Current Classes of British Locos

[Ca55ie]

www.wnxx.com contains a fairly up to date fleet list!

Sam

[KieranPilsworth]

First Scotrail have loco hauled regularley for their Sleeper service. At the moment it is class 37/4 haulage provided by EWS, but these are about to be replaced by the class 67's.

Also DRS is still using lots of older traction. They now have more class 37's operational than EWS, which they totally had re-vamped by Brush down in Loughburugh. Plus they also still use class 20's but these are usually on Rail head treatment trains and specials. They also have some 47's and until recently class 33's.

Fragonset Merlin railways have also many of the older types. They still use class 31's/33's and 47's. They have recently repainted 2 of the class 47's vor the Pullman set, with a 3rd rumoured to have been in the works for the same finish. The class 31's and 33's are usually used for tour workings, expecially on the Cathedrals Expresses.

West coast Railway company also have 37's/47's and a 57, but they again are usually used on tours and specials.

And Harry Needle Rail company has several class 37's, but more interestingly class 20's, which are seen alot on the main network as a pair doing specails, but also other work such as been thunderbirds and netwok rail work.

(And sorry for the long list)

[Adey Baker]

Many thanks, Sam and Kieran

[swisstrains]

The Arriva Trains Wales 0744 Rhymney-Cardiff and 1701 return have been booked for Class 47 haulage since the start of this week. They are hiring locos from Riviera Trains.
John.

[John H-T]

In each edition of "Rail" there is a chart showing the current number of locos by class including HST power cars in active service. It is now under 1000! There used to be nearly as many Black 5's!

Of course it does not include DMU's and EMU's. It also doesn't include locos in store eg EWS's Sandite reserve.

There is ususally a copy hanging around in our mess room at Wirksworth and I only discovered the chart yesterday during a tea break.

[Adey Baker]

Originally Posted by John H-T

It is now under 1000! There used to be nearly as many Black 5's!

A quick tot-up of my 1961/2 Ian Allan 'Combine' shows approx. 250 different classes of locos, steam/diesel/electric/gas turbine, and that's without all the departmental locos, sub-classes, etc!

Those 66s are fine locos but they've done nothing for variety on the current scene - we should all endeavour to photograph and record the older designs whilst they're still there. Looking back at some of my shots taken in the 90s, it's amazing how 'dated' many of them look already - at the time I was just recording the contemporary scene but regretting not having taken shots in previous decades.

[John H-T]

Had a quick look at the new copy of Rail in the newsagent this pm. Active loco stock for weekending 18.2.2006 is 950. Over on third are 66's and the HST's take it over half. There are about 35 37's afew 47's,08's, 56's, 57's, 59's, 20's and the 67's plus a few others. Any way numbers of each class are listed by TOC.

[Adey Baker]

Thanks, John.

Haven't seen a 37 or 56 on my local line for some time now. Off for a few days holiday, soon, so I'll miss a pair of 20s on railtour duty - could be quite a while before they appear again!

[Trev]

Originally Posted by John H-T

Had a quick look at the new copy of Rail in the newsagent this pm. Active loco stock for weekending 18.2.2006 is 950.

It's enough to make you weep.

I saw well over four times that number of individual locos in my trainspotting days.

[John H-T]

13.3.2005

Saw a 37 heading north out of Derby on the Midland Mainline this afternoon on an EWS frieght. Sorry no photo or number.