50007 - GB Railfreight Class 50 'Hercules'
50007, carrying a temporary designation of the scrapped Class 50 diesel locomotive 50034 'Furious', heading for Great Yarmouth as part of the 'Merry Wherry' rail tour. The Wherry Lines are traditional branch lines in the east of England, linking Norwich to Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.
Fifty English Electric Type 4, later BR Class 50, diesel locomotives were built by English Electric at their Vulcan Foundry Works plant in Newton-le-Willows on Merseyside between 1967 and 1968. These advanced Type 4 locomotives were amongst the first in the UK to include innovative features such as electronic control, dynamic braking and electric train heating incorporated into their design. The fleet was delivered in BR blue to the London Midland Region and utilised on all types of traffic, including prestige trains such as the 'Royal Scot'.
When built they were numbered in the D4xx series. They later became BR's Class 50, being allocated TOPS numbers in the 50xxx series. The class was nicknamed 'Hoovers' because of the distinctive sound of the inertial air filters with which the locomotives were originally fitted.
Initially the locomotives were used to haul express passenger trains on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) between Crewe and Scotland, that section not then being electrified. This often entailed ‘Multiple Working’, with two locomotives under control of a single driver. By 1974 the northern WCML had been electrified, and the Class 50 fleet were transferred to BR's Western Region to work main line passenger services out of London Paddington.
The Class 50’s did not originally carry names, but in the late 1970's BR agreed naming they after Royal Navy vessels with notable records in the First and Second World Wars.
Withdrawal of the class began in the early 1990's.
50007 'Hercules' in service.
D407 entered service in March 1968, initially allocated to the Western Lines before being re-allocated to the Stoke Division in June of that year. It was equipped with dual brakes and electric train heating from new, and was additionally fitted for Multiple Working in February 1970.
In April 1974, D407 was re-numbered as 50007 under TOPS system. The following month it was re-allocated to Plymouth Laira, where it received the name 'Hercules' on 6th. April 1978 after the British First World War battleship of the same name. It carried the name until 5th. February 1984.
On 25th. April 1984 the locomotive was outshopped in Brunswick Green and renamed 'Sir Edward Elgar' by Simon, later Sir Simon, Rattle at Paddington Station, to commemorate the 150th. anniversary of the Great Western Railway. On 29th. December 1984 the locomotive visited the Severn Valley Railway (SVR) at the head of 'The Thames Severn Pullman' rail tour as part of those celebrations.
After initially being withdrawn on 16th. July 1991, the locomotive was re-instated for railtour service, and was one of the two Class 50 locomotives to haul the final BR Class 50 rail tour, the '50 Terminator', in March 1994. After 26 years of service, 50007 was the second to last member of the fleet to be retired on 26th. March 1994. Its engine hours stood at 9,624.
50007 'Hercules' in preservation.
50007 'Sir Edward Elgar' was purchased by the Class 40 Appeal and was transferred to the Midland Railway at Butterley in Derbyshire in July 1994. Under this name, 50007 attended SVR diesel galas in 2000 and 2004.
In 2013, the locomotive was sold to Neil Boden and relocated to Washwood Heath, where it was repainted from GWR Green to BR Blue, and restored to its original name of 'Hercules'. The locomotive was also fitted with the relevant equipment for mainline running.
The Class 50 Alliance acquired 50007 from Neil Boden in November 2016. It was moved to the SVR on 16th. January 2017 and spent that most of that year at Kidderminster Traction Maintenance Depot (TMD) while the generators were removed, sent away for overhaul and refitted, before planned haulage of a number of rail tours in 2017 and 2018 to commemorate the 50th. anniversary of the introduction of the class.
On 30th. August 2017, 50007 was one of a convoy of main line diesels to travel from the SVR to London for the Old Oak Common open day.
On 20th. March 2019 freight operator GB Railfreight and The Class 50 Alliance unveiled 50007 and 50049 'Defiance' in GBRf livery, with the locomotives available to operate selected GBRf trains on a ‘spot-hire’ basis. In the same month both locomotives hauled the charter train from Paddington to Penzance and return to mark the 25th. anniversary of the final BR Class 50 hauled train.
In mid-2021 one side of 50007 was temporarily re-designated as 50034 'Furious' as a thank you to GBRf charter manager Paul Taylor for his prostate cancer charity fundraising efforts, Furious was his favourite class 50.
50007 - GB Railfreight Class 50 'Hercules'
50007, carrying a temporary designation of the scrapped Class 50 diesel locomotive 50034 'Furious', heading for Great Yarmouth as part of the 'Merry Wherry' rail tour. The Wherry Lines are traditional branch lines in the east of England, linking Norwich to Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.
Fifty English Electric Type 4, later BR Class 50, diesel locomotives were built by English Electric at their Vulcan Foundry Works plant in Newton-le-Willows on Merseyside between 1967 and 1968. These advanced Type 4 locomotives were amongst the first in the UK to include innovative features such as electronic control, dynamic braking and electric train heating incorporated into their design. The fleet was delivered in BR blue to the London Midland Region and utilised on all types of traffic, including prestige trains such as the 'Royal Scot'.
When built they were numbered in the D4xx series. They later became BR's Class 50, being allocated TOPS numbers in the 50xxx series. The class was nicknamed 'Hoovers' because of the distinctive sound of the inertial air filters with which the locomotives were originally fitted.
Initially the locomotives were used to haul express passenger trains on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) between Crewe and Scotland, that section not then being electrified. This often entailed ‘Multiple Working’, with two locomotives under control of a single driver. By 1974 the northern WCML had been electrified, and the Class 50 fleet were transferred to BR's Western Region to work main line passenger services out of London Paddington.
The Class 50’s did not originally carry names, but in the late 1970's BR agreed naming they after Royal Navy vessels with notable records in the First and Second World Wars.
Withdrawal of the class began in the early 1990's.
50007 'Hercules' in service.
D407 entered service in March 1968, initially allocated to the Western Lines before being re-allocated to the Stoke Division in June of that year. It was equipped with dual brakes and electric train heating from new, and was additionally fitted for Multiple Working in February 1970.
In April 1974, D407 was re-numbered as 50007 under TOPS system. The following month it was re-allocated to Plymouth Laira, where it received the name 'Hercules' on 6th. April 1978 after the British First World War battleship of the same name. It carried the name until 5th. February 1984.
On 25th. April 1984 the locomotive was outshopped in Brunswick Green and renamed 'Sir Edward Elgar' by Simon, later Sir Simon, Rattle at Paddington Station, to commemorate the 150th. anniversary of the Great Western Railway. On 29th. December 1984 the locomotive visited the Severn Valley Railway (SVR) at the head of 'The Thames Severn Pullman' rail tour as part of those celebrations.
After initially being withdrawn on 16th. July 1991, the locomotive was re-instated for railtour service, and was one of the two Class 50 locomotives to haul the final BR Class 50 rail tour, the '50 Terminator', in March 1994. After 26 years of service, 50007 was the second to last member of the fleet to be retired on 26th. March 1994. Its engine hours stood at 9,624.
50007 'Hercules' in preservation.
50007 'Sir Edward Elgar' was purchased by the Class 40 Appeal and was transferred to the Midland Railway at Butterley in Derbyshire in July 1994. Under this name, 50007 attended SVR diesel galas in 2000 and 2004.
In 2013, the locomotive was sold to Neil Boden and relocated to Washwood Heath, where it was repainted from GWR Green to BR Blue, and restored to its original name of 'Hercules'. The locomotive was also fitted with the relevant equipment for mainline running.
The Class 50 Alliance acquired 50007 from Neil Boden in November 2016. It was moved to the SVR on 16th. January 2017 and spent that most of that year at Kidderminster Traction Maintenance Depot (TMD) while the generators were removed, sent away for overhaul and refitted, before planned haulage of a number of rail tours in 2017 and 2018 to commemorate the 50th. anniversary of the introduction of the class.
On 30th. August 2017, 50007 was one of a convoy of main line diesels to travel from the SVR to London for the Old Oak Common open day.
On 20th. March 2019 freight operator GB Railfreight and The Class 50 Alliance unveiled 50007 and 50049 'Defiance' in GBRf livery, with the locomotives available to operate selected GBRf trains on a ‘spot-hire’ basis. In the same month both locomotives hauled the charter train from Paddington to Penzance and return to mark the 25th. anniversary of the final BR Class 50 hauled train.
In mid-2021 one side of 50007 was temporarily re-designated as 50034 'Furious' as a thank you to GBRf charter manager Paul Taylor for his prostate cancer charity fundraising efforts, Furious was his favourite class 50.