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Their use on the West Coast Main Line resulted in frequent double heading to make the
most of their 100 mph capability and further improve journey times.
During the late sixties the D prefix was dropped by BR following the eradication of
steam locomotives, thus the locos became 400 - 449.
 After 1972 with the completion of the electrification the locomotives were gradually
transferred to the Western Region for use on the Paddington (London) to Bristol and the
South West routes. They eventually replaced the last of the diesel hydraulic types (class
52s) eliminating this form of power transfer locomotives from BR. At about this time all
fifty locomotives were purchased by British Rail.
During the mid 1970s BR renumbered the locomotives into the
T.O.P.S. series; 401 to 449
becoming 50 001 to 50 049, 400 became 50 050.
The Western Regions policy of naming locomotives after warships resulted in all members
of the class taking the name of a Second World War Naval vessel. The first to be named was
50 035 which became Ark Royal on 10th January 1978.
After the introduction of High Speed Trains (H.S.T.) on to the main lines from
Paddington in 1977 the locomotives were put to work on the Southern Region's Waterloo to
Exeter route as well as turns taking them to Birmingham from both Paddington and Bristol.
However the class 50s reliability by this time was appalling, and a major refurbishment of
the class was undertaken in the early 1980s.
 The rework simplified a lot of the complex electronics, and removed many redundant
features of the control scheme. It also resulted in the change of the air intake fan
arrangement which had produced the classic class 50 sound that had led to the nick name of
"Hoover".
After refurbishment the locomotives returned to the Western Region until withdrawals
resulted in fewer turns which were concentrated on the Waterloo - Exeter route.
The first locomotive to be withdrawn was 50 011 which succumbed in February 1987. The
last were 50 007 and 50 050 after the final farewell railtour in March 1994. The tour,
which ran from Waterloo to Exeter and back to Paddington, was appropriately called the
"50 Terminator".
 So to preservation, Ark Royal was the first of the class to be preserved, and Hood the
first to haul a revenue earning train on a preserved railway. To complete the hat-trick of
Fifty Fund firsts, Hood became the first of the class to haul a train on Railtrack metals,
taking the Pilgrim Hoover railtour from Birmingham International to Plymouth and back on
the 1st of November 1997.
Since then several other class 50s have been returned to main line use and more owning
groups have medium to long term aims to return their locomotives to the main line too.
Histories of Hood, Ark Royal, and Exeter
Follow the links to individual histories for the Fund's Locomotives; Hood, Ark Royal and Exeter.
Portuguese 50s (18xx class)
 Just
after the English Electric Co. had finished building the fifties they had an
order for 10 nearly identical locomotives from Portuguese Railways (CP). For
more details see the Portuguese Traction Group's website which can be linked to
from our links page. These locomotives where numbered
1800-1809, with a few exceptions all are still in active service although
increasingly on secondary duties.
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