British Rail Class 77

British Rail Class 77
Preserved locomotive, no. 27000 in original black livery.
Type and origin Power type Electric Builder BR Gorton Works Build date 1953–1954 Total produced 7
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte Co-Co Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Wheel diameter 4 ft 2 in (1.270 m) Length 59 ft 0 in (17.98 m) Loco weight 102.5 long tons (104.1 t) Electric system/s 1500 V DC Current pickup(s) Pantograph, x 2 Traction motors 6 x Metropolitan Vickers 415 hp (309 kW) Train heating Steam generator Loco brake Air and electrical regenerative Train brakes Vacuum
Performance figures Maximum speed 90 mph (145 km/h) Power output 2,490 hp (1,857 kW) Tractive effort 45,000 lbf (200 kN) Brakeforce 85 long tons-force (847 kN)
Career Operators British Railways (1954-1968) Nederlandse Spoorwegen (1968-1986) Numbers 27000–27006 Retired 1968 (UK) 1986 (Netherlands) Disposition Three preserved, remainder scrapped

The British Rail Class 77, also known as Class EM2, is a class of 1.5 kV DC, Co-Co electric locomotive. They were built by Metropolitan Vickers in 1953–1954 for use over the Woodhead Line between Manchester and Sheffield.

These were the bigger and more powerful version of the Class 76 (EM1) to haul passenger trains. Once the Woodhead Line lost passenger trains, all of the Class 77s were sold to Nederlandse Spoorwegen. They would serve in the Netherlands for 15 more years until being retired. Three are now preserved. One stayed in the Netherlands, while the other two has since returned to the UK.

Background

When the London and North Eastern Railway started electrifying the Woodhead Line in the late 1930s, they planned to have a total of 88 electric locomotives. Nine of these were planned to be used on express trains. In 1939, the project was halted because of the Second World War. In 1944, the LNER decided to make changes to the project to save money. They decided to use only the EM1 (later Class 76) mixed-traffic locomotives.

There were doubts about the EM1s being instable at high speeds. This lead to another change to the project later in the late 1940s. 27 express passenger locomotives were ordered. These would become the Class EM2, and would be used alongside the 58 EM1s.

As the Woodhead Line electrification was becoming more expensive, in 1950, the order for the EM2s was reduced to seven locomotives. To make up for the loss, the last ten of the smaller EM1s were fitted with roller bearings to make them suitable for passenger trains.

Service in the UK

27000 at Manchester Piccadilly station, 1967

The seven EM2s were built by Gorton Locomotive Works in 1954. Metropolitan Vickers provided the electrical equipment. It was said that the EM2s were too heavy and outdated by the time they entered service. Despite this, the EM2s faired well in service. All seven locomotives were named after Ancient Greek and Roman goddesses (see below).

Like the smaller EM1s, the Class EM2s at first were painted black. This was later changed to dark green from 1956. Then light blue, the same shade worn by AC-current electric locomotives, was applied to the EM2s in the 1960s.

In January 1967, the British Railways Board published a report. It proposed the end of electric-hauled passenger trains over the Woodhead Line and divert them to the unelectrified Hope Valley line. It was claimed that these trains get in the way of freight trains and required specialised locomotives, referring to the Class EM2s. This lead to all seven locomotives being taken out of service on 2 March 1968. They were then stored at Bury depot.

Further use in the Netherlands

NS 1503 at Utrecht, 1972

In 1969, the entire class was sold to Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS). They were shipped to the Netherlands in September of that same year. They became the Class 1500. They were modified to suit the NS. This included replacing the steam boiler that was used to heat the carriages with an electrical generator. They were adapted to right-hand driving found in the Netherlands, as opposed to left-hand driving in the UK. The traction motors were refreshed so that they could output more power, but at a lower speed at 84 mph (135 km/h).

Six reentered service with the NS from 1970 to 1971. The seventh, No.27005, was taken apart to provide spare parts for the other six locomotives. The Class 1500s were employed on passenger trains from Amsterdam to Heerlen, and between Maastricht and Venlo. Four of them remained in use until their retirement on 14 June 1986. Three are now preserved.

Fleet details

NS 1501 at the Utrecht Railway Museum

Key:	Preserved	Scrapped

BR number		NS number	Name	Disposal
1955	1957
27000	E27000	1502	Electra	Preserved at Midland Railway - Butterley
27001	E27001	1505	Ariadne	Preserved at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester
27002	E27002	1506	Aurora	Scrapped (February 1985)
27003	E27003	1501	Diana	Preserved in the Utrecht Railway Museum by Werkgroep 1501
27004	E27004	1503	Juno	Scrapped (October 1986)
27005	E27005	-	Minerva	Used for parts by NS. Scrapped (November 1969)
27006	E27006	1504	Pandora	Scrapped (February 1985)

Related pages

• British Rail Class EE1
• British Rail Class 76
• British Rail Class 506

Sources

• Glover, John (2003). Eastern Electric. Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 0711029342 – via Internet Archive.
• Gillham, John C. (1988). The Age of The Electric Train. Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 9780711013926 – via Internet Archive.
• Hollingsworth, Brian; Cook, Arthur (2000). Modern Locomotives. Chartwell Books. ISBN 9780785812241 – via Internet Archive.

Other websites

• The Electric Co-Co Class EM2 (BR Class 77) Locomotives - LNER Encyclopedia
• The Locomotives: EM2 - The Woodhead Site
• Werkgroep Loc 1501 (in Dutch)
• EM2 Locomotive Society