1982
Pretty much a continuation of the trends running through 1981, with provision of
steam heat now on the wane. 47097 became the first of many freight locos to come
from the WR, while the core ETH fleet now started to expand. It would reach its
height in 1984. By the end of the year the allocation has passed the 50 mark –
more than double the initial fleet.
January
3rd More freight dedicated locos arrive from the North East in the shape of
47295 xis B4 ex Gateshead and 47311/3 both xos B4 ex Thornaby.
Released from Crewe Works following overhaul was 47010 (7L). It already had a blue roof
courtesy the Finsbury Park painters.
Rare enough already on passenger work, the boiler on 47019 was isolated.
47583 had the additional horizontal white stripes removed.
February
Silver roofs painted: 47114, 47263.
Boiler isolated: 47114.
47117 returned to traffic with a flush front at No.2 end.
47577 and 47579 had plaques fitted below the nameplates describing the Soham incident.
March
Released from Crewe Works following overhaul were 47011 (7L) and 47135 (6I), both having blue roofs.
Silver roofs painted: 47017 (ex-works December 1980!), 47162.
47576 gained permanent marker lights at one end.
April
During the month 47006 gained permanent marker lights and had its boiler isolated, while 47574 had its missing
“car” headlight replaced.
May
16th At the timetable change 47052 xo B4 and 47363 xos B4 arrived from Thornaby in
exchange for 47263 xb B4sr which went to Immingham and even more strangely 47549 xe B4 to Gateshead.
A further example of useful locos being replaced by less useful ones.
23rd Not wanting to be left alone 47265 xb B4 followed its colleague back to Immingham
and was not replaced.
Also during the month:
Released from Crewe Works following overhaul was 47162 (6I), with blue roof, having only been painted silver
in March!
47566 gained permanent marker lights at one end, while 47568 had its similar panel painted black.
June
During the month the boiler on ex works 47162 was isolated. One can only assume that it must have been defective
or simply wasn’t overhauled.
Silver roofs painted: 47093, 47574.
47576 had its marker light panel painted black.
August
Released from Crewe Works during the month was 47016 (7L), with blue roof.
47577 was fitted with a permanent marker light panel at one end.
September
During the month 47004 gained permanent marker light panels at both ends, while 47019 reappeared with a flush front
at No.1 end and a silver roof.
October
3rd The winter timetable brought a further reduction in the boiler-fitted fleet with
replacements in the form of ETH and freight varieties. Arriving were: 47008 xi B4 from exile at Bristol
(it had been away for eight years!) and 47097 xo B4 from Cardiff.
New ETH locos were 47435/57/58 xd B4 from Gateshead. These latter three were balanced by the transfer
of 47017/8 to Haymarket and 47255 to Gateshead.
Released from Crewe Works following overhaul was 47155 (6I), with blue roof, permanent marker lights fitted,
and boiler isolated.
Silver roofs painted: 47295, 311/63, the former also getting permanent marker lights.
47583 was reliveried with just black cab window frames rather than surrounds – a pattern later to become prevalent
at Stratford and later still Bristol.
47115 and new arrival 47458 sustained collision damage.
November
Released from Crewe Works during the month were:
47052 (6I), boiler water tanks removed.
47150 (6I), blue roof restored
47571 (7L), blue roof restored, ML panels painted yellow. The first of the ETH fleet to go back for overhaul.
December
On the 12 th 47255 returned from Gateshead in exchange for 47156 moving north.
Also during the month:
Released from Crewe Works following overhaul were:
47093 (6I), with blue roof
47130 (6I), with blue roof
47581 (7L), with blue roof ML panels painted yellow.
Silver roof painted: 47016
47115 was repaired gaining yellow marker light panels
47150, 47255 had their boilers isolated.
End of Year summary
xb, B4, blue roof: 47007/10/1/4, 130/5 (6)
xb, B4, silver roof: 47003-5/16/85, 115-8/58 (10)
xi or xo, B4, blue roof: 47006/8/52/93/7, 150/5/62 (8)
xi, B4, silver roof: 47019, 114, 255 (3)
xos, B4, blue roof: 47294, 313 (2)
xos, B4, silver roof: 47276/95, 311/63 (4)
xd, B4, blue roof: 47435/57/8 (3)
xe, B4, blue roof: 47571/2/81 (3)
xe, B4, silver roof: 47566/8/9/73/4/6/7/9/80/2/4/5 (12)
xe, LL: 47583 (1)
Total: 52