StuartM Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 The class 49 came about as I'm sure you know was another short lived class of locomotive that was trialled on the midland region back in 1973 with a view to replacing the class 20 fleet. In 1955 the BRB came up with a modernisation plan to replace steam traction with diesel traction. When deciding on what would be the best form of Diesel locomotive to use the BRB looked to America as they had been using a large diesel locomotive fleet for some time. The Americans used large single cab locos that could be worked together depending on the weight of the train load and it was (and still is) a common sight to see trains with 2,3,4 or even 5 locomotives all working together. The BRB took this idea of multiple working as required and asked the English electric company to build a fleet of 100 single cab type1 locomotives, the idea being that locos could be added to or taken off of trains as required. Although this was a practice that worked well in America due to the long distances and train weights involved, it didn't work that well over here and BR ended up with a large fleet of underpowered single cab locos that were difficult for crews to use due to the poor visibility when the loco was travelling bonnet first. To overcome this, the class 20's were coupled together in pairs nose to nose, this in effect provided a 2000hp loco with a cab at each end. After 15years of hauling coal trains around the Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire coal fields the CM&EE of the midland region broached the idea of replacing the class 20 fleet with a single locomotive as this would reduce operating and maintance costs, as one engine is cheaper to run and maintain than two. So it was with this in mind that after gaining approval from the BRB the Midland region engineering dept looked abroad for a suitable production locomotive that they could trial and settled on an American design, the GE B23 which had an output of 2250hp. A single loco was shipped over from America in early 74 and was transported by road to Toton where the loco was load and gauge tested and painted into the BR corporate livery and classified as class 49. The loco was quickly put to work hauling coal trains and proved very popular with the crews as the loco had better pulling power than two class 20's and was more comfortable in the cab. The maintance crews also took to the new loco as it was easier to work on and more reliable than a class 20 and the operating dept liked it because it was cheaper to run than two class 20's and was more reliable with an availability of 95%, a figure unheard of up until then. After six months the Midland Region management approached the BRB with a view to buying 50 class 49 locomotives to replace a fleet of 100 class 20's. The BRB approached the Heath government but were refused due to the industrial unrest and the instability of the times. The Heath government being replaced by the short lived Wilson government etc the request for £45m for a fleet of new freight locomotives was rejected. And that was the end of the class 49. A class of one loco was no good to the operating dept so the decision was taken to ship the loco back to GE in America. Perversely enough three years later the MR got their wish of new locomotives but in the form of the class 56. All of the above is of course complete tosh and a figment of my imagination. The loco was on special offer from Hatton’s of Liverpool and cost just £18n gauge loco in the picture cost £18 brand new from Hatton’s, and for that you get a chassis with which to scratch build and a body on which to practice painting and weathering techniques and if it all goes wrong you've only lost £18, bargin!. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartM Posted April 30, 2012 Author Share Posted April 30, 2012 The idea behind this thread is to create a class of diverse scratch build/conversions of unique locos and place them all under the banner of class 49. If you have such a loco then choose the next available number, put that in your title heading (and preferably on your loco as well) and post a photo and some blurb. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
engage Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 Class 49 002. formally General Electric B23 Hi Stuart I like the idea very much,so much so that I acquired a GE B23 last week from you can guess where at a reasonable price,it arrived in the post this very morning. It will take some time to prepare so it will be a little while before a picture appears. In the meantime since I am the second member to post I will be numbering mine in sequence after yours ie 49 002. Since the Blurb is ready before the model, members can now read all about 002 I thought to myself when I first saw Stuart's GE B23 bedecked in BR livery, what a very unusual but good idea it was, got to get myself one of those,it will fit in with my BR layout a treat!. As you can see it is similar loco to 001 and all credit must go to Stuart M for the original idea (permission to copy was sought). Unbeknown to Stuart at the time of his research into the history of the B 23 in this country, and since there appears to be very little detail available, a second loco was shipped over from the USA a few months after the first. It went through a very similar procedure to 001 and eventually met with the same fate which Stuart has so eloquently explained above, to which I only wish to add that if you believe either story you will believe anything. Cheers John . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted May 1, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 1, 2012 This is a great idea for a thread. Many of us are interested in might-have-been locomotives. Just a thought though that some would not be Class 4 locos. We should allow for the possibility of Class 19 and Class 39. And, since the series has not been used for a long time, we can probably have Class 29 as well. There's a great picture somewhere on RMWeb of a Riddles Class 8P/8F 2-8-2 as well, a very handsome beast. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartM Posted May 1, 2012 Author Share Posted May 1, 2012 This is a great idea for a thread. Many of us are interested in might-have-been locomotives. Just a thought though that some would not be Class 4 locos. We should allow for the possibility of Class 19 and Class 39. And, since the series has not been used for a long time, we can probably have Class 29 as well. There's a great picture somewhere on RMWeb of a Riddles Class 8P/8F 2-8-2 as well, a very handsome beast. I take your point but for the sake of ease perhaps we could consider the class 49 an experimental catch all class a bit like the class 97 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartM Posted May 1, 2012 Author Share Posted May 1, 2012 Class 49 002 . The number 2 claimed by engage Hi Stuart I like the idea very much,so much so that I acquired a GE B23 last week from you can guess where at a reasonable price,it arrived in the post this very morning. It will take some time to prepare so it will be a little while before a picture appears. In the meantime since I am the second member to post I will be numbering mine in sequence after yours ie 49 002. I have a second rather unorthodox loco already made but since it has been entered into a competition I will not put the picture up until the competition is over,( not that it will come anywhere!) So it is a case of members keeping an eye on this thread. This is what she looks like before she enters the paint shop,don't know what she will look like when she comes out ! To be different to Stuart I might paint the handrails black, . Comments ? Cheers John You could do Virgin red, Brunswick green, Network rail Yellow, Good old Corporate blue, GWR red, or just make something up, enjoy learning to airbrush Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Claude_Dreyfus Posted May 2, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 2, 2012 This is an interesting project. I have something that may be suitable...but it is a very different loco design to the two already featured; I'll have a think about it. Out of interest, where are you in the sequence? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartM Posted May 2, 2012 Author Share Posted May 2, 2012 This is an interesting project. I have something that may be suitable...but it is a very different loco design to the two already featured; I'll have a think about it. Out of interest, where are you in the sequence? Hi Claude, You can enter any loco you like, scratch build, RTR repainted/ detailed/ modified, anything goes, British or overseas, but as it will be part of the class 49 fleet it must be or have been in service on BR metals, if only in your imagination. 49001 & 49002 have been taken, so the next member of the fleet would be 49003. If you want to use that number, just add a post to this thread with 49003 in the title and if possible a photo and a brief description of what you intend to do and if you can make up a background story for your locos existence so much the better. I look forward to seeing what you come up with Rgds, Stuart Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
engage Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 You could do Virgin red, Brunswick green, Network rail Yellow, Good old Corporate blue, GWR red, or just make something up, enjoy learning to airbrush Thanks for the suggested colour schemes, at the moment I still favor something blue and yellow,this would fit in better with existing models on my stay a home BR layout. Since I have already taken the hand rails off (intact I might add) I thought perhaps I might leave them off. Handrails were not fitted to the loco's that the B23 replaced (theoretically) Airbrushing ! Yes!, well!, er!, um ! we will see! In reply to Claude (#7) Yea! jump on board,please don't be shy, we promise not to laugh at your efforts,we may make the odd comment but we won't laugh. PS the Boss has of yet made no comment about our crazy antics. Does his silence mean that we have his approval and he will let us carry on spreading a load of untruths? :-) Cheers John 49 002 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartM Posted May 4, 2012 Author Share Posted May 4, 2012 49101 Is a sub class that indicates that the experimental locomotive is electric The class 49 no:49101 was another one off loco this time based on the Eastern Region. Back in the early 1970's the class 15 fleet were being withdrawn because they were deemed none standard and they had an appalling reliability record, with many of the class being laid up at Straford depot. The ER wanted to experiment with electric power for short trip work and the odd passenger duty but the only electric locos at the time where the LMR's big powerful classes 81-6 which were all in the 3-4000hp range which would have been over powered for what the ER had in mind, so a decision was taken to convert a class 15 to 25kv electric power. The work was carried out at Straford works over the winter of 1972 and the loco emerged in may of 73 where it underwent testing and then eventually trials out on the mainline initially between Liverpool St and Clacton. 49101 spent the next 2 years working in and out of Liverpool St and when the suburban lines out of Kings Cross were electrified in 1976 49101 also spent time working freight trips between Straford and Kings Cross upper goods yard. The trial proved a success in that the ER decided that electric traction was the way to go, however a lack of money and interest from the government put paid to the idea at the time. Because of this decision 49101 was surplus to requirements and although it trundled on for a while longer it was eventually withdrawn from service in December of 1978 and then spent the next two years dumped on the scrap rd of Straford depot before being broken up on site. Again the above is complete fiction and is just a bit of fun. I intend to add buffers and weathering, take some more photos and then remove the pantograph and renumber to 15001 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartM Posted May 5, 2012 Author Share Posted May 5, 2012 Some additional photos this time with buffers, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
engage Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 Hi Stuart I like the story and you have done a good job of the painting, it is not quite the same handsome beast as your B23/49 001 but it will help the thread on it's way and may help to inspire other RM Members to join us. It didn't take you long to put the bumpers on ! Regards John 49 002 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Griffin Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 ill claim 49102, ill add pictures later tonight, its built and painted and its electric, watch this space..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartM Posted May 5, 2012 Author Share Posted May 5, 2012 ill claim 49102, ill add pictures later tonight, its built and painted and its electric, watch this space..... Nice one, welcome to the class 49 project Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester Thumper Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 i might do this.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester Thumper Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 OK, can I claim 49103?? or whatever is next? I fancy something red.... but we shall see (hence why I wouldn't mind 49 666 ) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartM Posted May 8, 2012 Author Share Posted May 8, 2012 OK, can I claim 49103?? or whatever is next? I fancy something red.... but we shall see (hence why I wouldn't mind 49 666 ) Hi Bruce, 49 0xx is for diesel and 49 1xx is for electric, so the next available numbers are 49003 and 40103 If you can come up with a credible story as to why your loco existed and a brief history so much the better. I'd prefer that members of the class are believable and could have existed rather than off the wall ideas or colour schemes just for the sake of it, Think along the lines of what is the engineering reason for your locos existence. I look forward to seeing your idea Rgds, StuartM Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold griffgriff Posted May 8, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 8, 2012 Why can't you have an 88 XXX number for an electric? An electric numbered 49 1XX just sounds silly Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartM Posted May 8, 2012 Author Share Posted May 8, 2012 Why can't you have an 88 XXX number for an electric? An electric numbered 49 1XX just sounds silly It's just a bit of fun, if you don't like it don't join in Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester Thumper Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Hi Bruce, 49 0xx is for diesel and 49 1xx is for electric, so the next available numbers are 49003 and 40103 If you can come up with a credible story as to why your loco existed and a brief history so much the better. I'd prefer that members of the class are believable and could have existed rather than off the wall ideas or colour schemes just for the sake of it, Think along the lines of what is the engineering reason for your locos existence. I look forward to seeing your idea Rgds, StuartM Okies 49003 is claimed for mine, she's currently being built, all will be revealed soon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold griffgriff Posted May 8, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 8, 2012 It's just a bit of fun, if you don't like it don't join in Ouch Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
engage Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Okies 49003 is claimed for mine, she's currently being built, all will be revealed soon Hi Bruce Good of you to join in, look forward to seeing your model No 49 003. No need to rush the job! Cheers John49 002 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
engage Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Class Undetermined formaly Class 101 Diesel Railcar Submitted by Engage In the early 50s Metro-Cammel in Birmingham were commisioned by the BRB to design and construct a prototype lightweight self propelled railcar or unit which later turned out to become the once familiar Class 101 diesel multiple unit. The latter were very long lived and were not finally withdrawn until 2003. However the railcar a one off prototype was tested,trailed and eventually put into service in country districts in the North-West.It did sterling service for several years but due mainly to its limited capacity (bodies that is) was eventually replaced by the multiple version.It was unusual in the fact that it was fitted with a bigger engine than the following production units, it had a Rolls-Royce 6 cyl 180 bhp as opposed to the AEC or Leyland engines of 150 bhp this was because it could often be seen with a GUV in tow on the aforementioned country branch lines. The disadvantage with this was at the terminus it had to be uncoupled and the railcar run round for the return journey but remember in those days the carriage of goods was still a "nice little earner". Despite exhaustive research I seem to be unable to find out exactly what became of the railcar,with a bit of good fortune it might one day be rediscovered rusting away at the back of some old loco shed. Who knows ? How much of the above should the reader believe ? Well MC did make several prototype vehicles proir to the chosen production Class 101,they might well have produced a railcar, did it ever run in service in the North-West? well I am sure that if it was seen, someone will soon inform us where and when and if it is found in an old shed then my story will be proven not to be so far fetched after all. Some might say that I copied the idea from the Rev Awdry and his Daisy but I swear that I did not learn about Daisy until someone pointed it out to me after the model was finished The model is a scale 9ft longer than the production Class 101 which was 57ft long. What do I do now regarding the number which is presently M50303 and really belonged to a 3 car unit built in 1958, give it a new 49 00x number or would that be carrying things a bit too far? In the words of a very clever and much loved but sadly departed Gentleman form up North, Bolton I believe. Did you like that? Building details can be supplied on request Cheers John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartM Posted May 9, 2012 Author Share Posted May 9, 2012 I was thinking that the class 49 would be class of locomotives rather than multiple units, I also created a fictional multiple unit but decided not to post it here as it wasn't a loco So would you mind if we put 49004 back into circulation and kept the class 49 strictly locomotive orientated. This is my fault as I should have been more specific at the start of the thread So apology's on my part. Nice effort though, perhaps one for the nguage journal Rgds, StuartM Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester Thumper Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Yeah I really like that!!! Please mate, if you are an NGS member please make an article about it! that would be awesome to see in the journal! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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