British Rail Class 57

British Rail Class 57
A Great Western Railway class 57 in 2016
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder Brush Traction British Rail Crewe Works Build date 1964–1967 Rebuilder Brush Traction Rebuild date 1998–2004 Number rebuilt 33
Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC Co′Co′  • Commonwealth Co-Co Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) Length 19.38 metres (63 ft 7 in) Width 2.79 metres (9 ft 2 in) Loco weight 57/0 & 57601: 120.6 tonnes (119 long tons; 133 short tons) 57/3 & 57602–57605: 117 tonnes (115 long tons; 129 short tons) Fuel type Diesel Fuel capacity 57/0: 5,550 L (1,220 imp gal; 1,470 US gal) 57/3 & 57/6: 5,887 L (1,295 imp gal; 1,555 US gal) Prime mover EMD 12-645 57/0 & 57601: 12-645E3 57/3 & 57602–57605: 12-645F3B Engine type two-stroke V12 diesel Displacement 10.57 L (645 in3) per cylinder Cylinders 12 MU working Yes Train heating Electric Train Supply 57/0: Not equipped 57601: index 95 57/3 & 57602–57605: index 100 Loco brake Air
Performance figures Maximum speed 57/0: 75 mph (121 km/h) 57/3 & 57/6: 95 mph (153 km/h) Power output Engine: 2,300 hp (1,700 kW) 57/0 & 57601 Engine: 2,800 hp (2,100 kW) 57/3 & 57602-57605 Brakeforce 57/0: 80 long tons-force (797 kN) 57/3 & 57/6: 60 long tons-force (598 kN)
Career Operators Direct Rail Services GB Railfreight Great Western Railway Locomotive Services Limited West Coast Railways Number in class 33 Numbers 57001–57012 57301–57316 57601–57605 Nicknames Thunderbirds Bodysnatchers[1][2] Zombies[3][4] First run 1999

The British Rail Class 57 is a type of diesel locomotive that was remanufactured from Class 47s by Brush Traction of Loughborough between 1998 and 2004.

The Class 57 was produced in response to an order placed in November 1997 by the recently privatised freight operator Freightliner. The company sought to have its ageing Class 47s rebuilt, some of which had become increasingly unreliable and uncompetitive in comparison to new-build counterparts. Accordingly, redundant locomotives were handed over to Brush, where they were fitted with re-conditioned Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) engines and the same model of traction alternator as that fitted to the Class 56 heavy freight locomotive. As a result of this scheme, improved reliability and performance was recorded; Freightliner placed multiple follow-on orders for more to be rebuilt, as would other operators. However, Freightliner abandoned its long term plans to acquire 25 further Class 57 locomotives in favour of new-built Class 66 locomotives instead.

There are three variants of the Class 57, one designed for freight traffic (57/0) and two to perform passenger operations. During April 2002, Virgin Trains West Coast signed a deal with the rolling stock lessor Porterbrook for the rebuilding of 12 Class 47s into Class 57/3s to conduct rescue duties as well as to drag electric trains along routes that lacked overhead wires to power them directly; further examples would be later ordered to expand Virgin's fleet. The company named its Class 57 locomotives after characters and vehicles from Thunderbirds. Other passenger train operators that used the type included Arriva Trains Wales and Great Western Railway. Various freight haulage firms, and mixed traffic operators, opted to procure Class 57 locomotives as well; these include Direct Rail Services, Rail Operations Group, Advenza Freight, and Colas Rail; many of these obtained units as a result of Freightliner having made its own fleet redundant after procuring new-build locomotives.