The class 50s where built by English Electric to haul trains in multiple over the West Coast Main Line (WCML) from Crewe, the then limit of electrification, to Glasgow. Electrification came to the northern section of the WCML and the 50s where redeployed to Western Region, working trains out of Paddington to Bristol, the West Country, and the West Midlands. With the introduction of High-Speed Train sets, the some of the loco’s were cascaded onto the Southern Region working trains out of Waterloo to Exeter, the remainder working secondary trains deep in the West Country. By the end of March 1994, they were all withdrawn from BR service.

D429 (EE No. 3799/ Vulcan Foundry No. D1170) was delivered to London Midland Region traffic on the 22nd June 1968, allocated to D05. In May 1973 she was allocated to Crewe Diesel (CD) and then subsequently moved to Crewe Diesel (CD) Depot in May 1973 together with D430.

D429 was given its new TOPS number of 50029 in March 1974. In February 1976 the loco was transferred to the Western Region depot at Bristol Bath Road (BR), but by December of the same year had been reallocated to Plymouth Laira (LA) depot, the first of her two transfers to Laira.

On the 26th October 1978 50029 was named "Renown" and eight months later was a resident loco at Old Oak Common (OC) depot in London. Renown took her place in the Class 50 Refurbishment Program by entering Doncaster Works on the 11th January 1982 with work commencing three days later. She returned to traffic in Large-Logo livery on the 4th June 1982 and two months later was exhibited at the Chart Leacon Depot Open Day.

On the 28th November 1983 she became the first of her Class to visit London Marylebone on a service train diverted due to the derailment of 50041 Bulwark at London Paddington.

Her second allocation to Laira occurred in January 1984.

Her last classified exam was an F examination at Laira on 17/6/87 and she was outshopped in NSE Livery.

Renown’s last passenger working was the 16.55 Waterloo - Exeter St Davids (2V17) on 2/1/92 before she became the 44th Class 50 locomotive to be withdrawn, at 15.00 on 25/3/92 with 8706 engine hours.

The EE loco no. 3800 (Vulcan Foundry No. D1171) which was numbered by British Rail as D430 was introduced to traffic on the London Midland Region on the 29th June 1968. She was allocated new to D05 but in May 1973 was transferred to Crewe Diesel (CD) Depot.

D430 was renumbered to 50030 in March 1974 in accordance with the TOPS renumbering project. Two months later in the May of that year she was transferred to the Western Region, initially to Bristol Bath Road (BR) depot, but in December of 1976 she was transferred again to Plymouth Laira (LA) depot.

She was named "Repulse" on the 10th April 1978 and in July 1980 she was reallocated to Old Oak Common (OC) depot.

In March 1982 she was admitted to BREL Doncaster for a Power Unit change and for repairs to her bogies. On release to traffic on the 8th April 1982 she operated light-engine from Doncaster to Cleethorpes to head a Cleethorpes to London Kings Cross service throughout, from where she returned light-engine to Old Oak Common.

On the 31st March 1983 she entered Doncaster again to commence her refurbishment which commenced a few days later on the 11th April 1983. The work took five months to complete and she returned to traffic in Large-Logo livery on the 14th September 1983.

On the 26th February 1983 she was booked loco for the Essex Explorer railtour which took her to London Fenchurch St, Tilbury and Shoeburyness. She was also displayed at the Edinburgh Haymarket Depot Open Day on 23rd August 1985.

She undertook tyre-turning at Stratford TRS in February 1987 before having a final Classified F examination at Laura on 20/11/87 from which she was also outshopped in NSE Livery.

The last passenger working of Repulse took place on the 23rd February 1992 when she worked the 13.00 Waterloo - Exeter St Davids (2V13). She worked this in tandem with 33046 from Woking due to low power before she became the 46th Class 50 locomotive to be withdrawn, at 16.20 on the 8th of April, 1992. Her engine-hours stood at 7684.