British Rail Class 31


The British Rail Class 31 diesel locomotives, also known as the Brush Type 2 and originally as Class 30, were built by Brush Traction from 1957-62. They were numbered in two series, D5500-D5699 and D5800-D5862.

Description

Construction of the first locomotive was completed in the final week of September 1957, and the handing-over took place on 31 October. The Class 31 entered service in November 1957, after the launch of the Class 20 locomotive and was one of the Pilot Scheme locomotives ordered by British Railways to replace steam traction.

Engines

They were originally built with Mirrlees JVS12T and engines and Brush electrical equipment, but the engines were not successful and in 1964 D5677 was fitted with an English Electric 12SVT engine rated at. The trial proved successful, and between 1965 and 1969 the entire class was re-engined. The de-rated engine was used as it was the maximum the electrical system could accept.

Classification

The Mirrlees-engined 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.

Sub-classes

Several sub-classes of Class 31 exist:
These first 20 locomotives, 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 "Gurglers" from the noise of their engines, and "Toffee Apples" from the shape of the control key which had to be taken from cab to cab when changing ends. These pilot scheme locomotives were non-standard in having Electro-Magnetic Multiple-Working control equipment, and were limited to. After being involved in a serious collision D5518 was rebuilt in September 1967 as a standard locomotive, with indicator boxes, and blue star coupling code
They were allocated to East Anglian sheds throughout their service, ending up allocated to Stratford, their initial shed, and latterly sporting that depot's trademark silver roof. Upon withdrawal four locomotives were converted at Stratford into train pre-heating units. Locomotives 31 013, 31 002, 31 014 and 31 008 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.

Class 31/1

The first few locos externally had much in common with the original 31/0s as twenty lacked the roof mounted headcode box, and fifteen were also limited to , 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. 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.

Class 31/4

The Class 31/4s, numbered from 31 400 to 31 469, 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 carriages. This allowed them to pre-heat 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. The early conversions tapped off the main generator such that none of the ETH power was available for traction even if the ETH was not being used. The traction power output of some of the 31/4 subclass was therefore limited to a maximum of two-thirds of that of the non-ETH variants, this did not help the performance of an already somewhat underpowered locomotive, and late running of these 31/4-hauled services sometimes happened. Later conversions allowed unused ETH power to be used for traction.

Class 31/5

In the late 1980s with increased use of "Sprinter" type units on previously loco hauled diagrams, there were ETH fitted Locomotives to spare and with this in mind, some Class 31's were selected to have their ETH cables removed from the front buffer beam. This was done to try to prevent passenger sectors of BR borrowing the locomotives from the Freight sectors, and to cut down on maintenance of surplus equipment. The re-numbering was achieved by simply adding 100 to the existing TOPS number i.e. 31 407 became 31 507. When the re-numbering was taking place, most locos were still in standard BR Blue livery and the 4 in the number was painted over and a 5 placed over the top. Some of the sub-class were painted into Civil Engineers all over Grey livery, although most were subsequently painted into the "Dutch" Yellow and Grey livery. Only 31 530, 31 544 and 31 568 were named when numbered as a 31/5. 31 544 was also notable as the only one of the sub-class with the original "toffee apple" style cabs without the route indicators on the roof.

Class 31/6

Only two locomotives received this modification, performed during their time with Fragonset Railways. This modification means they are though wired for Electric Train Heating but cannot actually provide it. This means they can be coupled to a train behind another locomotive, and the front locomotive is still able to heat the train. 31 601 is now preserved at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway where it regularly operates trains while 31 602 is thought to be stored out of use, having been withdrawn from main line use.

Operation

Initial deliveries of Class 31/0 locomotives were to Stratford depot in east London and deliveries continued with Class 31/1 locos going to the Eastern and North Eastern regions. Class 31s were first used on the Western Region in 1969 when No. 5535 was allocated to Old Oak Common to work Empty Coaching Stock trains into Paddington.

Accidents and incidents

English, Welsh & Scottish

Before the introduction of Class 66, English Welsh & Scottish took control of the class 31s from the Mainline Freight and Trainload Freight companies. 31 466 was repainted into EWS colours for the Toton TMD open day in May 1998 and soon became the only one of the class to be in traffic running in the EWS colours. 31 255 also received EWS colours but never ran on the main line and spent its life at Toton until preservation. In their final days of EWS ownership, 31 110 was repainted into BR green in the summer of 1999 and featured its original number D5528 to mark the end of their working lives with EWS and worked the last EWS class 31 hauled railtour. The final four EWS locomotives were withdrawn in February 2001. Of the two EWS liveried locos, 31 255 is now owned by Harry Needle Railroad Company for mainline use and 31 466 is now preserved.

FM Rail

In 1998, Fragonset Railways purchased four redundant Class 31 locomotives from EWS. The first of these, no. 31 452, was quickly repaired and repainted in a new black livery with a red mid-body band. It was quickly followed by nos. 31 459 and 31 468. 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 31 601 & 31 602 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 Marston Vale Line. This was to cover for the non-availability of Class 117 and Class 121 diesel multiple units. 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 31/1s, three Class 31/4s and two Class 31/6 locomotives. Regular work at this time included use hauling Class 317 electric multiple units from West Anglia Great Northern'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.

Mainline Rail

After the demise of FM Rail, several of its 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.

Nemesis Rail

Class 31 numbers 31 128 and 31 461 are now owned by Nemesis Rail, based at Burton upon Trent. 31 128 is an ex-Fragonset locomotive.

Network Rail

operated a fleet of three Class 31/1 locomotives, nos. 31 105/233/285, and one Class 31/4 locomotive, 31 465 to haul test trains around the network. The locomotives were purchased from Fragonset Railways, and overhauled at its Derby workshops. They were been repainted in Network Rail's then new all-over yellow livery. 31 285 and 31 465 were offered for sale by tender in July 2015, and 31 233 and 31 105 in August 2018.
Prior to operating its own locomotives, Network Rail's predecessor, Railtrack, had hired two Class 31 locomotives from Fragonset. These two locomotives, nos. 31 190 and 31 601, 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. 31 106, formerly Spalding Town, is privately owned by Howard Johnston, and after a period of lease to Fragonset, FM Rail, and RVEL which included extensive main line running for 11 years, including working as far north as Oban in Scotland, is based at the Weardale Railway. After inspection, it was successfully started on 17 October 2017 and moved under its own power for the first time in four years. Johnston purchased three more of the class from EWS, but they acquired new owners; 31 107, 31 289, and 31 301.
The last active Network Rail class 31 was 31233, with it operating its last test trains in March 2017.
In August 2018 Network Rail offered its final two class 31's up for sale, both being sold into preservation.

Preservation

Currently preserved

Around 26 locomotives have been purchased, and preserved, for use on heritage railways around the UK. Of note are the first built, no. 31 018, and the last built, no. 31 327. There were a further 10, which have subsequently been scrapped.
Note: * = "skinheads"

Preserved then scrapped

In addition, the following locomotives were previously preserved, but have since been scrapped.

Media

The first models of Class 30 locomotives were produced by Triang in TT scale, in 1960.
In 1962 Tri-ang launched its first version of the BR Class 31 in OO gauge. Since 2011 Hornby have produced a basic representation of the prototype as part of their Railroad range in BR Blue, and BR Green whilst past examples have carried a variety of liveries.
Airfix model railways also chose to produce a Class 31 when Airfix entered the model train market in 1975.
Lima also produced a OO scale model, in both "skinhead" and headcode box versions.
Currently the only OO Gauge model of the Class 31 is that produced by Hornby since 2004; both body styles are available in various liveries.
2012 saw the return of the Lima model in the Hornby "Railroad" range.
An N Gauge model of the Class 31 is currently produced by Graham Farish with re-tooling for an updated model taking place in 2012; Lima also produced an N scale model.
Heljan have released an O gauge model based on the 31s in their early condition, March 2013.