This year in our history of the allocations and development of Stratford’s Class 47 fleet encompasses the last full calendar year of through diesel working of London to Norwich services and the number of ETH-fitted locomotives allocated to the depot reached its highest in July.
The upgrading of locomotives with headlights and speed sensor equipment (SSF) to allow one man only operation continued. Customisation of the fleet also continued, although the previously liberal application of silver paint to anything that stopped for more than a few minutes was tending to wane.

22^nd
47275 xos B4 transferred from Healey Mills

Also during the month:
47007 received P.ML(H) at No.2 end (the SSF fitting was yet again not reported)
Silver roof painted: 47311
Headlights fitted: 47573 / 47585
One of 47574’s non-standard headlights was broken
47596 gained 'Stratford' shed stickers in its marker light panels.

Released from Crewe Works following overhaul were:
47542 (7L) with headlight fitted and 47569 (6L) with blue roof, P.ML(N) with headlight fitted.
47055 SSF / P.ML(H) fitted at No.2 end
Silver roofs painted: 47439/87.
Headlights fitted: 47055, 47472, 47579.
Other repaint: 47472 was given a full blue repaint, together with fitting of P.ML(N) at both ends and headlights (see above) but did not gain a silver roof.
Finally, seemingly content that they “got away” with last month’s customisation of 47596, February saw 47574 appear with BR “Hot Dog” totems reading “Stratford” in its marker light panels.

18^th A further addition to the ETH fleet was the arrival of 47570, xe B4, from Eastfield, balanced by the departure of 47150, xi B4sr for Cardiff.
Also during the month:
Released from Crewe Works following overhaul were:
47003 (8G), P.ML(NH), SSF, with blue roof and 47566/8 (both 6L) P.ML(NH), SSF, headlights with blue roof.
Note that by now Crewe works had started to fit SSF as standard, including to ETH locos.
The designation P.ML(NH) indicates type N at No.1 end and type H at No.2.
Silver roofs painted: 47112, 47544, 47596.
Headlights fitted: 47085, 112/58, 572/7.
47574 had its non-standard headlight repaired.
47577 gained black marker light panels, before it was fitted with headlights.
47582 received a full polish and silver buffers, while 47596 gained silver buffers along with the roof.

Released from Crewe Works following overhaul was 47579 (7L), P.ML(NH), SSF fitted and with blue roof.
Headlights fitted: 47006/10, 114, 276, 311, 487, 570.

The aummer timetable brought another influx of ETH fitted motive power, the new arrivals, all xe B4 being:
47440 (from CF), 47462 (from OC), 47476 (from CF), 47478/82 (from OC), and 47605 (from ED).
Leaving Stratford were nine locos, giving a net loss of three.
They were: 47006 xi B4 to ED, 47155 xi B4sr and 47162 xi B4 to CF, 47275/6 xos B4 to TE, 47311 xos B4sr to HM, 47313 xos B4 and 47363 xos B4sar to TE, and finally 47435 xd B4sr to GD.
The loss of this ETH loco forever remains a mystery. These changes left Stratford without any slow speed control fitted locomotives on its books for the first time since a permanent allocation began.

Also during the month:
Released from Crewe Works following overhaul was 47583 (7L), P.ML(NH) (yellow), SSF, B4 livery, with blue roof. The last vestiges of its 1981 special repaint had now gone.
Silver roofs painted: 47572 (at last, ex works February 1981!), 47576, 47579, with the latter getting a full polish.
Headlights fitted: 47122, 47486. SSF / P.ML(H) fitted at No.2 end: 47122.

8^th 47596 was named “Aldeburgh Festival” at Liverpool Street station. Also during the month:
Released from Crewe Works following overhaul were: 47574/84 (both 7L). Both P.ML(NH), SSF, with blue roof. 47574 retained its non-standard headlights while 47584 gained a standard set.
Silver roofs painted: 47440/57.
OMO / P.ML(H) fitted at No.2 end: 47099, 114, 570.
Repaint with yellow marker light panels: 47585.
47055 had its pre TOPs number “1639” affixed under the cabside windows on the left hand side at No.1 end.

7^th This date saw the ETH fleet reach its pinnacle with the transfer in of 47551/3 both xe B4 from OC, with 47130/5 both xb B4sr leaving for Cardiff.
Further ETH transfers and conversions were to come, but at this point the allocation reached its highest level at 35 locomotives. 8^th 47111 xo B4 was transferred in from Immingham.
Also during this month:
47544 was repaired and fitted with OMO / P.ML(H) at No.2 end
Silver roofs painted: 47055, 47574.

Modifications carried out at Stratford comprised:
OMO / P.ML(H) no.2 end: 47112
Silver roofs painted: 47099, 47476/8.
Headlights fitted: 47581

30^th The end of the summer saw three slow speed control fitted locomotives drafted in, in the shape of 47288, 47310/1 all from Healey Mills. 47311 still retained its silver roof from its last periods at SF.
Despite the introduction of electric services still being some months away 47438/9 were moved away to Gateshead. So we get three locomotives fitted with equipment that isn’t needed, and lose two fitted with equipment that is.
Also during the month:
Silver roofs painted: 47542, 47583, 47605.

Released from Crewe Works following overhaul was 47116 (6I), HL fitted, with blue roof.
OMO / P.ML(H) No.2 end fitted: 47158, 47472/87, 47551/76.
Headlights fitted: 47007, 47482.
Silver roofs painted: 47462/82.
The unfortunate 47458 suffered another collision, and 47579 received a full repaint.

SSF / P.ML(H) No.2 end fitted: 47458/62/76, 47542/71 (except 47458 already had a flush front at No.2 end).
Silver roofs painted: 47052, 115, 551/3
Headlights fitted: 47476/8.

11^th 47574 was named “Lloyds List” at Liverpool Street station, the nameplate having non-standard graphics. The loco then worked the 11:30 to Norwich and was checked at Chelmsford due to following a Class 86 on crew training duties – a sign of the future traction on the GE.
Also during the month:
SSF / P.ML(H) No.2 end fitted: 47482/6, 47569/72/80.
Silver roof painted: 47122.

xb, B4, blue roof: 47003, 116 (2)
xb, B4, silver roof: 47007/10/1, 115/58 (5)
xo, B4, blue roof: 47111 (1)
xi or xo, B4, silver roof: 47008/19/52/5, 112/4/22 (7)
xos, B4, blue roof: 47288, 310 (2)
xos, B4, silver roof: 47311 (1)
xd, B4, silver roof: 47457/8, 542/4 (4)
xe, B4, blue roof: 47472, 566/8-70/84/7 (7)
xe, B4, silver roof: 47440/62/76/8/82/6/7, 551/3/71-4/6/7/9-83/5/91/6, 605 (24)
Total: 53 locos