New or replaced photos added on 16th July 2009:
47005, 47018, 47055, 47074, 47091, 47098, 47116, 47122, 47124, 47152, 47158, 47200, 47210, 47214, 47227, 47231, 47288, 47297, 47298, 47306, 47323, 47334, 47339, 47345, 47349, 47356, 47366, 47402, 47404, 47405, 47406, 47408, 47413, 47414, 47417, 47419, 47423, 47425, 47430, 47462, 47465, 47467, 47470, 47473, 47474, 47477, 47483, 47484, 47508, 47509, 47513, 47520, 47524, 47527, 47533, 47550, 47552, 47557, 47559, 47568, 47571, 47575, 47576, 47581, 47583, 47591, 47592, 47600, 47602, 47604, 47606, 47608, 47614, 47615, 47623, 47624, 47626, 47641, 47642, 47651, 47664, 47705, 47707, 47708, 47712, 47714, 47717, 47739, 47776, 47784, 47810, 47825, 47831, 47839, 47845, 47854, 97472.

Files done (16/07/09): 124, 390, 231, 230, 154, 153, (161 not used), 263, 262, 260, 257, 256, 295, 219, 152, 220, 148, 151, 136, 137, 134, 277, 276, 275, 273.
More images to follow.

When the results of the British Railways 1957 Dieselisation programme were being assessed in the early 1960's it was evident that the heavy, 16-wheeled, Type 4 locomotives built by British Railways and English Electric were not the ideal replacement for the doomed fleet of steam locomotives that British Railways had pledged to rid itself of by the end of 1968. What was required was a numerically large class of lightweight Type 4 diesel-electric 'mixed traffic' locomotives capable of working anywhere on the British railway network; in essence a replacement for the Stanier Black 5's, the Thompson B1's and the British Railways 9F's that had been the workhorses of the post-nationalisation steam era.

Enter the 512 Type 4 diesel-electric locomotives, built jointly by British Railways and Brush, using an uprated variant of the tried and trusted 12 cylinder Sulzer 12LDA28 power unit on a Co-Co wheelbase driven by Brush generators and traction motors. Initially designated as class 27/2, Brush number 342, better known as D1500, first entered traffic on the Eastern Region on September 28th 1962. The final member of the class to be built, D1961 followed in May 1968; by which time class 27/2 had become TOPS Class 47.

The original design allowed for 3 varieties: electric and steam heat, steam heat only and no heat. In the years that followed a myriad of variations, both major and minor, were implemented to suit the needs of the railway industry at given points in time.

Thus it was that 'The Magnificent 512' (minus a few accident fatalities) spent the best part of 25 years hauling passenger and freight trains throughout the British railway network. Then, in the late 1980's three spectres reared their ugly heads to threaten the future existence of the 47's: rationalisation, standardization and privatisation.The following two decades saw a steady flow of 47's heading for the scrapyards - including, regrettably, the final members of the class to be built at both Crewe and Loughborough.

But now as we approach the end of the first decade of the 21st century and the 47th anniversary of the first 47 entering traffic is upon us all is not doom and gloom. There are still a number of 47's in service with various railway companies and there are 39 locos in preservation, many of which are operational - including D1500 itself.

So... Happy Birthday No.342 here’s to the next 47 years!!

Paul Appleby
Editor of http://www.Class47.co.uk

A selection of Class 47 images highlighting some of the many different livery varients these versatile locomotives have carried over the years.

More images to follow.

The third Class 47 to join the operational Colas Rail fleet was named at Templecombe Down Siding by long serving driver Robin Gould.

Starting his long railway career at Templecombe loco shed on 18 January 1954 he has become one of the final enginemen still driving on the mainline to have been based on the now long closed Somerset & Dorset Railway. As he approaches his 70th birthday on 29 November recognition of this has been made by way of this naming of COLAS Rail's 47739 at the very place it all began.

My thanks to Andrew Kennedy of Oakwood Press for the additional information.

As usual the weather was less than agreeable.

All images dated: 30 September 2008.

Following its arrival at Swanage Railway on 10 May 2007 for the 'Beer Festival & Diesel Gala' that year 47635 "Jimmy Milne" has proven to be a popular locomotive in the Swanage Railway fleet.

Having spent over a year at the railway it has now been transfered to Peak Rail in Derbyshire. This is a selection of images of its final passenger working on Swanage Railway.

All images dated 03 September 2008.