British Rail Class 77

British Rail Class 77
Preserved locomotive no. 27000 in original black livery
Power type	Electric
Builder	BR Gorton Works
Build date	1953–1954
Total produced	7
Configuration	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)
Locomotive weight	102.5 long tons (104.1 t)
Electric system	1500 V DC
Current collection method	Pantograph, 2 off
Traction motors	Metropolitan-Vickers
Top speed	90 mph (145 km/h)
Power output	2,490 hp (1,857 kW)
Tractive effort	45,000 lbf (200 kN)
Train heating	Steam generator
Locomotive brakes	Air and electrical regenerative
Locomotive brakeforce	85 LTf (847 kN)
Train brakes	Vacuum
Career	British Railways
Number	27000–27006
Retired	September 1968
Disposition	All sold to Netherlands as NS 1500 Class

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.

Description

Seven locomotives of this type were constructed. They represented the first Co-Co type of overhead electric locomotive built for use in the United Kingdom. The design was based on that of the smaller Class EM1, which dated from 1941. Initially, 27 locomotives of this type had been planned, but by the early 1950s, the benefits of using the 25 kV AC system had been demonstrated, which meant that the Woodhead Line would be an isolated electric system. Consequently the order was cut to just seven locomotives.

A Class 77 hauled passenger train waiting at Manchester Piccadilly in 1967

The locomotives were initially numbered 27000-27006 and were painted in BR black livery. Construction took place at Gorton Works, Manchester with electrical equipment supplied by Metropolitan-Vickers. All seven were named after characters from Greek mythology in 1959-1960. They were primarily used for express passenger trains between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield Victoria. In 1957, the class was renumbered with the addition of an "E" prefix to the number. In the early 1960s, the class started to receive the standard BR green livery. At least one of the class, E27002, received the electric blue livery carried by the AC electric locomotives.

The class was withdrawn en masse in September 1968. They were stored at Bury by BR in the hope of sale to a foreign railway. The passenger service for which the Class 77s were built continued to be operated by Class 76s, but was withdrawn on 5 January 1970. The Woodhead Line was closed in 1981.

Forty more powerful class 46 electric locomotives were built by Metropolitan-Vickers in the mid-1950s for New South Wales. The class 46 was based on the EM1 and EM2.

Further use

NS 1500 Class at Manchester Museum of Science and Industry

In September 1969 the entire class was sold to the Dutch national railway operator Nederlandse Spoorwegen, where they became NS 1500 Class. They were renumbered in the 1500 series in the order they left their workshops, where they received various modifications, including new headlight clusters. The locomotives also retained their names. One locomotive, no. E27005 Minerva was broken up and used for spares. The remaining six locomotives were employed until final withdrawal in 1986. Their main work was on The Hague—Cologne express trains as far as the border at Venlo although they travelled to their home depot at Maastricht either with a train or light engine on Sunday for their weekly examination before returning to traffic the following day. They were sometimes to be found on freight trains bound for the German border originating in the Rotterdam area.

Fleet details

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 Manchester Museum of Science and Industry
27002	E27002	1506	Aurora	Scrapped (02/1985)
27003	E27003	1501	Diana	Preserved in the Netherlands by Werkgroep 1501
27004	E27004	1503	Juno	Scrapped (10/1986)
27005	E27005	-	Minerva	Used for parts by NS. Scrapped (11/1969)
27006	E27006	1504	Pandora	Scrapped (02/1985)

Further reading

• McManus, Michael. Ultimate Allocations, British Railways Locomotives 1948 - 1968. Wirral. Michael McManus. 

External links

• Description of the class
• Website of the EM2 Society
• Website of the Werkgroep Loc 1501
• EM2 Page on the LNER Encyclopedia