47767 'Mappa Mundi' started out as D1672 in April 1965. For a loco 
approaching 40 years of age it certainly did not look out of place 
at London's Victoria station at the head of the VSOE's evening run 
through the English Countryside. Having only recently been given 
some reliability modifications and a paint into EWS red and gold, 
it looked well up to the task. Now for the bad news.. the engine 
caught fire during the trip but thanks to and I quote 'the 
profesionalism of the EWS driver' the fire was confined to the 
loco. What is a real shame though is that the loco 'looked' in such 
good condition before it set off, the snowplows at the front adding 
something to its appearence. Some old loco classes look as if they 
have come from a very different period, but the class 47 when 
spruced up can look as good today at the front of an express 
passenger or on a Pullmam charter as they ever did. They were the 
biggest single class of diesel locomotive with just over 500 built.
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Today, around 70 examples are still in active service with various 
operators mostly on freight, stock moves, rescue duties, 'drags' 
where electric locos cannot use or have to go away from catenary 
and charter trains. Now they have just a handful of regular 
passenger runs, but can still be seen on First Great Western 
sleepers. One other train they are still very much associated with 
are the Serco test trains where they often appear in top & tail 
mode. They are powered by 2580 HP Sulzer engine and can achieve 
speeds approaching 100 MPH. The date of what could well turn out 
to be 47767's last journey was Friday 4th July 2003.  
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Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' 
m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com