British Diesels and Electrics

Class 50 (English Electric 2,700hp Type 4 Diesel-Electric)

The Class 50 was built in the late 1960s, and initially hired by British Rail from English Electric, to power the remaining non-electrified portions of the West Coast Main Line from Crewe to Scotland [1] on passenger trains and freight. The Class 50, a development of the English Electric DP2 prototype, often worked these WCML trains in pairs (though they could also work in multiples of three) to provide sufficient performance to match the timings of the electric locomotives that they shared their trains with. The locomotives were bought outright by BR in 1973 but by the mid-1970s were being displaced from the WCML due to the completion of electrification and the arrival of the Class 87. The Class 50s were sent to Western Region to work in the south and south west of England.

GB Railfreight liveried 50 049 at Kidderminster Town

Information
Number built:	50
Built:	1967-68
Builder:	English Electric, Vulcan Foundry
Motor:	English Electric 16CSVT diesel
Power:	2, 700 hp (2, 013 kW)
Wheel arrangement:	Co-Co

At first the reliability of the Class 50 was poor with failures often due to problems with the then-novel electronic systems fitted. Crews joked that they were called the Class 50 as there was only a 50:50 chance that they would make it to their destinations! [2] The Class 50 received a full refurbishment in the late 1970s/early 1980s to improve reliability by removing little used and redundant equipment such as the slow speed control.

Much of the locomotives' time was spent on west of England express passenger trains out of London Paddington and London Waterloo and other passenger services. This made them vulnerable as multiple units became the favoured mode of people mover in the late 1980s and early 1990s and the supply of work dried up. There were attempts to utilise the class for slower freights and one locomotive was modified with lower geared bogies though the experiment was not a success.

The Class 50 was withdrawn from BR service by 1994, though no less than eighteen have been preserved (thirty six percent of the fleet) and several are mainline certified. The Class 50s were the first class of diesel locomotive to only carry BR blue livery (and later variations) though one preserved locomotive has been given a "what might have been" BR green livery. One British Rail exception came in the 1980s when one Class 50 was renamed Sir Edward Elgar and repainted in Brunswick Green to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the GWR.

Also in GBRf livery, 50 007 at Bewdley

Network South East livery is carried by 50 026 at Kidderminster Town

50 049 when it carried BR large logo livery

50 007 approaches Highley

50 034 at Kidderminster Town

[1] Brian Haresnape, Production Diesel-Electrics Types 4 and 5 (Ian Allan, 1984) p. 67
[2] Michael Welch, Diesels on the Western (Capital Transport, 2013) p. 107

Class 69

The Class 69 is a rebuild of the Class 56 with an EMD 710 engine and updated controls and some equipment (similar to those used on the Class 66). GB Railfreight ordered the rebuilds from sixteen Class 56s they bought in 2018, some of which had been out of service for some time. Ten were rebuilt in the initial batch with an option for six more added later on.

69 005 in BR green livery, at Kidderminster

Information
Number built:	16 (conversions from Class 56)
Built:	1976-84 (Conversions 2020-)
Builder:	BREL Crewe, Doncaster, Brush Traction Electroputere (Conversions Progress Rail)
Motor:	EMD 12N-710G3B-EC-T2 diesel
Power:	3, 200 hp (2, 390 kW)
Wheel arrangement:	Co-Co

The first Class 69 began trials on the Severn Valley Railway in early 2021. The locomotives began to enter service in 2022. The first seven locomotives were withdrawn from service in early 2023 to address some issues but following modifications were returned to service.

As well as GB Railfreight livery, a number of Class 69s have been completed in versions of heritage liveries.

69 010 on test at Derby, still in undercoat, later it was finished in GB Railfreight blue

69 005 approaches Kidderminster hauling two Class 73s

Another view of 69 010 at Derby

69 005 at Kidderminster Town

Class 487 Waterloo & City Stock

The Class 487 electric multiple unit spent the entirely of it's revenue earning service running underground. They were operated on the Waterloo & City Line, which nowadays is part of London Underground but originally was a separate line to the majority of London's subterranean railways and owned by a succession of mainline railway companies until nationalisation and British Rail. In 1994 the line was transferred to London Underground to become an Underground line proper.

At LT Museum Acton in restored NSE livery

Information
Number built:	28 cars (12 DMBSO driving cars and 16 TSO trailers)
Built:	1940
Builder:	English Electric Dick Kerr works
Engine:	2 English Electric EE500 traction motors (660v DC third rail)
Power:	380 hp (283 kW) per driving car
Formation:	(Variable) Driving Motor Brake Standard Open (DMBSO)+ Trailer Standard Open (TSO)+DMBSO

Designed by O.V.S. Bulleid, the Class 487s (originally TOPS classified Class 453) were built for the Southern Railway during World War 2 and entered service from 1940 [1]. The units consisted of driving motor cars (with cabs at both ends - and hence could operate singly) and trailers. In off-peak periods the Waterloo & City Line trains often ran with just a pair of motor cars until the 1960s when this was thought to be unsafe due to the excess of power [2]). In peak times up to three trailers could be marshalled between two motor cars.

The Class 487 remained in service until being replaced by the Class 482 in 1993 seeing out it's final days in Network South East livery. Before that, the units wore Southern Railway green and BR Blue (though uniquely without yellow ends) [3]. The Class 487s operated on 660v DC third rail and spent all of it's working life on the short underground line though the units did see sunlight now and then when they needed heavy maintenance and had to be bought up to the surface. For test purposes to develop a new speedometer, one driving car was operated above ground in the late 1970s for a short period [4]. As it did not have windscreen wipers the tests had to be curtailed immediately if it rained!

One DMBSO has been saved from the scrap man and has being restored at the London Transport Museum to its final Network South East livery.

Interior

Cab view

Restored condition

A photo taken in May 2015 during the restoration

The preserved car in under coat, what a difference a livery makes!

[1] Colin J Marsden, DMU and EMU Recognition Guide (Ian Allan, 2013) p. 370
[2] Colin J Marsden & Christopher G Perkins (ed.) "The Waterloo & City Line", Modern Locomotives Illustrated Annual No. 2 (RailwayCentre, 2010) p.82
[3] John Glover, London Underground Rolling Stock in Colour (Ian Allan, 2009) p. 31
[4] Marsden, DMU p. 371

Class 119 (Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company Cross-Country 3-car)

The Class 119 diesel multiple unit was built for cross-country services by the Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company to a BR Swindon and Derby influenced design, and is similar mechanically to the company's single-car Class 122. The Class 119 three-car sets included toilets, buffet facilities and first class compartments though the buffets were later removed [1].

W51073 at Duffield on the EVR

Information
Number built:	81 cars (in 27 3-car sets)
Built:	1958
Builder:	Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company
Engine:	2 BUT AEC 6-cyl later 2 Leyland 680-1595 diesels per power car
Power:	600 hp (447 kW)
Formation:	Driving Motor Brake Composite (DMBC)+ Trailer Brake Second (Lavatory) (TBS(L))+ Driving Motor Standard (Lavatory) (DMS(L))

The Class 119 originally worked throughout Western Region, later on working on Reading-Guildford services plus the extension through to Gatwick Airport (where extra luggage space was provided) and services around south west London. They were withdrawn in 1992.

On Southern Region the Class 119 were known as "glasshouses" by SR drivers as the large cab windows were unlike those usually found on SR allocated multiple units [2]. Three cars have been preserved including Driving Motor Brake Composite W51073 on the EVR.

Luggage area on W51073

W51073 has a first class area behind the cab

W51073 at Wirksworth

Class 119 cab

Another view of W51073 at Duffield

[1] Colin J Marsden, DMU & EMU Recognition Guide (Ian Allan, 2013) p. 76
[2] Brian Haresnape, Diesel Multiple Units: The First Generation (Ian Allan, 1985) p. 53

Class 03 (British Railways 204hp Diesel-Mechanical)

After purchasing a number of small fleets of privately built diesel mechanical shunters, British Railways finally decided to build a "standard" type, the resulting Class 03 ended up being very similar to the Drewry built Class 04 [1].

03 066 at Barrow Hill Roundhouse

Information
Number built:	230
Built:	1957-61
Builder:	BR Swindon and Doncaster
Engine:	Gardner 8L3 diesel
Power:	204 hp (152 kW)
Wheel arrangement:	0-6-0

The Class 03s served with British Rail for many years, outlasting all other shunters except for the standard diesel-electrics (Class 08/09). Although much of their work disappeared in the 1970s and 1980s, as the nature of the freight sector changed, they continued to have a role on the network in places where larger and heavier locomotives were unsuitable and the last was not withdrawn until 2008 [2].

A good number of Class 03s have seen further use after British Rail with industrial users and no fewer than fifty-five have been preserved. Although primarily intended for shunting (and trip work) Class 03s did occasionally haul passenger trains, though these tended to be special workings such as taking Channel Island boat trains up to Weymouth harbour where the line ran through the streets [3] and unadvertised special services for workers [4].

03 073 at Crewe Heritage Centre

D2059 at Havenstreet, Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Another view of 03 073 at Crewe Heritage Centre

D2090 at NRM Shildon in original BR green

03 099 at Rowsley South, Heritage Shunters Trust

[1] Brian Haresnape, Diesel Shunters (Ian Allan, 1984) p. 56
[2] Colin J. Marsden (ed.), "BR Class 03 0-6-0 DMs", Modern Locomotives Illustrated No 217 February-March 2016 (SR, GW, LNER, LMS & Trial Shunters & Class 03s), p. 67
[3] Haresnape, Shunters p. 20
[4] Michael Welch, Diesels on the Western (Capital Transport, 2013) p. 18

Class 139 Parry People Mover

The Class 139 is unique on the British Railways system in being railcar powered by a hybrid diesel-flywheel system. The flywheel stores energy and is charged by a Ford diesel engine when the railcar is at rest, kinetic energy from the brakes and from downhill operation are also recycled [1].

West Midands Railway 139 001 at Stourbridge Town

At first London Midland, and currently West Midlands Railway operates the railcar along the short Stourbridge branch between Stourbridge Junction and Stourbridge Town [2]. Two Class 139s have been built. There was also a prototype built in 2002 which was used to prove the flywheel concept. It ran on a number of heritage lines for testing and was referred to as the Class 999.

Information
Number built:	2
Built:	2007-08
Builder:	Parry People Movers
Motor:	Ford DSG423 diesel driving flywheel
Power:	86 hp (64 kW)
Formation:	Driving Motor Second (DMS)

The Class 139 is a small railcar (less than nine metres long) though has seating capacity for over twenty people plus over thirty standing.

The Class 139 began operation on the Stourbridge branch in 2009 releasing a Class 153 for other duties. The Class 139s are not allowed on any other part of the network and have their own little "depot" at Stourbridge Junction [3].

The Class 999 prototype, seen at Highley on the Severn Valley Railway

WMR 139 001 at Stourbridge Junction

139 001 again, this time at Stourbridge Town

Interior view