Class 50 Preservation: The first 30 years
It is now 30 years since the first Class 50s were bought for preservation and the 21 locomotives that found salvation have enjoyed differing fortunes during the past three decades. Andy Coward charts their preservation history.
This summer marks the 30th anniversary of the first Class 50 being officially secured for preservation, with the handing over of 50035 Ark Royal to the Fifty Fund by the then head of Network Southeast Chris Green at the Old Oak Common Depot open day in August 1991. Since that day a further 20 Class 50s entered preservation, although three (all heavily stripped) have since been scrapped. It’s been a chequered story for those ‘50s’ which escaped the cutter’s torch, many having been in preservation longer than they were in service with BR.
As the end of Class 50 operations on BR drew near, interest in the 50s was huge, with enthusiasts following their every move as an increasing number were withdrawn. Arguably, there hadn’t been such a following for a locomotive type since the withdrawal of the ‘Deltics’ in the early 1980s.
The first withdrawal had been 50011 Centurion in February 1987, which was moved to Crewe Works as a testbed for overhauled Class 50 power units. However, it was quickly followed by 50006 Neptune, which was stripped for spares and then scrapped. Withdrawals continued steadily throughout the next two years, but by the start of 1991 it was clear the days of the 50s were numbered and withdrawals accelerated.
It was inevitable the Class 50s would be popular amongst preservationists and when in early 1991 BR issued a competitive tender advertising three locomotives – 50008 Thunderer, 50019 Ramillies and 50035 Ark Royal – for sale, there was a lot of interest from preservationists.
While 50019 and 50035 had already been withdrawn from traffic, 50008 was still part of BR’S Civil Engineering sector and Thunderer was subsequently removed from that first tender – its turn for salvation would have to wait a little longer.
The successful bidders for 50019 and 50035 were subsequently announced, with 50019 going to the Class 50 Locomotive Association, while 50035 became the first Class 50 destined for the Fifty Fund, a group that had only been established a couple of years earlier.
The disposal of the Class 50 fleet by BR took over seven years to complete, with the list of preserved Class 50s growing steadily as the months went by and a seemingly endless list of buyers eager to secure one of the popular locomotives.
The Fifty Fund quickly became a leader in the Class 50 preservation movement and went on to also buy 50044 Exeter, whilst two members of the group privately purchased 50031 Hood and placed it in their care.
The Fifty Fund went on to become the first group to return a Class 50 to main line use, when 50031 was re-certified for main line use and made a triumphant return to main line passenger use when it hauled the ‘Pilgrim Hoover’ tour from Birmingham International to Plymouth on November 1, 1997 – threeand-a-half years after BR had dispensed with its last 50s.
The group returned 50044 cosmetically to resemble its as-built appearance as D444 and it was also registered for main line use. Following a merger between the Fifty Fund with Project Defiance (owner of 50049 Defiance) to form the Class 50 Alliance the group could boast no fewer than three main line registered Class 50s in the shape of 50031, 50044 and 50049, plus preservation-pioneer 50035 which has so far evaded a main line return.
In 2017, the Class 50 Alliance purchased 50007 Hercules from Boden Rail Engineering, giving them a fifth locomotive in their fleet. 50031 has since been retired from main line use as it requires new tyres fitting to the bogies, while 50044 has also had a prolonged period off the main line after an engine failure saw it fitted with a replacement power unit recovered from one of the Portuguese Class 1800 locomotives, which were built by English Electric at Vulcan Foundry to a similar design to the Class 50.
Meanwhile 50007 and 50049 both continue to make regular appearances on the main line, often working in collaboration with GB Railfreight and both have been painted into GBRF ’s distinctive blue and orange colours, with 50007 carrying the identity of scrapped 50014 Warspite on one side.
50019 initially moved to the embryonic Spa Valley Railway for restoration before moving to the Mid Norfolk Railway at Dereham, where it remains. After several years in service on the MNR the Class 50 was taken out of service for overhaul and has not yet returned to use.
The locomotive with the distinction of being the first Class 50 to haul a passenger train in preservation went to 50002 Superb. Withdrawn with a relatively minor fault, the locomotive was purchased by the Devon Diesel Society (DDS) and moved to the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway, where it was quickly returned to use. In April 1992, 50002 returned to passenger use, hauling trains on the PDSR. Over the next few years it continued to find use on PDSR services, but in 1998 the owners agreed to loan the locomotive to Deltic 9000 Locomotives Ltd (DNLL), which wanted to return 50002 to main line running condition.
However, after it had moved into DNLL’S care the organisation got into financial difficulties and the planned overhaul did not happen. By the time it was returned to the DDS, the locomotive had sustained damage from its prolonged period out of use.
50002 is now based at the South Devon Railway and has been cosmetically restored to as-built condition as D402. It has not yet returned to use, although its overhaul and rebuild is now well underway.
Moved into preservation at the same time as 50031 in 1992, 50027 Lion was preserved by Mike Fuller on the Mid Hants Railway, where it was also returned to service in a relatively short timescale.
The locomotive has spent its entire period of preservation painted in revised Network Southeast livery and while it operated for several years on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway it has now returned to the Mid Hants, where it remains in regular use. Although Mike Fuller has sadly passed away, 50027 remains in the care of his son Andy.
Having being used for their final year in service as dedicated railtour locomotives, it was appropriate that 50008 and 50015 Valiant should remain together in preservation and they were purchased from BR by prolific locomotive collector and enthusiast Pete Waterman.
The pair moved to the East Lancashire Railway in October 1992 and were put straight into service at the ELR’S autumn diesel gala, with 50015 rolling off the low-loader which brought it to the railway on the same morning it made its debut on a Bury to Rawtenstall service later in the day. 50008 had arrived the previous evening. That loco (50008) has had an interesting history since being preserved, remaining on the ELR for a year before moving to Crewe, where Pete Waterman was establishing a base for his expanding operations.
While initially thought to be a candidate for a main line return, it was sold to Sea Containers and prepared for export to Peru, with its vacuum brakes and other UK specific systems removed.
The locomotive was fitted with a zerohours overhauled power unit and 50008’s old power unit was sold to the Renown Repulse Restoration Group for overhaul and eventual fitting into 50030 Repulse. However, the overhaul of 50008 was stopped and it was sold to Garcia Hanson, who returned it to service and it avoided being exported. 50008 undertook several visits to various diesel events and was repainted into the popular Laira Blue livery it carried towards the end of its BR career.
50008 was recertified for the main line and is now operated by Hanson & Hall. In June the locomotive returned to use following repairs and a repaint into Rail Adventure dark grey livery complete with Hanson & Hall branding.
50015 was put into the care of the
Manchester Class 50 Group which subsequently bought the locomotive when much of Pete Waterman’s collection was sold off in the mid-1990s. The locomotive remained an active part of the ELR diesel fleet until the early 2000s when it was laid up awaiting traction motor repairs which failed to materialise. At one point it was feared 50015 may become another Class 50 destined for scrapping.
However, salvation came in the shape of a number of ELR volunteers who joined forces to form the Bury Valiant Group and successfully purchased the locomotive from its former owners. It was returned to service at the end of 2007 and remains a popular member of the ELR fleet.
50042 Triumph was preserved on the Bodmin and Wenford Railway and was destined to keep the Class 50 flag flying in Cornwall long after the other Class 50s had left the area that had once been a stronghold for them. It remains operational and is a popular choice whenever it is rostered for service on its home railway.
50017 Royal Oak had always been a strong performer of the Class 50 fleet and was purchased from BR by preservationist John F Kennedy. Initially moved to Crewe, it moved to the West Somerset Railway where it was returned to use and was even repainted into Railfreight General colours as 50117 to match 50149 Defiance (50049), which was also based on the WSR at the time. However, shortly after returning to use the owner reached agreement for the locomotive to be returned to main line use with Venice Simplon Orient Express for working luxury Northern Belle dining services and day excursions on the main line. The locomotive was moved to Riley and Son Engineering in Bury for repainting into mock LMS maroon and gold livery, with the startling new look gaining a lot of attention from enthusiasts. The deal with VSOE ended prematurely and 50017 moved to Tyseley Locomotive Works where it remained for several years before being purchased by a member of the Plym Valley Railway, returning it to the area which had held such a close affiliation with Class 50s during their BR careers.
After being returned to use 50017 was given an extensive bodywork overhaul and restored into the early Network Southeast livery, before it was sold to Boden Rail Engineering Ltd and moved to Washwood Heath in the West Midlands, where Neil Boden and his staff quickly recertified the locomotive to main line use.
50017 was sold by BREL in early 2019 to a private individual and it moved to the Great Central Railway at Loughborough. It is thought unlikely that 50017 will return to main line use for a third spell in private ownership.
Another Class 50 purchased directly from BR in good condition was 50049, which was purchased by Project Defiance and cosmetically restored into its unique Class 50/1 Railfreight General livery as 50149 at Laira Depot.
It subsequently moved to the West Somerset Railway and remained there for a number of years before a tie-up with the Fifty Fund saw 50049 join 50031, 50035 and 50044 at the Severn Valley Railway and recertified for main line use.
The end of Class 50 operations on BR came in March 1994 when the final three examples, 50007 Sir Edward Elgar, 50033 Glorious and 50050 Fearless were removed from traffic after spending an extended period working as dedicated railtour locomotives, hauling a variety of tours across the network long after they had been removed from their everyday workings.
While 50033 was claimed for the National Railway Museum, 50007 and 50050 were offered for sale by tender. 50007 was bought by the Class 40 Appeal and 50050 was secured by Netherlands-based preservationist Harry Schneider, who initially had an ambition to export the locomotive and use it on enthusiast tours in the Netherlands.
50007 had long been seen as something of a celebrity among the Class 50 fleet by its home depot at Plymouth Laira. Indeed, it was withdrawn in July 1991 in need of replacement bogies and a power unit, only to be reinstated after the required parts were removed from operational 50046 Ajax.
After preservation 50007 was moved to the Midland Railway Butterley and saw use both at the MRB and other heritage railway events. However, the locomotive was later sold to Boden Rail Engineering Ltd and moved to Washwood Heath for work and recertification it for main line use.
When it emerged it had also lost its unique lined GWR green paintwork for BR blue colours, regaining Hercules nameplates (which it had carried prior to its GWR 150 naming as Sir Edward Elgar) much to the delight of many Class 50 followers.
Initially based at St Leonards Depot, 50050 was returned to the main line under the auspices of Deltic 9000 Locomotives Ltd for a short spell between 1998 and 1999. After a period in store it moved to the Yeovil Railway Centre for overhaul and restoration under the auspices of the D400 Fund.
In January 2015 the locomotive was sold to BREL and moved to Washwood Heath for completion of its overhaul and recertification for main line running, joining 50007 and 50017.
While BREL has since sold 50007 and 50017, 50050 remains in its ownership and is now based at the company’s new base at Nottingham Eastgate. The locomotive sees occasional use on workings for Colas Rail alongside the recently-restored 37240 along with visits to some heritage railway events. The final two Class 50s remaining on BR books at Laira after the disposal of 50007 and 50050 were 50029 Renown and 50030 Repulse,
which had both been withdrawn from service in early 1992 – 50029 with a seized power unit and 50030 with a main generator failure. After withdrawal, the pair remained at Laira as spares donors.
Initially they were bought as part of the embryonic Operation Collingwood scheme. The scheme, which took its name from scrapped 50005 Collingwood, aimed to overhaul derelict Class 50s using modern technology and equipment, with engineering apprentices used to refurbish the locomotives. Operation Collingwood had also reserved four derelict Class 50s which had been bought by C F Booth in Rotherham for scrapping, these being 50001 Dreadnought, 50023 Howe, 50040 Leviathan and 50045 Achilles.
With little progress on their plans, Operation Collingwood was subsequently wound up and 50001 and 50045 were scrapped after donating any remaining useful parts to other preserved members of the fleet, whilst 50023, 50029, 50030 and 50040 were bought for restoration. Although none of these locomotives were anywhere near operational, 50029 and 50030 were considered to be in reasonably good condition, while 50023 and 50040 would be a much bigger restoration prospect, having spent almost a decade in a South Yorkshire scrapyard.
50023 moved to Barrow Hill Roundhouse, where its new owner began a project to restore the locomotive to as-built condition as D423. The locomotive also contained the remains of the power unit that had originally been installed inside the ill-fated Class 50 prototype locomotive, DP2. Despite good progress on the restoration of bodywork on one of the cabs, the project was abandoned and 50023 was sold for scrapping, which took place in March 2004.
A similar end met 50040, which was moved to Coventry Railway Museum after its lengthy stay in Rotherham. Again, the prospect of restoring the locomotive to operational condition was unlikely due to its poor condition, although a cosmetic restoration was feasible. However, it remained in derelict condition until it too was sold for scrapping by Sims Metals in July 2008. There have been no further Class 50 scrappings since the disposal of 50040.
Another Class 50 destined never to work a train in preservation was 50043 Eagle. Bought from BR by the owner of preserved 40118, the 16SVT Society, 50043 moved to Tyseley Locomotive Works in Birmingham. However, the new owner had bought it to yield vital spares in its aim of returning 40118 to service, rather than to restore the Class 50.
It was cosmetically restored into revised Network Southeast livery and attended a few BR depot open days, but was later sold and moved to the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway (PBR), which was also where stored Operation Collingwood 50029 and 50030 were located. Little work took place on 50043’s restoration and it was sold on again. However, still no work took place and it was scrapped in January 2002 on site at the PBR.
One locomotive that was sold by BR for scrap, but survived, was 50026 Indomitable, which was one of nine Class 50s to move to CF Booths in 1992. It was originally purchased from the scrapyard as a source of spares for 50027 and moved to the Mid Hants Railway. However, it was sold to Paul Spracklen who intended to restore it to operational condition. Much of the initial restoration work was completed at a private base in Bicester, before it moved on Old Oak Common and then Eastleigh, which has become its home base. The restoration of 50026 was a major achievement from its scrap condition and the locomotive has attended several heritage railway events since returning to service. Now painted in the revised dark blue Network Southeast livery, 50026 remains a popular choice at events and the owner is working
to get Indomitable registered for main line operation, returning another privately owned Class 50 to Network Rail metals.
Paul Spracklen is also leading a group of supporters who are restoring 50021 Rodney after two decades out of use, with 50021 also based at Eastleigh.
50021 was purchased from BR by the 50021 Locomotive Association and moved to the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway at Toddington, where it was restored to use having been stored at Stratford by BR after donating spares to other members of the Class 50 fleet.
50021 later moved to Scotland as part of the diesel fleet on the Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway. However, it suffered an ETH generator failure and lay out of use for a number of years until it was sold to Paul Spracklen.
50029 and 50030 had been moved by Operation Collingwood to the PBR after a spell in store at Allied Steel and Wire in Cardiff. When the pair were offered for sale they were purchased by the Renown Repulse Restoration Group and moved to Peak Rail in Derbyshire in the summer of 2002. RRRG’S first task was to cosmetically restore its two locomotives, which were both in poor external condition having been out of use for a decade. 50030 was repainted first into the popular Large Logo livery, with 50029 following a year later in the same livery (although sporting a black roof).
Internally, 50030 was in better shape and although it required a complete rebuild, it was a better option than 50029. The owning group has amassed a huge quantity of spares and most of the major electrical machines have been fully overhauled ready for re-fitting. RRRG has also overhauled a power unit that was previously fitted inside 50008 and this will be fitted inside 50030 over the next few months. The engine from 50030 was removed a few months ago and will eventually be overhauled for fitting into 50029, with 50029s seized engine destined to be used as a spares donor.
50029 and 50030 are now the only surviving preserved members of the Class 50 fleet to have not yet hauled a train in preservation. While the return of 50030 is getting closer thanks to the efforts of RRRG, it is likely to be many years before 50029 is ready to haul a train, with its turn for restoration awaiting the completion of 50030.
The saga of 50033 Glorious could make a lengthy article in its own right. At the end of BR Class 50 operations 50033 was claimed for the National Collection and moved to the
National Railway Museum in York, where it was displayed in the main hall. It made several visits to various heritage railway events along with other members of the NRMS operational diesel fleet.
However, in 2004, the NRM announced it was seeking to dispose of 50033 from its collection and it was then acquired by STEAM – the museum of the Great Western Railway in Swindon. Following a farewell running event on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, the locomotive moved to its new home destined to be a static exhibit.
It was then announced that 50033 would be moving to North Woolwich as part of a Railschool scheme. Railschool was a similar idea to that which had been mooted by Operation Collingwood, with maintenance and restoration work carried out by apprentices to gain new skills and experience.
As the North Woolwich site was not yet available for use by Railschool 50033 moved to Tyseley Locomotive Works and when the scheme failed to materialise 50033 was transferred into the ownership of TLW. By now, it was rather tatty in its appearance and it seemed that without some form of salvation the locomotive could end up being lost. However, in 2018 it was announced the Class 50 Alliance had reached agreement with TLW to move 50033 to the nearby Severn Valley Railway, where it would be restored to operational condition and operated under the auspices of the CFA, joining its fleet of 50007, 50031, 50035, 50044 and 50049.
Over the following months 50033 was returned to service and operated at the SVR'S 50th Anniversary of the Class 50s event in October 2018, in a project spearheaded by CFA volunteer Tony Middleton.
In 2019, 50033 was moved to Loram in Derby for repainting into the ever-popular Large Logo livery and while work on improving its condition continues, the future for this particular Class 50 looks more secure now than it has done for many years.
There are now 18 Class 50s in preservation, although two of the survivors – 50008 and 50050 – could be more strictly classed as commercial assets of their owners rather than preserved.
The last 30 years has been an interesting period for followers of the Class 50s and with interest in the survivors still strong, it is clear that the story has many chapters still to be written in the future. Here’s to the next 30 years.