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A Direct Rail Services diesel loco class 47 47712 "Pride of Carlisle" is seen at York. Wednesday the 21st of January 2009 Digital photo by Matthew Battye E-mail: matthew@rizzardi.karoo.co.uk

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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. 47712 entered service in 1966 as D1948 and has had at least 10 different liveries! For just over 12 months recently it achieved fame as one of the locos painted into Blue Pullman colours before Fragonset collapsed at the end of 2006. Purchased by DRS it has recently returned to traffic in their 'Compass' livery. Looking very smart indeed it is seen on a charter train at Kings Cross on March 21st 2008. Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com British and Foreign Railway Pictures Jampics Fotopic.