Class 57 No. 57001 in Freightliner green

The Class 57 is a fully re-engineered Class 47, its original Sulzer prime mover being replaced with a reconditioned General Motors GM645-12E3 engine of 2,500hp to provide performance comparable to a Type 5. The loco was created for Freightliner by Brush Traction to enable longer and heavier trains to be run with added reliability. At the time, the existing Class 47 fleet was being worked harder than ever before and wear and tear was taking its toll. The first of an initial order for six Class 57s, No. 57001, was outshopped from Falcon Works, Loughborough, on July 21st, 1998 and named Freightliner Pioneer. It was also the first locomotive to carry the new green and yellow Freightliner corporate identity and thus was an obvious candidate for a limited edition.