Class 47 No 47771

Glad to see I'm not alone in thinking the 47's are fine bits of kit. The Black 5 of the diesel world, go anywhere do anything.

 

What are its previous numbers?

 

47503 and D1946 according to the owning group's website.

In my spotting days (the early/mid 1970s), they tended to be overshadowed by the more glamorous classes like the Deltics and Westerns, but as the variety of diesel loco classes began to reduce, like you, I began to appreciate them more. I felt really sad when in 2002, I made my last journey behind them on the final GW and XC services. Even though a few diesel-hauled services still run today, the withdrawal of those final 47s marked the end of an era.

 

Totally agree John, they were everywhere back in the day, and the thrill of seeing a "foreign" one off region, being from Newport their steady tick over while they were going off and on Godfrey Rd was the sound of the range railway to me

 

Around 1975-6 the thrill for this young spotter was to see a tatty green example or two amongst all the blue ones!

 

I do like the sound of a spoon sat ticking over & the chirruping noise when the turbocharger spools up is mint!

Also I love seeing 771 in her scruffy res colours, or ews with a set of ploughs looked tasty. Buy my favourites were:

47972 in dutch with ploughs, depot plaques names & cast arrows.

47475 in provincial - not the most liked when it got repainted due being a light shade of blue.

47972 in central services livery. IIRC it was grey with a maroon band that looked quite smart.

47301 railfreight grey with the big numbers & arrows.

Crazily enough the one livery always looked quite good to me! Also any on dutch look tasty.

Plus dare I mention the yellow peril 803 in infastructure.

Anybody else got any fave liveries or locos with 1 off liveries etc they had a soft spot for?

 

Well my faves were allways the ED/IS ones that visited us and the mega rare SF ones that never seamed to go too far from Liverpool St, kept on a very short piece of string they were, the painters of those shed'some seamed to view the painting diagrams with a certain amount liberalism in regard to window frames, Headcode boxes, buffer beams and of course dogs,stags and sparrows

https://www.flickr.com/photos/alea4...K5oP-7yZvq4-AEuH7N-cfk6Rs-gJDxS-cNwThd-9aqSpX

https://www.flickr.com/photos/eastf...CwL-on3Xhm-kmNo1z-bJRcFT-fAfAeL-fMz8gc-dToL8D

https://www.flickr.com/photos/sydpi...5MY-Jri8Cf-zs112C-asgQNz-9UgiZv-J1gQTa-9TEbhZ

 

Scanned a shot of 47972 not too long ago. Band on the loco looks a bit pinky when compared to the coach.........

47972 @ Crewe 27-8-95 by Steve Fort, on Flickr

 

The liveries I'd love to see in pres are:

Central services, sadly couldn't be done legit as there's no 47/9s left.

Dutch, a few 3/s are out there.

Scotrail with ploughs & highland rail stag stickers such as 541 wore.

Infastructure yellow as 803 wore if the owners of either 840/828 in the future might consider a 1 off.

Sector livery, construction/petroleum etc.

The derby celebration maroon livery that 1 wore briefly.

 

Growing up in Lancaster, the thrill for me was seeing many of the Crewe built ones in sparking two-tone green, hauling test trains to Penrith (I think) and back. Later examples were often turned out in pink or grey undercoat with their fleet number chalked on the cabside! Happy days.