Current Classes of British Locos

[Adey Baker]

I'm a bit out of touch with the current railway scene - about the only locos I see nowadays on my local line are 66s on stone or coal workings and 60s on steel coil trains.

So what classes of locos are now current in Britain and approx. how many examples of each class are there?

Which is the next class likely to become 'extinct' on the main line, apart from preserved examples?

Also, what regular loco-hauled passenger workings are there now?

Adey

[Trev]

I'm a bit out of the loop as well Adey. All I ever see are 66's, so if you're seeing 60's as well then you're one up on me.

I think that there are still 20's, 31's, 33's, 37's and 47's running, but owned by private companies and so you are unlikely to see them unless you live in the areas that those companies operate in. I know that the DRS Class 20's have operated over my local route (the Saltend branch in Hull) on weedkilling trains in the last year or so, but I missed out on seeing 'em.

Of course, if you ever win the lottery (like I plan to do), then you could buy your own Brush 4!

[Adey Baker]

Not sure about buying a Brush 4 despite the fact that they're a Leicestershire loco (don't know how many were actually built in Loughborough, Leics., as opposed to BR's own workshops) but I do have a 'soft spot' for the 31s - for many years they were a typical local-line sight on Birmingham-Norwich passenger trains as well as ballast trains from the Leics. quarries and also the evening mail trains 'adopted' some of the 31/4s when those Birmingham/Norwich workings went over to 158s

[Trev]

I loved the Brush 2's.

When the Trans-Pennine DMU's were withdrawn, the 31's took over on Hull to Manchester direct services. A 31 and 4 mk 2's......mmmmmm!!!! Happy days!

[martin adamson]

This route soon to be taken over by 185's

[John H-T]

See www.c37lg.co.uk for current use of Class 37's; still quite a few in action. I will be joining two Class 37's for a trip to Whitby at the end of April with the added bonus of joining the train two miles from home at Belper.

Will be quite a contrast to Princess Elizabeth!

[Ringoosmeg]

Trust me , you wouldnt love the 31's if you had ever worked on them, they were horrble, smelly dirty, cramped leaky bits of junk!

Underpowered!

I worked on many of them over the years from when I was an apprentice till, when I left the tools as a change of carrer in the industry, and i for one would cut every one up, hateful, hateful things.....

Give me a Sulzer any day!

[swisstrains]

Originally Posted by Adey Baker

Also, what regular loco-hauled passenger workings are there now?

Arriva Trains Wales are hiring in a Virgin Class 57 Thunderbird loco each day to operate some services on the Manchester - Holyhead route. I have just seen it passing my window
John.

[Adey Baker]

Originally Posted by Ringoosmeg

Trust me , you wouldnt love the 31's if you had ever worked on them, they were horrble, smelly dirty, cramped leaky bits of junk!

Underpowered!

I worked on many of them over the years from when I was an apprentice till, when I left the tools as a change of carrer in the industry, and i for one would cut every one up, hateful, hateful things.....

Yeah, but what do you really think about them

I must admit they always moved 'sedately' when working ballast trains single-handed, but they were usually double-headed towards the end of their use on these workings, locally.

[Adey Baker]

Originally Posted by swisstrains

Arriva Trains Wales are hiring in a Virgin Class 57 Thunderbird loco each day to operate some services on the Manchester - Holyhead route. I have just seen it passing my window
John.

Well, that's one anyway! Any more regular ones?