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How many active class 47's on National network?

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MCW

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I only ask as over the last few night and weeks I have heard a two tone horn which does sound like a 47 or the typical way of using the horn to avoid that squeaky strain type noise :lol:

I live near to the junction of the Leicester- Burton line and the MML so It is very possible. I also copped a colas rail 47 the other week when I just finished work and went down to the lancaster road rail bridge, same day that there were signalling issues around leicester.

I just wondered how many are in daily active use? or registered anyway.

I know there are still a lot of 47's but you don't see them as much as you used to, especially around Leicester.
 
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sprinterguy

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The 47s that see fairly regular use that I can come up with are:

47270
47375
47500 (West Coast)
47501 (DRS)
47580
47709 (DRS)
47712 (DRS)
47727 (Colas)
47739 (Colas)
47749 (Colas)
47760 (West Coast)
47773
47786 (West Coast)
47787 (West Coast)
47790 (DRS)
47791 (DRS)
47798 (NRM)
47802 (DRS)
47804 (West Coast)
47805
47810 (DRS)
47811 (Freightliner)
47812
47815
47818 (DRS)
47826 (West Coast)
47828 (DRS)
47832 (DRS)
47839 (DRS)
47841 (DRS)
47851 (West Coast)
47854 (West Coast)

Plus there are many more registered on the national network that don't see much/any use. Notably I don't know what the current status of many of the former Riviera Trains 47s are, although some are in use with DRS as noted above.
 

fgwrich

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And the 3 ex Rivera Class 47s - 47805, 813 & 853 Should be entering traffic soon, with 47813/853 currently undergoing testing on the Eastleigh Loadbank.
 

saracen43

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And the 3 ex Rivera Class 47s - 47805, 813 & 853 Should be entering traffic soon, with 47813/853 currently undergoing testing on the Eastleigh Loadbank.

What will 813 and 853 be used for when reinstated, and do we still see 47s standing in for units on the norwich-yarmouth-lowerstoft runs.
 

SprinterMan

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What will 813 and 853 be used for when reinstated, and do we still see 47s standing in for units on the norwich-yarmouth-lowerstoft runs.

We still do see 47s at Norwich as GA are repainting their 153s and eventually their 156s so despite having an ATW 150 on lease they are sometimes a unit short and the Dft were not happy about how often NXEA used buses so T&T 47s still work the odd diagram.
 

Phil6219

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I don't mean to sound funny but I think it is worth pointing out that the Class 57 shares the same distinctive tones as the Class 47 so you may be hearing them at times too :)

Nothing wrong with a 57 though, I'd rather them than blasted sheds...

Erm Sprinterguy, when was the last time you saw 47709 in action? The last I heard it was stored having gone pop on a railtour before going to DRS and ending up in trouble there. I only as as 709 is the class 47 I am desperate to see in action again as I have had a soft spot for that one (since I got the Lima model of it in IC Scotrail livery - my first model ever).

Phil 8-)
 

Boothby97

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Isn't West Coast Railways 47245 in regular service?

Yes, along with 47237.
Just a note to sprinterguy, 47791 dosen't see use with DRS, it's stored at Barrow Hill. Apparently it is a spares donor (along with 47747) to get 47709 and/or 47839 into traffic. And Riviera did not own 47813, they actually had 47839. 47813 should be in traffic soon with 47805 and 47853.
Thanks, Sam
 

Harry47818

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does anyone have any ideas as to what 47 are at Norwich Crown Point as 47501 & 47841 have left already! DRS like to play musical chairs with their duffs! i think 828 maybe lurking around but i need confirmation to that :) Thanks, Harry
 

fgwrich

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I don't mean to sound funny but I think it is worth pointing out that the Class 57 shares the same distinctive tones as the Class 47 so you may be hearing them at times too :)

Nothing wrong with a 57 though, I'd rather them than blasted sheds...

Erm Sprinterguy, when was the last time you saw 47709 in action? The last I heard it was stored having gone pop on a railtour before going to DRS and ending up in trouble there. I only as as 709 is the class 47 I am desperate to see in action again as I have had a soft spot for that one (since I got the Lima model of it in IC Scotrail livery - my first model ever).

Phil 8-)

RE 47709 - What’s happening with it? Unfortunately absolutely nothing... It's had a bit of a rough time with Direct Rail Services as it came down to Eastleigh along with 47841 at the time when DRS were storing a fair chunk of their fleet in 2009. It was then due to undergo an overhaul along with 47841 where both power units would have been swapped - this allowing 47841 to be released earlier with more work happening on 709 - But unfortunately DRS had changed their minds again, and whilst work was completed on the overhaul of 47841, work was cancelled on 709 and since has subsequently been stored and itself has become a source of spare parts - most notably swapping it's buffers (round) with that of Northern Belle liveried 47790 (Square).

Here’s one of Carl Watsons pictures of it back in January.

http://www.carlswatson.com/Trains/G...eighWorks/eastleighworks26thjanuary20123.html

As for the 47 your thinking of - that i think would be 47712 which last year was sored for a short while, itself not looking or sounding very healthy with white smoke coming out of the exhaust - This has now returned to some use at LNWR Crewe as a Carriage heater and shunter, although it is not now passed for mainline use as it's tires are rather low.

However, speaking of Class 47s - The Cruise Saver Express restarts next Saturday from Edinburgh, this should bring out a pair of 47s.

But certainly if your into your 47s - Keep an eye out on the sulzer power website!

http://sulzerpower.com/fleet47.html
 

Phil6219

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Cheers for the info mate,

I think it is good that 47709 moved over to DRS and was put down for overhaul, though it is a real shame that it's overhaul was cancelled and now it's a little bit worrying that 709 has started to donate parts. In that picture it's looking a lot better than the previous picture I had seen of it. I may have to get over to Eastleigh to see this one sharpish...

Do you think DRS may get it going again?

Yes the CSE is an excellent source for catching 47s, my last outing it had two with a 37 on the rear too. Sadly this Saturday I believe it is running quite early so I won't be able to get over to Leeds in time. That said life on the WCML tends to give us the chance to see WCRC 47s on ECS moves for tours and of course the chance to see DRS ones on flasks :)

Phil 8-)
 

curb

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There weren't many active DRS Cl 47's today, I went on 7 of them in the shed at Gresty Bridge this morning.
 

fgwrich

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Looks like were loosing another class 47, whilst returning another back to use:

Class 47501 has now been moved over to the XHHP DRS Holding pool - Where it's next planned moves should be down to Arlington Fleet services in the next couple of weeks to become DRS next spares doner (This is apparently due to an a variety of things, partly down to the reccuring N/410 Generator Fault)...

However, it's not all doom and gloom, as 47839 is also booked to go down to Arlington in the next few weeks for a similar overhaul to 813/853 - The Latter should be getting very close to leaving as the gen for last sundays Eastleigh to Crewe suggests it was due to be attached.

So, Its RIP For 47501 - One of DRS's longest serving class 47s then, along with 802.


(Info from WNXX & Sulzer Power)
 
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Phil6219

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That's a shame about 47501, I'm even more glad that I saw this one on the boat train last December. It seemed to be making a little bit of a funny noise at idle (even by 47 standards) but looked excellent and sounded ok when moving off...

I suppose we can find some solace in the fact that 501 should give up parts which can be used to reintroduce other 47s to service (still holding out for 709...)

Phil 8-)
 

4SRKT

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If the number of 47s active at any given time is x, then that is x too many!
 

Harry47818

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Looks like were loosing another class 47, whilst returning another back to use:

Class 47501 has now been moved over to the XHHP DRS Holding pool - Where it's next planned moves should be down to Arlington Fleet services in the next couple of weeks to become DRS next spares doner (This is apparently due to an a variety of things, partly down to the reccuring N/410 Generator Fault)...

However, it's not all doom and gloom, as 47839 is also booked to go down to Arlington in the next few weeks for a similar overhaul to 813/853 - The Latter should be getting very close to leaving as the gen for last sundays Eastleigh to Crewe suggests it was due to be attached.

So, Its RIP For 47501 - One of DRS's longest serving class 47s then, along with 802.


(Info from WNXX & Sulzer Power)

It is a great shame to hear of 501's fate :( what a great loco! i have a video of it passing me at Brandon in Suffolk on the 27th of march running as 0Z47 to Norwich clagging nicely! :D R.I.P you great machine! heres the link, http://www.flickr.com/photos/hazzles94s_railway_pics/?saved=1
 

theblackwatch

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I know what you mean. IMHO, Class 47s have always been 'well I suppose it'll do type of loco', a bit like your least favourite day etc!

I'm not so sure about that - give me a choice of a 47 or a winning unit, and I'd get on the latter! Each to their own though...
 

Phil6219

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Yes but I would prefer to ride behind a 47 than on a unit, or to put it another way I would rather stand at a station for hours on end in the rain watching lots of different 47s than the voyagers that replaced them.

That said I think we may be moving away from the topic really...

Phil 8-)
 

fgwrich

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And HNRC have put "Police" 47829 up for sale.
Thanks, Sam

That will be for about the 3rd time then with HRNC - Is there a particular reason as to why this 47 Seems to be rather neglected, high engine hours maybe? It just seems rather odd that since ending its days with Virgin, it seems to have ended up with Freightliner, DRS & HNRC, With the latter two not going anywhere with it.
 
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