Locos and Rolling Stock: Locomotives 31 438

31 538 arrives at Dereham. 24th November 2001. Photo: Alan Cooper

31 438 is one of the few Class 31 locomotives that is fitted with electric train heating equipment. Although its former number 31 538 indicates that it was transferred to infrastructure train working, it retained its BR blue livery and its ETS equipment remained intact from its passenger days.

The loco has local connections, as it was delivered new to the Ipswich loco shed (32B) as D5557 and was made available for traffic on the 15th October 1959. It was outshopped at the Brush works at Loughborough two weeks earlier and went via Doncaster works for acceptance testing prior to its delivery to Ipswich. In June 1961, it was transferred to the Norwich shed (32A) where it stayed until March 1965 when it was reallocated to Tinsley (41A). During its time at Norwich, it is probable that it worked the Wells branch on a number of occasions, so it should feel at home now that it's back at Dereham. It carried the D5557 number until early in October 1973, when it changed to the TOPS number of 31 139 and was one of the first to be repainted in the BR blue livery. Prior to that, the loco was unique as a Brush Type 2 in that it carried the Brunswick Green livery with the BR arrow symbols on all four cab sides and with the numbers behind the doors.

31 538 fires up for the first time in preservation. 10th March 2002. Photo: Alan Cooper

It survived the first reduction in the fleet of Class 31s, having been mothballed at Swindon in 1981 for approximately six months. At this stage, it was selected to have electric train heating equipment fitted and to have a Heavy General Overhaul. This was completed, and the loco was released back into traffic as 31 438 on 23rd April 1984. Until December 1993, it spent its time hauling passenger trains in the north west, working out of Crewe or Wigan sheds, after which it was transferred over to infrastructure work as 31 538. It was finally sent to Carlisle to be stored as serviceable in September 1995.

The loco arrived at the Mid-Norfolk Railway by road on the 24th November 2001, and was unloaded near Norwich Road Level Crossing. This was where it remained for some time as the years of neglect were gradually undone. The engine was started up for the first time the following spring, with light engine test runs being made during early September.

The first train (a works train for the permanent way department) was hauled to Wymondham on 16th September 2002. After the correction of a couple of electrical faults that were preventing the loco making full power, 31 538 made a successful loaded test run on Sunday 17th November using the coaching stock plus the class 50 and 20 in the formation. 31 538's return to passenger haulage was timed to take place during the 2003 diesel gala weekend: its debut run was the 09:50 from Wymondham to Dereham on Saturday 22nd March 2003, when it hauled the five MNR coaches plus 50 019 and the two visiting 47s (47 309 and 47 200). Following the loco's reinstatement on passenger duties, it was renumbered back to 31 438 and continues to be a regular performer on the line.

Based on an original article by Paul Mobbs, which appeared in Blastpipe number 73.

31 538 hauls its first passenger train up Danemoor Bank. 22nd March 2003. Photo: Alan Cooper