Type One Locomotive Co. Class 31 to emerge in BR blue
SHAREHOLDERS OF the Type One Locomotive Company have voted to repaint their Class 31 D5830 from its current experimental golden ochre livery into BR blue as 31463.
The locomotive is currently undergoing a mechanical and bodywork overhaul at the Nottingham Heritage Railway at Ruddington, and once work has been completed it will be repainted before returning to service. The Class 31 has carried the golden ochre colours – which were originally applied by British Rail to classmate D5579 – since just after it was preserved by the T1LC on the neighbouring Great Central Railway in 1999, and it initially ran carrying the identity of the experimental locomotive before returning to its correct identity as D5830.
Subsequent repaints have seen it retain golden ochre, but a recent vote by shareholders at the company’s annual general meeting has seen the decision taken for the Class 31 to emerge from overhaul in BR blue. The Class 31 moved to the NHR in 2019 and its electric train heat capability was reinstated to allow it to heat the Mk.3 coaching stock based on the railway.
However, services are still not operating on the NHR while bridge repairs are carried out, so volunteers from the T1LC are taking the opportunity to carry out an overhaul on the popular Class 31.
The T1LC also owns Class 20 D8098 and Class 47 1705 Sparrowhawk, which are both still located at the GCR. The owning group is also looking to attract more volunteers who can assist it with the ongoing maintenance and operation of its three locomotives at both the NHR and the GCR.
Anyone interested in finding out more about getting involved should visit www.t1lc.co.uk for contact details.