Class 47 & 57 Locomotives

The Class 47 was built between 1962 - 67 as the Brush Type 4 by both Brush Traction and British Railways Crewe works, eventually numbering 512 examples. It was designed by Brush as a mixed traffic locomotive with a maximum speed of 95mph and fitted with a Sulzer 2750bhp diesel engine. Batches were constructed with electric train heating (ETH) equipment, steam heating, or no heat provision intended for freight use, though many were later fitted with ETH as steam heating of passenger trains was eliminated. By the 1990s, considerable numbers were being withdrawn as life expired and many of those remaining were becoming increasingly unreliable. In 1997 the newly formed operator Freightliner decided to begin to address the problem by rebuilding 12 locos with 2nd hand General Motors engines and alternators. The body and running gear remained the same and the locomotives were classified as 57. These were very successful, and remain in service today with DRS and West Coast Railways.