Spa Valley Railway

Spa Valley Railway, West Station, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 5QY
Telephone: 01892 537715
Email: enquiriesatspavalleyrailway.co.uk
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(Photo ©M. Dives)

BR Class 73/1 No. 73140

English Electric Co, Vulcan Foundary - Built 1965 - 1967,
EE Vulcan Foundary, England
SR Classification - JB
Engine Specification - "Straight four" 600hp turbocharged diesel engine
Wheel Arrangement - BO - BO
Tractive Effort - Electric - 40,000lbs, Diesel - 36,000lbs
Weight - 77 tons
Length (Buffers Extended) - 53' 8
Wheel Diameter - 3' 4"
Maximum Speed - 90mph (later reduced to 60mph)

Built following a prototype batch, the Class 73/1s were delivered new to a purpose built electric depot at Stewarts Lane. The first 6 of the JB design were painted in the 'electric blue' livery whilst the remainder were painted in the new 'rail blue' corporate livery. The class saw use all across the Southern network on passenger workings on TC units, as well as freight trains. Some also saw use on the Bournemouth electrification scheme. E6047 (73140) saw regular use on express trains on the Waterloo to Bournemouth main line. When the tops system was introduced in 1974, the JA class became the class 73/0, whilst the JBs became class 73/1s, which coincided with a livery change.

The EDs continued to work a lot of freight and engineer's trains. They were particularly popular on the latter workings as they could work with power switched off. 73140 worked a number of passenger diagrams across the years including those during the 1979 snowfalls. Another livery change came in 1984 when the engine was selected for use on the Victoria to Gatwick Airport service. Many 73s were selected for upgrading to 90 mph and re-classifying to 73/2s, although 73140 was not, and did not become part of the regular pool of locomotives on the Gatwick service, and did not receive the wear and tear like the others. In 1987 73140 recieved its current livery during a overhaul at Selhurst depot.

73140 saw further use on the Bournemouth line due to delays in the construction of new stock. 73140 was inherited along with most of the class by EWS in the early 1990s and saw service until the arrival of the GM Class 66. 73140 was withdrawn from service on 13th November 1998 in working order, and placed in storage at Old Oak Common. It was purchased by two individuals and moved to the Lavender Line, Isfield where it was returned to service and became the first JB to work in preservation and in Inter City livery. It moved to the Spa Valley in early 2003 along with 09004, where it has a longer length line to operate over.

It was repainted in to BR Blue with small logos in 2005.

Livery - BR Blue

Current Status - In Service

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