Graham Farish 372-261

British Rail Class 47/7 47727 "Rebecca" Colas Rail Yellow & Orange

Contents

Class & Prototype

The British Rail Class 47, or Brush Type 4, built 1962-1968, represents Britain's most numerous mainline diesel with 512 locomotives constructed by Brush Traction and BR Crewe Works. Despite early reliability problems, a mid-1960s decision to derate engines from 2,750 to 2,580 bhp transformed the class into Britain's most dependable mixed-traffic locomotive, achieving 55+ years service. Operating across all BR regions hauling everything from royal trains to coal hoppers, Class 47s wore over 30 distinct liveries spanning BR green through colourful sector schemes to privatisation colours. Currently, Bachmann and Heljan produce exceptional OO gauge models with motorised fans, ESU LokSound V5 sound, and 150+ detail parts, while Graham Farish dominates N gauge. With 32 preserved locomotives and continuing heritage operations, the "Duff" remains an iconic part of British railway heritage.

No prototype found.

Operator & Livery

Colas Rail is a modern European railway company combining infrastructure construction with freight operations across 20+ countries. Formed in 2008 from the merger of Seco Rail and Spie Rail, the company operates diverse locomotive classes including Class 56 'Gridirons', Class 66s, and Class 70 PowerHauls in distinctive orange and yellow livery. Major projects include High Speed 1 construction, London Waterloo upgrades, and Morocco's Al Boraq high-speed line. As both a Network Rail contractor and freight operator, Colas Rail represents contemporary railway engineering excellence with over 170 years of heritage dating back to French railway pioneers.

The distinctive Colas Rail livery features a striking tri-colour scheme designed for maximum visibility during infrastructure operations. The design comprises a split-colour body with bright yellow covering the one half and vibrant orange covering the other half of the locomotive sides (approximately Humbrol 24 Trainer Yellow and Humbrol 82 Lining Orange respectively). The upper section and roof are finished in matt black, creating a characteristic angled demarcation line that cuts diagonally across the locomotive body, separating the coloured lower sections from the black upper area. Bold black "COLAS RAIL" or "COLAS RAIL FREIGHT" lettering spans across the yellow section, with the company's distinctive logo prominently displayed on the cab sides. This high-visibility half-and-half colour combination ensures operational safety while creating one of the most recognisable corporate identities in contemporary British railways, making Colas Rail locomotives particularly popular subjects for railway photographers and model railway enthusiasts seeking authentic modern prototype liveries.