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The Early
Days of the English Electric Class 50s |
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By Mike Norris
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The fifty
locomotives were on lease from English Electric to BR when new, this borne
out by a small plate affixed to the body side witnessed. During this
period they were maintained by the famous (infamous?) men in white
overalls employed by EE at Crewe works. Their initial time with BR was
spent as you state principally to cover the non electrified part of the
WCML. Reference to the book by OS Nock - Electric Euston to Glasgow
( Ian Allen circa 1974) reveals that the reasoning for their performance in pairs was
two fold, one to obviate the serous delays along the WCML during the
electrification process and secondly to give passengers North of Preston a
taste of what was to come in terms of sustained high speed running and Mr
Nocks book bears witness to some very fine running. After the big switch
on, the 50's became somewhat redundant to the LMR and BR saw the
opportunity to transfer them to the WR, partially to replace the Class
52's and also to implement the introduction of Mk II air con stock to
their principal expresses. This is when the problems started as EE were
not prepared to maintain the existing lease arrangements covering their
maintenance and BR then purchased all of the class and the lease plates
were removed from the locos on transfer from LMR to WR. Now the troubles
began, and the WR christened them the fifty-fifties as new problems of
their upkeep revealed themselves. This was in no way an adverse comment on
Laira's abilities but they had fifty non standard locos thrust upon them,
- hey wasn't the demise of the Westerns also because they were
non-standard ? ( Double standards here perhaps) For the followers of the Class
52's, to see a wizzo hauling a failed 50 and aircon stock with passengers
gasping at the door windows for air during the hot summers of
1976/1977/1978 was priceless.
Further
Reading :
English
Electric Locomotives of British Rail, by Brian Webb - 1976, David
& Charles
This book confirms the EE lease arrangements already mentioned, they were
high tech loco's on build and the story of jumpers being fitted for multi
operation, then removed, then re-installed again is well chronicled. The
'high tec' build however was their downfall upon relocation to the WR and
them going off lease. May I quote (loosely) from page 91 of the book - ''
Operational availability was never better than 84% - mosty as a result of
their only being 48 engines for the 50 locos' Following transfer to the WR
( and I quote (loosely) again) ''The continued partisanship of the WR
enthusiasts saw to it that every failing of these sophisticated and
unfamiliar locomotives was fully covered in the railway press, while the
Class 52 hydraulics which fitted into the old GWR spirit to go it alone,
were upheld as the masters ''
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