The first few months of the year saw the completion of the conversion and transfer of the core ETH fleet. Having a specific fleet for passenger work allowed the remainder of the fleet to come from a wider pool, and a start is seen here of locos new to the area being transferred in. Although the paintbrush was still coming out on a regular basis, ex-works locos were not gaining their silver roofs as quickly as they had in the past.

4th January 47427, recently transferred south from Scotland to Immingham moves further south as a temporary bolster for the ETH fleet, last based at Stratford in 1972 as vacuum bracked boilered 1535!
11th January xbs 47168/74 (though both in works for overhaul and ETH conversion) are transferred in from Tinsley in exchange for 47278/9 which returned to the Sheffield depot.
Silver roofs painted: 47158, 47567 (despite it having been transferred to Laira). P.ML(N)(black): 47571.

Transferred in were 47041 xb B4 and 47255 xb B4sr from Thornaby, with 47009 xi B4 and 47363 xos B4 going north in their stead. Departing without replacement was 47160 xb B4sr to Haymarket.
Released from Crewe Works following overhaul were:
47014 (7L), blue roof restored, yellow ML panels, and 47363 (6I), blue roof restored.
This latter was then promptly transferred to Thornaby (see above). 47011 emerged with a flush front at No.2 end following collision damage repairs and 47571 had its roof ends repainted.

47009 returns for the north bringing former SF stablemate 47093 xo B4 with it.
47158 was named “Henry Ford” at Stratford Open Day.
47568 gained P.ML(N) at one end.
47583 was painted in large logo livery with two white horizontal stripes extending from the arrow along the bodyside. For the week of the Royal wedding (29 July) red and blue stripes were added to the arrow emblem.

During the month 47573 gained P.ML(N) at No.2 end, and 47117, 47585 regained silver roofs.

An exchange of five locos occurred. 47294, 47301 and 47304 all xos B4 arrived from Tinsley, together with 47552 xd B4 from Gateshead and 47574 xe B4 from York.
Leaving in exchange were 47009/41/2 to Haymarket (where 47009’s boiler was promptly reconnected) and 47549/57 to Toton.
Silver roofs painted: 47011, 47569/77/79.
Named: 47577 “Benjamin Gimbert GC” and 47579 “James Nightall GC”.

47549 returned from its brief stay in the East Midlands, releasing 47552 from its equally brief stay at Stratford back to Gateshead.
Released from Crewe Works following overhaul were: 47006/19 (both 7L), both blue roof restored and 47114 (6I), blue roof restored.
47276 had its boiler first isolated, then removed.
47574 gained red buffer beams.
47583 had the blue and red stripes removed from its arrows.
47585 had its marker lights painted black.

47301 returned to Tinsley and 47304 to Immingham.
47156 gained a black permanent marker light panel at one end.
Silver roof painted: 47573
Polished up: 47577/9.

Released from Crewe Works following overhaul was 47018 (7L), blue roof restored.
47117 sustained collision damage at Thornton Fields, and 47574 was noted with one of its “car” headlights missing.

xb, B4, blue roof: 47006/7/10/4/7-9, 114/62, 263/5
xb, B4, silver roof: 47003-5/11/6/85, 115-8/30/5/50/5/6/8, 255
xo, B4, blue roof: 47093
xos, B4, blue roof: 47294
xos, B4, silver roof: 47276
xe, B4, blue roof: 47549/72/4
xe, B4, silver roof: 47566/8/9/71/3/6/7/9-82/4/5
xe, large logo: 47583