TT3015M Hornby TT Diesel Locomotive Class 50, Co-Co,"Defiance" of the GBRf

Novelty 2024 - Diesel Locomotive Class 50, Co-Co,"Defiance" of the GBRf (GB  Railfreight)

 No.: 50049

The Class 50 locomotives, built by English Electric at the Vulcan Foundry in Newton-le-Willows between 1967-1968 were the last purpose-designed mixed-traffic locomotive built in the UK. 50 examples were built in total. Upon their introduction they were used on the West Coast Main Line (WCML). The aim was to speed-up passenger timings on the then non-electrified portion up to Glasgow, and to haul express passenger trains at 100 mph. By 1974, the entire line had been electrified so the locomotives were re-deployed to other regions as had been planned. When delivered, the Class 50s were leased to British Rail by a subsidiary of English Electric. They were later sold to the British Railways Board.

50007 started life as D407 in 1968, being named Hercules after a Royal Navy ship in 1978. The locomotive would go on to become Sir Edward Elgar in 1984, a name that it would keep into recent preservation, carrying it from withdrawal in 1991 until 2014 when it reclaimed its original name of Hercules.

Epoch: VI

Length over Buffers:  174 mm