A gloomy, overcast view of 24021 and 24005/022/024 (not sure of the exact order) in store at Reddish on December 29th 1975. This locomotive was one of those that retained its gangway doors to the end of its career. It also did not carry the BR 'barbed wire inter-city' emblem, rather this machine retained the 'lion & wheel' logo to the very end, its just visible at the far end of the locomotive. The position of the blue star coupling code symbols on the cab front is also a little unusual.
1959
Derby Works delivered D5020 & D5021 new to Ipswich (32B) during August. The annual Horticultural & Flower show (Open Day!) at Derby on August 29th found new diesels D2, D3782 & D5021 on display alongside steam locomotives Britannia 70004 & 9F 92165. A couple of months after delivery high winds plagued the east of England during the last week of October, on 27th D5020 was struck by a falling tree whilst on the East Suffolk lines.
1961
During March D5020 & D5021 headed south to Stratford, though their stay here was brief, by May both were at Willesden (1A). The transfer of D5020/21 to Willesden (1A) during May completed the movement of sixteen Type 2's (D5020 - D5035) between the GE and the LMR. This was made possible by the newly arriving English Electric Type 3's and Brush Type 2's upwards from D5694, after the transfer of the BR/Sulzer Type 2's more of the local services out of Euston became dieselized. D5020 recently transferred from the GE returned to its former haunts on August 7th in charge of a Bletchley - Southend excursion.
1962
D5020 visited Derby Works during April. D5021 stopped by for a stay in October & November.
1963
In May D5020 was noted ex-works at Derby. Travellers on a party special on June 16th from Hemel Hempstead to Hastings hauld by D5021 had quite an adventure when trying to make the return trip time. The locomotive became a complete failure prior to the return leg, which had to be cancelled due to no other power being available. Many passengers squeezed onto a similar special returning to Watford whilst D5021 was removed to St Leonard's depot for attention.
1964
D5020 was noted at Derby Works during May & July, D5021 stopped by in November.
1965
In January both moved to Camden (1B). D5020 was at Derby during April. As the year closed D5020 - D5024 moved north to Bescot (2F).
1966
With the creation of the LMR 'Divisions' D5020/21 joined the Birmingham Division. D5021 was at Derby during May, with D5020 noted in the workshops during June & July.
1967
Between April and August the entire block of D5000 - 5049 moved north to the Stoke Division (D05), with D5010 - D5023 going during June.
1970
An odd combination was noted late in the evening of February 13th at Wolverhampton when Hymek 7021 failed on the down 4M02. Rescue came in the shape of 5021, taken from another down working.
1972
On February 16th 5021 & 5033 were noted at Bletchley on the northbound 'Clayliner'. Normally an electric working the diesels, along with others were used to ease the power crisis due to the ongoing coal miners strike. 5021 & 5033 were again in action at the southern end of the WCML on February 23rd, in charge of an Eastleigh - Oldham empty van train. 5020 - 5023 moved to the Manchester Division (D09) in March. 5021 was noted at Derby Works during September.
1973
With the abandonment of the LMR Divison allocations 5020 & 5021 were allocated to Longsight during May.
1974
During March 5021 was renumbered into the TOPS system, whilst 5020 was renumbered during April.
1975
In the big purge of the Class 24's during the summer of 1975 both 24020 & 24021 were placed into store at Reddish during the first week of July and then withdrawn on August 10th.
A gloomy close up of the 'Lion & Wheel' emblem still carried by 24021 on December 29th 1975, and a 'Not to be moved' sign, a warning not heeded too much at Reddish, every trip we made there seemed to find the Class 24's in a different location somewhere on the depot's tracks. I suppose being in store here for over eighteen months would make movement round the depot very possible.
Occasionally the sun did shine on our visits to Reddish - on this particular visit on August 29th 1976 24021 was noted on the other side of Reddish depot. The paint has continued its fade into oblivion. Behind 24021 sits 24024.
The end came on February 15th 1977 when 24005/20/21/24 were hauled away to Swindon as the 9X45 04.38 Reddish - Crewe - Banbury - Swindon special freight. Both were scrapped within a week of each other at the end of March/beginning of April.
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Whilst the four other Class 24's were in a line on the east side of the depot on December 29th 1975, 24020 alias 5020 was stabled around the front of the depot, displaying it pre-TOPS number. As usual one of the first items to disappear were the windscreen wipers. |
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On arrival at Swindon the former Longsight Class 24's did not linger long. As they had left Derby Works together eighteen years earlier, and spent most of their workings lives close together, so they would end their days together at Swindon during April 1977.
Photograph courtesy Neil Phillips.
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