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Class 47/9 other than 901


Foden
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I'm aware that 47901 was the testbed for the class 58 engine, and made it it's own unique class.

 

However, I've never understood why some other 47s were renumbered into 479XX numbers.

 

As an example, 47540 was renumbered as 47975 when it received dutch livery, and then later returned to 47540, retaining its nameplates. I've an idea this may have something to do with test duties, but I've no evidence for that theory, could anyone help me understand?

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See Wikipedia:

 

 

 

97472, 97480, 97545 and 97561.

 

These four locomotives were converted from Class 47 locomotives in 1989, and were used to haul test-trains throughout the country. Number 97561 was repainted in maroon livery and named "Midland Counties Railway" to commemorate the railway's 150th anniversary.

 

Three of the four locomotives were later renumbered into the range 47971-973, but continued to be employed hauling test-trains. They were later joined by 47974-976 and 47981. The fourth locomotive, no. 97472, was renumbered back to number 47472, and shortly after was withdrawn from traffic due to fire damage

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It was 47980 Robin Hood that had the fire damage. 47472 collided with 47533 at reading which resulted in the withdrawal of the pair of them. They sat at Old Oak Common for a while.

Slightly related 31326 was renumbered to 97204 then 31970.

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Did staff doing rostering not have their 'own' pool of locos to pick from? Was that not enough to prevent them being accidentally used elsewhere?

  

I'm guessing the test train locos had some kind of plug and socket arrangement for an intercom between the cab and the train, as it was often necessary to ask the driver to speed up, slow down or stop.

 

They were hired out on purpose, not accidentally.That's why they were renumbered into the 479xx series, to easily identify the owning sector.

As for communication between loco and train, temporary cables were attached running the length of the loco to train. In latter years, back to back radios were used.

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47/9’s ran many service trains.

 

To try to mitigate this, they were renumbered 97/ But then unions claimed drivers weren’t trained to drive them.

 

All my pictures are of them on service trains, are there any pictures of them actually on test trains ? (Sarcasm).

Edited by adb968008
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So who actually owned the locos in question?

 

Using 47975 as an example, was it part of the civil engineers fleet of locos, but being in the 9XX range had to be made available for test duties when required, but otherwise it would be free for what ever the CE dept required it for?

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Central Services. Which always gives me a wry smile as that's the name of the organisation that attempt to fix Sam Lowry's air-conditioning in Terry Gilliam's excellent dystopian film Brazil.

 

C6T.

Edited by Classsix T
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I'm aware that 47901 was the testbed for the class 58 engine, and made it it's own unique class.

 

However, I've never understood why some other 47s were renumbered into 479XX numbers.

 

As an example, 47540 was renumbered as 47975 when it received dutch livery, and then later returned to 47540, retaining its nameplates. I've an idea this may have something to do with test duties, but I've no evidence for that theory, could anyone help me understand?

47901 started life as humble 47046 in late '75 it became the test bed for the proposed class 56 build but retained 47 bogies but with sand boxes. As a non standard loco it was the obivious choice for class 58 testing, losing the 601 number as the eth conversions took 6xx numbers. Edited by w124bob
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