D1566 / 47449

Above: Against a background of snow-capped hills, 47449 approches Glyndyfrdwy during the April 1998 diesel gala. (John Thomas)

D1566 was built by Crewe Works and released to 41A Darnall on 23rd March 1964. This loco was part of Crewe's first build of what were later known as class 47s, and was fitted with series-parallel wiring and a Spanner mark III steam heat boiler. The 12LDA68-C engine was originally rated at 2750hp, but the uprating from the 12LDA68-B of 2500hp proved an uprating too far and serious stresses occurred. The solution was a downrating of the engine to 2580hp for all Class 47s, which then became the official rating. When ETH was introduced there was some speculation that when ETH was fitted to a Class 47, its engine was unofficially uprated to a higher figure to compensate for power losses to the ETH equipment. It is not known if 47449 was so modified.

Its initial employment was working passenger trains to Kings Cross and freight services to March. A brief stay at Immingham the following year once again saw it working to Kings Cross, now from Cleethorpes, plus iron ore services from High Dyke to Scunthorpe and steel services out of Scunthorpe.

Its next allocation was Finsbury Park, working passenger services on the East Coast Main Line, and freight services between Finsbury Park and New England. 1968 saw allocation to March, working East Anglian freight to the Sheffield Area, and then to Norwich, working passenger trains to London Liverpool Street. It was back to Darnall in 1969, where it worked North-East - South-West passenger services, and Midland Lines services to St Pancras.

Above: 47449 en route from Sheffield to Skegness in 1990. (Mark Jackson)

Another spell at Immingham was followed by transfer to Stoke Division in 1973, working West Coast Main Line passenger duties and Stoke Steelworks traffic, along with Birkenhead to Shotton Ore trains. Later in life, the steam heat boiler was removed when both electric train heat (ETH) and dual braking were fitted during works attention.

47449 was purchased by members of the diesel group in 1996, and, after tyre turning at Crewe Electric depot and display at an open day there, it was transported on 14th May 1996. A fairly uneventful career at Llangollen has followed, with occasional use at diesel galas, substituting for steam failures, and on engineering trains. 31st January 1999 saw the ETH apparatus recommisioned, with the intention of keeping a rake of ETH-fitted coaching stock together.

With thanks to Fred Kerr for BR allocation details and other information

Above: 47449 is seen crossing the Dee Bridge, and about to accelerate up Berwyn Bank. (Brian Jones)

General Info

Built

Brush (Crewe), 1964

Lot no.

???

Engine

Sulzer 12LDA28C of 2580hp at 750rpm

Transmission

Electric - six Brush TG160-60 axle-hung motors

Power at Rail

2080hp

Tractive Effort

60000lbf max; 33000lbf cont at 26mph

Wheels

Co-Co

Weight

119-121t

Max Speed

95mph

Train Brakes

Vacuum and air

Train Heat

Steam until 1973, when replaced with electric

Above: Freshly repainted from 47449 during early 2002, D1566 shunts coaching stock at Llangollen Goods Junction. (Martin Perry)

Depot and Sector Allocations

Darnall

41A

23/03/1964

Immingham

40B

01/04/1964

Finsbury Park

34G

01/05/1964

March

31B

01/01/1965

Norwich

32A

01/05/1968

Tinsley

41A

01/06/1969

Immingham

40B

01/10/1971

Stoke Division

D05

01/01/1973

Crewe Diesel

CD

01/05/1973

TOPS number 47449

01/03/1974

Freight Chemicals Crewe Diesel

FTLC

Freight Chemicals Crewe Diesel

FCCC

22/01/1989

Freightliner Crewe Diesel Class 47

FGBC

21/01/1990

RfD Crewe Diesel Class 47

FDCC

13/05/1990

Tinsley

TI

08/07/1990

RfD Tinsley Class 47

FDAT

08/07/1990

RfD Tinsley Class 47/4

FDCT

07/10/1990

Old Oak Common

OC

07/07/1991

NSE Class 47 New Stock Transfer

NXXB

07/07/1991

NSE Western Region

NWRA

14/07/1991

NSE Class 47/7 West of England / North Downs

NTWE

12/07/1992

NSE Class 47 New Stock Transfer

NXXB

09/07/1992

Stratford

SF

28/03/1993

NSE General

NXXA

14/05/1993

Withdrawn

14/05/1993

Llangollen

14/05/1996

This locomotive is owned and operated by the diesel group.

Tranferred 11th Sept 2007 by  John Rutter - email webmaster