BR Class 47 Diesel - 47 580

Built : Brush Sep 1964

Withdrawn : Apr 2004 (stored)

Preserved : Mar 2007

Restored : 2008

Mainline Certified : 2008

Numbers Carried : D1762; 47 167; 47 580; 47 732

Names Carried : County of Essex; Restormel

Further Information : www.class47.co.uk

Images : click on an image to enlarge

This locomotive was one of the ubiquitous 'Brush Type 4' diesels, which were introduced throughout the BR network as genuine mixed-traffic engines. It was built at the Brush Falcon Works, Loughborough (other locomotives of this class were built under licence at Crewe Works) and entered traffic as No. D1762 on 1st September 1964.

In the TOPS renumbering scheme these engines became Class 47 and this locomotive was part of sub-class 47/0. It was allocated the number 47 167.

It was modified with ETH and re-classified 47/4 and renumbered.

It has carried numbers : D1762 September 1964; 47167 December 1973; 47580 May 1980; 47732 June 1994.

It was originally painted in the attractive two tone green livery with yellow warning panels.Other liveries is carried were : Two tone green (full yellow ends) ; BR Blue (standard); BR Blue (grey/silver roof); Large Logo Blue (grey roof standard); Network SouthEast; RES.

It carried names : 'County of Essex' 2nd August 1979 to August 1993; 'Restormel' 21st August 1995.

It was acquired by the SF47 group and moved to Tyseley for restoration in 2007.

It was repainted in Large Logo Blue (grey roof with blue cabsides), renumbered 47 580 and renamed County of Essex on 28th June 2008.

47 580 has since been mainline certified and has hauled several diesel traction tours as well as appearing at preserved lines.