MORE than 25 years after the first preserved Class 50 returned to the main line, the Class 50 Alliance and Fifty Fund achieved a significant milestone on September 16, when two of their locomotives powered what was the 100th charter for their fleet.
Since No. 50031 Hood hauled Past-Time Rail’s ‘The Pilgrim Hoover’ between Birmingham International and Plymouth on November 1, 1997, No. 50049 Defiance, No. 50044 Exeter and No. 50007 Hercules have followed it. Not just on railtours, these locomotives have also hauled passenger trains for train operating companies (apart from Hercules) and have also been used by GBRf for its rail services business in recent times (Nos. 50007/049). This is a testament to the efforts of a small group of volunteers based at the Severn Valley Railway, now led by chairman Tony Middleton, who keep these popular locomotives on the main line. The C50A is supported by The Fifty Fund and its shareholders, led by chairman Joe Burr. The Fund assists through various tremendous fundraising activities to keep the six locomotives operational.
Speaking to on October 17, Tony, who is a driver for GB Railfreight, explains: “when we go out on the main line with a charter there are technical riders and we must always obey the various industry rules too, so for the Edinburgh trip on September 16, there were eight technical riders.” They may be C50A volunteers based at Kidderminster, but they all have Personal Track Safety (PTS) certificates enabling them to be on the railway and on the locomotives when they are hauling trains.
