47449xeCD

I believe 520 was one of the many ER machines never to receive dominos. If accuracy matters might want to look for archive photos.

I grew up 5 minutes walk from the viaduct in Old Colwyn. On warm summer nights with the bedroom window open I could hear Class 40’s as they climbed the gradient towards Penmaenrhos tunnel. After school I’d hang out with friends on benches near the viaduct to look out for the evening “Bangor” in case it was a 40. Of course summer Saturdays produced a whole procession of them, along with a few 25’s as well. On days when feeling flush, a 15 minute bike ride to Colwyn Bay station and 37p forked over for a child day return to Llandudno Junction, we’d wait patiently for the next 40-hauled passenger service to take us for the short ride there. The day would be spent eating chips and watching 25’s and 40’s shunt the yard, and sometimes an attempt to bunk round the shed if feeling brave. Of course there were 47’s too (in increasing numbers), and an occasional Peak even as early as 1982 (a year before the trans-Pennine services began). Fly ash trains in connection with the building of the new A55 brought the excitement of 56’s as well.

Map’s a bit blurry but lots of lines not on it, e.g. cross-country network, Edinburgh-Perth and undoubtedly more. Those examples not branch lines obviously, just not on that map.

I’ve had a few cab rides up and down that shed! One day sticks in my memory, with 40044 and 25269 featuring. I may or may not have had fingers on the power handle on the latter - huge responsibility for a then 13 year old!

Better position re snowploughs, which 47/7s didn’t carry.

Nosepeds or Welsh Deltics round my way.

As loco diagrams have come up, that train re-engined at Crewe on the outbound except during the period of the remodeling (when it ran round at Chester). I’ll try and dig out the diagrams when I get chance.

There was a Sundays only Birmingham-Holyhead that used to turn up IC Mk1s, but can’t recall whether this was 1986 or later. Regarding mix and match, I definitely recall the odd Mk1 turning up in an otherwise air-con rake during 1985-6. Also, in a “prototype for anything” kind of way, I rode in a Manchester Pullman set on 1D66 once during that period too. Never witnessed that on any other occasion.

Assuming the caption is correct, then this may be an outlier (albeit perfectly passable to represent in model form). This turn was booked to be formed using a Pennine rake in a cyclical diagram, so normally Mk2 PVs with a Mk1 BG. (A teenager living in Colwyn Bay, this was the first train I could get out for following my paper round, and did it as many days as I could during weekends and school holidays that year).

Neither. Both locos were crewed but the one inside idling, but ready to give a bit of help if needed. 47s also featured on this turn occasionally, both as train engine and test engine (however don’t think I ever witnessed a pair of 47s).

47401-420 and 586-665 were low, but with slight differences between the two. Then a number of Scottish formerly-high had them moved low for the reason you mentioned, mostly with the telltale high mounting bracket left intact. Oh, and one end of 430 had a unique low arrangement after a prang. class47.co.uk is your (and everyone else’s) friend.

There are many other details differences among the 47 fleet, but the ‘high’ vs. ‘low’ ETH boxes are by far the most noticeable, and one of the first ways of starting to identify your loco as it’s approaching down the platform. Just one of those things that sticks out like a sore thumb. There are more subtle differences that distinguish between a Crewe and Loughborough built locomotive, but I don’t think I’d sweat those, at least in 4mm scale! All 31s are peds.

Following with interest! You seem admirably keen to get the prototypical details right in your fleet. Just wanted to mention that 47436’s ETH recepticle should sit on top of the buffer beam rather than alongside the buffer. Haven’t checked out any other 47/4’s you may have.

Yes, the chair does sound a little excited for a light engine at slow speed.

The 50 would have been off Saltley (plenty of 50 turns in/out of Brum in those days), and from memory went light to London afterwards for a later turn out of Paddington.

What does your document say the engine off 1E63 does next? I’d been under the impression that 1O19 came off 1E63, so would be interesting to compare.

Excellent. I was on the Conway Crusader too (but not the Conway Crusader Two).

Some great pictures here. For those interested in finding out which example is featured in their photographs, the Unidentified Class 47s Facebook group has an excellent success rate.

47598.

This discussion made me start looking through old copies of “Loco Hauled Travel” which was a trip down memory lane (so thanks!). It was far from being an exhaustive search, but an example of an inter-regional 50 diagram on the route was 1O15 0900 Manchester - Poole (Mon-Sat) between Coventry and Reading during the winter 1985/6 timetable. I do think there many have been other examples in different time periods but scouring old train books is a big rabbit hole to fall down!

It was booked a 33/1 on weekdays in the summer 1981 timetable at least.

541 worked the train for possibly the only time on Sunday 5th August. However in November of that year it was reallocated from Inverness to Crewe where it spent around 2-3 months before withdrawal. During that time it was a frequent performer on the last of the loco hauled trans pennine services, but it’s possible it could have turned up on an intercity train.

Maybe got your days and years mixed up? The 1025 SuO Birmingham-Aberdeen was booked a Scottish 47 in the summer 1990 timetable. Your photo of 47541 could very easily be on that. This train also got a 47/7 on 2 occasions. The loco worked down from Scotland on Saturday night’s Glasgow-Plymouth overnight. 47541 lost its plates in February 1991. 47461 was withdrawn after an accident in November 1990.

The Poole-Newcastle was booked a 33/1 as far as Reading during at least the early-mid 80s. There may have been the odd 50 diagram on inter regionals between Birmingham and Reading in certain years as well from memory. But as you say, mostly 47s.

class47.co.uk has full allocation histories for every member of the fleet.