The Many Numbers and History of 47 790

A couple of days ago I published a post on the different locomotives to have been numbered 68 006 (see here if you missed it). That seemed to be well received, and I must thank Tim for publicising the post on the various rail forums - lunch is definitely on me next time we meet. Today, though, I'm doing the complete opposite and posting a feature on a locomotive that has had many different numbers over her 50 years in service, still going strong today. I really must thank in advance all those generous folks on Flickr who allow their pics to be downloaded, without who posts like these would be just impossible, until a real TARDIS is invented anyway!

If you are lucky enough to see the "short set" running between Norwich and Yarmouth/Lowestoft you may well see Northern Belle 47 790 at one end. Not for much longer mind you as the much anticipated 37's are taking over soon. I thought it would be good to delve into the history of this magnificent beast and see what I could come up with. The answer is more than I could ever fit into one post but I'll squeeze in as much as I can.

Our heroine started life in Edinburgh Haymarket depot in November 1965, numbered D1973. Here she is when new in her home depot. The pic is by runtheredlne whose Flickr page you can access here.

D1973 at Haymarket depot in Edinburgh     pic by runtheredline

In the early 1970's the fleet were renumbered into the 47 series to comply with the new TOPS computerised system. D1973 became 47 272 and continued to be used for both passenger and freight services. Here she is in 1975 with a freight service in Follingsby near Gateshead. A little confused over the headcode though, which indicates a passenger express service! The pic is by 52G Sunderland whose Flickr page you can access here.

47272 at Follingsby in August 1975    pic by 52G Sunderland

There is one more picture from this era I want to show you, again from Gateshead, this time in 1979 after she had been stripped of her headcode display - that must have annoyed enthusiasts all over the country! Here she is at Gateshead depot next to a rarely seen anmal these days - a Class 46. The pic is by Brian Daniels, whose Flickr page you can access here.

47 292 next to 46 042 at Gateshead July 1979   pic by Brian Daniels

Time for another number change. In the 1980's 47's with or without train heating equipment were differentiated and the locos with heating capability were renumbered 47 4** or 5**. 47 292 became 47593, and found herself out on the mainline. This first pic was taken in Stafford in July 1985 and you can access vincentminto's Flickr page by clicking here.

47 593 at Stafford in 1985    pic by vincentminto

After this 47 593 went back home to Scotland, and not only gained Intercity livery, but also a piece of equipment essential when you are running up to the likes of Aberdeen! This pic was taken at Eastfield depot in Glasgow which closed in the early 1990's.  The pic is by Ian Cuthbertson whose Flickr page you can access here.

47 593 at Eastfield Depot          pic by Ian Cuthbertson

And now things get complicated. Very complicated. Above the loco is numbered 47 593. Not long after that she was renumbered again, this time to 47 673, for a reason I haven't a clue about, and here is the pic to prove it, taken in Doncaster in March 1994, minus snow ploughs again, by Trevor Plackett, whose Flickr page you can access here.

The now numbered 47673 at Doncaster March 1994    pic by Trevor Plackett

 However that number didn't last long, and by the end of the same year she was renumbered 47 790. She also got a new livery, painted into Rail Express Systems colours. Here she is in Nuneaton, carrying the name plate St David/Dewi Sant in September 2002. The pic is by Steve Jones, whose Flickr page you can access here.

47 790 at Nuneaton in September 2002     pic by Steve Jones

After that she went to EWS for a time, helping to rescue stranded Pendolinos, before being taken on by Crewe based DRS.  And this is where things get seriously complicated. On July 11th 2009 47 790 was named Galloway Princess again after carrying the name back in the 70's. However, as you will notice from this picture taken at the naming ceremony in Stirling the loco has gone back in time! The pic is by Richard Tupholme, whose Flickr page you can access here.

Yup she's 47 593 again. Naming ceremony at Stirling.   pic by Richard Tupholme

 If anyone can fill in the gaps for me with dates, and better still reasons why she was renumbered 47 593 only to become 47 790 again I'll be grateful. I thought this would be a pretty easy timeline but it has become more like a time spaghetti junction!  By July 2010 she was 47 790 again, still in DRS livery, and was in East Anglia operating the Summer Saturday drags from Great Yarmouth to Norwich. The pic is by Tom.Jenkins, whose Flickr page you can access here.

47 790 at Postwick with Yarnouth drag July 2010     pic by Tom.Jenkins

And that brings us near enough up to date. 50 years, at least 8 different liveries, 5 numbers, two of them twice, and has probably covered most of the track in Great Britain. Soon 47 790 was repainted into Northern Belle livery and if you do a Flickr search you will find reams of superb pics of her all over the place towing everything from single cars to 12 coach charters. However, having used photos from other people in this post I'd better finish with one of mine. This amazing locomotive is older than me, and is certainly in better condition! D1973/47292/47593/47673/47790/47593/47790 we salute and thank you. Get out and ride her while you can.

47 790 at Lowestoft Station January 2015