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|caption = 50035 Ark Royal at Hampton Loade(2017)

|othernos = D435, '50135'

'''50035 Ark Royal is a ''' was the first BR Class 50 diesel locomotiveto enter preservation. Unlike a number of the other Class 50s resident on the SVR, 50035 is not registered to work on the main line and is not fitted with the necessary equipment such as OTMR, TPWS or GSM-R. However it can be hauled for the purposes of [[SVR-based diesel locomotives visiting other events|visiting other railways]].  

Fifty English Electric Type 4 (later BR Class 50) diesel locomotives 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 BR's Class 50, being allocated [[TOPS codes|TOPS numbers ]] in the 50xxx series. The class was nicknamed “Hoovers” "Hoovers" because of the distinctive sound of the inertial air-filters with which the locomotives were originally fitted.

Initially the locomotives were used to haul express passenger trains on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) between Crewe and Scotland; that section not then being electrified. This often entailed ‘Multiple Working’'Multiple Working', with two locomotives under control of a single driver.

By 1974 the northern WCML had been electrified, and the Class 50 fleet was being transferred to BR’s BR's Western Region to work main line passenger services out of London Paddington, replacing the last of the BR(W) Diesel Hydraulics in that role.

The Class 50’s 50s 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.

Withdrawal of the class began in the early 1990s1987 and was completed by 1994.18 examples have been preserved

D435 entered service The locomotive was built at Stoke in August 1968, having been built as English Electric 's Vulcan Foundry at Newton-le-Willows as Works No 3805/D1176and entered service as number D435 at Crewe in August 1968. It was re-numbered 50035 in March 1974. Following electrification of the WCML, 50035 moved to Bristol Bath Road in January 1976 and then to Plymouth Laira in December 1976.<ref name=SB9>SVR Stock Book, 9th edition</ref>

In May 1973 D435 was transferred to CreweOn 17 January 1978, being re-numbered 50035 was named in March 1974a ceremony at Plymouth Station. Following electrification of <ref>[https://www.brdatabase.info/locoqry.php?action=locodata&type=D&id=435&loco=435 BR Database]</ref> It received the WCMLname '''Ark Royal''' after HMS Ark Royal, 50035 moved to Plymouth Laira a Royal Navy World War 2 aircraft carrier. Commissioned in December 1976 (following a brief spell at Bristol)1938, moving again to London’s Old Oak Common in June 1980HMS Ark Royal was sunk on 14 November 1941 after being torpedoed by German U-boat U-81.

In January 1978, 50035 's final allocation was named Ark Royal after HMS Ark Royal, a Royal Navy World War 2 aircraft carrierto London's Old Oak Common in June 1980. Commissioned in 1938, HMS Ark Royal In June 1986 it received the distinctive "Network South East" livery as pictured below. It was sunk withdrawn from service there by BR on 14 November 1941 after being torpedoed by German U-boat U-815th August 1990<ref name=SB9/><ref group="note">There are some discrepancies in service allocations and dates between the SVR Stock Book and the BR Database. The latter are marked as "WIP" therefore the Stock Book data has been used.</ref>.

<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">File:50035 was withdrawn from service by BR on 5th August 1990- Birmingham New Street (8959197574).jpg| 50035 at Birmingham New Street</gallery>

50035 was the first Class 50 to be preserved, being acquired by [[Class 50 Alliance Limited|The Fifty Fund (now Class 50 Alliance)]]. Having been advised that the going rate for a Class 50 was £16500, the fund simply added the last two digits of the locos number to this and bid £16535. 50035 was handed over by Network SouthEast at the 1991 Old Oak Common Open Day held on 17-18 August.<ref>[http://www.bropendays.co.uk/1965_1993.html BR Open Days] (Retrieved 18 August 2019)</ref> It was moved initially to St Leonards where the initial restoration work and start-up was carried out.

Subsequently, the loco was moved by road to the SVR, arriving 19 September 1996, since when it has been a regular performer.<refgallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">SVR Stock Book, 9th editionFile:50035 invoice.jpg | Invoice for the sale of 50035</refgallery> Ark Royal is not registered to work on the main line but can be hauled for the purposes of [[SVR-based diesel locomotives visiting other events|visiting other railways]].

For some years A few weeks after handover, 50035 ran was moved to St Leonards Depot in a fictitious Load Haul livery East Sussex where the restoration work and [[Locomotive numbering|numbered 50135]]start-up was carried out, but in 2015 it was repainted together with repainting from its final 'Network South East' livery into BR blue 'large logo' livery. While at St. Leonards, two other Class 50s, 50031 Hood and 50044 Exeter arrived at the SVR in May 1994.

Due to concerns about a suspect wheel-set flange profile, 50035 was moved to the SVR by road rather than by rail, arriving on 19 September 1996.<ref name=SB9>SVR Stock Book, 9th edition</ref> After arrival, work on the locomotive continued at Kidderminster to address a number of minor mechanical problems and an issue with the engine shutting down due to a fault on the train heating generator. Five cylinder heads had to be removed so that worn-out exhaust valves could be replaced, with the fuel injectors all being overhauled at the same time. After reassembly, it then transpired that six cylinder liners were leaking water, requiring a complete engine strip-down and overhaul starting in winter 1997-98.<ref>SVR News 122, 123, 124</ref> The engine was fired up for the first time during the October 1999 Diesel Gala weekend<ref>SVR News 131</ref>, and once a few teething problems were addressed, 50035 was able to attend the August 2000 Open Day at Old Oak Common with 50031 Hood. After the open day, 50035 remained at Old Oak Common while the No 6 wheel set was replaced.<ref>SVR News 134</ref> After returning, 50035 became a regular performer on the railway. During 2002 the ETH facility and cab heating were reinstated, culminating in it working the annual Fifty Fund shareholders' Christmas dining train, using the SVR's (then) ETH fitted dining car set.<ref>SVR News 144</ref>  On 27 July 2003 50035 attended the Doncaster Works open day. It ran 2,102 miles during the year before failing just prior to the October 2003 SVR Diesel Gala due to high lubrication oil pressure, caused by a defective pressure relief valve. <gallerymode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">File:50035 invoice'Ark Royal' at Doncaster Works.JPG|50035 at Doncaster in 2003 (Wikimedia Commons)</gallery> It was planned that after repair over that winter, 50035 would visit the Mid Hants Railway Diesel Gala in May 2004, the first time it would have worked away from its home on the SVR.<ref>SVR News 146</ref> However the winter repair work revealed that the locomotive was suffering from an earth fault on its main generator, which required removal of the power unit complete with the faulty generator. The latter was then detached and sent away to Messrs Dowding & Mills in Bristol for repair.<ref>SVR News 148</ref> While that took place, 50035 was stored out of service away from the railway.<ref>SVR News 152</ref> In May 2007 50035 was still at Old Oak Common, awaiting the refitting of the engine after the generator repair.<ref>SVR-Online Forum</ref> In September 2008 the bodywork was being prepared for a repaint.<ref name=PD>www.preserved-diesels.co.uk/news via the Internet Archive</ref> 50035 returned to service in 2009, carrying a fictitious Load Haul livery and [[Locomotive numbering|numbered 50135]]. It appeared as a static exhibit at the 100th Anniversary of Eastleigh Locomotive Works Open Weekend on 27-28 May and was rostered to work its first booked SVR passenger train for over four years on Saturday 18 July 2009, although this was subsequently postponed.<ref name=PD/> However it did participate in the October 2009 Diesel Gala.<ref>Pictures on Sharpo's World.</ref>  <gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">File:50135 Ark Royal profile Eastleigh.jpg | Invoice 50135 as 50135 in 'Load Haul' livery at Eastleigh in 2009 (Wikimedia Commons)</gallery> '50135' sustained damage to a wheelset while appearing at the East Lancashire Railway in 2011. The damage prevented a return move by rail so, with no facilities at the ELR for lifting a locomotive of that size, it was moved to Cardiff Canton by road. Once there the locomotive was jacked up, the sale bogie with the damaged wheelset was removed, a spare wheelset was overhauled and fitted, along with an overhauled traction motor, with all the work being carried out by SVR volunteers." Plans for the SVR's [[Diesel Depot]] were in progress at the time; SVR News noted that "''hopefully sufficient facilities will soon be available at Kidderminster for this type of 50035activity to be done without the costs associated with using workshops elsewhere.''"<ref name=SVR178>SVR News 178</ref>  '50135' had returned to service by 2012 as pictured below.<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">File:50135 Ark Royal 2 (7690431654).jpg|50035 as 50135 at Kidderminster in 'Load Haul' liveryJuly 2012

*[[Diesel Locomotives]]<br>*[[List of preservation groups]]<br>*[[SVR-based diesel locomotives visiting other events]]<br>*[[Locomotive numbering|Locomotives running under different identities]] ==Notes==<references group="note"/> ==References==<references/>

*[http://www.class50alliance.co.uk/ Class 50 Alliance web site]<br>*[http://www.fiftyfund.org.uk/ 50 Fund web site] (still maintained)<br>*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_50 British Rail Class 50] on Wikipedia*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Ark_Royal_(91) HMS Ark Royal] on Wikipedia

[[Category:Operational passenger hauling diesel locomotives]] [[Category:Featured articles]]