D1023 Western Fusilier departs from Derby with the Western Finale, Exeter – York railtour on a gloomy and grey day, 12th February 1977.
Locomotive History
Built at Swindon works Western Fusilier entered traffic in September 1963 allocated to Cardiff Canton MPD. It was transferred to Swansea Landore in February 1965 before returning briefly to Cardiff Canton in March 1966 before final transfer to Plymouth Laira in April 1966. It was the last class 52 to receive a classified repair at Swindon works in September 1973. It survived an 80 yard derailment in January 1975 (due to complete failure of the leading axle) at a time when major inroads were being made into the class. Its BR final working took place two weeks after this photograph on the 26th February 1977 when it worked the Western Tribute railtour from Paddington to South Wales, Plymouth and return with D1013 Western Ranger. It was withdrawn along with the last three remaining diesel hydraulic locomotives (all class 52) two days later on the 28th February 1977 after covering @1,256,000 miles in service. Following withdrawal it was claimed for the National Collection and is currently (February 2012) located at the National Railway Museum, York
Praktica LTL, High Speed Ektachrome
Tags: 12th February D1023 Praktica LTL High Speed Ektachrome
© All Rights Reserved
20004 and 20183 head light engine for Toton MPD to stable for the rest of the weekend after completing their Saturday morning duties, 26th February 1977.
Locomotive History
20004 is one of the original batch of class 20 locomotives from 1957and was originally D8004 and was allocated to Devons Road MPD in Bow, London to work cross-London transfer freights. By the early 1970’s it had migrated to Scotland and was a Haymarket engine at the beginning of 1973. It had moved to Toton by 1975 and was a Toton engine at the time of the photograph and remained a Toton engine for most of its subsequent life until withdrawn in October 1990 and broken up by MC Metals Glasgow in August 1991. 20183 was from the later batch of class 20’s and was built in 1966. It lasted in traffic until withdrawn in January 1990 and was broken up by Vic Berry Leicester in March 1990
Tags: 26th February
© All Rights Reserved
On a bright sunny morning 20016 and 20070 approach Barton Lane, Attenborough heading for Toton Yard with a class 9 unfitted coal train made up of a mix of 21T coal hoppers and 16T minerals, 26th February 1977.
Locomotive History
20016 is one of the original batch of class 20 locomotives from 1957 and was originally D8016 and was allocated to Devons Road MPD in Bow, London to work cross-London transfer freights. By 1969 it was a Toton engine and on the 1st June 1969 it could be found in the old Great Northern steam shed at Colwich in company with five class 08’s (3403/07/25/26, 3790), twenty two class 20’s (8013/40/61/63/65/67, 8137/39/41/58/60/62/68/70/74/78/84/91/93/96/97/98), one class 31 (5629) and a class 47 (1808). 20016 remained a Toton engine for most of the remainder of its British Rail career and survived being stored in 1975 and again in 1983, when a large number of Toton’s vacuum braked class 20 fleet were stored due to the reduction in coal traffic from pit closures and the continued introduction of air braked MGR coal wagons. It was re-instated in 1984 following a classified repair when it was fitted with dual train brakes and slow speed control. This enable it to operate MGR coal duties, and it remained in service for another eleven years until withdrawn in April 1995. However 20016 has not been broken up and has spent the time since withdrawal in store at Bescot, MoD Smalmstown and currently (October 2010) Long Marston. 20070 was built in 1961 as D8070 and was withdrawn in April 1991, being broken up at MC Metals Glasgow in February 1992.
Praktica LTL, High Speed Ektachrome
Tags: 26th February 20016 D8016 High Speed Ektachrome Praktica LTL Epson 4490
© All Rights Reserved
25029 stabled on the fuelling point at Wellingborough in its final months of service, 5th February 1977.
Locomotive History
Originally D5179 the frames were laid down at Darlington works during November 1962 and it entered traffic in February 1963, allocated to Gateshead MPD. It was not fitted with a steam heating boiler which would lead to a career mainly on freight workings. After four years working out of Gateshead, it was transferred to Holbeck during January 1967 as part of the effort to clear West Yorkshire of steam traction. I first saw this engine on Holbeck MPD on the 11th October 1969. During November 1970 Holbeck sent six of their class 25's - 5179-82 and 7624/25, all non boilered to Newport. Their duties included the Lydney and Parkend branches, the Pontypool Road shunt and the heavier iron ore workings between Newport Docks and Ebbw Vale or Llanwern steelworks. D5179 was used for crew training at Laira in July 1971. During May 1974 25029 moved to Cardiff. With the end of the summer timetable in 1975 and the Western Region's dislike of the class 25's, 25029 was transferred to Haymarket in October. During June 1976 25029 moved south and it was reallocated to Toton. At this late date it still has its gangway doors and the neat flush fitting of the gangway doors of the class 24 and class 25/0 was marred by the external hinges and the repositioning of several brackets on the class 25/1. 25029 was withdrawn in August 1977 from Toton, the first non accident damaged class 25/1 withdrawn. It eventually moved to Glasgow Works, presumably for spares and was broken up in January 1978.
Tags: 5th February D5179 25029
© All Rights Reserved
On a wet and miserable 23rd February 1977 the Nottingham Divisional S & T Engineer is undertaking one of his periodic inspections. The inspection saloon is in charge of 25076 and thankfully for those involved it is one of the steam heating boiler fitted class 25’s. It is seen here at Gorsey Bank on the Midland Duffield – Wirksworth branch north of Derby awaiting the inspectors to return before heading back down the branch to Duffield.
Locomotive History
When Derby undertook redesign of the class 25 bodywork in 1963, the building of the batch of locomotives that would become D5223 - D5232 was transferred from Derby to Darlington works. This allowed Derby to retool it's production line without causing major interruption to the class 25 delivery schedule. These ten machines, including D5226 (25076) were destined for service on the Midland Main Line and D5226 was a local Toton engine for most of its early years until the later half of the 1970’s when its operational boiler made it interesting to the Scottish operating authorities and it moved to Scotland. 25076 was withdrawn in November 1984 and was dumped for a short while at Bescot prior to removal to Swindon on the 25th March 1985 in convoy with 25182, 25218 and 08095. It would linger at Swindon until broken up during August 1986.
Praktica LTL, High Speed Ektachrome
Tags: 23rd February D5226 25076 High Speed Ektachrome Praktica LTL Epson 4490
© All Rights Reserved