The British Rail Class 31 – The Ultimate Diesel Workhorse The British Rail Class 31, also known as the Brush Type 2, was one of the most versatile and widely used diesel locomotives in British railway history. Introduced in the late 1950s as part of British Railways’ Modernisation Plan, the Class 31 went on to work passenger, freight, parcels, and even departmental duties across almost every region of the UK. In this video, we explore the origins of the Class 31, its early reliability problems,