British Rail Class 31
Encyclopedia
The British Rail
Class 31 diesel locomotive
s, also known as the Brush Type 2 and originally as Class 30, were built by Brush Traction
from 1957-62.
12SVT engines. The locomotives were originally known as Class 30 under TOPS
, with re-engined examples joining Class 31. The class was originally intended for service on the Eastern Region
, but gradually became common in both the Western
and London Midland regions too.
Several sub-classes of Class 31 exist:
of 5.After being involved in a serious collision D5518 was rebuilt as a standard loco with indicator boxes,blue star coupling code and 90 mph gearing.
They were allocated to East Anglia
n sheds throughout their service, ending up allocated to Stratford
and latterly sporting that depot's trademark silver roof. Upon withdrawal four locomotives were converted at Stratford
into train pre-heating units. Locomotives 31013, 31002, 31014 and 31008 were renumbered ADB968013 to ADB968016 in the order given; ADB968014 was allocated to Bounds Green depot on the Great Northern main line and ADB968015 was based at Great Yarmouth
, while the remaining two were allocated to Stratford.
The first few locos externally had much in common with the original 31/0s as they lacked the roof mounted headcode box, and were also limited to 80 mi/h, but were otherwise the same as subsequent locos. The whole sub-class had steam heating
boilers fitted, had the Blue Star Electro-Pneumatic multiple-working controls as found on many other BR classes, and were classified as Route Availability
5. The Class 31/1s could be found on a variety of secondary and relief passenger duties as well as parcels and freight traffic.
While used in East Anglia
, with locos allocated to Stratford
and March
depots, they were found throughout the Eastern Region of BR
with Finsbury Park
sporting a large allocation along with the depots at Tinsley, Immingham
and Thornaby
. Locos were also allocated to Bristol Bath Road
and Old Oak Common
on the Western Region
, where they could be found working passenger trains as far west as Barnstaple and Paignton. In the early 1980s Healey Mills and Bescot
on the Midland Region also gained an allocation as replacements for Class 25s
.
, in order to allow them to power long trains, whose service run would be worked by a larger locomotive, between depot and terminus, although in actual passenger service loads rarely exceeded four or five carriages. 330 kW accounted for about a third of the total electrical power output, and the conversion was such that none of the ETH power was ever available for traction even if the ETH was not being used at all. The traction power output of the 31/4 was therefore limited to a maximum of two-thirds of that of the non-ETH variants, which did not help the performance of an already somewhat underpowered locomotive, and late running of 31/4-hauled services sometimes happened.
(then known as Fragonset Railways) purchased four redundant Class 31 locomotives from EWS. The first of these, no. 31452, was quickly repaired and repainted in a new black livery with a red mid-body band. It was quickly followed by nos. 31459 and 31468. Several more locomotives were also purchased, and in 1999, the first of two modified Class 31/6 locomotives re-entered traffic. The Class 31/6 subclass is essentially a modified Class 31/1 locomotive with through electric-train heating wiring. This enables a Class 31/4 and Class 31/6 to work in multiple and still heat the train, even if the no-heat Class 31/6 is attached to the carriages.
In 1999, Fragonset won a short-term contract with Silverlink
for two locomotives to work in top-and-tail mode with two Mk. 1 carriages on the Bletchley-Bedford line
. This was to cover for the non-availability of Class 117
and Class 121
diesel multiple unit
s. The trial was a success, and in 2000 it was repeated in the summer timetable. The locomotives were retained until displaced by more modern Class 150/1
units cascaded from Central Trains
.
By this time, the Fragonset Class 31 fleet had expanded considerably to include three Class 31/1, three Class 31/4 and two Class 31/6 locomotives. Regular work at this time included use hauling Class 317
electric multiple unit
s from WAGN's Hornsey
depot to Bedford for use with Thameslink
. As units were still maintained at Hornsey, this meant regular workings between the two depots to swap units when maintenance was due.
A Class 31 is now owned by Nemesis Rail based at Burton on Trent like 31128 was an ex Fragonset which at present is on loan to North Yorkshire Moors railway as a standby in case of steam loco shortage.
operates a fleet of three Class 31/1 locomotive, nos. 31105/233/285, and one Class 31/4 locomotive,31465 to haul test trains around the network. The locomotives were purchased from Fragonset, and overhauled at their Derby
workshops. They have been repainted in Network Rail's new all-over yellow livery.
Prior to operating its own locomotives, Network Rail's predecessor, Railtrack
, had hired two Class 31 locomotives from Fragonset. These two locomotives, nos. 31190 and 31601, were repainted in Railtrack's blue and lime green livery. With the overhaul and entry into service of Network Rail's own locomotives, these two engines were returned to Fragonset.
No. 31106 is privately owned by Howard Johnston, and after a period of lease to Fragonset and FM Rail is now managed by RVEL and in regular use with Network Rail. The same individual purchased three more of the class from EWS, but they acquired new owners - 31107 (scrapped at Rotherham in May 2009), 31289 (preserved at the Northampton & Lamport Railway), and 31301 (in store).
s, however some of these have been subsequently scrapped, see listings below. Of note are the first built, no. 31018, and the last built, no. 31327.
In addition, the following locomotives were previously preserved, but have since been scrapped.
On 21 August 2006, Network Rail and the BBC
television programme Top Gear
staged and filmed a crash between a Class 31 locomotive and a family car in order to promote rail safety. The off-limits event was the first of its type for 10 years and took place at Hibaldstow
level crossing
near Scawby in Lincolnshire
, where the B1206 road crosses the Barnetby–Gainsborough railway line.
Two Class 31 locomotives and a parked Renault Espace
were used during the crash. Network Rail's
31233 was used to propel 31107 up to a speed of 80 mi/h. The rear locomotive slowed down to a stop and 31107 continued to coast at a speed of 70–80 miles per hour into the road vehicle parked across the eastbound 'up' line.
For the crash, locomotive 31107 received a special black livery with the slogan "Level crossings — Don't run the risk" along the side in white lettering. The final 5 minute segment, presented by Jeremy Clarkson
, was originally scheduled for 4 February 2007 but was rescheduled, apparently due to a fatal crossing crash at Dingwall two days earlier. It was eventually aired on BBC Two
on 25 February 2007, shortly after the Cumbria derailment
. A repeat of the programme was pulled following a further level-crossing accident.
Another Class 31 was used in an episode of Dalziel and Pascoe
, where it crashed into a coach. This was filmed at Wansford railway station
level crossing on the Nene Valley Railway
.
Class 31 no. 31420 was also used in a train crash in the ITV series 'The Royal
', though locomotive was tipped over onto its side and separated from its bogies.31414 has been used in the ITV drama Mobile
and also in the BBC series Casualty
with the former Gatwick Express
coaches at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway
.
Class 31 no. 31108 appeared on 1st November 2010 in the BBC soap opera Eastenders
. The scene shows Janine Butcher nearly being hit by a train on a level crossing, and was filmed at the Nene Valley Railway.
. Airfix model railways also chose to produce a Class 31 when Airfix
entered the model train market in the mid 1970s. Lima
also produced a model.
Currently the only 00 Gauge model of the Class 31 is that produced by Hornby
since 2004.
2011 is expected to see the return of the Lima model under the Hornby Railroad banner.
An N Gauge model of the Class 31 is currently produced by Graham Farish
, while Lima
have also produced a model.
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
Class 31 diesel locomotive
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
s, also known as the Brush Type 2 and originally as Class 30, were built by Brush Traction
Brush Traction
This article is about a British rail-locomotive maker. For the Detroit auto-maker, see Brush Motor Car CompanyBrush Traction is a manufacturer and maintainer of railway locomotives, part of the FKI group , based at Loughborough in Leicestershire, England situated alongside the Midland Main Line.-...
from 1957-62.
Description
The Class 31 was one of the Pilot Scheme locomotives ordered by British Railways to replace steam traction. They were originally built with Mirrlees JVS12T 1250 bhp and 1365 bhp engines and Brush electrical equipment, but the engines were not successful and in 1964 a programme of works commenced to re-engine the fleet with the 1470 bhp English ElectricEnglish Electric
English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers...
12SVT engines. The locomotives were originally known as Class 30 under TOPS
TOPS
Total Operations Processing System, or TOPS, is a computer system for managing the locomotives and rolling stock owned by a rail system...
, with re-engined examples joining Class 31. The class was originally intended for service on the Eastern Region
Eastern Region of British Railways
The Eastern Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
, but gradually became common in both the Western
Western Region of British Railways
The Western Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
and London Midland regions too.
Several sub-classes of Class 31 exist:
- 31/0 - First batch of locos, fitted with Red Circle electro-magnetic control equipment - withdrawn in the late 1970s as non-standard
- 31/1 - The standard locomotive
- 31/4 - Fitted with ETH apparatus
- 31/5 - Former 31/4 with the ETH isolated for Civil Engineers Department use
- 31/6 - Standard locomotive through wired for ETH but without ETH apparatus.
Class 31/0
These first 20 locos, originally numbered D5500-D5519, were always easily recognisable as they did not have the headcode box mounted on the roof above the cab, leading to the nickname "Skinheads". They were also nicknamed "Toffee Apples" from the shape of the control key which had to be taken from cab to cab when changing ends. These pilot scheme locos were non-standard in having Electro-Magnetic Multiple-Working control equipment, and were limited to 80 mi/h. The Class 31/0s had a Route AvailabilityRoute availability
Route Availability is the system by which the permanent way and supporting works of the National Rail network of Great Britain are graded. All routes are allocated an RA number between 1 and 10....
of 5.After being involved in a serious collision D5518 was rebuilt as a standard loco with indicator boxes,blue star coupling code and 90 mph gearing.
They were allocated to East Anglia
East Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
n sheds throughout their service, ending up allocated to Stratford
Stratford TMD
Stratford TMD was a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Stratford, London, England, and was also the site of a Railway Works. Originally built in 1847 for the...
and latterly sporting that depot's trademark silver roof. Upon withdrawal four locomotives were converted at Stratford
Stratford TMD
Stratford TMD was a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Stratford, London, England, and was also the site of a Railway Works. Originally built in 1847 for the...
into train pre-heating units. Locomotives 31013, 31002, 31014 and 31008 were renumbered ADB968013 to ADB968016 in the order given; ADB968014 was allocated to Bounds Green depot on the Great Northern main line and ADB968015 was based at Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth railway station
Great Yarmouth railway station, formerly known as Yarmouth Vauxhall railway station, is in Great Yarmouth in the English county of Norfolk. The station is the terminus of the Wherry Line 29 km from Norwich...
, while the remaining two were allocated to Stratford.
Class 31/1
Steam generator (railroad)
Steam generator is the term used to describe a type of boiler used to produce steam for climate control and potable water heating in railroad passenger cars...
boilers fitted, had the Blue Star Electro-Pneumatic multiple-working controls as found on many other BR classes, and were classified as Route Availability
Route availability
Route Availability is the system by which the permanent way and supporting works of the National Rail network of Great Britain are graded. All routes are allocated an RA number between 1 and 10....
5. The Class 31/1s could be found on a variety of secondary and relief passenger duties as well as parcels and freight traffic.
While used in East Anglia
East Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
, with locos allocated to Stratford
Stratford TMD
Stratford TMD was a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Stratford, London, England, and was also the site of a Railway Works. Originally built in 1847 for the...
and March
March TMD
March TMD was a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated near March, England. March was a steam shed under British Railways with the depot code 31B; the depot code of the diesel depot under BR was MR. The nearest railway station is March, and the depot was located close to the Whitemoor...
depots, they were found throughout the Eastern Region of BR
Eastern Region of British Railways
The Eastern Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
with Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park TMD
Finsbury Park TMD was a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in London, England. It was the first purpose built main line diesel locomotive depot opened in this country and it was fully commissioned in April 1960 . It was downgraded in June 1981 and closed in October 1983...
sporting a large allocation along with the depots at Tinsley, Immingham
Immingham TMD
Immingham TMD is a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Immingham, North East Lincolnshire outside Grimsby, England.- History :Originally built by the Great Central Railway in 1912 to service the newly opened Immingham Docks, it was taken over by the LNER and later Eastern Region of...
and Thornaby
Thornaby TMD
Thornaby TMD was a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Thornaby, England, and latterly operated by D B Schenker.Thornaby opened as a steam shed under British Railways in June 1958 with the depot code 51L. It took over the allocations of the 'decrepit establishments' at Newport and...
. Locos were also allocated to Bristol Bath Road
Bristol Bath Road TMD
Bristol Bath Road TMD was a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Bristol.Originally built for the Bristol and Exeter Railway, it was rebuilt in 1934 by the Great Western Railway. The depot was rebuilt again in the early 1960's as its role changed from maintaining steam locomotives to...
and Old Oak Common
Old Oak Common TMD
Old Oak Common TMD is situated to the west of London, in Old Oak Common. The Traction Maintenance Depot is the main facility for the storage and servicing of locomotives and multiple-units which utilise Paddington Station. The depot codes are 'OC' for the diesel depot, and 'OO' for the carriage shed...
on the Western Region
Western Region of British Railways
The Western Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
, where they could be found working passenger trains as far west as Barnstaple and Paignton. In the early 1980s Healey Mills and Bescot
Bescot TMD
Bescot TMD is a locomotive traction maintenance depot in the West Midlands, England. It is situated adjacent to Bescot Stadium station. The depot is currently operated by DBS . The current depot code is BS but, in steam days, the shed code was 3A.Bescot Marshalling Yard is to the south-east of the...
on the Midland Region also gained an allocation as replacements for Class 25s
British Rail Class 25
The British Rail Class 25 diesel locomotives were also known as Sulzer Type 2 and nicknamed Rats, as it was alleged they could be seen everywhere in Britain, and hence were "as common as rats"...
.
Class 31/4
The Class 31/4s, numbered from 31400 to 31469, were conversions of 31/1s to which ETH was fitted. They had an ETH index of 66, equivalent to 330 kW, which was sufficient to power trains of up to eleven Mk 3 carriagesBritish Rail Mark 3
British Rail's third design of standard carriage was designated 'Mark 3' , and was developed primarily for the InterCity 125 High Speed Train...
, in order to allow them to power long trains, whose service run would be worked by a larger locomotive, between depot and terminus, although in actual passenger service loads rarely exceeded four or five carriages. 330 kW accounted for about a third of the total electrical power output, and the conversion was such that none of the ETH power was ever available for traction even if the ETH was not being used at all. The traction power output of the 31/4 was therefore limited to a maximum of two-thirds of that of the non-ETH variants, which did not help the performance of an already somewhat underpowered locomotive, and late running of 31/4-hauled services sometimes happened.
English, Welsh and Scottish Railway (EWS)
The final three EWS locomotives were withdrawn in 2001.FM Rail
In 1998, FM RailFM Rail
FM Rail Limited was a railway spot-hire and charter company based at Derby, United Kingdom. The company was formed in January 2005 following the merging of spot-hire company Fragonset Railways Limited with charter train operating company Merlin Rail Limited...
(then known as Fragonset Railways) purchased four redundant Class 31 locomotives from EWS. The first of these, no. 31452, was quickly repaired and repainted in a new black livery with a red mid-body band. It was quickly followed by nos. 31459 and 31468. Several more locomotives were also purchased, and in 1999, the first of two modified Class 31/6 locomotives re-entered traffic. The Class 31/6 subclass is essentially a modified Class 31/1 locomotive with through electric-train heating wiring. This enables a Class 31/4 and Class 31/6 to work in multiple and still heat the train, even if the no-heat Class 31/6 is attached to the carriages.
In 1999, Fragonset won a short-term contract with Silverlink
Silverlink
Silverlink Train Services Ltd was a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operated routes in North London and from London to Northampton...
for two locomotives to work in top-and-tail mode with two Mk. 1 carriages on the Bletchley-Bedford line
Marston Vale Line
The Marston Vale Line is the railway line from Bletchley to Bedford in England. It is one of two surviving passenger-carrying sections of the "Varsity Line" between Oxford and Cambridge....
. This was to cover for the non-availability of Class 117
British Rail Class 117
The British Rail Class 117 diesel multiple units were built by Pressed Steel from 1959 to 1961.When first introduced, these three-car units were all based with the similar Class 121 single carriage units on British Railway's Western Region for suburban work out of London Paddington, as well as...
and Class 121
British Rail Class 121
Sixteen Class 121 single-car driving motor vehicles were built from 1960, numbered 55020–55035. These were supplemented by ten trailer vehicles, numbered 56280–56289 . They had a top speed of 70 mph, with slam-doors, and vacuum brakes...
diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s. The trial was a success, and in 2000 it was repeated in the summer timetable. The locomotives were retained until displaced by more modern Class 150/1
British Rail Class 150
The British Rail Class 150 "Sprinter" diesel multiple units were built by BREL from 1984-87. A total of 137 units were built in three main subclasses, replacing many of the earlier first-generation "Heritage" DMUs.- Background :...
units cascaded from Central Trains
Central Trains
Central Trains was one of the original 25 train operating companies to emerge from the break-up of British Rail between 1994 and 1997. The company operated local, urban and secondary express services across central England and Mid Wales.-Overview:...
.
By this time, the Fragonset Class 31 fleet had expanded considerably to include three Class 31/1, three Class 31/4 and two Class 31/6 locomotives. Regular work at this time included use hauling Class 317
British Rail Class 317
The British Rail Class 317 alternating current electric multiple units were built by BREL York in two batches, from 1981-82 and 1985-87. They were the first of several classes of British Rail EMU to be based on the all-steel Mark 3 bodyshell, departing from the "PEP"-aluminium design which had...
electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
s from WAGN's Hornsey
Hornsey TMD
Hornsey Electric Multiple Unit Depot is a railway maintenance depot for First Capital Connect's Great Northern fleet of electric multiple units, as well as carrying out those maintenance tasks on FCC's Thameslink Class 319 and 377 units which Bedford Cauldwell depot is unable to do...
depot to Bedford for use with Thameslink
Thameslink
Thameslink is a fifty-station main-line route in the British railway system running north to south through London from Bedford to Brighton, serving both London Gatwick Airport and London Luton Airport. It opened as a through service in 1988 and by 1998 was severely overcrowded, carrying more than...
. As units were still maintained at Hornsey, this meant regular workings between the two depots to swap units when maintenance was due.
Mainline Rail
After the demise of FM Rail, several of their Class 31s passed to Mainline Rail, operated by RMS Locotec. As of November 2008, four 31/4s and one 31/6 are owned by RMS Locotec, which is a subsidiary of British American Railway Services, Ltd.A Class 31 is now owned by Nemesis Rail based at Burton on Trent like 31128 was an ex Fragonset which at present is on loan to North Yorkshire Moors railway as a standby in case of steam loco shortage.
Network Rail
Network RailNetwork Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
operates a fleet of three Class 31/1 locomotive, nos. 31105/233/285, and one Class 31/4 locomotive,31465 to haul test trains around the network. The locomotives were purchased from Fragonset, and overhauled at their Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
workshops. They have been repainted in Network Rail's new all-over yellow livery.
Prior to operating its own locomotives, Network Rail's predecessor, Railtrack
Railtrack
Railtrack was a group of companies that owned the track, signalling, tunnels, bridges, level crossings and all but a handful of the stations of the British railway system from its formation in April 1994 until 2002...
, had hired two Class 31 locomotives from Fragonset. These two locomotives, nos. 31190 and 31601, were repainted in Railtrack's blue and lime green livery. With the overhaul and entry into service of Network Rail's own locomotives, these two engines were returned to Fragonset.
No. 31106 is privately owned by Howard Johnston, and after a period of lease to Fragonset and FM Rail is now managed by RVEL and in regular use with Network Rail. The same individual purchased three more of the class from EWS, but they acquired new owners - 31107 (scrapped at Rotherham in May 2009), 31289 (preserved at the Northampton & Lamport Railway), and 31301 (in store).
Preservation
Over 30 locomotives have been purchased for use on heritage railwayHeritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
s, however some of these have been subsequently scrapped, see listings below. Of note are the first built, no. 31018, and the last built, no. 31327.
| Numbers carried (Current in bold) |
Name | Livery | Location | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D5500 | 31018 | — | — | — | BR Blue | National Railway Museum National Railway Museum The National Railway Museum is a museum in York forming part of the British National Museum of Science and Industry and telling the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It has won many awards, including the European Museum of the Year Award in 2001... |
First-built locomotive, now part of the National Collection |
| D5518 | 31101 | — | — | — | BR Large Logo Blue | Battlefield Line | — |
| D5522 | 31104 | 31418 | — | Boadicea | BR Blue | Midland Railway - Butterley Midland Railway - Butterley The Midland Railway – Butterley is a heritage railway, formerly known until 2004 as the Midland Railway Centre, at Butterley, near Ripley in Derbyshire.-Overview:... |
— |
| D5526 | 31108 | — | — | — | Railfreight Grey | Nene Valley Railway Nene Valley Railway The Nene Valley Railway is a preserved railway in Cambridgeshire, England, running between Peterborough Nene Valley and Yarwell Junction. The line is currently seven and a half miles in length... |
— |
| D5533 | 31115 | 31466 | — | — | EWS Maroon/Gold | Dean Forest Railway Dean Forest Railway The Dean Forest Railway is a long heritage railway that runs between Lydney and Parkend in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. The route was part of the Severn and Wye Railway which ran from Lydney to Cinderford. The society that operates the line started steam locomotive operations in 1971, and... |
— |
| D5537 | 31119 | — | — | — | Railfreight Red Stripe | Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway The Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway is a heritage railway in North Yorkshire, England, . It is part of the former Midland Railway branch from Skipton to Ilkley . The E&BASR currently runs from Embsay via Draughton and Holywell to Bolton Abbey station, a distance of... |
— |
| D5548 | 31130 | — | — | Calder Hall Power Station | Trainload Coal | Battlefield Line | — |
| D5557 | 31139 | 31438 | 31538 | — | BR Blue | Epping Ongar Railway Epping Ongar Railway The Epping Ongar Railway operates on a preserved railway along the final section of the old Great Eastern Railway and London Underground Central Line branch line between Epping and Ongar, with an intermediate station at North Weald... |
— |
| D5562 | 31144 | — | — | — | Civil Engineers | Privately owned at private site near Newton Heath in Manchester | — |
| D5580 | 31162 | — | — | — | BR Blue | Llangollen Railway Llangollen Railway The Llangollen Railway is a volunteer-run preserved railway in Denbighshire, Wales, which operates between Llangollen and Carrog; at long, it is the longest preserved standard gauge line in Wales and operates daily in Summer as well as weekends throughout the Winter months using a wide variety of... |
— |
| D5581 | 31163 | — | — | — | BR Green | Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway | — |
| D5600 | 31179 | 31435 | — | Newton Heath TMD | BR Green | Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway The Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway is a heritage railway in North Yorkshire, England, . It is part of the former Midland Railway branch from Skipton to Ilkley . The E&BASR currently runs from Embsay via Draughton and Holywell to Bolton Abbey station, a distance of... |
- |
| D5627 | 31203 | — | — | Steve Orgam G.M | BR Green | Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway The Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway is a volunteer-run heritage railway in South Wales, running trains between a halt platform opposite the Whistle Stop public house southwards to the town of Blaenavon via a two-platform station at the site of former colliery furnace.The line is the highest... |
— |
| D5630 | 31206 | — | — | — | Civil Engineers | Rushden, Higham and Wellingborough Railway Rushden, Higham and Wellingborough Railway The Rushden, Higham & Wellingborough Railway is a heritage railway operated by the Rushden Historical Transport Society in the United Kingdom. The aim is to re-open the ex-Midland Railway branch line from Wellingborough to Higham Ferrers, which had been closed completely in November 1969. At... |
|
| D5631 | 31207 | — | — | — | BR Green | North Norfolk Railway North Norfolk Railway The North Norfolk Railway – also known as the "Poppy Line" – is a heritage steam railway in Norfolk, England, running between the coastal town of Sheringham and Holt, It cuts through the countryside to the east of Weybourne with views of its windmill and passes through the well preserved country... |
One of final three locomotive operated by EWS. |
| D5634 | 31210 | — | — | — | BR Green | Dean Forest Railway Dean Forest Railway The Dean Forest Railway is a long heritage railway that runs between Lydney and Parkend in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. The route was part of the Severn and Wye Railway which ran from Lydney to Cinderford. The society that operates the line started steam locomotive operations in 1971, and... |
— |
| D5662 | 31235 | — | — | — | BR Blue | Mid-Norfolk Railway Mid-Norfolk Railway The Mid-Norfolk Railway or MNR is a heritage railway in the English county of Norfolk. Opening as a tourist line in 1997, it is often referred to as a "New Generation" heritage railway.... |
— |
| D5669 | 31410 | — | — | — | Regional Railways | Privately owned at Kirby Stephen | — |
| D5683 | 31255 | — | — | — | EWS Red/Gold | Colne Valley Railway Colne Valley Railway The Colne Valley Railway is a heritage railway based at Castle Hedingham Station, near Halstead in Essex, England. The railway consists of a mile-long running line, with a fully reconstructed station, signal box and railway yard... |
Repainted in EWS livery for paint trials. |
| D5695 | 31265 | 31430 | 31530 | Sister Dora | Civil Engineers | Mid-Norfolk Railway Mid-Norfolk Railway The Mid-Norfolk Railway or MNR is a heritage railway in the English county of Norfolk. Opening as a tourist line in 1997, it is often referred to as a "New Generation" heritage railway.... |
— |
| D5800 | 31270 | — | — | — | Regional Railways | Peak Rail Peak Rail Peak Rail is a preserved railway in Derbyshire, England, which operates a steam service for tourists and visitors to both the Peak District and the Derbyshire Dales.... |
— |
| D5801 | 31271 | — | — | Stratford 1840-2001 | Trainload Construction | Midland Railway - Butterley Midland Railway - Butterley The Midland Railway – Butterley is a heritage railway, formerly known until 2004 as the Midland Railway Centre, at Butterley, near Ripley in Derbyshire.-Overview:... |
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| D5814 | 31414 | 31514 | — | — | Gatwick Express Intercity | Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Ecclesbourne Valley Railway The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway is a long heritage railway in Derbyshire, the headquarters of the railway centre around Wirksworth station and services operate between Wirksworth and Duffield and Wirksworth and Ravenstor... |
Fitted with 'Pink Circle' for operations similar to Class 73 British Rail Class 73 The British Rail Class 73 is a United Kingdom model of electro-diesel locomotive. The type is unusual in that it can operate from a 750 V DC third-rail or an on-board diesel engine to allow it to operate on non-electrified routes... |
| D5821 | 31289 | — | — | Phoenix | BR Blue | Northampton & Lamport Railway Northampton & Lamport Railway The Northampton & Lamport Railway is a standard gauge heritage railway in Northamptonshire, England. It is based at Pitsford and Brampton station, near the villages of Pitsford and Chapel Brampton, roughly north of Northampton.-Overview:... |
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| D5830 | 31297 | 31463 | 31563 | — | BR Golden Ochre | Great Central Railway | — |
| D5862 | 31327 | — | — | — | BR Green | Strathspey Railway | Final locomotive built. |
In addition, the following locomotives were previously preserved, but have since been scrapped.
- 31113 ex-Chinnor and Princes Risborough RailwayChinnor and Princes Risborough RailwayThe Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway is a heritage railway with its main station at Chinnor on the border between Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, England.-History:...
- scrapped in June 2008 at EMR Kingsbury after death of owner - 31123 ex-Gloucestershire Warwickshire RailwayGloucestershire Warwickshire RailwayThe Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway is a volunteer-run heritage railway on the Gloucestershire/Worcestershire/Warwickshire Borders that has reopened the closed railway line between Laverton Halt and Cheltenham Racecourse railway stations in Gloucestershire/Worcestershire., it currently...
- scrapped in 2006 by A1A Locomotives - 31166 ex-Wensleydale RailwayWensleydale RailwayThe Wensleydale Railway is a railway line in Wensleydale and Lower Swaledale in North Yorkshire, England and the name of the company that operates services on the line....
- scrapped in 2009 - 31188 ex-Wensleydale RailwayWensleydale RailwayThe Wensleydale Railway is a railway line in Wensleydale and Lower Swaledale in North Yorkshire, England and the name of the company that operates services on the line....
- scrapped in 2008 - 31421 ex-Midland Railway ButterleyMidland Railway ButterleyThe Midland Railway – Butterley is a heritage railway, formerly known until 2004 as the Midland Railway Centre, at Butterley, near Ripley in Derbyshire.-Overview:...
- scrapped in 2007 after deal fell through for loco to get power unit ex. 31405 - 31442 ex-Churnet Valley RailwayChurnet Valley RailwayThe Churnet Valley Railway is a standard gauge heritage railway to the east of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire. The CVR has two main operational headquarters - Cheddleton station, where the motive power department is based and where the first trains ran, and Kingsley and Froghall station, where...
- scrapped in 2004 - 31467 ex-East Lancashire RailwayEast Lancashire RailwayThe East Lancashire Railway is a heritage railway in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, England.-Overview:After formal closure by British Rail in 1982, the line was reopened on 25 July 1987. The initial service operated between Bury and Ramsbottom, via Summerseat. In 1991 the service was extended...
- scrapped in 2008 after being stripped by metal thieves. 31556 due to follow shortly.
Media
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television programme Top Gear
Top Gear (current format)
Top Gear is a British television series about motor vehicles, primarily cars. It began in 1977 as a conventional motoring magazine show. Over time, and especially since a relaunch in 2002, it has developed a quirky, humorous style...
staged and filmed a crash between a Class 31 locomotive and a family car in order to promote rail safety. The off-limits event was the first of its type for 10 years and took place at Hibaldstow
Hibaldstow
Hibaldstow is a village and civil parish on the B1206, south of Brigg and the M180, in North Lincolnshire, England. The deserted medieval village of Gainsthorpe is situated nearby.-History:...
level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
near Scawby in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, where the B1206 road crosses the Barnetby–Gainsborough railway line.
Two Class 31 locomotives and a parked Renault Espace
Renault Espace
The Renault Espace is a large MPV from French car-maker Renault. Generations 1-3 were sold under the Renault brand but manufactured by Matra. The current fourth generation model, which seats seven passengers, is an all-Renault product; the Renault Grand Espace is a long-wheelbase version with...
were used during the crash. Network Rail's
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
31233 was used to propel 31107 up to a speed of 80 mi/h. The rear locomotive slowed down to a stop and 31107 continued to coast at a speed of 70–80 miles per hour into the road vehicle parked across the eastbound 'up' line.
For the crash, locomotive 31107 received a special black livery with the slogan "Level crossings — Don't run the risk" along the side in white lettering. The final 5 minute segment, presented by Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson is an English broadcaster, journalist and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for his role on the BBC TV show Top Gear along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May...
, was originally scheduled for 4 February 2007 but was rescheduled, apparently due to a fatal crossing crash at Dingwall two days earlier. It was eventually aired on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
on 25 February 2007, shortly after the Cumbria derailment
Grayrigg derailment
The Grayrigg derailment was a fatal railway accident that occurred at approximately 20:15 GMT on 23 February 2007, just to the south of Grayrigg, Cumbria, in North West England. The initial conclusion of the accident investigation is that the derailment was caused by a faulty set of points ,...
. A repeat of the programme was pulled following a further level-crossing accident.
Another Class 31 was used in an episode of Dalziel and Pascoe
Dalziel and Pascoe (BBC TV series)
Dalziel and Pascoe is a popular British television crime drama based on the Dalziel and Pascoe books by Reginald Hill, which was first broadcast in March 1996. It is set in Yorkshire, and is about two detectives...
, where it crashed into a coach. This was filmed at Wansford railway station
Wansford railway station
Wansford railway station is the headquarters of the Nene Valley Railway. The current station building was opened in 1995 and contains a ticket office, shop, cafe and toilets. The locomotive sheds are located at this station. Also at the station there is a picnic area and children's playground...
level crossing on the Nene Valley Railway
Nene Valley Railway
The Nene Valley Railway is a preserved railway in Cambridgeshire, England, running between Peterborough Nene Valley and Yarwell Junction. The line is currently seven and a half miles in length...
.
Class 31 no. 31420 was also used in a train crash in the ITV series 'The Royal
The Royal
The Royal is a British medical drama series produced by ITV. The show comprises one hour episodes which were normally first aired on ITV in the Sunday early evening slot....
', though locomotive was tipped over onto its side and separated from its bogies.31414 has been used in the ITV drama Mobile
Mobile (TV series)
Mobile is a 3-part British television drama series with an interweaving plot based around a fictional mobile phone operator and the adverse-effect of mobile phone radiation to health. The series was screened by ITV in the UK, during March 2007. The cast includes Jamie Draven, Neil Fitzmaurice,...
and also in the BBC series Casualty
Casualty (TV series)
Casualty, stylised as Casual+y, is a British weekly television show broadcast on BBC One, and the longest-running emergency medical drama television series in the world. Created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, it was first broadcast on 6 September 1986, and transmitted in the UK on BBC One. The...
with the former Gatwick Express
Gatwick Express
Gatwick Express is the name given to the frequent rail shuttle service between Victoria station in London and Gatwick Airport in South East England, operated by the Southern franchise...
coaches at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway
Ecclesbourne Valley Railway
The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway is a long heritage railway in Derbyshire, the headquarters of the railway centre around Wirksworth station and services operate between Wirksworth and Duffield and Wirksworth and Ravenstor...
.
Class 31 no. 31108 appeared on 1st November 2010 in the BBC soap opera Eastenders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
. The scene shows Janine Butcher nearly being hit by a train on a level crossing, and was filmed at the Nene Valley Railway.
Models
The first model of the Class 31 was made by TriangTri-ang Railways
Tri-ang Railways was a British manufacturer of toy trains, one of the elements of the Lines Bros Ltd company who traded using the Tri-ang brand name...
. Airfix model railways also chose to produce a Class 31 when Airfix
Airfix
Airfix is a UK manufacturer of plastic scale model kits of aircraft and other subjects. In Britain, the name Airfix is synonymous with the hobby, a plastic model of this type is often simply referred to as "an airfix kit" even if made by another manufacturer....
entered the model train market in the mid 1970s. Lima
Lima (models)
Lima S.p.A was a brand of railway models made in Vicenza, Italy, for almost 50 years, from the early 1950s until the company ceased trading in 2004...
also produced a model.
Currently the only 00 Gauge model of the Class 31 is that produced by Hornby
Hornby Railways
Hornby Railways is the leading brand of model railway in the United Kingdom. Its roots date back to 1901, when founder Frank Hornby received a patent for his Meccano construction toy. The first clockwork train was produced in 1920. In 1938, Hornby launched its first 00 gauge train...
since 2004.
2011 is expected to see the return of the Lima model under the Hornby Railroad banner.
An N Gauge model of the Class 31 is currently produced by Graham Farish
Graham Farish
Graham Farish is a company that produces large quantities of British outline model railway equipment in N gauge.-History:The Poole, Dorset based manufacturer of radio parts and kits entered the model railway business in the late 1940s, after the need for radio sets reduced post World War II...
, while Lima
Lima (models)
Lima S.p.A was a brand of railway models made in Vicenza, Italy, for almost 50 years, from the early 1950s until the company ceased trading in 2004...
have also produced a model.