Current Classes of British Locos
 

I'm a bit out of touch with the current railway scene - about the only locos I see nowadays on my local line are 66s on stone or coal workings and 60s on steel coil trains.

So what classes of locos are now current in Britain and approx. how many examples of each class are there?

Which is the next class likely to become 'extinct' on the main line, apart from preserved examples?

Also, what regular loco-hauled passenger workings are there now?

Adey

I'm a bit out of the loop as well Adey. All I ever see are 66's, so if you're seeing 60's as well then you're one up on me.

I think that there are still 20's, 31's, 33's, 37's and 47's running, but owned by private companies and so you are unlikely to see them unless you live in the areas that those companies operate in. I know that the DRS Class 20's have operated over my local route (the Saltend branch in Hull) on weedkilling trains in the last year or so, but I missed out on seeing 'em.

Of course, if you ever win the lottery (like I plan to do), then you could buy your own Brush 4! :D

Not sure about buying a Brush 4 despite the fact that they're a Leicestershire loco (don't know how many were actually built in Loughborough, Leics., as opposed to BR's own workshops) but I do have a 'soft spot' for the 31s - for many years they were a typical local-line sight on Birmingham-Norwich passenger trains as well as ballast trains from the Leics. quarries and also the evening mail trains 'adopted' some of the 31/4s when those Birmingham/Norwich workings went over to 158s

I loved the Brush 2's.

When the Trans-Pennine DMU's were withdrawn, the 31's took over on Hull to Manchester direct services. A 31 and 4 mk 2's......mmmmmm!!!! Happy days! :)

This route soon to be taken over by 185's

See www.c37lg.co.uk for current use of Class 37's; still quite a few in action. I will be joining two Class 37's for a trip to Whitby at the end of April with the added bonus of joining the train two miles from home at Belper.

Will be quite a contrast to Princess Elizabeth!

Class 31's AAARRRRRGGG!
 

Trust me , you wouldnt love the 31's if you had ever worked on them, they were horrble, smelly dirty, cramped leaky bits of junk!

Underpowered!

I worked on many of them over the years from when I was an apprentice till, when I left the tools as a change of carrer in the industry, and i for one would cut every one up, hateful, hateful things.....

Give me a Sulzer any day!

Arriva Trains Wales are hiring in a Virgin Class 57 Thunderbird loco each day to operate some services on the Manchester - Holyhead route. I have just seen it passing my window:) :)
John.

Yeah, but what do you really think about them ;) ;)

I must admit they always moved 'sedately' when working ballast trains single-handed, but they were usually double-headed towards the end of their use on these workings, locally.

Well, that's one anyway! Any more regular ones?

www.wnxx.com contains a fairly up to date fleet list!

Sam

Loco's
 

First Scotrail have loco hauled regularley for their Sleeper service. At the moment it is class 37/4 haulage provided by EWS, but these are about to be replaced by the class 67's.

Also DRS is still using lots of older traction. They now have more class 37's operational than EWS, which they totally had re-vamped by Brush down in Loughburugh. Plus they also still use class 20's but these are usually on Rail head treatment trains and specials. They also have some 47's and until recently class 33's.

Fragonset Merlin railways have also many of the older types. They still use class 31's/33's and 47's. They have recently repainted 2 of the class 47's vor the Pullman set, with a 3rd rumoured to have been in the works for the same finish. The class 31's and 33's are usually used for tour workings, expecially on the Cathedrals Expresses.

West coast Railway company also have 37's/47's and a 57, but they again are usually used on tours and specials.

And Harry Needle Rail company has several class 37's, but more interestingly class 20's, which are seen alot on the main network as a pair doing specails, but also other work such as been thunderbirds and netwok rail work.

(And sorry for the long list)

Many thanks, Sam and Kieran

The Arriva Trains Wales 0744 Rhymney-Cardiff and 1701 return have been booked for Class 47 haulage since the start of this week. They are hiring locos from Riviera Trains.
John.

In each edition of "Rail" there is a chart showing the current number of locos by class including HST power cars in active service. It is now under 1000! There used to be nearly as many Black 5's!

Of course it does not include DMU's and EMU's. It also doesn't include locos in store eg EWS's Sandite reserve.

There is ususally a copy hanging around in our mess room at Wirksworth and I only discovered the chart yesterday during a tea break.

A quick tot-up of my 1961/2 Ian Allan 'Combine' shows approx. 250 different classes of locos, steam/diesel/electric/gas turbine, and that's without all the departmental locos, sub-classes, etc!

Those 66s are fine locos but they've done nothing for variety on the current scene - we should all endeavour to photograph and record the older designs whilst they're still there. Looking back at some of my shots taken in the 90s, it's amazing how 'dated' many of them look already - at the time I was just recording the contemporary scene but regretting not having taken shots in previous decades.

Had a quick look at the new copy of Rail in the newsagent this pm. Active loco stock for weekending 18.2.2006 is 950. Over on third are 66's and the HST's take it over half. There are about 35 37's afew 47's,08's, 56's, 57's, 59's, 20's and the 67's plus a few others. Any way numbers of each class are listed by TOC.

Thanks, John.

Haven't seen a 37 or 56 on my local line for some time now. Off for a few days holiday, soon, so I'll miss a pair of 20s on railtour duty - could be quite a while before they appear again!

It's enough to make you weep. :(

I saw well over four times that number of individual locos in my trainspotting days.

13.3.2005

Saw a 37 heading north out of Derby on the Midland Mainline this afternoon on an EWS frieght. Sorry no photo or number.