Are Class 58s Popular?

[Ashley Hill]

The reason I ask is that they are
A. Seldom mentioned.
B. Only four preserved compared to other classes.
Although I cleared the class for sight I only ever had two for haulage,so did they have a following?

 

[Carlisle]

I cleared the class for sight I only ever had two for haulage,so did they have a following?

I’d say that’s pretty reasonable considering they were freight only locos .

 

[Journeyman]

The reason I ask is that they are
A. Seldom mentioned.
B. Only four preserved compared to other classes.
Although I cleared the class for sight I only ever had two for haulage,so did they have a following?

I've seen a few on railtours, but I remember a furious rant from a friend when his train was rescued by one, so clearly at least he didn't like them!

Four out of fifty isn't a bad survival rate. It's worth bearing in mind these are much harder to keep running than a 37 or 47, as there's a lot of electronic gubbins in them, and somewhat obsolete electronic gubbins at that.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Despite rarely seeing them in action (my only sighting was an unidentified red stripe liveried example viewed at distance from the back seat of a Vauxhall Astra in the late 1980s- at what my research suggests was Markham Main colliery) I do have a fondness for the 58s.
Mostly because my entry into railway modelling was the Hornby "Midnight Freight" set!

 

[Journeyman]

Despite rarely seeing them in action (my only sighting was an unidentified red stripe liveried example viewed at distance from the back seat of a Vauxhall Astra in the late 1980s- at what my research suggests was Markham Main colliery) I do have a fondness for the 58s.
Mostly because my entry into railway modelling was the Hornby "Midnight Freight" set!

Didn't the Hornby 58 appear before the real thing?

 

[fgwrich]

I've seen a few on railtours, but I remember a furious rant from a friend when his train was rescued by one, so clearly at least he didn't like them!

Four out of fifty isn't a bad survival rate. It's worth bearing in mind these are much harder to keep running than a 37 or 47, as there's a lot of electronic gubbins in them, and somewhat obsolete electronic gubbins at that.

Not only that, but like most Air Braked Only locos, they are pretty useless for most pres lines who tend to use vacuum braked stock. Not having any form of train heating also doesn't help them either.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Being freight locos must have proved a challenge getting them for haulage? The two I had were on a railtour so I suppose doesn't count unlike 58002s encounter into the West Country vice a failure or on electric drags.

 

[Journeyman]

Not only that, but like most Air Braked Only locos, they are pretty useless for most pres lines who tend to use vacuum braked stock. Not having any form of train heating also doesn't help them either.

Of course, I hadn't even thought of that. My local line only has a few air braked coaches. They're also insanely overpowered for short trains, making them expensive to operate.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Of course, I hadn't even thought of that. My local line only has a few air braked coaches. They're also insanely overpowered for short trains, making them expensive to operate.

A duel braked loco can be used as a translator but it's not the same,that loco ticking over masks the leading engines music.

 

[Wyrleybart]

The reason I ask is that they are
A. Seldom mentioned.
B. Only four preserved compared to other classes.
Although I cleared the class for sight I only ever had two for haulage,so did they have a following?

Never appealed to me even though I had two years working directly with them from 1992 to 1994. Quite boring loco IMHO but great for non MGR work on air braked trains.

My pointer to popularity is how many are preserved and in use. The originally preserved example 58016 at Barrow Hill had a spares only example 58045 acquired as a parts donor for it. AIUI 58016 is a non runner at Leicester and I suspect 58045 is no more. Another of the class has effectively ended it's career as a 58 by donating it's frame to the IDRS.

There is at least one more 58 which I believe has been shunting around Leicester depot, and is rumoured to be going out on the preservation circuit. Not sure if the owner regards it as preserved though. Might there be another of the class at Shackerstone, owned by the same person ?

 

[Ashley Hill]

Never appealed to me even though I had two years working directly with them from 1992 to 1994. Quite boring loco IMHO but great for non MGR work on air braked trains.

My pointer to popularity is how many are preserved and in use. The originally preserved example 58016 at Barrow Hill had a spares only example 58045 acquired as a parts donor for it. AIUI 58016 is a non runner at Leicester and I suspect 58045 is no more. Another of the class has effectively ended it's career as a 58 by donating it's frame to the IDRS.

There is at least one more 58 which I believe has been shunting around Leicester depot, and is rumoured to be going out on the preservation circuit. Not sure if the owner regards it as preserved though. Might there be another of the class at Shackerstone, owned by the same person ?

So perhaps even the list of preserved examples has shrunk. 56s were freight locos and yet hold an appeal amongst enthusiasts which 58s (and perhaps 60s) don't seem to have.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Didn't the Hornby 58 appear before the real thing?

It may well have done, but I acquired mine in (I think) 1988:- by which time they were mostly in use, though not in West Yorkshire.

 

[D1537]

Being freight locos must have proved a challenge getting them for haulage? The two I had were on a railtour so I suppose doesn't count unlike 58002s encounter into the West Country vice a failure or on electric drags.

They were regulars on the Sunday drags between Nuneaton and Birmingham for much of their lives (according to http://www.c58lg.co.uk/history-passengerworkings, 41 out of the 50 worked on these at some point), and of course they did a number of railtours.

 

[D841 Roebuck]

A midweek ADEX from, I believe, Redditch.

47436 Birmingham New Street to Shrewsbury
37228 Shrewsbury to Tenby (Via Heart of Wales Line)
37228 Tenby to Cardiff Central
(Via Swansea District Line)
47553 Cardiff Central to Kings Norton

I believe 37228 was rather "large" at the time, having spent a couple of years being repaired at Doncaster Works.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

They were regulars on the Sunday drags between Nuneaton and Birmingham for much of their lives (according to http://www.c58lg.co.uk/history-passengerworkings, 41 out of the 50 worked on these at some point), and of course they did a number of railtours.

Absolutely correct. That is where I had a number for haulage not just on rail tours. I had one too on The Plant Invader rail tour in 1984 run by RESL

 

[co-tr-paul]

The Hornby model came out in 82 as red stripe 58007 but with no Railfrieght branding which identifies these early models as it soon changed to 58007 or 58001 with branding
In the 82 catalogue it was shown in rail blue !
One reason why they along with a 60 aren't so popular could be the lack of noise. BR's first quiet diesel !
When I first saw the model in a Beatties window I had to have one.

 

[Journeyman]

The Hornby model came out in 82 as red stripe 58007 but with no Railfrieght branding which identifies these early models as it soon changed to 58007 or 58001 with branding
In the 82 catalogue it was shown in rail blue !
One reason why they along with a 60 aren't so popular could be the lack of noise. BR's first quiet diesel !
When I first saw the model in a Beatties window I had to have one.

I've heard a number of Hornby 58s were produced in blue, and had to be hastily repainted before going on sale.

 

[xotGD]

They were regulars on the Sunday drags between Nuneaton and Birmingham for much of their lives (according to http://www.c58lg.co.uk/history-passengerworkings, 41 out of the 50 worked on these at some point), and of course they did a number of railtours.

I had 8 of them on the Nuneaton drags, but can't say that I found them particularly interesting. Just something to do on a Sunday morning.

 

[Strathclyder]

One reason why they along with a 60 aren't so popular could be the lack of noise. BR's first quiet diesel !

This is a relative thing as far as diesels go. If you're comparing them to 37s, 56s etc, they do indeed seem subdued by comparison. But they could produce a fair bit of noise when accelerating from a standing start (skip to 1:09; somewhat drowned out at the start by the Valenta HST!) as this clip of 58045 (016's donor loco) at Didcot proves (from the Meuw858 YT channel). Nothing compared to a 37 or 56 starting from rest, but loud enough.

 

[Western Sunset]

Yes, Hornby did indeed produce their first model before the real thing entered traffic, after a rather protracted introduction into service. So my model is older than the real thing (and longer-lasting...).

 

[Richard Scott]

I do remember they were fairly quiet, did say to someone the other day I couldn't remember what they sounded like. I always found them quite interesting to look at but were rare where I was living so saw very few working (saw most of them on Bescot or Saltley depots at the weekend). Had two on passenger trains although messed up and missed a couple of others that I could have bagged.

 

[75A]

Two words:

Wheelslip, ugly

 

[Cowley]

This is a relative thing as far as diesels go. If you're comparing them to 37s, 56s etc, they do indeed seem subdued by comparison. But they could produce a fair bit of noise when accelerating from a standing start (skip to 1:09; somewhat drowned out at the start by the Valenta HST!) as this clip of 58045 (016's donor loco) at Didcot proves (from the Meuw858 YT channel). Nothing compared to a 37 or 56 starting from rest, but loud enough.

I did chuckle at the way the camera jumped when the 58 driver sounded his horn.

 

[D1537]

I had 8 of them on the Nuneaton drags, but can't say that I found them particularly interesting. Just something to do on a Sunday morning.

Dull things IMO. I only had two, and one was inadvertent, because it (58008) piloted the Saturday night Glasgow-Bristol sleeper between Stafford and Birmingham via Cannock and I'd fallen asleep.

The other one was deliberate, I ended up at Reading during a WCML wires-down farce and needed to get to St Pancras for a 47/3 out via Nuneaton, and the first service to Paddington was 58032.

 

[Strathclyder]

I did chuckle at the way the camera jumped when the 58 driver sounded his horn.

Something that's happened to us all at least once. The sound of 045 pulling away in that video - while not as visceral as a 37 or 56 - has it's own appeal. Then again, I'm not most people and I've never saw/heard them for myself, so make of that what you will lol

 

[Tynwald]

Certainly not popular with operators, due to wheelslip issues.

 

[Sm5]

The reason I ask is that they are
A. Seldom mentioned.
B. Only four preserved compared to other classes.
Although I cleared the class for sight I only ever had two for haulage,so did they have a following?

Answers to both, is probably down to most of the fleet being overseas and derelict for 10+ years, and not seen running here for nearly 2 decades.

I dont know how possible it will be to bring them back to service after storage for so long (and if they’ve been stripped/robbed) in that time, without a 56/69 style rebuild.

 

[43096]

There was something about them, though. Not the noisiest locos, but they had a low, bass throb to them that shook the ground you were standing on, which seemed appropriate for something designed for heavy freight haulage.

 

[Grannyjoans]

They were always popular. But not as popular as the 56's and other Mega hit classes such as 37s and Peaks.

They were not the loudest locos, but not the quietest either. The noise they did make was good. They looked good as well.

I thought they were great. Out of the Type 5 freight diesels, I'd say they're the 2nd most awesome to watch after the 56.

 

[gimmea50anyday]

Being freight locos must have proved a challenge getting them for haulage? 58002s encounter into the West Country vice a failure

I remember that. Made an appearance in Hugh Dady’s book Diesels on the Western Region. Brand new 58002 was despatched by Saltley to rescue a failed HST, however on its run to Exeter it failed and ended up being pushed by the HST that had resuscitated itself!

TAUNTON TRAINS - CLASS 58