Locos and Rolling Stock: Locomotives 50 019 "Ramillies"

Ramillies at work near Bristol Photo: Roger Elliott

The Class 50 locomotives started to enter traffic at the end of 1967, when the first, D400, was accepted for service and based at Crewe depot. In the early years they operated West Coast services between Glasgow and Crewe, single-handedly at first, until accelerated schedules required double-heading from May 1970. During this time, they could also be found working freight services when required.

As the west coast electrification was completed, a new use for the class had to be found. It was decided by the British Railways Board (BRB) to phase out the Western region diesel-hydraulic classes (Westerns, Warships, etc) which led to the redeployment of the 50s to the region from October 1972, when D400 was allocated to Bristol Bath Road. Other members followed, with all 50 locomotives allocated to the Western region by the end of 1974. By this time, they had all received their new TOPS numbers, from 50 001 to 50 050.

Photo: Owen Stratford

Taking over express workings, the class could be seen on the Western region main line, running services from Paddington to Paignton, Penzance and Bristol, as well as working express parcels and freight services.

During the mid-1970s, their reliability was causing concern and the BRB agreed to the refurbishment of the whole class, which was to take place at Doncaster. The first example to be sent was 50 006, which was called to works in September 1977, remaining there until entering traffic in September 1979. This locomotive was very much the guinea-pig, hence the long time out of traffic. The whole fleet was refurbished by the end of 1983, the first 7 (including 50 019) emerging in the standard livery of all-over blue with yellow ends.

By this time, the 50s were allocated to Old Oak Common (London) and Laira (Plymouth) depots, and during 1978 the BRB decided to name their flagship fleet of locomotives after ships and shore establishments of the Royal Navy.

As the HSTs were now in full control of most InterCity services, the Class 50s were reduced to secondary services, although when an HST failed, they were called upon to work the service as they could usually maintain HST timings with minimal late running.

50 019 in Exeter Riverside depot. 11th January 1991. Photo: Mike Cooper

However, as time progressed, reliability problems once again started to plague the class and withdrawals started in February 1987 when 50 011 "Centurion" was sent to Crewe to be used as a test bed for overhauled power units. By the end of 1990, half the fleet had been withdrawn and many more were scrapped. The end came in 1993, when the remaining locomotives were withdrawn from service.

Our own machine, 50 019 "Ramillies" entered service in May 1968 with the running number of D419. It received its name in April 1978, being named after the 1916 "R" class battleship. The large guns from this ship are currently on display outside the Imperial War Museum in London.

50 019 entered Doncaster works for refurbishment on the 27th July 1979, reentering traffic on the 31st March 1980, being the fourth Class 50 to be refurbished. After leaving the works painted in the original all-over blue livery, the loco received the large logo livery in 1984, followed by the first Network Southeast colours in early 1987. After a period with NSE, it was reallocated to departmental use and painted into a special livery by Laira of all-over blue, grey roof, yellow ends and black window surrounds. NSE numbers were applied beneath the driver's side windows and the nameplates were left in the higher NSE position.

Ramillies was withdrawn from traffic in late 1990 due to generator flashover damage, and was bought by the Class 50 Locomotive Association in September 1991. Its first home in preservation was at the Tunbridge Wells and Eridge Railway, where it arrived on the 7th January 1992. It finally arrived on the MNR on the 21st May 1999, and was immediately pressed into service to shunt the yard.

Before entering regular service, the loco needed a number of repairs, including the changing of two cylinder liners. Since then, it has formed an indispensable part of our locomotive fleet, hauling both passengers and freight.

Based on an original article by Phil Barry, which appeared in Blastpipe number 59.

On a chilly autumnal morning, 50 019 is seen hauling a Dereham-bound freight train near Crownthorpe. Photo: Alan Cooper