Class 58 - EWS Red/Gold - 58050

Class 58 - EWS Red/Gold - 58050The final Class 58 to be delivered, 58050 brought the curtain down on British Rail built locomotives. From this point onwards, private firms would build locomotives exclusively. In March 1987, 58050 was formally handed over for traffic, being named just a month later as Toton Traction Depot in honour of the class's home base. 58050 was chosen to represent the class at the Triple Grey launch at Ripple Lane in October 1987, so it only carried the Red

The final Class 58 to be delivered, 58050 brought the curtain down on British Rail-built locomotives. From this point onwards, private firms would build locomotives exclusively. In March 1987, 58050 was formally handed over for traffic, being named just a month later as “Toton Traction Depot” in honour of the class's home base. 58050 was chosen to represent the class at the Triple Grey launch at Ripple Lane in October 1987, so it only carried the Red Stripe livery for a few months before gaining its new identity in Triple Grey.
Because the locomotive was so new, it was allocated for trials of the developing “SEPEX” system. While the SEPEX equipment was eventually removed from 58050, it went on to become standard fitment in the new Brush Class 60s that emerged soon after. Reprising its role as a livery pioneer, 58050 was exhibited at the Freightconnection '94 exhibition at the London Docklands; for this, it was painted in the new Mainline Freight Aircraft Blue livery a month ahead of the brand's public launch.
It carried this livery until 1998 when, at the Toton Open Day, the locomotive was unveiled in its new colours of EWS maroon and gold and rededicated “Toton Traction Depot”. This livery lasted until it was placed in storage in August 2002. Reactivated for export in 2008, this important locomotive—being the last diesel locomotive built by British Rail—was originally listed as being “saved for the nation”. However, sadly, during 2025 the locomotive was removed from the list and scrapped in Spain.