Class 50s on the Western Region - Preview

Class 50s on the western region

Images from The Transport Treasury

Compiled by Andrew Royle

Class 50s on the western region

Images from The Transport Treasury

Compiled by Andrew Royle

The special livery applied to 50007, however proved a lot more controversial. The previously named Hercules became Sir Edward Elgar on 25 February 1984 (in mock GWR green livery with cast numbers and BR symbol) to mark fifty years since the composer ’s death. The naming was carried out by Simon Rattle (conductor of the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra) at Paddington. It was a move that was not welcomed by the majority of enthusiasts, it would be fair to say, but perhaps just heightened the interest in the class as a whole. 50007 saw use on several special trains and appeared at many depot open days as a result of this selective treatment. It is seen stabled at Hereford station on 14 March 1984. Nick Nicolson

Another wintry scene greets a class 50 in the Bristol area on 12 February 1985 as 50016 Barham helps the 07.30 Penzance to Aberdeen train on its lengthy journey away from Bristol Parkway station. This formation would split at Carstairs, with some coaches proceeding to Glasgow Central, hence the provision of first class accommodation in separate parts of the combined train. 50016 would have been removed from the train in favour of electric traction at Birmingham New Street, of course. In the distance (beyond the second coach) can be seen the three Brabazon hangars at Filton airfield, where the British contingent of Concordes were assembled. It is now the YTL Arena entertainment complex. AT8742

Exiting the tunnel itself, we find 50011 Centurion leading the Liverpool to Penzance service into glorious Devon on the same date. Whiteball box (tucked almost out of sight to the right) was still extant at this time, controlling the down loop and refuge siding, together with the accompanying semaphores. Milepost 174 stands out clearly on the left, indicating the track mileage from Paddington (via Bristol). The actual summit is at a point roughly half way between the locomotive and the tunnel mouth. AT6475

On 28 August 1981, 50042 Triumph rolls a short mixed freight formation from another age into Exeter St Davids station; sights such as this would barely see out the decade, as operational costs far outweighed the benefit of running these trains. The fuel tanker was probably supplying a BR depot and the three cement ‘presflo’ wagons carrying traffic that would inevitably switch to road transport before very long. Also visible to the left is a Rail Express parcels road van, which might suggest where the idea for the large logo livery came from. A year on from this, 50042 would be sporting that livery! AT4202

We move to the view from the road bridge at Newton Abbot. 50015 Valiant is shown very clean in its large logo BR livery on 24 April 1984 whilst easing a Manchester-Plymouth service away from platform 2. The black stains on the roof show clearly where the exhaust ports are from the 16 cylinder engine. In the background, the former diesel depot had ceased operations some three years earlier but some tracks still remained in its vicinity. Notice also the extent of the point rodding running along the up side of the track; this would likely have required regular attention from the signalling maintenance crews. When David & Charles later vacated their premises here, the signal gantry was moved again a short distance to a spot beside the Torquay Road and their ex-Great Western carriages went to preserved railways. AT7561

Passing high above the River Tamar comes 50039 Implacable at the head of the Penzance to Newcastle service on 13 August 1985. Timber decking was laid across the Royal Albert Bridge at Saltash during World War Two to permit the passage of road vehicles, in the event of enemy action causing severe disruption to the railway. A 1950s proposal to repeat this exercise and relieve pressure on the local ferry service was not pursued and the new road bridge met that demand from 1961. To mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of the bridge’s designer I.K. Brunel in 2006, the disfiguring access ladders in front of his name were removed, being no longer required. Of interest is the mark 1 coach included at the front of an otherwise air conditioned rake of passenger stock. AT9398

A fine sight of double-headed 50s rounds the curve into the station from beneath the Bath Road bridge on 19 July 1981. A refurbished 50006 Neptune and an unrefurbished 50048 Dauntless are the locos in question and the train is a Paignton to Paddington. It’s a Sunday, though it’s possibly not a diversion as some such trains were normally routed via Bristol during the early 1980s. 50006 spent two years languishing in Doncaster Works from 1977-79, during which time it was nominated to be the first of class to be refurbished there. It actually first received its nameplates during this spell in the Works (and the last class member to do so). Sadly it was to be one of the early withdrawals from service in the summer of 1987. AT3789

Although firstly introduced to BR’s London Midland Region in the late 1960s, the Class 50 diesel-electrics are strongly associated with the Western Region, where they gave more than twenty years of service. Reliability was perhaps not their strongest point but being a 100mph machine and sounding more impressive at full power than other type 4 locomotives, they commanded a strong following. This was particularly true after the demise of the type 5 ‘Deltics’ in early 1982. Being given a set of evocative ‘Warship’ names from 1978 and later a striking new livery did their appeal no harm at all.

Drawing on the Arthur Turner collection, this album takes readers on an imaginary tour of the region, featuring the entire class of fifty machines at various times (between 1974 and 1992) and in a wide spread of locations.

ISBN 978-1-913893-30-9

Compiled by Andrew Royle

£17.50