Built between 1962 and 1968, the Class 47  Co-Co Diesel-Electric locomotive was once the most numerous class of  mainline diesel in Britain with 512 examples. 310 locomotives were  constructed by Brush in Loughborough, and the remaining 202 at Crewe.  The locomotives were used for passenger and freight operations. In 2020, 24 of the class remain operational on the national network with more in storage and an additional 31 preserved.

Between 2016 and  2017, ROG purchased a total of five Class 47 locomotives from Riviera  Trains and Direct Rail Services to complement their Class 37s. The first Class 47 obtained was No. 47812 which was modified at Arlington Fleet  Services' Eastleigh Works, including the fitting of Dellner couplings to enable the haulage of EMUs. The locomotive was built in 1965 and had  previously served with Virgin Trains and Riviera Trains.