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'''50026 Indomitable''' is a ''BR Class 50 diesel locomotive'' owned and operated by Paul Spracklen. It spent several months on hire to the SVR in 2014 and has also attended the railway for appearances at [[Diesel Galas galas]] and maintenance at the [[Diesel Depot]]. A brief history of the class can be found under [[BR Class 50 50044 Exeter|50044 Exeter]].
==50026 Indomitable in service==
D426 entered service in July 1968 and was later renumbered 50026 under [[TOPS codes|TOPS]] renumbering. In March 1978, 50026 was named Indomitable after the Royal Navy's modified Illustrious-class aircraft carrier which was scrapped in 1955.
50026 worked its last train in November 1990 and was withdrawn on 11 December 1990 due to power unit damage, being the 25th Class 50 locomotive to be withdrawn. Its engine hours stood at 8,039.
50026’s survival is somewhat remarkable as the locomotive is the only one of the Class 50s surviving today that managed to escape from the scrapyard. It languished in the yard of C F Booth in Rotherham, one of several locomotives sent there in 1992. These locomotives were part of an ultimately unsuccessful project by 'Operation Collingwood'. The current owner, Paul Spracklen, purchased the locomotive together with missing parts salvaged from other project locomotives that went for scrap.<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_50#Preservation Operation Collingwood in Wikipedia] (Retrieved 30 September 2018}</ref>
Initially, 50026 was moved by rail from Rotherham to the Mid Hants Railway (1993), before the owner sought a new home where much of the restoration was carried out undercover at the MoD base at Bicester in Oxfordshire (1993). A thorough restoration project spanning two decades transformed the loco into ex-works, large logo condition. After Bicester, further work was carried out at Old Oak common (2007), the workshops of RVEL in Derby and Eastleigh Works. A return to traffic came at the Swanage Railway on 11 May 11, 2012. The loco wears the revised Network South East dark blue livery and sports navy-blue nameplates in a nod to long-departed classmate 50032 Courageous, the only 50 to be so treated.
===50026 Indomitable in preservation at the SVR===
*October 2009 and October 2012 [[Diesel Locomotives visiting the SVR for galas|Diesel Galas]]
*From April to October 2014 it was [[Diesel Locomotives hired by the SVR|hired]] to cover for other unavailable class 50s
*On 24 January 2018 it arrived for commercial repairs in the [[Diesel Depot]]. It was advertised for the Class 50 Golden Jubilee on 4 - 6 October 2018 but issues with the power unit the previous weekend meant it was unable to take part, the loco instead being on static display. It left the SVR in May 2019<ref>[http://www.uklocos.com/final-results.asp?action=display&id=7217 UKLocos.com]</ref>.
==See also==