31400

[Richard Scott]

I came across a photo I took of 31400. I seem to remember it acquired this number as it received ETH equipment form an early conversion loco in the 31401-31425 series as this was different to 31426 onwards. Which loco did it receive equipment from as can't find a loco in that series with an early withdrawal date. Know 31436 and 31440 were withdrawn early due to accident damage but both are later series locos (know 31469 was rebuilt using equipment from one of these, believe it was 31436). Maybe my memory has played tricks on me over the years and facts have got muddles/forgotten. Would appreciate it if someone could shed some light on this.

 

[randyrippley]

Google finds this quote

Martin Loader's Railway Photography - Class 31

Not very powerful, but robust and very long lived Brush locos.

www.hondawanderer.com

31400 was converted from 31161..... after 31401 sustained serious accident damage. As there was a shortage of ETH 31s at the time, the equipment was salvaged from 401 and used in the conversion. It should really have been numbered 31470, but the non-standard 31400 was chosen to keep it in the same batch as similarly equipped locos.

 

[Helvellyn]

One of those odd conversions. A bit like 47468 being converted to 47300 as a replacement for an accident damaged Civil Engineers Department Class 47/3. The only reason I can think for doing so would be that the 47/3s were fitted with slow speed control, so that justified the 47/3 renumbering if the equipment was reused and given 47468 was a D15xx example, numbering it 47300 would reflect it was the oldest member of the class.

Would have thought it would have been cheaper to do a loco-swap with one of the Railfreight sub-sectors if the slow speed control equipment was the factor in the conversion, and just overhaul 47468 or another loco for Railfreight.

 

[Cowley]

I think I read somewhere recently that 31400 was cobbled together out of at least three 31s including 31161 and 31401, but also replacement cabs and body panels from at least one other 31.
Seems an enormous amount of work considering the imminent arrival of Sprinters to take over their work?

 

[Richard Scott]

I think I read somewhere recently that 31400 was cobbled together out of at least three 31s including 31161 and 31401, but also replacement cabs and body panels from at least one other 31.
Seems an enormous amount of work considering the imminent arrival of Sprinters to take over their work?

Thanks for all of the replies. Looking further through the photos shows a few 31s working vice units in late 80s and even in lieu of type 4s (perhaps 45s withdrawn too early along with numerous 47/4s and 50s leading to type 4 shortage) causing quite a demand for 31/4s maybe that was the reason for the conversion into 31400?

 

[Cowley]

Thanks for all of the replies. Looking further through the photos shows a few 31s working vice units in late 80s and even in lieu of type 4s (perhaps 45s withdrawn too early along with numerous 47/4s and 50s leading to type 4 shortage) causing quite a demand for 31/4s maybe that was the reason for the conversion into 31400?

Up until 1987 the 31/4s had a lot of duties that relied on them having ETH (ETS in new money), including a lot of work in East Anglia, summer work to the southwest on aircon stock, Barnstaple turns, parcels duties and all sorts of rostered work north of Birmingham.
All locos fitted with ETH/ETS seemed to be invaluable up to about 1986/1987, and anything lost seemed to be replaced at almost any cost to keep the right amount of electric supply equipped locomotives available.
I guess with their high ETH rating they were pretty useful locomotives for certain duties even if they were a bit underpowered?