3rd December 1982 : 50002 "Superb" in the parcels bay at Coventry.
In the early 1980's Class 50's were used on many of the cross-country services through Coventry. It was also normal practice to change locomotives there, from diesel to electric and vice-versa. Class 47's and 50's shared the honours between Coventry and the Western Region.
24th April 1981 : 50006 "Neptune" leaving London Paddington.
The second Class 50 to be condemned, 50006 was actually the first to be cut-up, ending it's days at Vic Berry's Leicester scrapyard in March 1988.
1988 : 50012 (ex-"Benbow") at Vic Berry's scrapyard in leicester.
A number of 50's ended their days at Vic Berry's. 50012 was another such example and is seen here shortly after arrival for disposal.
1st December 1982 : 50014 "Warspite" at Coventry with a train for Paddington.
As I was a student at Coventry Polytechnic (now University) during the early 1980's, I had plenty of opportunity to photograph the goings-on at the main station. 50014 is seen with a train bound for the Western Region.
1st September 1991 : 50015 "Valiant" in Civil Engineers livery at Worksop.
A one-off livery for the class was the "Dutch" Civil Engineers livery as seen here applied to 50015.
27th November 1982 : 50028 "Tiger" on a Birmingham bound train at Oxford.
Class 50's in "large-logo" livery were a common site at Oxford in the 1980's. They were used on the Oxford to London shuttle and also on trains to Birmingham and beyond (the loco's going as far as Coventry or Birmingham).
4th December 1982 : 50031 "Hood" at Paddington's platform 9.
Between the mid-1970's and late 1980's no visit to Paddington would be complete without seeing a Class 50 or several at the buffer-stops. This example had arrived on a service from Birmingham.
2nd January 1982 : 50043 "Eagle" waiting time at Reading.
A particularly filthy example of the class, "Eagle" was working a West Country express bound for Plymouth or Penzance.
27th December 1982 : 50048 "Dauntless" in the fog at Oxford.
The effectiveness of the headlamp can clearly be seen in this foggy shot taken at Oxford. This was a very cold day and the fog had not lifted in the Oxford area all day.
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