English electric Class 50

During the late 1960s, with the ongoing electrification of the West Coast Main Line (WCML) from Crewe, and the imminent withdrawal of steam locomotives, the London Midland Region faced a gap in motive power for services northwards to Glasgow. The solution came in the form of hiring a fleet of 50 newly built Englisg Electric Type 4 diesel-electric locomotives - the Class 50. The locomotives entered service in 1967 and provided motive power on the WCML for the next seven years, until the electrification of the line right through to Glasgow.