british rail class 57

Description

The British Rail Class 57 is a re-engineered locomotive, rebuilt by Brush Traction at Loughborough from redundant Class 47 locomotives. The locomotives are fitted with a refurbished General Motors engine, and a reconditioned alternator, vastly improving reliabilty and performance. Two variants exist, for freight and passenger operations. The class has its origins in 1997, when Freightliner took the plunge, and ordered an intial six locomotives. In 2000, a prototype locomotive, number 57601, was converted with electric train heating capacities, with a view of obtaining orders from passenger companies.

Current Operations

Freightliner

In 1997, Freightliner placed an order for an initial six Class 57/0 locomotives. The first of these was released in 1998, and coincided with the unveiling of the new British Racing Green Freightliner livery. After an evaluation period, Freightliner was sufficiently impressed to order a further six locomotives, with plans for an eventual fleet of 25 locomotives. However, in the event, only twelve locomotives were rebuilt, due to the purchase of completely new Class 66 locomotives from General Motors. The Freightliner fleet sees use over a wide area, serving locations such as Ipswich, Southampton, Birmingham, Cardiff and Leeds. The introduction of the class resulted in the replacement of the Class 47 locomotives on most long-distance intermodal trains. Freightliner has named all its locomotives, with examples such as 'Freightliner Pioneer' and 'Freightliner Phoenix'.

First Great Western

In 2000, Porterbrook Leasing placed an order for a prototype passenger locomotive fitted with electric train heating. This locomotive, no. 57601, was leased to First Great Western (FGW), who were looking for a replacement for their elderly Class 47 locomotives, which were employed on "Night Riviera" overnight sleeper and Motorail services from London Paddington to Penzance. After an evaluation period of three years, FGW ordered four production Class 57/6 locomotives from Brush, which were delivered in 2004. These new locomotives displaced the Class 47 locomotives, which were transferred to other operators. As the prototype locomotive was non-standard, it was returned to Porterbrook Leasing, who then sold it to the West Coast Railway Company. The FGW fleet is painted in a green livery with a gold bodyside band. All four locomotives have been named after local castles.

Virgin Trains

Under their franchise agreement, Virgin Trains was required to purchase new locomotives to replace its elderly Class 47 locomotives. As a result, an order for sixteen Class 57/3 locomotives was placed with Brush Traction. They are employed as rescue locomotives (so called "Thunderbird" duties), and are used to drag Virgin Train's electric train when engineering works force services to be diverted. They are also used to haul Crewe to Holyhead passenger trains. The Virgin fleet is painted in their red and silver livery, and locomotives are named after characters from the TV series "Thunderbirds".

West Coast Railway Company

The West Coast Railway Company (WCRC) owns a single Class 57/6; the prototype passenger locomotive. This is employed on WCRC charter trains, and is painted in the company's maroon livery, to match the coaching stock.

Fleet Details

style="color:yellow; background:#0B4559; border-bottom:3px solid" colspan="3" align="center"\|BR Class 57
tyle="color:white; background:#0B4559"\|TOPS numbers	colspan="2"\|5700157012, 5730157316, 5760157605
tyle="color:white; background:#0B4559"\|Early numbers	colspan="2"\|Various Class 47 numbers
tyle="color:white; background:#0B4559"\|Builder	colspan="2"\|Brush Traction or BR Crewe Works, rebuilt by Brush Traction
tyle="color:white; background:#0B4559"\|Introduced	colspan="2"\|19641965, rebuilt 19972004
tyle="color:white; background:#0B4559"\|Wheel Arrangement	colspan="2"\|Co-Co
tyle="color:white; background:#0B4559"\|Weight	120.6 t (57/0 and 57601) 117 t (57/3 and 5760257605)	tonnes
tyle="color:white; background:#0B4559"\|Height	ft in	m
tyle="color:white; background:#0B4559"\|Width	ft in	2.79 m
tyle="color:white; background:#0B4559"\|Length	ft in	19.38 m
tyle="color:white; background:#0B4559"\|Wheel Dia.	ft in	1143 mm
tyle="color:white; background:#0B4559"\|Wheel Base	ft	m
tyle="color:white; background:#0B4559"\|Minimum radius	chains	m
tyle="color:white; background:#0B4559"\|Maximum speed	75 mph (57/0) 95 mph (57/3 and 57/6)	km/h
tyle="color:white; background:#0B4559"\|Engine	colspan="2"\|General Motors 645-12E3 (57/0) General Motors 645-F3B-12 (57/3 and 57/6)
tyle="color:white; background:#0B4559"\|Engine output	2,500 hp (57/0) 2,750 hp (57/3 and 57/6)	1,860 kW (57/0) 2,050 kW (57/3 and 57/6)
tyle="color:white; background:#0B4559"\|Max. Tractive Effort	55,000 lbf	244.5 kN
tyle="color:white; background:#0B4559"\|Power at Rail	2,025 hp	1,507 kW
tyle="color:white; background:#0B4559"\|Brake type	colspan="2"\|Air
tyle="color:white; background:#0B4559"\|Brake force	80 tons force (57/0) 60 tons force (57/3 and 57/6)	kN
tyle="color:white; background:#0B4559"\|Route availability	colspan="2"\|6
tyle="color:white; background:#0B4559"\|Fuel Tank	imperial gallons	5,550 litres (57/0) 5,887 litres (57/3 and 57/6)
tyle="color:white; background:#0B4559"\|Heating type	colspan="2"\|None (57/0) Electric, index 100 (57/3 and 5760257605) Electric, index 95 (57601)
tyle="color:white; background:#0B4559"\|Multiple working	colspan="2"\|Not equipped

FGW = First Great Western WCRC = West Coast Railway Company

lign=left\|No. Built	align=left\|No. Range	align=left\|Operators	align=left\|Loco Nos.	align=left\|No In Traffic	align=left\|Withdrawn
lign=left\|Class 57/0	align=center\|12	align=center\|57001-012	align=left\|Freightliner	align=left\|57001-012	align=center\|12	align=center\|-
lign=center\|Class 57/3	align=center\|16	align=center\|57301-316	align=left\|Virgin Trains	align=left\|57301-316	align=center\|16	align=center\|-
owspan=2 align=center\|Class 57/6	rowspan=2 align=center\|5	rowspan=2 align=center\|57601-605	align=left\|FGW	align=left\|57602-605	align=center\|4	align=center\|-
a href="/encyclopedia/West-Coast-Railway-Company" title="West Coast Railway Company">WCRC	57601	align=center\|1	align=center\|-

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