Taken from the footbridge, class 47 No 47361 ‘Wilton Endeavour’ passes the level crossing gates in August 1983. I can’t help thinking that the loco was on the wrong side of the river!
Photograph and details courtesy of Stephen Frost.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
As Wilton Endeavour I remember it went through a bit of a bad patch once over and earned itself the knickname “Wilting Endeavour”.
The date of the photograph and the silvered buffers on 47361 indicate that this is shortly after her naming as ‘Wilton Endeavour’ by a Mr Hutchinson, a senior ICI officer, on July 22nd 1983. The engine would no doubt have been ‘bulled up’ for the ceremony.
Yes, the class 47 is on the north bank of the river passing Billingham signal box on the up line, returning to Thornaby Depot, probably after working a returning oil or chemical block train to either Port Clarence, Phillips or ICI, I have had the pleasure of working with 47361 many a time, the sound of any 47 with a full load working up to Northallerton or Ferryhill and getting up to 60 mph on the East Coast Main Line was something that one never forgets, it was great.
A long term resident of 51L Thornaby Depot, code TE. Originally delivered to British Railways 2/1966 numbered D1880 as a 2,750 h.p. (later 2,580hp) loco, built by Brush Traction. Later renumbered 47361 and re-classified as a Class 47, one of 512 similar locomotives built. 47361 lacked train heating equipment, as it was used mainly on freight duties. It was used frequently on Freightliner trains from Portrack Depot, Stockton and on oil tank trains from North Tees, as well as other heavy steel and chemical traffic. Named Wilton Endeavour in July 1983 to recognise its freight duties performed in connection with ICI. A sister loco 47363 was named Billingham Enterprise. 47361 was reported to have been scrapped in 2004.