Heljan refurbished ‘Fifty’
REFURBISHED Class 50s were chosen by Heljan for its first ‘O’ gauge model of the locomotive, dating it from the late 1970s until withdrawal from BR capital stock between 1987 and 1994, allowing for the handful of preserved locomotives currently cleared for operation on the main line.
Refurbishment arose from the poor availability of the class during the late 1970s which was as low as 40%, prompting Western Region management into taking action to rectify a host of problems with the class.
Class 50s were technically advanced when built, incorporating sophisticated electronics and a variety of innovations including slow speed control system and rheostatic braking. During refurbishment, which was undertaken at BREL Doncaster, redundant systems including automatic traction control and part of the complex anti-wheel slip device were removed. Wiring conduit was relocated to simplify future repairs, alongside rewiring with upgraded cables to meet fire resistance standards of the time.
Design faults were tackled, including revision of the cooling air intake to fix a problem where filters became quickly clogged with moist dust and oil particles, preventing
