20030 is seen here with 20147 (still in green livery) in charge of a loaded coal train from one of the Lean Valley pits at Lenton South Junction, 27th November 1976.
Locomotive History
The most successful batch of Type 1 locos ordered under the Modernisation Plan were the English Electric Type 1, classified Class 20. The initial order of 1956 was for twenty locomotives; however, the design was an immediate success and, before all twenty were in traffic, an order was made for an additional thirty locomotives for delivery to the Eastern and Scottish Regions. 20030 was one of this batch of thirty locomotives entering service as D8030 in December 1959, allocated to Leith Central MPD before quickly moving on to Kittybrewster, Aberdeen. It would spend the next six years allocated to Kittybrewster until it closed and D8030 transferred to Haymarket. Evidence of its Scottish allocation is the recess in the cab for single line tablet exchange equipment. By the late 1960’s it was one of a small batch of class 20’s (8019/30-33/55-57) allocated to Stratford although by by the 1970’s this had reduced to 8030/55/56 retained as replacements for the Liverpool Street station pilot duties formally undertaken by two of the BTH class 15 locomotives. These were converted to class 08 duty in October 1971 and the three class 20’s left Stratford for York behind 5522 on the 2nd October 1971 with 8030/55 transferred to Scotland (Eastfield) and 8056 transferred to Tinsley. After four years in Scotland 20030 transferred to Toton in 1975. In 1982 20030 was one of a number of Toton vacuum braked class 20’s stored awaiting an improved financial climate to allow classified repair and dual brake fitment which was eventually undertaken at Crewe works during the summer of 1983. On release it transferred to Tinsley, spent a spell around 1988 allocated to Thornaby before returning to Toton from were it was withdrawn in October 1990. 20147 was built in 1966 and was one of the later batch of class 20 locomotives fitted with headcode boxes and was withdrawn in May 1989. Both were broken up by MC Metals Glasgow in August and September 1991 respectively.
Re-edited 19th November 2015
Praktica LTL, High Speed Ektachrome
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