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In July 1949 twenty seven Co-Co 1500V dc electric locomotives were ordered
by A H Peppercorn (former LNER CME) then BR Eastern Region Engineer, from Gorton works in Manchester, with electrical equipment by Metropolitan
Vickers, and the numbers 27000 - 27026 were allocated to them in January
1950. The design bore no resemblance whatever to a Swiss scheme for
Express locomotives in 1939 and was more like a stretched out version of Class
EM1, with six traction motors carried on two six wheel bogies, based upon those used by LMS diesel electric locomotives Nos 10000 / 10001. The bogies,
Which had a 15ft 8" wheelbase, were not coupled together like the Class EM1's, also the drawgear and buffers were to the body framework instead, thus giving a far smoother ride.
The buffers have oval heads, yet another difference, whilst the axleboxes
were fitted with Timken roller bearings. Maximum speed was 90mph, which
Was considerably higher than the line speed on the MSW route. The locomotives were classified as Mixed Traffic, they were clearly intended for express passenger work. No justification has emerged (in print) for the ex LNER CME ordering so many high speed electric locomotives for a passenger line of only 41 miles long with no foreseeable hope of their use elsewhere. One
Has to bear in mind that the LNER/BR had reapplied in 1948 for grants to electrify the King X -Leeds/ York and the LMS/BR route from Euston - Manchester/Liverpool at 1500V dc but this application was thrown out by the government of the day. Later the LMS route was passed by Derby for modernization at the more modern voltage of 25,000V ac. In November 1950 the order was cut back to seven locomotives, Nos 27000 - 27006 and extensions of the MSW line to Manchester Central and beyond abandoned. A great deal of material for the additional EM1 and EM2 locomotives on hand had to be scrapped.
During 1959-1961 the EM2's were given nameplates carrying the names of
Greek Goddesses, these names, apart from ELECTRA, were formerly carried by some of the first steam locomotives built at Gorton works.
After the Classes withdrawal in 1968 the seven EM2's were stored out of
Use at Bury steam shed along with 26000 TOMMY until Netherlands Railways showed an interest in buying the fleet (this followed an 'off the record' tip
off from Mr Emmerson, Ex LNER Electrical Traction engineer). Thus the classes UK swansong was on Wednesday 20th August 1969, ten months after they had been withdrawn from service in Britain and four months before they were despatched to Holland, No E27002 in Electric Blue livery but minus here nameplates, with 5 coaches worked the 1Z36 11.00am Reddish Depot to Sheffield Victoria and the return 12.18pm Sheffield Victoria to Reddish Depot arriving at 13.14pm. The locomotive was manned by Driver Bert Wagstaff who showed her abilities and potential to the Dutch Railways engineers . From a standing start at Dunford Bridge the locomotive passed through Woodhead Tunnel at 75mph, slowing to 60mph through Woodhead Station. Accelerating again through Crowden at over 80mph, Bert was heard to say to the engineers in his cab 'How's that!' In Holland after there rebuilding to Dutch Railways (NS) specifications the six remaining locomotives settled down to the Express Passenger work they were originally designed for. They were normally rostered to work the Den Haag (The Haig) to Koln (Cologne) via Rotterdam and Eindhoven, as far as the Border station of Venlo, these services had the usual timetabled speeds of 83mph, but on the 23rd March 1974 No 1502 (27000) working the 13.11 Koln - Rotterdam covered the 22 miles start to stop from Venlo to Helmond start to stop in 20 min. 51 seconds, with a maximum speed of over 86mph. Locomotive No1501 (27003) worked for just over sixteen years in Holland, as against a little over 14 in England. More surprisingly perhaps is that whilst in Holland the EM2's ran about 2.500.000 miles on passenger an freight services, against an estimated 800.000 miles previously in England. Since there withdrawal from service in 1986 (Outliving their sister EM1's by five years) 27000 ELECTRA has returned to Holland to haul specials & timetables trains during the NS 150 celebrations in 1989 and during the last 10 years 1501 DIANA has hauled railtours and staff trips around the Dutch Network. The words of Bert Wagstaff could possibly be heard again if all goes to plan, an EM2 running in the UK again. 'How's That'
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