Class 50
Welcome to scot-rail.co.uk, Scotland's online railway community. The group is for any rail enthusiast interested in the railways and trains of Scotland. It not only consists of the wiki that you're reading now, but a busy online forum and mailing list, which was accessible to registered users. From April 2024 the forum has closed, with a replacement started on Groups.io.
Breadcrumb navigation
50049 and 50044 on the rear of a Railtour at Brunstane, 19/11/2011. Photo by fragglerock
Fifty Class 50 diesel locomotives were built 1967-1968 by English Electric for British Rail.
- These 100mph machines were fitted with electric train heating, and were the first complete class delivered in the then new BR blue livery.
- They were originally numbered D400 - D449, but most locos soon lost the D prefix. Renumbering into the 50xxx series took place between October 1973 and August 1974.
- The locomotives were based at Crewe diesel depot and worked both passenger and freight trains on the West Coast Main Line north of Crewe to Glasgow and Perth.
- The class were a common sight in Central Scotland, and having worked north overnight on the WCML found themselves used on local freight trains during the day.
- From May 1970 to May 1974 the Glasgow Central - London Euston expresses used pairs of class 50s working in multiple.
- From 1973 the class made occasional visits to Inverness.
- Following the completion of the WCML electrification in 1974, the class was reallocated to the Western Region of British Rail, and daily visits to Scotland had ended by 1976.
- On the Western Region, all fifty locomotives were named from 1978 onwards, with a Royal Navy theme used.
Withdrawal and Scrapping
- Withdrawal of the class started in 1987, and their regular duties ceased in 1991. The last 3 locos were withdrawn by British Rail in 1994.
- Five class 50 locos were scrapped by M.C. Metals at Springburn:
| 50003 | NSE revised light blue, BR symbol | Arrived 04/04/92 | Cut up 30/04/92 | |||
| 50018 | NSE revised light blue, BR symbol | Arrived 15/06/92 | Cut up 21/01/93 | |||
| 50037 | NSE revised dark blue, WofE symbol | Arrived 15/06/92 | Cut up 15/12/92 | |||
| 50046 | BR Large Logo, black roof | Arrived 15/06/92 | Cut up 19/06/92 | |||
| 50048 | NSE revised dark blue, WofE symbol | Arrived 04/04/92 | Cut up 29/04/92 | |||
- Although 50046 was cut up within 4 days of arriving at the Scrap yard, both cabs were preserved.
- One of the cabs from 50037 was saved and moved to Bo'ness. It remained there until being moved south to Rowsley, Peak Rail, in September 2010.
Preservation
- 19 of the class have been preserved, with some returned to mainline running.
- One preserved loco, 50021 'Rodney', was based on the Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway from 1995 to 2002.
- The loco which had been based on the Gloucestershire & Warwickshire Railway, moved by road for display at Crewe Open Day on 21/8/95, then travelled onwards by rail to Bo'ness in October 1995.
- 'Rodney' was one of five preserved diesels on display at the Polmadie Open Day in September 2000.
- 50021 departed Bo'ness by road to Tyseley in September 2002.
50007 'Hercules', 50031 'Hood' and 50049 'Defiance' have visited Scotland on railtours in recent years.
Railtours and Mainline movements in Scotland
| Date | Loco | Tour Name | Link | Route | Remarks | Photo |
| | ||||||
| 25.Aug.1985 | 50030 | The Scots Streaker II | link | Plymouth - Edinburgh (and return) | Haymarket Open Day | Flickr |
| 50030 'Repulse' (large logo livery), stabled at Haymarket until return leg. Flickr, Photo | ||||||
| | ||||||
| 14.May.1988 | 50009 & 50036 | The Hoover Dambuster | link | Birmingham - Glasgow Central (return via Kilmarnock) | Double headed | Photo |
| Both locos in large logo livery, 50009 'Conqueror' and 50036 'Victorious' | ||||||
| | ||||||
| 05.Feb.1994 | 50033 & 50050 | The Midland Scotsman | link | Birmingham - Glasgow Central (and return) | Double headed | Flickr |
| Both locos in BR blue livery, running as D433 and D400, unnamed | ||||||
| | ||||||
| 16 Sep 2000 | 50021 | Polmadie Open day (from Bo'ness) | (not working) | |||
| 50031 & 50049 | Celtic Hoover | link | Birmingham - Kilmarnock - Glasgow Central | Double headed | Flickr | |
| 50031 & 50049 | Celtic Hoover | Glasgow Central - Beattock - Birmingham | Double headed | |||
| Both locos in BR blue livery, running as D431 and D449, unnamed | ||||||
| | ||||||
| 04 Mar 2005 | 50031 & 50049 | The Monarch of the Glen | link | Swindon - Fort William | Double headed | |
| 05 Mar 2005 | 50031 & 50049 | The Monarch of the Glen | Fort William - Mallaig (and return) | Top and Tail | Photo | |
| 06 Mar 2005 | 50031 & 50049 | The Monarch of the Glen | Fort William - Dundee - Perth - Dalmuir | Top and Tail | ||
| 07 Mar 2005 | 50031 & 50049 | The Monarch of the Glen | Dalmuir - Swindon | Double headed | ||
| Both locos in large logo livery, 50031 'Hood' and 50049 'Defiance' with WH terrier emblems below nameplates. | ||||||
| | ||||||
| 16 Jun 2006 | 50031 & 50049 | The Orcadian | link | Swindon - Inverness | Double headed | Photo |
| 17 Jun 2006 | 50031 & 50049 | The Orcadian | Inverness - Kyle (and return) | Top and Tail | ||
| 18 Jun 2006 | 50031 & 50049 | The Orcadian | Inverness - Wick - Thurso (and return) | Top and Tail | ||
| 19 Jun 2006 | 50031 & 50049 | The Orcadian | Inverness - Swindon | Double headed | ||
| Locos had an alternative identity on one side: 50031 as 50028 'Tiger' and 50049 as 50012 'Benbow'. Cabside Stag heads. | ||||||
| | ||||||
| 05 Oct 2007 | 50049 | The Autumn Highlander | link | London Kings Cross - Perth (via ECML) | On rear. 55022 leading | |
| 50049 | The Autumn Highlander | Perth - Inverness | On rear. 40145 leading | |||
| 06 Oct 2007 | 50049 | The Autumn Highlander | Inverness - Strathcarron (and return) | Top and tail with 40145 | ||
| 07 Oct 2007 | 50049 | The Autumn Highlander | Inverness - Wick - Thurso (and return) | Top and tail with 40145 | Flickr | |
| 08 Oct 2007 | 50049 | The Autumn Highlander | Inverness - Perth | With 40145 on rear | ||
| 50049 | The Autumn Highlander | Perth - London Kings Cross (via ECML) | With 55022 leading, 40145 on rear | |||
| Loco in large logo livery, as 50049 'Defiance' . | ||||||
| | ||||||
| 19 Nov 2011 | 50049 & 50044 | The Edinburgh Explorer II | Timings | Preston - Edinburgh (via ECML) | With 57001 on rear. | Photo |
| (50049 & 50044) | Fife Circle Mini-Tour | Timings | Edinburgh - Fife Circle (out via Dunfermline) | On rear, with 57001 leading. | ||
| 50049 'Defiance' (large logo livery with black roof), 50044 'Exeter' (BR blue livery) | ||||||
| | ||||||
| 24 Jul 2015 | 50007 & 50017 | (loco convoy) | Timings | Washwood Heath - Bo'ness (via WCML, Springburn) | Hauled by 31601, with dead 40106. | Flickr |
| 25 Jul 2015 | 50007 & 50017 | Bo'ness Diesel Gala | Timings | Between Bo'ness & Manuel Jn (B&KR) | Various workings | Photo |
| 26 Jul 2015 | 50007 & 50017 | Bo'ness Diesel Gala | Timings | Between Bo'ness & Manuel Jn (B&KR) | Various workings | = |
| 01 Aug 2015 | 50017 & 50007 | (loco convoy) | Timings | Bo'ness - Carlisle (via Springburn & WCML) | Hauled by 31601 from Linlithgow. | Flickr |
| 50007 Hercules (BR Blue livery), 50017 Royal Oak (Network SouthEast livery) | ||||||
| | ||||||
| 07 Oct 2017 | 50007 & 50049 | The Caledonian | Timings | (Euston) Crewe - Glasgow Central (and return) | Double headed | Flickr |
| 50007 Hercules (BR blue livery), 50049 Defiance (large logo livery, with snow ploughs) | ||||||
| | ||||||
| 15 Jan 2018 | 50008 | (HST trailer ECS) | Timings. | Leicester - Craigentinny (return to Carlisle) | with Mk1 barrier vans | Flickr |
| 50008 Thunderer (1990s blue livery). | ||||||
| | ||||||
| 05 Jan 2019 | 50007 & 50049 | 'The Waverley Re-Union' | Timings | Birmingham NS - Edinburgh (via WCML) | Double headed | Flickr |
| 50007 & 50049 | 'The Waverley Re-Union' | Timings | Edinburgh - Tweedbank (and return) | Top & Tail. | Photo | |
| 50049 & 50007 | 'The Waverley Re-Union' | Timings | Edinburgh - Birmingham NS (via WCML) | Double headed | = | |
| Locos had an alternative identity on one side: BR Blue 50007 as 50006 'Neptune', Large Logo 50049 as 50011 'Centurian'. | ||||||
| 05 Jul 2019 | 50049 & 50007 | (ECS move) | Timings | Burton Wetmore - WCML - Polmadie | Double headed | = |
| 06 Jul 2019 | 50007 & 50049 | GBRf staff charter | Timings | Motherwell - ECML - Scarborough (& return) | Double headed | = |
| 07 Jul 2019 | 50007 & 50049 | GBRf staff charter | Timings | Motherwell - ECML - Birmingham NS. | Double headed | Photo |
| Both locos in GBRf livery. 50007 had alternative identity of 50014 'Warspite' one side. | ||||||
| | ||||||
| 11 Sep 2021 | 50007 & 50049 | 'The Galloway Fifties' | Timings | Tame Bridge Parkway - Annbank - Falkland Yard | Double headed | Flickr |
| 50007 & 50049 | 'The Galloway Fifties' | Timings | Falkland Yard - Stranraer - Ayr | Top & Tail. | Flickr.07, Flickr.49 | |
| 50007 & 50049 | 'The Galloway Fifties' | Timings | Ayr - Kilmarnock - Birmingham New St. | Double headed | Flickr | |
| Both locos in GBRf livery. 50007 had alternative identity of 50034 'Furious' one side. | ||||||
| | ||||||
| 03 May 2023 | 50050 | (light loco) | Timings | Nottingham - Millerhill - Perth | . | Photo |
| 04 May 2023 | 50050 | (light loco) | Timings | Perth - Inverness | . | Photo |
| 50050 | (light locos) | Timings | Inverness - Perth - Newcastle | Hauling 37116 | Photo | |
| 50050 Fearless (BR blue livery, with D400 on left cabside) | ||||||
| 16 Sep 2023 | 50007 & 50049 | 'The Pilgrim Centurion' | Timings | Swindon - WCML - Edinburgh (and return) | Double headed | Photo |
| Both locos in GBRf livery. 50007 had alternative identity of 50034 'Furious' one side. | ||||||
| | ||||||
| 24 Aug 2024 | 50007 & 50049 | 'The Grampian Highlander' (Day.1) | 1Z72 | Taunton - Gloucester* - WCML - Stirling - Aberdeen | Double headed | Flickr |
| 25 Aug 2024 | 50007 & 50049 | 'The Grampian Highlander' (Day.2) | 1Z49 - 1Z51 | Aberdeen - Inverness - Perth* - Dundee - Aberdeen | Double headed / *Top & Tailed | Flickr |
| 26 Aug 2024 | 50007 & 50049 | 'The Grampian Highlander' (Day.3) | 1Z60, 1Z62 | Aberdeen - Leven - Townhill* - Edinburgh - ECML - Taunton | Top & Tailed / *Double headed | Flickr 1, Flickr 2 |
| 50007 'Hercules' & 50049 'Defiance', both locos in BR large logo livery. | ||||||