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A brief description and history of the class can be found on the 50007 page
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'''50031 Hood''' is a '''BR Class 50''' diesel locomotive.==BR Class 50==The English Electric Type 4 (later BR Class 50) diesel locomotive was the last main-line diesel passenger locomotive designed for BR.<ref name=SB9>SVR Stock Book, ninth edition</ref> The fifty members A brief description and history of the class were built by English Electric at their Vulcan Foundry Works plant in Newton-le-Willows between 1967 and 1968. When built they were numbered in the D4xx series. They later became BR’s Class 50, being allocated TOPS numbers in the 50xxx series. The class was nicknamed "Hoovers" because of the distinctive sound of the inertial air-filters with which the locomotives were originally fitted. Initially the locomotives were all based at Crewe and used to haul express passenger trains can be found on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) between Crewe and Scotland; that section not then being electrified. This often entailed 'Multiple Working', with two locomotives under control of a single driver. By 1974 the northern WCML had been electrified, and the [[BR Class 50 fleet was being transferred to BR’s Western Region to work main line passenger services out of London Paddington, replacing the 'Western Hydraulics' which were in the course of being withdrawn. The arrival of HSTs after 1976 saw them transferred onto other work, including Waterloo to Exeter trains and inter-regional trains from both Bristol and Paddington to Birmingham New Street. The Class 50’s did not originally carry names, but in the late 1970s BR agreed to their being named after Royal Navy vessels with notable records in the First and Second World Wars. The low number of Class 50s made them a target for BR's fleet rationalisation plan of 1985, and they were progressively withdrawn between 1987 and 199250007 Hercules|50007]] page.
==50031 Hood in service==
In June 1978, 50031 was named Hood after HMS Hood, the Royal Navy’s last battle cruiser. Commissioned in 1920, HMS Hood was sunk by the German battleship Bismarck on 24 May 1941.
After working Waterloo-Exeter services and inter-regional services to New Street as pictured below, 50031 was withdrawn from service by BR on 5th 5 August 1991.
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50031 was purchased privately for preservation by two members of [[The Fifty Fund]] in December 1991, with the intention of placing it under the Fifty Fund's umbrella.<ref name=FiftyFund>The Fifty Fund website</ref> On the understanding that the 'guide price' was £18000, they simply added the last two digits of the loco's number and bid £18031. They later found out that they had outbid their nearest rival by £31.
50031 was in near operational condition, having only minor faults when withdrawn. It was moved to St Leonards in East Sussex in March 1992 for initial repairs. After attention to the mechanical and electrical systems and bodywork, the locomotive began touring, visiting a number of railways including a guest appearance at the SVR Diesel Gala on 8-10 May 1992 where it became the first Class 50 to haul a public passenger train in preservation. While at the Mid-Hants Railway in April 1993, the locomotive was re-dedicated by members of the HMS Hood Association. Another guest appearance at an SVR Diesel Gala took place on 7-9 May 1993. The 'tour' continued including visits to the NYMR and Midland Railway Centre, ending with an appearance at the 'Exeter 150' celebrations on 1-2 May 1994. 50031 then moved to the Severn Valley Railway as a permanent resident,<ref group="note">The 1998 SVR Stock Book gives May 1994 as the date the locomotive moved to the SVR on a permanent basis. The 1992 and 1993 appearances were described in SVR News as being by a 'visiting locomotive'.</ref> arriving on 6 May 1994 with [[BR Class 50 50044 Exeter|50044 Exeter]].<ref name=SB9>SVR Stock Book, ninth edition</ref><ref>SVR News 105, 107 (Gala appearances)</ref>
After arrival, 50031 became a familiar sight on SVR Summer Saturday 'dated trains', special charters, diesel galas and footplate experiences. The Fifty Fund were also keen to see 50031 working on the main line, and it became only the third preserved diesel to receive mainline certification.<ref name=SB9/><ref group="note">Prior to 50031, Class 46 D172/46035 and Class 55 Deltic D9000/55022 had also received main line certification.</ref> On [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1990-1999#1997 | 1 November 1997]] Hood became the first preserved class 50 to haul a main line railtour, "The Pilgrim Hoover". The tour, originally named "The Pilgrim Hoovers", was to have been double headed with D444 but the latter was not certified in time. 50031 successfully took load 12 single-handed from Birmingham International to Plymouth and return, with the route including the Lickey Bank and the South Devon Banks.
