Class 50

English Electric

The Winter WCML timetable of 1969/1970 was the last to feature regular single locomotive haulage on expresses north of Crewe. Starting with the Summer timetable of May 1970, such services were diagrammed to be double-headed by a pair of the D400 series. This was to provide accelerated timings, allowing a maintained 100 MPH to be reached, and it also sought to alleviate reliability issues: availability of the type was poor. As previously touched upon, only Nos. D400 and D401 were capable of working in multiple, which led to the rest of the fleet being retro-fitted with jumper equipment. The 1970 timetable now advertised a reduced Euston to Glasgow journey time of 5 hours 54 minutes, over the previous single-headed 6 hours and 35 minutes. Indeed, before the advent of EE’s fleet, Class 47s fronted express services on the dieselised section of the WCML. Two years later, in 1972, the TOPS numbering scheme was introduced, and the D400 series became ‘’Class 50’’. This was swiftly followed in 1973 by the fleet being purchased outright from EE.

The Class 50s’ time on the Midland Region was comparatively short-lived, for in May 1974 the all-electric Euston to Glasgow Summer timetable came into effect. The wires had been extended northwards and over the border at a cost of approximately £312,450 per mile (1974 prices; in the region of £2,200,000 by 2007 prices). Now with Class 87 haulage throughout, the quickest London to Glasgow journey times had been further reduced to 5 hours exactly. Coinciding with the WCML upgrade were motive power changes on the Western Region. The WR’s procurement of diesel hydraulic traction had begun with the delivery of the first D600 series ‘’Warships’’ in 1958. Unlike BR’s other regions, the Western pursued diesel hydraulics over diesel electric traction, claiming that the former had a high power to weight ratio. Indeed, diesel-electric technology had still not fully proven itself by this time. Unfortunately for the WR, many unproven designs were procured, these being assembled using poorly manufactured components. These troubles urged on the British Rail Board’s standardisation policy of the 1970s: there would be a switch to diesel-electric traction, which all other dieselised Regions had already opted for. Fortunately, this was possible with the cascading of the Class 50s from the Midland Region, resulting in an early retirement and uneconomical lifespan for the ill-fated WR diesel hydraulic fleet. However, some of the Warship locomotives would at least live on in name: in 1977, the BRB announced that the Class 50s were to receive names of Royal Navy warships. This began on 19th January of the following year with the christening of No. 50035 as ‘’Ark Royal’’ at Plymouth station.

Class 50 Names

Former Warship locomotive numbers (Classes 41, 42, 43) to carry these names are in brackets 

*‘’Sir Edward Elgar’’ from 25/02/1984

**‘’Centurion’’ from 07/1987, after withdrawal of No. 50011
 

The Class 50 fleet was the prime motive power on the Western Region for merely a couple of years: in August 1976, the first HST sets came into use. From the outset, these ran to the existing 100 MPH schedule, but on 4th October 1976, the 125 MPH timetable came into use. Meanwhile, rheostatic braking on the Class 50 fleet was becoming a nightmare to deal with. This concept of braking was a forerunner of today’s regenerative braking, involving the traction motors reversing direction to slow the locomotive down. The current produced for this process was subsequently dissipated as heat by means of resistors. Thus, the emission of heat was the purpose of the cooling fans being present in the clean air compartment. In addition to these braking troubles, issues also came to light regarding the compatibility of the locomotives’ ETH system with recently deployed air-conditioned stock. Finally, BR sought to remove the advanced – and unreliable – electronics it had insisted on during the design process. In 1979, a refurbishment programme began at BREL Doncaster, which aimed to dispense with rheostatic braking (including the cooling fans which made the ‘’hoover’’ noise), slow-speed control, and sanding equipment. A high-intensity headlamp was also to be fitted to both cab fronts, in accordance with new safety regulations. The initial half a dozen of the class to be refurbished emerged from Doncaster with the familiar all-over BR Blue livery which they had worn on Midland Region territory. However, in 1980, colour schemes were altered, and beginning with locomotive No. 50023, the now renowned ‘’Large Logo’’ scheme emerged. The cab window surrounds were black; the implementation of the headlamp relaxed yellow warning panel regulations.

It was during the refurbishment period that the type first became associated with the Southern Region. As recounted earlier, the WR diesel hydraulics were condemned to an early grave in the strive for standardisation. When the WR took possession of those ex-SR lines west of Salisbury in January 1963, route degrading was implemented, as were motive power changes. By 1965, SR Bulleid Pacifics terminated at Salisbury, whilst throughout, Waterloo to Exeter services were fronted by the WR’s Class 42/43 Warship fleet (still utilising SR stock). In 1971, these were taken out of service and in their place, the SR’s native Class 33s were drafted in. The latter were somewhat underpowered for the task, and double-heading was frequently required to keep services to the timetabled schedule. Subsequently, in May 1980, Class 50s, displaced by HSTs on the WR, arrived in force, complete with BR Mk 2a stock. These much more powerful locomotives could haul the services which previously needed double-heading Class 33s, single-handedly, whilst keeping to scheduled timings. However, as will later be recounted, despite refurbishment at Doncaster, problems still plagued the fleet during their time on this region.

In August 1989, No. 50036 ''Victorious'' was seen rounding the eastern curve of the Didcot

Triangle, hauling an Oxford to Paddington Network SouthEast service. By 1992 this diesel

was languishing in the scrap yard of Booth Roe, Rotherham, still wearing BR Large Logo

livery. Mike Glasspool

At 12:58 on 1st April 1989, No. 50040 ''Centurion'' (formerly ''Leviathan'') was seen passing

through Fairwater, Cardiff, with a motley collection of early and late Mk 2 stock builds. In

an adjacent siding can also be seen an InterCity-liveried Mk 3 sleeper vehicle.

David Glasspool Collection

No. 50007 ''Hercules'' became ''Sir Edward Elgar'' in February 1984, receiving all-over BR

Brunswick Green, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the composer's death. It is seen

here on Wednesday 22nd October 1985 at Lawrence Hill, Bristol, with a parcels working.

David Glasspool Collection

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