bournemouth.