Class 73

Britain Rail

Class 73

Electro-Diesel

South Eastern Division

Wearing the Civil Mechanical & Electrical Engineers department's ''Dutch'' livery, No. 73108

was seen at Hither Green Depot in May 1996, by which time it was in EWS ownership.

David Glasspool Collection

Nos. 73204 & 73206 at Tonbridge West Yard

With the advent of new Class 460 EMUs on the Gatwick Express service from 2000 onwards,

the Class 73/2 fleet and Mk 2 rakes were progressively taken out of service. However, whilst

the carriages and GLV vehicles were preserved, the locomotives found a new lease of life in

the privatised freight sector. Tonbridge West Yard on 6th November 2004 housed a pair of

former Gatwick Express Class 73s in the colours of their newest operator 'Great Britain

Railfreight'. Restoration of the type took place at Peterborough, where the diesel engines

were returned to working order (these were no longer maintained when the locomotives

assumed the all electric route of the Gatwick Express). Nos. 73204 and 73206 can

regularly be seen in either Tonbridge West or Eastleigh Yards. David Glasspool

No. 73107 at Tonbridge West Yard

Joining Nos. 73204 and 73206 at Tonbridge was black-liveried No. 73107. In latter British Rail

days this locomotive was part of the Civil Engineering fleet and was painted in 'Dutch' yellow and

grey livery. Formerly named 'Redhill 1844 - 1994', the locomotive passed into the EWS fleet, although

retained the 'Dutch' colour scheme. EWS done away with the type in 2001, and this example was sold

to 'Fragonset Railways' and restored to the scheme shown here, being renamed 'Spitfire' in the process.

David Glasspool

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