372-263 Graham Farish Class 47/4 47555 The Commonwealth Spirit

New release - pre-orders invited - expected Jul/Aug 2025. preauthkernow

The Class 47 was British Railways’ most prolific class of main-line diesel locomotive and so it’s no surprise that high fidelity models of these ever-popular machines are available in N Scale as part of the flagship Graham Farish range. Such was their success that Class 47s served on the front line of BR services for many decades and even in the 1990s, some 30+ years after their introduction, they were still being used for top link services, like hauling the Royal Train or in this case, as part of the fleet used for freight services via the then brand new Channel Tunnel linking the UK and the mainland Europe.

The Railfreight Distribution European livery, as distinguished by the large lettering on the bodyside and blue roof, was introduced in the mid-1990s and was applied to distinguish those locomotives allocated to traffic flows serving Dollands Moor and the Channel Tunnel Freight Services, which used the Channel Tunnel from its opening in 1994. Class 47/4 No. 47555 ‘The Commonwealth Spirit’, which was something of a celebrity with spotters and enthusiasts, was one of the locomotives selected for this pool and was repainted resplendently into the new livery by Tinsley which added its Yorkshire Rose depot motif to the cab sides in the process.

‘The Commonwealth Spirit’ takes full advantage to the recent upgrades that have benefited the Graham Farish Class 47, namely the technical advancements which see the model boasting a Next18 DCC decoder interface, pre-fitted speaker, cab lighting (when used on DCC) and independent control of the directional lights at each end. With the Next18 interface and pre-fitted speaker, SOUND FITTED models can now be offered for the first time.

• Graham Farish N Scale
• Era 8
• Pristine BR Railfreight Distribution European livery
• Running No. 47555
• Named ‘The Commonwealth Spirit’

• Equipped with a Next18 DCC Decoder Socket – Recommend Decoder item No. 36-567A
• Length 139mm (over couplings)

DETAIL VARIATIONS SPECIFIC TO THIS MODEL

• Plated Headcode Panels with Sealed Beam Marker Lights at No. 2 End
• Cab-Front-mounted ETH Equipment

• Single Arm Windscreen Wipers
• High Intensity Headlight
• Round Buffers
• Full Cab Roof Vents
• Serck Radiator Grilles
• Smooth Exhaust Panels
• Plated Spanner Mk3 Boiler Port
• Water Tanks Removed
• NRN Aerials
• Plated Bogie-mounted Cab Steps

GRAHAM FARISH CLASS 47 SPECIFICATION

MECHANISM:

• Coreless, twin shaft motor with two flywheels providing drive to both bogies
• All axle drive
• Electrical pickup from eight wheels
• Diecast metal chassis block
• Gearing arranged for prototypical running speeds and haulage capabilities
• 9mm (N gauge) wheels to NEM310 standards with authentic profile and detailing
• Bogie-mounted coupling pockets to NEM355 standards at each end
• Designed to operate on curves of second radius (263.5mm) or greater

DETAILING:

• Bogies constructed from multiple components featuring full relief detail
• Separately applied detail parts, including lamp irons, cab handrails and roof aerial (where applicable)
• Separately fitted battery box/water/fuel tank assembly
• Cab Interior Detailing
• Each model supplied with a full set of model-specific bufferbeam pipework and accessory parts

LIGHTING:

• Directional lighting, switchable on/off at either end on DCC or Analogue control
• Cab lighting, switchable on/off (when used on DCC only)
• Authentic light colours and temperatures selected for each model based on era and application

DCC:

• Next18 DCC decoder interface

SOUND:

• Speaker installed in all models for optimum sound reproduction
• ESU Loksound V5DCC Sound Decoder fitted to SOUND FITTED versions
• Sound files produced specifically for the Graham Farish Class 47 using recordings from real locomotives
• SOUND FITTED models operate on DCC and Analogue control as supplied

LIVERY APPLICATION:

• Authentic liveries applied to all models
• Multiple paint applications employed on each model using BR/TOC specification colours
• Logos, numerals and text added as appropriate using multi-stage tampo printing using authentic typefaces, logos and colours

CLASS 47 HISTORY

Towards the end of the 1950s, British Railways began planning a new fleet of diesel locomotives and after investigating several prototypes, BR decided to place an order with Brush Engineering for 20 locomotives during February 1961. The resulting design became the iconic Brush Type 4 Diesel locomotive, a practical, versatile design with a very distinctive cab. Powered with a Sulzer engine and initially rated at 2,750hp, the locomotive could achieve a top speed of 75mph with a tractive effort of 55,000lb. Building commenced in January 1962 and the first locomotive No. D1500 appeared in late September of the same year with test runs on the London Midland Region and Western Region. The design was a success and BR went on to order a total of 512 with continuous production through to early 1967, forming the largest single class of main-line diesel locomotives in the UK.

During this time and subsequent years, several variations appeared with an increase in speed and tractive effort to 95mph and 62,000lb respectively. Originally fitted with four character train reporting head-codes, these changed to marker lights, with the addition of high intensity lights and roof aerials in the late 1980s. Other variations involved the fitting of different types of steam heating boiler for early BR coaching stock, later replaced with electric train heating for use with modern rolling stock. The numbering system started with four figures but changed to five with the introduction of the TOPS coding system which saw the locomotives classified as Class 47 Diesels with variations such as 47/0, 47/2, 47/3, 47/4 and 47/7. By the end of the 1990s, half of the Class 47 fleet had been withdrawn or scrapped, 33 have been converted into Class 57 locomotives and several have been preserved, including the original No. D1500, now numbered 47401.