Whilst working the 13.35 Glasgow Queen St - Aberdeen 47522 collided with a tractor on a farm crossing near Forteviot in Scotland. The driver had seen the danger and was able to reduce speed; but only to about 50mph, certainly not enough to stop in time and the train derailed, ripped up over 300 yards of track, then plunged 35 feet down an embankment. Fortunately there were no fatalaties, although the train crew and 58 passengers were injured; four of them seriously. Although suffering serious damage the Crewe built Class 47 was fully repaired at Crewe (at a cost estimated to be in the region of £200,000) and continued in operational service until 1998 being, for a time, a 'celebrity' machine in a unique LNER-style apple green livery.

47522's 'celebrity' status came to an abrupt end in 1990 when it was once again seriously damaged in a crash at the other end of the country - near Dover. Once again the No.2 cab had to be replaced, this time using the cab from the fire-damaged and withdrawn, 47645. Following this second rebuild the loco was outshopped in the red and grey parcels sector livery.