Wensleydale Railway - Photo Archive

The Arrival and Restoration of loco 47714

Photographs

The railway has recently purchased a class 47 diesel loco - 47714. The main purpose in obtaining it is to ensure that we have a 'thunderbird' (a spare loco for backup) that is capable of providing ETH (Electric Train Heating) for the Polar Express, in case of breakdown of our class 33 loco which normally performs this duty. We don't want to cancel any Polar Express trains because we done't have a suitable serviceable spare loco.

Since its arrival in early November it has been mechanically checked over and any required maintenance done. It has been undergoing a series of tests to prove that it is capable of performing its duties when required. It has passed all these tests and has been tried out on a Polar Express train.

It has now been in the maintenance shed having its bodywork repaired. It has now been painted in RES (Rail Express Systems) livery. RES was a sector of British Rail that launched in 1991 and was principally responsible for transporting mail and parcels, including the travelling post office trains. It also took over charter operations from InterCity and haulage of the Royal Train.

It was revealed at our 2025 Model Rail Rail Exhibition and has since been in service - initially at our May 2025 Diesel Gala.

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