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Not a scene from the 70's but Crewe on the 31st May 2003 as 47840 'North Star' makes its way to the front of the Virgin London-Hollyhead service replacing the electic loco. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection (Jampics) m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com

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47840 moves slowly through the station at Crewe as it prepares to take over from the electric for the rest of the journey to Holyhead. Date 31st May 2003. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com

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47843 passing Doncaster on 30/05/14 Photo John Turner johnturner16@yahoo.co.uk

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Class 47. 47846 is pictured here at Doncaster Works while undergoing overhaul on (Unknown, possibly late 1980's early 1990's). Photo and scan: Ross Aitken (aos@cableinet.co.uk).

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47847 leads the first Newport-Cardiff shuttle of the day past Coedkernew - 11/02/2006 Photo by Jonathan Lewis (jonathanmlewis@msn.com) Photo Website http://www.86242.fotopic.net

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BR Blue liveried 47847 waits in Goodrington Sidings with the stock for the 1E33 0955 Paignton to Newcastle Virgin Cross Country Service on the morning of June 1, 2002. Photo and copyright Wayland Smith (wa231_2000@yahoo.co.uk)

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47847 leaves Newport with a shuttle service to Cardiff - 04/03/3006 Photo by Jonathan Lewis (jonathanmlewis@msn.com) Photo Website http://www.86242.fotopic.net

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47853 is seen on a car train passing Didcot Parkway on March 18th 2003. This was a very unusual turn for this loco having been hired in especially for this working when it is more likely to be seen on passenger charter trains. It is also the only mainline loco to have ever carried this livery XP64, firstly in the 1960's and again since being re-painted in it last year. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com

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47853 leaves Stafford with the last 1914 Manchester to Paddington to be booked for loco haulage. 28 June, 2002 Photo and copyright Wayland Smith (wa231_2000@yahoo.co.uk)

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Class 47 853 painted as D1733 seen at York 07/08/08 johnturner16@yahoo.co.uk

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Class 47 in 'Heritage' livery at Reading station around 8pm 29 June 2002 working a train to Manchester. Photograph taken on Kodak DC260 Camera with re=procesing done using Photo Paint V5. Photo taken by Andy Ducker, who retains copyright. Contact me on ecml@yahoo.co.uk

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Its good to see this this loco in action again. D1661 now 47840 'North Star'...remarkably a name that it has we think always carried... runs through Leytonstone High Road with a train of scrap slam stock heading for South Wales on the 17th January 2006. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com British and Foreign Railway Pictures Jampics Fotopic.

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47840 is we understand fortunately going to have a replacement engine installed following a major failure recently. 57604 is seen taking it through Hackney Wick on its way to Loughborough on the 1st March 2006. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com British and Foreign Railway Pictures Jampics Fotopic.

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The sun glints on the front of 47851 as this charter from the north makes its classic final approach to Kings Cross London...now somewhat spoilt by the catenary...by appearing from Gasworks Tunnel. The date is 4th March 2006 but the sight of a green class 47 followed by maroon Mk1 coaches brings back memories from a bygone age. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com British and Foreign Railway Pictures Jampics Fotopic.

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47847 is one of the celebrity Heritage re-paints to mark the end of 47 8s on Cross Country Services in August 2002. Unusually it has two different names. In the picture ' Railway World Magazine' and on the other side 'Brian Morrison'. The place is Dawlish and the date the 4th July 2002. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com

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Now if you found yourself overlooking not only the sea but also a railway line, would it not be nice if one of your favourite locos appeared. That is exactly what happened here when 'Large Logo' 47847 put in an appearence. It is seen on a Virgin Cross Country Service at Dawlish on 3rd July 2002 heading west. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com

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OLD LOCOS STILL GOING STRONG AFTER ALL THESE YEARS. Some locos that still see main line use in 2008 first took to the rails in the late 1950s or early 1960s making them 40 to 50 years old. Quite remarkable considering they were designed in a very different era. Mail trains have not totally gone from the scene as this working between London and Scotland shows. Normally it would just be the class 325 unit but on this occasion due to unit failure a class 47 was put on. Brush Type 4 47853 started out as D1733 in 1964 and was the only loco to carry the experimental XP 64 livery which it does again today. It is seen here speeding through Harrow very near the end of its journey south on the 22nd April 2008. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com British and Foreign Railway Pictures Jampics Fotopic.

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Recently painted into BR Blue 47840, which has we believe been named ' North Star' ever since the 1960s made an unexpected but welcomed appearence during our visit to Manchester Piccadilly in June 2002. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com

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This loco is of historical significance in that D1733 or 47853 is the only loco to have ever carried this livery. Having run like this in the 1960s it was repainted into what is known as XP64 to mark the end of loco hauled trains on Virgin X Country. We were very pleased to see this at the front of our 0910 departure from London Paddington to Manchester in June 2002. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com

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47853 'Rail Express' clags off nicely from Manchester Piccadilly in June 2002. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com

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A text message indicated that 47851 was on the 1905 to Holyhead so a quick dash from Stratford to Euston was made. Unfortunately it was 'DIT' or 'Dead in Tow' on the back rather than actually hauling the train. Still it was only the second time we have seen this loco since Autumn 2001 so the trip was still worth it...but only just as the approaching Silver Link class 321 'Dusty Bin' could easily have 'bowled out' any view at all! The date 25th June 2004. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com British and Foreign Railway Pictures Jampics Fotopic.

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47840 'North Star' made a rare appearence at London's Euston station on December 30th 2004. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com British and Foreign Railway Pictures Jampics Fotopic.

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The only class member currently running in Large Logo livery 47847 had been out of traffic for a while but now regularly puts in appearences on the WAGN stock moves. Seen at Harringay in wintery light on the 30th December 2004. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com British and Foreign Railway Pictures Jampics Fotopic.

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A surprise visitor to Euston was 47851 which was pictured there on the 6th January 2005. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com British and Foreign Railway Pictures Jampics Fotopic.

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47851 from 1964 and 57304 the re-engined version face each other at London Euston on the 6th January 2005. The front appearence of the 57 though has been dramatically changed by the addition of a special coupling to enable the loco to attach itself quickly a Pendolino. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com British and Foreign Railway Pictures Jampics Fotopic.

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A HISTORIC picture this...but a sad day for many GB rail enthusiasts. The last official loco hauled Virgin Cross Country train on Monday 17th August 2002 from Penzance to Birmingham New Street. With heritage repaints 47840 'North Star' and 47847 leading the way the train is seen arriving at Bristol Parkway. We are only aware of one further loco hauled VXC since this day although they may return on Summer Saturdays in 2004. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com

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47847 'Railway World Magazine' / 'Brian Morrison' partners 47840 on the official last class 47 loco hauled Virgin Cross Country service on Monday 17th August 2002 from Cornwall to the Midlands. Both of these locos are still around today...November 2003...47840 standing in for Virgin West Coast electrics, failures, drags etc and 47847 with Freightliner, although it is currently out of traffic with a generator problem. Notice the 'Cockney Sparrow' has found its way onto 47847 suggesting it might at some point have been a 'Stratford' loco. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com

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47840 'North Star'had only recently been re-painted into Rail Blue giving it a very glossy appearence. This was to mark the end of the class on Virgin Cross Country trains and is seen at Manchester Piccadilly in the Summer of 2002. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com British and Foreign Railway Pictures Jampics Fotopic.

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Now following a brief glimpse, this loco alluded us for over 2 years but we finally caught up with it at Cardiff on a charter on the 14th February 2004...a complete fluke! The original locos were not available, replacement locos could not go on as the generator coach failed, the first class 47 then gave up on route and finally they put on 47851 'Traction Magazine'. Its in another variation of an early BR livery and was one of four locos put into heritage liveries to mark the end of class 47s VXC services. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com British and Foreign Railway Pictures Jampics Fotopic.

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47853 in XP64 livery is about to take us from London Paddington to Manchester Piccadilly in the Summer of 2002. This was the only loco to ever carry this experimental livery having done as D1733 in the 1960s. A heritage repaint was therefore well in order to mark VXC ending class 47 hauled trains. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com British and Foreign Railway Pictures Jampics Fotopic.

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We were able to make it to Raynes Park in time for 47853 again...only for it to be 'bowled out' by an approaching SWT class 450! The date was 21st April 2005. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com British and Foreign Railway Pictures Jampics Fotopic.