With a class of locomotives numbering over 500 and a working life in excess of 40 years, it is inevitable that there will be a number of collisions, derailments, and other mishaps; some serious, others less so. The 47's had a bad start with three members being scrapped after sustaining damage deemed by BR inspectors to be 'beyond economical repair' within a short time of being built. This feature examines some of the more notable incidents involving Brush Type 4 locomotives.

 
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The first Class 47 withdrawals occurred in the 60's with three machines being written off; with the first two withdrawals occuring whilst the class was still being built.

Possibly the first serious incident involving a Class 47 occurred when Falcon Works built D1521, second of the production built machines ran off the slow road near Sandy in Bedfordshire on December 18th 1964. The wreckage completely blocked the east coast main line and all traffic was diverted via Hitchin, Cambridge and March. Cranes from Finsbury Park, Peterborough and Cambridge attended, and the Sandy to Bedford line was used to dump debris from the wrecked train during the recovery process. Although significantly damaged, repairs were undertaken and the locomotive continued in service until being withdrawn, as 47 001, in 1986.

Another of the Brush built contingent, D1734, a Bristol Bath Road engine, was involved in an incident at Coton Hill, Shrewsbury on January 11th 1965. D1734 was at the head of the 03:56 Saltney to Pontypool Road freight duty, with 775 tons in tow. At the top of the 1 in 100 downhill gradient at Coton Hill, the driver failed to obey a stop sign and his train careered out of control down the hill entering the 'Up' goods loop at speed, crashed through the trap points at the yard exit then, despite a late emergency brake application which reduced the speed to about 20mph, derailed and continued for a further 70 yards, finally crashing into the Coton Hill South signal box, demolishing it entirely. So extensive was the damage to D1734 that it was withdrawn in March, and then cut up at Crewe Works during April; thus becoming the first of the class to be removed from BR's books after a working life of just 8 months.

No. D1671 had the dubious distinction of becoming the first named Brush Type 4 to be scrapped. Crewe built, D1671 entered traffic on March 27th 1965 allocated to Canton (86A) MPD, where it was named THOR (without any official ceremony - presumably the eponymous Norse god of thunder couldn't make it!). On the night of December 16th-17th 1965, whilst working the 04.00 Carmarthen to Bristol (Dr. Days) ECS duty, D1671 was derailed near Bridgend by a landslip caused by heavy rain; shortly afterwards it was hit by the 02.30 Cardiff Tidal Docks to Swansea East Dock freight headed by English Electric Type 3 No.D6983 causing considerable damage to both engines, and resulting in the deaths of both drivers. Following a few months in store D1671 was condemned on April 18th 1966 - thereby ending a working life of less than 9 months. After being stripped of salvageable components the remains were taken to Bridgend scrap merchant R.S. Hayes, and were cut up, probably, during September. Official withdrawal from BR's books did not occur until August 25th 1966 and the remains were still in Hayes' yard on the 24th. The recovered nameplates were subsequently transferred to D1677, this being the next un-named member of the class in numerical sequence. D6983, itself less than a year old, fared no better and was also scrapped at Hayes' yard during 1966, thereby becoming the first EE Type 3 to be scrapped, and the only one to never carry a TOPS number. More photographs taken by Rob Ranson on the morning folllowing the Bridgend crash can be seen on Brian Tucker's website.

On April 8th 1969, AM10 class EMU number E066, on the 14.15 Wolverhampton to Coventry service passed a signal set to 'Danger' between Monmore Green and Ettingshall Road stations, and crossed from the 'Up' line to the 'Down' line where, at a speed of 45mph, it collided head-on with D1908 at the head of a fully loaded 32-wagon Chesterfield to Wolverhampton steel train. The driving car of the AM10, number M76150, rose up and crashed through the cab of the Brush rupturing the fuel tank, and then fouled the overhead 25kV wires. As a result a fire broke out causing further damage to both vehicles. The secondman on D1908 made a dramatic last second leap to safety, but his driver, and that of the EMU, were both killed. D1908, a Brush built, Canton (86A) MPD allocation, was so extensively damaged by the collision and the fire that it became the third of the class to be withdrawn. Official withdrawal from BR's books occurred in August 1969, and it was cut up at Crewe Works in October of the same year. Components salvaged from this loco, including the engine, were subsequently used in the conversion of D1702 from a Class 48 to a Class 47. At least one of the vehicle from the AM10 set was also scrapped following this incident.

Despite whatever omens the withdrawal of three almost new engines in the space of just 4 years during the previous decade might have foretold, the 1970's were to become; as far as outright withdrawals were concerned, a good decade for the class, with only one example being withdrawn, despite several serious incidents - this was Crewe Works built D1562, an Eastern Region machine based at Stratford (30A) MPD. However, unlike the previous withdrawals the premature end of D1562 was not due to crash damage, and the remaining 508 class members survived long enough to be given TOPS numbers, and to be painted blue!

D1784 (later 47 303) was leading a Gainsborough to Ellesmere Port oil tanks train near Rayton Lane bridge in Worksop on March 17th 1970 when it collided with some derailed MGR wagons. As a result of the collision D1784 and the leading tanks fell down an embankment and burst in to flames. D1784 was seriously damaged and subsequently noted dumped at Doncaster.

On September 10th 1971 Brush built D1738 (later 47 145) was in charge of the 1M91 Stirling-Sutton Coldfield passenger train. At Hay Fell, just to the north of Oxenholme near Lambrigg crossing, the train had to run 'wrong road' through engineering works and ran through a set of catch points that had been left open. D1738, together with the leading 4 coaches, derailed and fell down an embankment. Fortunately there were no fatalities, or serious injuries. After a prolonged spell in Crewe Works D1738 was repaired and outshopped in blue livery, numbered 1738.

D1836 (later 47 355) came to grief at Beattock on October 6th 1971. The locomotive is believed to have worked into Dalzell Yard on air-braked empty steel wagons from Margam to Dalzell. The loco went for refuelling (at Motherwell, presumably?) and came back, late, to pick up a loaded return working, twenty wagons were the intended load but the staff recognised the limit was 24, so they cut four wagons off a working recently tripped from Ravenscraig, adding them to the front of the existing 20. The reporting number was 6V51 and left Dalzell sometime after 1am with a train of about 1,000 tons. The train crested Beattock summit at about 20mph and upto this point the crew had no idea that the only working brakes were on the locomotive; the brake cocks between the loco and first wagon were in the closed position and no brake test was done at Dalzell. By the time the train reached Greskine box it was doing about 75-80mph but ran into cautionary signals at Beattock South box. The crew disappeared into the rear cab as the train ran into the rear of the 8Z26 Dalzell New Yard - Carlisle hauled by BR Type 2 Sulzer No.D5100 & Clayton Type 1 No.D8568 with about 650 tons of mixed freight, mostly steel plate and joints travelling at about 35mph; time was now about 3.20am. Of this train 11 wagons were destroyed and eight extensively damaged. Of D1836's train all of the wagons were extensively damaged, 14 being written off. D1836 was seriously damaged and caught fire. Regrettably the guard of the leading train was killed.

A full report on this incident may be found on David Hill's "Derby Sulzers" website.

Crewe built D1630 was substantially damaged in an accident at Eltham Well Hall on June 11th 1972 while hauling the 20.05 Margate to Kentish Town excursion, with a consist of 10 coaches. An official enquiry determined that the cause of the accident was the train rounding a 20mph curve at 65mph, in the hands of a driver found to have a blood-alcohol level more than three times the statutory limit, and who was believed to have been drinking at the controls. The driver and three passengers died in the accident, two more passengers died later, and 126 people were injured; many seriously. Despite the severity of the damage, D1630 was repaired and continued in service for almost 30 more years as 47 048, 47 570, and finally; 47 849.

Actor Phil Daniels who starred in the film "Quadrophenia" was travelling in one of the derailed coaches with his parents.

BR Built Brush No. D1605 was involved in an accident on November 13th 1973 whilst hauling the 10.20 Radyr to Acton coal train. It occurred at Ruscombe, near Twyford in Berkshire, when it failed to stop when entering the loop and ran through the trap points. It demolished the concrete wall of a signal relay box, which put all signals and track circuits out of action in the Twyford area causing a complete loss of telephone communication. The Brush did not come to a complete halt until it had almost reached Milley Bridge near Waltham St Lawrence, and the resulting debris blocked both the up and down relief lines. All down trains commencing with the 17.02 Paddington to Bedwyn were delayed by at least 70 minutes, the worst being the 18.30 Paddington to Plymouth, which reached its destination 386 minutes late, giving a late start of 60 minutes to the 05.45 Plymouth to Paddington on the following morning (the next working of the stock). All down trains were cancelled from 19.00, Paddington passengers being sent via Waterloo to Reading. An amended passenger service operated during the next few days, basically three Inter City services per hour running over the affected lines; normal services were not being resumed until November 19th. D1605 was repaired and renumbered as 47 028 in April 1974 (in the Western Region period 4 weeks ending 18/5/74).

On August 24th 1975, 47207, was running light from Motherwell to Carlisle when it ran into the back of the Manchester-Aberdeen newspapers at Carstairs, whilst the newspaper train was making a reverse move. 47 207 was signalled correctly, so it appears that the errors lay with the newspaper train. The crew of 47 207 were killed in the collision. Whilst the emergency services were trying to extricate the bodies the engine caught fire; made worse by the Brush having demolished the rear BG full of newspapers!

On October 26th 1975, 47418 failed whilst hauling 1E17 (10.15 Aberdeen-London Kings Cross) with 11 passenger coaches at Lunan Bay. EE Type 4 No.40 111 was despatched to assist but instead it collided with the rear of the train, resulting in 38 passengers being injured; one, fatally so, and the crew of 40 111 were also both injured.

In the early hours of March 16th 1976, the previous days' 20.55 from London Euston to Stranraer Harbour train, headed by 47274, collided with a lorry, which had fallen 20 feet onto the line after being driven through a bridge parapet, near Eastriggs in Dumfriesshire. The train and lorry drivers were both killed and the second man of the train was injured. Although there appears to have been no official inquiry regarding this incident responsibilty for it is generally ascribed to the lorry driver. 47 274 was fully repaired and went on to become 47 637, and later, 47 826.

Late in the evening of June 12th 1976 47 418 was in trouble once again! On this occasion EE Type 4 No.40 053 collided with the rear-end of an engineers' train between Laurencekirk and Carmont, causing a number of track panels to be dislodged fouling the down line - in the path the approaching 1S45 14.00 Kings Cross-Aberdeen train, headed by 47418. Smart work by the PW train crew prevented a high speed derailment, but the Brush was still slowing when it hit the rails. One wheel was derailed on 47 418 and a rail went into the cab above the buffer beam, beneath the driver's seat; another rail entered the engine room about three feet behind the leading bulkhead, and a third rail punctured the fuel tank. Not a particularily spectacular or serious incident but one which resulted in the EE Type 4 being condemned, and a lengthy visit to Crewe Works for 47 418.

Early in January 1977 Crewe built 47063 sustained severe damage after becoming derailed at Stoke Gifford whilst shunting the wagons for the 23:12 stone train to Appleford out of the yard. 47 063 was repaired and returned to operational service; remaining so for a further 18 years, before being finally cut-up (still as 47 063) at Crewe Works in 1995.

On September 5th 1977 the second built 'Generator' was in trouble; 47402 was stationary at Farnley Junction (Leeds) at the head of the 21.50 York to Manchester mail train, when it was hit head-on by the 20.40 Liverpool to Hull DMU service. Both drivers were killed and 15 passengers on the DMU were injured, some seriously. The cause of the accident was discovered to be a fault in a lineside electrical cabinet which had resulted in the junction signals and points being incorrectly set, causing both trains to be directed onto the same running line; with the inevitable and tragic consequence. Despite extensive front-end damage, 47 402 was fully repaired and continued in operational service for a further 15 years, and is today preserved at the East Lancashire railway.

On Christmas Eve 1977 a collision occurred between 47163 and Class AL3 number 83 004 near Kensal Green Tunnel in north west London. The AL3 was so seriously damaged that it was withdrawn from service immediately following recovery to Willesden TMD. 47 163 was one of two Stratford based 47's that had been adorned with large Union Jacks on the bodysides as a part of the Queen's Silver Jubilee celebrations (the other being 47 164). The No.2 end of 47 163 was severely damaged, both by the collision, and a subsequent fire, and must have been a border-line case for suffering the same fate as the AL3. However, 47 163 was taken to Crewe Works from where, almost 2 years later, it emerged fully repaired.

On February 8th 1978, 47078 SIR DANIEL GOOCH collided with derailed tankers on a Southampton to Birmingham freight at Appleford north of Didcot. The 2nd man side of the No.1 end cab was badly damaged and the loco was stored for a time at Oxford before being removed to Crewe Works for repairs.

At the end of the 70's, on October 22nd 1979, there was more tragic loss of life at Invergowrie when 47208, at the head of 1A25, the 09.35 Glasgow to Aberdeen service, passed a semaphore signal set at 'Danger' and ran into the back of a stationary Glasgow to Dundee train hauled by Type 2 Sulzer No.25 083, which had failed. Regrettably, two crew members aboard the Brush and three passengers on the Dundee train were killed. The severely damaged Brush was removed to Dundee MPD for inspection and, during March 1980, it became the first TOPS numbered Brush Type 4 to be scrapped.

The 1980's marked the beginning of the end for the Brush Type 4's with 62 members of the class being withdrawn. Few of these however, were as the result of accidents despite the fact that the decade, like the 1970's before, produced an impressive catalogue of accidents. During the first six years of the decade only one example was scrapped. This was, not surprisingly, Haymarket's 47208, so severe was the damage sustained in the Invergowrie accident described earlier. No.47 208 was officially withdrawn in January 1980 and finally cut-up in situ at Dundee MPD (where the wreckage had languished since the tragic accident) in March 1980, becoming the third of the Crewe built machines to be scrapped.

On July 5th 1980 47337 was involved in a head-on collison at Birmingham New Street with the 12:29 Longbridge-Lichfield DMU service. 47337 and DMU car 50115 were severely damaged and the DMU driver sustained serious injuries. 47337 was recovered and dragged to Saltley by 47536, and 47534 towed the DMU car to Kings Norton, where it was later broken up. 47337 was repaired and, 23 years later, was rebuilt as Class 57/6 No. 57602.

On May 4th 1982 47522 working the 13.35 Glasgow Queen St - Aberdeen hit a tractor on a farm crossing near Forteviot. All but the last coach of the train was derailed, which tore up over 300 yards of track before plunging 35 feet down an embankment. Fortunately there were no fatalaties, although the train crew and 58 passengers were injured; four of them seriously. The driver had seen the danger and was able to reduce speed; but only to about 50mph, certainly not enough to stop in time. The air braked air-conditioned stock had only just been transferred in from the ER! Although suffering serious damage the Crewe built Class 47 was fully repaired at Crewe (at a cost estimated to be in the region of £200,000) and continued in operational service until 1998 being, for a time, a 'celebrity' machine in a unique LNER-style apple green livery.

On October 27th 1982, 47 701 Saint Andrew was hauling the 09:00 service from Glasgow to Edinburgh, when it ran into the back of a Mossend to Thornton Junction freight at Winchburgh. The freight train had been wrongly routed onto the mainline towards Ratho Junction and had overrun the junction for Dalmeny. It was setting back to regain the correct route when 47 701 collided with the rear end. 47 701's No.2 cab was demolished, trapping the driver for some time. The driver was eventually released and taken to hospital, thankfully he was not seriously injured.

On May 3rd 1983, whilst working 6L32 Teesport-Hunslet East Oil Terminal block oil train, 47367 ploughed into the back of an e.c.s. parcels train for Redbank on the up goods lines at Neville Hill. The loco off the e.c.s. parcels train had been off to get some more vans from the sidings and as a net result required the parcels train to set back in the loop when 47 367 had entered the loop. The result being the back vehicle riding over the buffers and destroying the number 1 end cab of 47367 and the driver only survived due to the seat coming adrift which saved his life. Help came form Healey Mills breakdown train around 13:30 and 47 367 was initially moved to Neville Hill TMD before being moved to Crewe works. Recorded as being out of service from May 9th 1983 and received new number 1 cab fitted at Crewe works and released on November 9th 1983.

"I entered the loop with a heavy train and probably wasn't travelling along as slowly as I maybe should have done, but at the same time, something strange was happening with the train in front. It appeared to be moving towards me as I approached it. I was questioned by my boss a few days afterwards and one of the questions asked was "was the train you hit coming towards you?" to which I said I wasn't sure. All I was interested in was slamming my brakes on as hard as possible. After that I never heard another word about the incident for a good ten years. There was no inquiry and no blame was laid at my door. One day I was talking to a Traction Inspector called Jimmy Hatch and the incident was mentioned. I told him I thought it was strange that nobody had ever come back to me about the incident. He was shocked that I'd heard nothing about it in the meantime. He told me that the signalman had taken the blame for it because apart from the fact that he shouldn't have been turning my train in on top of another train like that, he was also allowing a shunting movement to take place. The parcel train had stopped at the light at the end of the loop, detatched the loco, gone into the sidings and picked up a few more vans, gone back onto his train in the loop, and then propelled his train back behind the light. Thats when I was approaching it. I only actually hit the back of the van doing a very slow speed, but because of the weight on my loco, the van sprung up over the buffers of my engine and pranged the front where the head code indicator is. Read into both reports what you will. The only thing I will add to it is that if the railways had deemed me to be guilty as the first report said, I'm bloody sure that I'd have had my knuckles well and truly rapped, even considering that I was supposedly "inexperienced" (I'd been passed as a driver for 18 months at this time), but I can honestly say that I've never heard anything official about the incident since."

On May 28th 1983, whilst approaching Luton station with the 06.40 Cricklewood-Luton ecs, 47535 suffered a brake failure which caused it to smash into the rear of the 06.05 St Pancras-Bedford DMU. 47 535 suffered sigificant damage, especially to the No.1 end cab. The BR bean counters calculated that repairing 47 535 was a cheaper option than having to convert another Brush to ets, so repairs were authorised and carried out.

An accident occurred on December 9th 1983 which might, had it not involved loss of life, have been regarded as comical. The loco involved was the so-called 'jinxed' 47299 (formerly 47 216). 47 216 had been renumbered 47 299 two years earlier, in response to a warning given to BR by a soothsayer who had foreseen a serious accident involving 47 216. I refer the reader to Paul Screeton's excellent and comprehensive account of this incident.

Believed to have been involved in a collision at Millerhill at around 06.00 on January 15th 1984, which destroyed the No.2 end cab. No further details available at this time.

On June 24th 1984 47452 at the head of the 19.50 Aberdeen to King's Cross sleeper service left the track in a spectacular derailment on a sharp curve near Morpeth, and ended up on its' side. Fortunately there were no fatalaties, depsite many of the sleeper carriages rolling onto their sides, some coming to rest in the gardens of adjacent properties. However the driver and two sleeping car attendants were injured and required hospital treatment. A subsequent enquiry determined the cause of the derailment to be excessive speed; the train was travelling at 90mph on a 50mph stretch of track. Although it seems likely that 'driver error' was the main cause of the crash, the enquiry was unable to come to any specific conclusions; despite a number of allegations and suggestions as to the state of health of the driver that night. This accident occurred on precisely the same curve upon which Class 55 D9011 came to grief in May 1969, ironically whilst hauling the King's Cross to Aberdeen sleeper.

On July 10th 1984 the 17:30 Edinburgh to Glasgow service hit a cow standing on the track on a bend between Polmont and Falkirk. The train consisted of eight coaches pushed by 47707 with a driving trailer leading. Although the driver was able to shut off the engine and apply full brake power the driving cab struck the cow so hard that it was lifted off the track. With the 47/7 still pushing from the rear of the train the leading coaches 'jack-knifed' throwing the passengers around inside; some were even hurled through the windows. In terms of the number of fatalities and injuries this accident ranks amongst the worst in recent times - 13 passengers lost their lives and a further 17 (including the driver) seriously injured. In the wake of this accident fears were raised regarding the safety of 'push-pull' type operations with a relatively light-weight DBSO (or, in later years, a DVT) leading; fears which were to resurface in 2002 following the Great Heck (Selby) accident. In view of such tragic loss of life it seems almost fatuous to report that 47707, although derailed, was not significantly damaged.

On January 19th 1986 a Class 104 DMU set consisting of cars 53433 & 53482 working a Blackburn Rovers F.C. footex ran into stationary 47111 at Preston. The seriously damaged Brush was withdrawn and treated to a 'farewell' tour of BR locations: Lostock Hall, Crewe Works, Crewe Diesel Depot, Crewe Gresty Lane, Hereford, and finally, on March 27th 1986 Cardiff Canton where it was stripped and cut-up during 1987. The undamaged No.1 cab was salvaged and returned to Crewe Works.

On September 23rd 1986 47464 failed at Elgin whilst hauling the 08:35 Aberdeen to Inverness service, and became stranded on a single track section. 37 416, at the head of the 10:25 Inverness to Aberdeen train, was allowed into the section to push the failed 47 and its train clear, but it approached too fast and ran into 47 464. The severely damaged Brush was removed to Inverness depot, thence to Polmadie. It was withdrawn on October 2nd 1986 and later moved to Crewe Diesel, thence into Crewe Works and broken up during the latter part of 1987.

On February 19th 1987 at the the head of the 6M27 Waterston to Albion oil tanks, 47131 became derailed by catch points at Dorrington and fell on to its side, sustaining damage deemed to be sufficently serious to warrant withdrawal and subsequent scrapping at Vic Berry's in 1988.

On the following day, February 20th 1987 there was another 47 in trouble. 47089, whilst hauling the 7A22 14:32 Peak Forest-Bletchley stone train, overloaded and possibly with the last 4 wagons having their brakes isolated, 47089 ran away and became derailed at Chinley North Junction, the scene of several similar derailments over the years. Shortly afterwards 47089's derailed wagons were hit by 31440 at the head of the 1M34 16.22 Sheffield to Liverpool service. Both locomotives sustained extensive damage. 47089 was removed to Buxton TMD, and 31440 to Edale. Unfortunately 47089 was damaged 'beyond economical repair' and was dragged to Crewe Works on March 24th (by 25059), where it was withdrawn and cannibalized; final cutting not taking place until March 1989 at Coopers Metals (Sheffield). 31440 fared no better than its' larger Brush cousin and was subsequently taken to Doncaster Works for parts stripping; and then to Vic Berry's at Leicester for cutting-up.