50007 and 50049 to get new liveries

I'm sure they were really concerned about the colour of the locomotive - not.

 

Yet on the suburban side of things LMR and ER went for diesel hydraulic units and WR went for mechanical ones. Swindon having to be different again.

 

More inside cylinder pannier tanks.

 

I think there were several options being considered at the time and the final choice had as much to do with politics as it did technical factors. The government wanted any new locos built in the UK but the UK loco builders had little experience of hydraulics, so . . .

 

BR issued a policy statement along with the specifications which - among other points - indicated that loose-coupled trains would be quickly eliminated hence the question of brake force was not to be considered. On that basis the WR investigated the high speed lightweight option that produced 2200 hp for 78 tons / 28.20 hp per ton (Warship) and 2700 hp for 108 tons / 24.10 hp per ton (Western) and an axle load of 19.5 / 18 tons respectively whilst the diesel electric equivalent produced 2500 hp for 138 tons / 18.11 hp per ton (Peak) and 2750 hp for 117 tons / 23.50 hp per ton (Class 47) and an axle load of 17.25 / 19.5 tons respectively. To the WR a further advantage was that their Type 4 hydraulic locomotives had 2 prime movers hence failure of one still left one available to conclude (albeit belated) journeys to destination but the continued operation of loose-coupled trains swung the advantage to diesel electric locomotives for brake force.

To bring those figures into context the Warship and Peak appeared around the same time as did the Western and the Class 47 a few years later. Whilst the Class 47 neared the Western figures the Class 50 produced only 5 years later could only generate 2750 hp for 117 tons / 23.50 hp per ton giving an axle load of 19.5 tons; this excludes 50009 which was reported as having had temporary uprating to 325o hp in the late 1970s to give 27.7 hp per ton but this was neither official or continued.

For a further comparison between equivalents such as the Class 35 (Hymek) and Class 37 locomotives, the Class 35 produced 1700 hp for 75 tons / 23.33 hp per ton whilst the Class 37 produced 1750 hp for 105 tons / 16.66 hp per ton but other cost factors - including maintenance costs - swung the balance to diesel electric simply on the greater number of locomotives involved.

The prime difficulty in the initial choices was the diktat that all parts had to be made within the UK hence foreign manufacturers could only provide by virtue of licensing UK manufacturers to undertake the work (e.g. Bristol Siddeley licensed to build Maybach engines; Vickers licensed to build Sulzer engines) and some manufacturers were not prepared to issue licenses hence the initial proposal to have a Pilot Scheme of the 3 elements (body; engine; transmission) supplied from UK companies. In the end - as noted - the hydraulic era was forced to close because of political pressure from the diesel electric supporters; given the larger number of diesel electric locomotives in service and the growing demand for common user traction the finale was not unexpected.

 

There you go, Fred, using common sense and reasoned argument. You know it'll never catch on with the red pen brigade.

And, indeed, composers - not lead singers.

 

Here it is then, not my photo, taken from Instagram.

 

Saw this earlier today and still cannot work out if the nameplate is blue or just covered with blue plastic. Do hope it's the latter!

 

Blue masking tape by the looks of it, we've got the same stuff at work.

 

For any Bristol locos, 50053 Massive Attack and for any Birmingham locos 50054 Noddy Holder, Leeds, 50055 Dave Gedge.

Tbh I am a little surprised that given the pop music - railway connections that more locos don’t have pop music connections. *waits for someone to announce he is naming his locos: Kylie Minogue, Sonia and The Reynolds Girls*

 

Anything from Bescot would be more appropriate for Noddy. Maybe a 20 or 31?

 

Maybe a 25? Reliable and all over the 1970s. For some reason I've got a craving for Cuppa Soups now.

 

Is that a Vic and Bob reference?

 

All the best to whoever for getting a free re-paint, my view is it does not suit the loco's at all....

 

You wouldn't let it lie.

 

With or without ploughs?

 

My pictures of the 50 Terminator tour yesterday at Whiteball and Hemerdon. Thanks for an amazing day and superb work from Pathfinder Railtours, GB Railfreight and Network Rail for making this tour happen.

 

A really fresh design of the class 50 that`s for sure I like it!

 

Probably the best comment I've seen so far.

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