BR Class 73, The Cleverest Box Of Tricks

As far as I am concerned, British Rail's masterstroke was the Southern Region's class 73 electro-diesels. Able to work as electric locomotive's from the third rail at 750v DC, theses locos were also equipped with a 600hp diesel engine. Their go anywhere (albeit slowly when away from the third rail with any load) capability has been the key to their longevity, 50+ years and still counting. Additionally their ability to work in multiple with all Southern Region EMUs from the 1951 types to the 1966 types was invaluable to trqain operators.

The six prototype loco's were constructed at Eastleigh in 1962 and numbered E6001 to E6006.. The original Southern Region classification was JA and the BR TOPS classification class 73/0. The main run of 43 production machines were originally numbered E6007 to E6049 and were constructed at Vulcan Foundry. The original Southern Region classification was JB and BR TOPS classification was class 73/1.
After the full TOPS numbering scheme was put in to place the JAs were numbered 73001 to 73006 and the JBs 73101 to 73142.

Their main use form the 1960s until the early 1980s was on general purpose duties for the Southern Region, from engineering trains to newspaper trains, parcels trains and freight trains. The biggest change was in 1984 when the Gatwick Express service started and class 73/1 locomotives were used as the main traction for either five or eight car trains of converted Mk2 stock with a powered driving luggage van at the opposite end of the train to the class 73. Eventually 12 locomotives were dedicated to this service, later increasing to 14 locomotives, all renumbered into the series 73201 to 73213 plus 73235.

E6001 leads 6-TC trailer unit 601 into Kensington Olympia. 601 was formed in 1965 as a test bed for push-pull control using class 33 D6580 and was out of use by 1971 after collision damage. This image from a very tired negative.

E6001, the very first class 73 depicted by my father at Hayward's Heath in August 1968. This loco became 73001

E6014 of the JB production batch at berthed in Brighton Loco Sidings in the early 1970s. This loco was renumbered 73108 and is one of the few to be scrapped. Another of my father's images

E6023 leads class 33 D6516 at Southampton in September 1968. One of my father's images.

The second loco to be withdrawn was 73115 after a collision at East Croydon in 1982. Seen here at Eastleigh Works Open Day 05/09/1976. Another of my father's images

An unidentified JB stands in the loop at Worthing with a parcels train. December 1977. Another of my father's images

A class 73/1 propels a Gatwick Express service past the site of Coulsdon North stationduring the early years of the operation.

73114 in the sun at Eastleigh Depot

73129 'City of Winchester' in Network Southeast livery at Newport in 1997.