The sound of a 2,580 bhp Sulzer 12LDA28-C diesel engine rumbling through Greet Tunnel is hard to beat, especially when there’s two of them!
Home resident Brush Type 4 (British Rail Class 47) Co-Co diesel-electric locomotives No’s 47105 & 47376 will be ‘Doubling Up’on Sunday 3rd September on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, both double-heading and top ‘n’ tailing train services throughout the day, giving visitors and diesel enthusiasts the full ‘Brush’ experience. 512 locomotives were built between 1962 and 1968, with construction being carried out at Brush Traction’s Falcon Works in Loughborough and British Railways’ Crewe Works. With the decline of steam and with diesel-hydraulics falling out of favour – the latter had become synonymous with the Western Region, the Class 47s quickly became the work horse of the new diesel-electric era. Fitted with powerful 2,750bhp Sulzer 12LDA28-C engines (which were later de-rated to 2,580 bhp to aid reliability), the Brush Type 4s could be found at home on both freight and passenger services across the railway network. Large numbers of the class took charge of express passenger workings which for many years had been the preserve of prestigious steam locomotives. The locomotives had a route availability of 6& 7 (RA6/7) and many examples led colourful and interesting lives wearing a myriad of liveries. A number of subclasses were developed over the years to meet the ever changing landscape and needs of British Rail and the Privatisation era which subsequently followed during the mid-1990s. Between 1998 and 2004, Brush Traction rebuilt 33 examples fitting them with EMD 12-645 engines and reconditioned alternators, which became the British Rail Class 57s. Popular with rail operators and enthusiasts alike, over 70 members of the Brush developed Class 47 still exist today, either in active mainline service, longterm storage, or in preservation.
The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway currently has two members of the class in its home fleet which are both permanent residents.
47105 (D1693) is owned by The Brush Type 4 Fund and was built by Brush Electrical Machines Ltd at Loughborough in 1963. The locomotive was accepted into traffic on the 6th December 1963 as D1693 and operated for the best part of 30 years before being stored unserviceable on the 1st November 1993. 47105 was withdrawn from service on the 13th December 1993 and was purchased by the BrushType 4 Fund on the 24th January 1994. The locomotive was transported to the GWR in April 1994 and started for the first time in preservation 1 month later. Since then, a considerable amount of work has been carried out on the 47 culminating in the reinstatement of its steam heat boiler – thus making 47105 the first Class 47 to steam since 1987. The locomotive returned to passenger service on the 16th July 2021 following a 10 year overhaul, including a full repaint into British Rail Blue livery.
47376 (D1895) is owned by The Brush Type 4 Fund and was built by Brush Electrical Machines Ltd at Loughborough in 1965. The locomotive was accepted into traffic on the 1st September 1965 as D1895 and operated for the best part of 36 years before its last working on the 8th June 2001. Whilst operating the Southampton freightliner (4O07) in the Oxford area, a piston dropped into the engine sump writing off the Sulzer 12LDA28-C engine - the train was subsequently assisted to Southampton by a Class 57. The Class 47 was purchased by The Brush Type 4 Fund in November 2002 and transported to the GWR in 2003 after receiving a replacement engine at Ashchurch from sister loco No. 47295 - The engine swap took place on 21stJune 2003 following 47376's arrival from Southampton Maritime. An interesting fact is that 47376 was the first locomotive to wear the Freightliner Triple Grey livery.
The sound of a 2,580 bhp Sulzer 12LDA28-C diesel engine rumbling through Greet Tunnel is hard to beat, especially when there’s two of them!
Prices
Adult
£25.00
Child
£10.00
Family
£60.00
Dog
£4.00
Prices
Adult
£25.00
Child
£10.00
Dog
£4.00
Family
£60.00
2 Adults and 3 Children
Extended Family
£100.00
4 Adults and 3 Children
Contact Information
01242 621405
Trains Running
21 "Mavis"
Diesel Locomotive
No 21 "Mavis" has been stored at Toddington for some while, awaiting refurbishment. It is privately owned.
TSO 4763
Preserved in 1987 by the Paignton & Dartmouth Railway, moved to the GWSR by March 2004.
BSK 34929
Preserved 1982 By Stratford area group of GWSR.
FO 3132 (Mary)
Named 'Mary' in honour of a long-serving volunteer on the railway.
DMBS
DMU / Railcar
Cars W51360 and W51372 are owned by Cotswold Diesel Railcar Limited . W51360 is currently the 'spare' for our 117 set and W51372 is awaiting restoration.
Class 122
DMU / Railcar
W55003 is a Class 122 'Bubblecar' owned by Cotswold Diesel Railcar Limited and is currently undergoing refurbishment plus the creation of wheelchair-friendly accommodation at Toddington.
Class 117
DMU / Railcar
Normally comprising cars W51405 (DMS), W59510 (TCL), W51363 (DMBS), this Class 117 unit was purchased in 2011 by Cotswold Diesel Railcar Limited and is now running regular services from Toddington.
John
Steam Locomotive
'John' has been on the Railway for over 30 years. The loco is presently undergoing restoration including the construction of a virtually new boiler.
20228
Diesel Locomotive
20228 (D8128) - Class 20 Diesel Electric Locomotive. 20228 is privately owned and is now a permanent resident on the GWR. 20228 moved to the GWR in 2020 and should become serviceable during the 2022 season.
Des 372
Diesel Locomotive
372 arrived at Toddington in October 1999 and since then has been used extensively as yard shunter.
D2280
Diesel Locomotive
D2280 arrived on the GWSR in 2018 and is now part of the shunting fleet at Toddington. It is privately owned . There is a Bachman model of this locomotive available in BR green.
11230
Diesel Locomotive
11230 arrived on the GWSR in 2003 and is now working at Toddington with its restoration almost complete.
D2182
Diesel Locomotive
D2182 is usually to be seen shunting at the carriage works at Winchcombe
47376
Diesel Locomotive
47376 is owned by The Brush Type 4 Fund and is a permanent resident on the GWR. The Brush Type 4 Fund was formed in 1992 and, in November 2002, bought No 47376. The loco was transported to the GWR in 2003 after receiving a replacement engine at Ashchurch from sister loco No 47295.
47105
Diesel Locomotive
The Brush Type 4 Fund was formed in 1992 with the aim of preserving a Series Parallel Class 47, after 2 years of fund raising 47105 was bought from Crewe in January 1994.
45149
Diesel Locomotive
A class 45/1 Diesel Electric Locomotive. This locomotive is owned by The Cotswold Mainline Diesel Group and is a permanent resident on the GWR. It first ran in preservation during the 2013 Heritage Diesel Weekend.
37215
Diesel Locomotive
A class 37/0 Diesel Electric Locomotive, is owned by The Growler Group and is a permanent resident on the GWR. 37215 was preserved in 1994 and was returned to working order in 1998.
D6948
Diesel Locomotive
A class 37/0 Diesel Electric Locomotive, is owned by four individuals who are both Growler Group members and active working members of the GWR diesel department and is a permanent resident on the GWR. 37248 came to Toddington in 2010 and has undergone an extensive refurbishment including the provision of steam heating and a return to BR green.
D5343
Diesel Locomotive
A class 26 Diesel Electric Locomotive. This locomotive is owned by The Cotswold Mainline Diesel Group and is a permanent resident on the GWR. 26043 ran for the first time in preservation during the 2013 Heritage Diesel Weekend.
5081
Diesel Locomotive
A privately owned and is a permanent resident on the GWR. 24081 was preserved in 1981 and has remained operational throughout its life in preservation. Its bogie refurbishment is now complete and the loco is fit for service.
20137
Diesel Locomotive
A class 20 Diesel Electric Locomotive. 20137 is privately owned and is a permanent resident on the GWR. 20137 was purchased from British Rail at Wigan in 1994 and moved to the GWR. 20137 was returned to working order in 1995.
76077
Steam Locomotive
A BR Standard Class 4 mixed traffic locomotive, built 1956. Restoration started.
.JPG)
3850
Steam Locomotive
A '2884' class heavy freight locomotive, built 1942. Owned by Dinmore Manor Locomotive Limited, it is at Toddington for its 10-year overhaul.
2874
Steam Locomotive
A '28xx' class heavy freight locomotive, built 1918. This locomotive is owned by The 2874 Trust Limited and it is slowly being restored from 'Barry Scrapyard' condition.
2807
Steam Locomotive
A '28xx' class heavy freight locomotive, built in 1905. This locomotive is owned by Cotswold Steam Preservation Limited and, after a 29 year restoration, is one of the GWR's resident locomotives.
Peninsular & Oriental S. N. Co.
Steam Locomotive
35006 Peninsular & Oriental S. N. Co. is a Southern Railway rebuilt Merchant Navy Class 4-6-2 steam locomotive. It was built at Eastleigh locomotive works in December 1941 and given the Southern Railway number 21C6.
Foremarke Hall
Steam Locomotive
Although every inch a Great Western Railway thoroughbred, No. 7903 Foremarke Hall was one of the 79XX series, in the last batch of the Modified Hall class built at Swindon in 1949 under BR auspices.
Dinmore Manor
Steam Locomotive
7820 Dinmore Manor is a British Railways locomotive, part of the Manor Class. It is one of nine locomotives preserved from the class, which originally numbered 30.
