Class 47 Diesel Locomotives

By David Cable

This photographic album showing the class 47 diesel locomotives has been compiled by a well-established author of similar titles, David Cable.

More examples of this class were built than any other design of modern traction. They also carried more varieties of color schemes than any other type, and these are well portrayed in this volume.

The class 47 was truly the maid of all work on the British Rail system for the forty-odd years since their inception in the early 1960s, and certain members of the class are still in daily use.

All types of traffic from major expresses to coal trains were worked by these engines, and this full color album illustrates many examples of an engine that could be seen in almost all parts of Great Britain from Inverness to Penzance and Dover to Holyhead.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pen and Sword
• Release date: Nov 30, 2017
• ISBN: 9781473864474

David Cable

David Cable was born in 1929, and lives in Hartley Wintney, Hampshire. He has had an interest in trains since the age of three, which developed into an interest in train photography in 1947. David is the author of many photo albums, covering modern traction in the UK since the 1960s, as well as volumes based on his visits to the other countries over the last 40 years. He has visited countries throughout Europe, North America and Australia, as well as some Far Eastern countries and Morocco.

Book preview

First published in Great Britain in 2017 by

Pen & Sword Transport

An imprint of Pen &Sword Books Ltd

47 Church Street

Barnsley

South Yorkshire

S70 2AS

Copyright © David Cable 2017

ISBN 978 1 47386 445 0

eISBN 978 1 47386 447 4

Mobi ISBN 978 1 47386 446 7

The right of David Cable to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor by way of trade or otherwise shall it be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

© David Cable 2017

Pen & Sword Books Ltd incorporates the imprints of Pen & Sword Archaeology, Atlas, Aviation, Battleground, Discovery, Family History, History, Maritime, Military, Naval, Politics, Railways, Select, Social History, Transport, True Crime, and Claymore Press, Frontline Books, Leo Cooper, Praetorian Press, Remember When, Seaforth Publishing and Wharncliffe.

For a complete list of Pen and Sword titles please contact

Pen and Sword Books Limited

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DAVID CABLE – OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Railfreight in Colour (for the modeller and historian)

BR Passenger Sectors in Colour (for the modeller and historian)

Lost Liveries of Privatisation in Colour (for the modeller and historian)

Hydraulics in the West

The Blue Diesel Era

Rails Across North America

Rails Across Australia

Rails Across Canada

Rails Across Europe - Northern & Western

Rails Across Europe - Eastern & Southern

Rails Across Britain

Modern Traction Profiles - Class 50

The Privatisation Classes

General description

The Class 47 diesel electric locomotives were by far the largest and probably most useful class of modern traction introduced following the decision of British Railways to dispense with steam for traction purposes. They were the class with the greatest number of units – 512 - built by BR Workshops at Crewe and Brush Traction at Loughborough, who had initiated the design.

The chassis was carried on two six wheel bogies (Co-Co), with a neat twin cab body shell, devoid of grilles on the side, allowing for an uninterrupted display of any liveries. The BR Design Panel made a major contribution to the cab features. The cabs were not air-conditioned, and regrettably with time, these tended to become increasingly draughty.

With a power output of 2750 HP, later reduced to 2580 HP to assist reliability, they fitted into the Type 4 BR classification. With a capability to reach 100 mph, but also fitted for slow speed haulage, they were capable of handling all types of traffic, only being restricted by axle loads. This restricted them from working north of Inverness and from the lines serving the central Cambrian coast.

The locomotives were fitted with Sulzer V12 diesel power units, five being fitted with an alternative design which did not prove sufficiently worthwhile to pursue, resulting in them being fitted with the standard engine. These modified locos were temporarily reclassified as Class 48.

Class categories

The Class 47 was subdivided into sub-classes as outlined below.

47/0

The initial locos were fitted with steam heating boilers and were also dual braked (vacuum and air). In due course the boilers were removed and the locos were either equipped for electric train heating, or no heating capability at all.

47/3

Having no train heating equipment at all, these locos were used for freight purposes in general, although capable of working passenger services in the summer.They were fitted with slow speed control for MGR trains.

47/4

The sub-class for locomotives with electric train heating.

47/7

Engines from Class 47/4 which were fitted for push-pull working, initially in Scotland.They were fitted with long rang fuel tanks.

47/8

Engines from Class 47/4 fitted with long-range fuel tanks.

One locomotive,