Class 47s: Jack Of Trades

Class 47s: The Jack of All Trades; Britain’s Railways Series, Vol. 45

Authored By: Mark V. Pike;

Pages: 96 

In 1962, construction of the first Class 47 began – the first of many. These ubiquitous locomotives were very popular and could be found everywhere in the 1960s and 1970s. The initial order of 512 locos was completed by 1968, and by 1971, they had all been converted to the Brush Type 4 classification with a standard powerplant. The class went on to carry British Rail’s famous blue livery. As the railways started to change in the 1980s, the Class 47s found themselves on the chopping block, with the first 20 constructed withdrawn by 1992. Many of the others were given new names and new liveries – adding variety to a hitherto fairly uniform class. While most have been retired and put into storage, some of the locomotives are still working on railways around the UK to this day. With over 230 images, this book showcases the versatility of the Class 47 and how it truly is the jack of all trades.