Not long out of Darlington Works D5160 is seen here at Thornaby, still with shiny paintwork, complete with a steam style 51L shed plate attached to the front. Darlington has also picked out the grilles in light grey.
Photograph courtesy Rex Conway collection
1961
The frames of D5158 - D5161 were laid down at Darlington Workshops during the spring of 1961, part of an order for twenty five Type 2's, the first batch to be fitted with the uprated 1,250hp Sulzer 6LDA28B engine. These four locomotive were released from Darlington during July & August, like the rest of this order it was delivered to Thornaby (51L), these machines were not boiler equipped so would live out there careers mostly on freight duties.
1963
In the early hours of July 31st D5160 was involved in a fatal accident which revealed troubling issues related to the locomotive and its crew. D5160 & brake tender was in charge of the 1.0am Class 8 freight from Tees Yard to Northallerton, travelling ahead of it was the 1.30am Class 8 freight from Tees Yard to Washwood Heath hauled by a Class 37 and brake tender.
Just north of Rounton Gates signal box the Northallerton bound freight rear ended the Washwood Heath train, impact speed was approxiamately 30mph, the leading train was barely moving having just started to pull away from a signal stop. D5160 had been propelling a 35ton brake tender, which demolished and set fire to the brake van of the leading train. The wagon next to the brake van, a 40ton bolster wagon carrying rolled steel lost its bogies and was thrown upside down across both running lines. The brake tender was demolished in the collision, D5160 rode over it sustaining severe damage to the cab.
The guard of the Washwood Heath train was severely injured in the collision and died shortly after reaching the hospital. The investigation showed the driver of D5160 to be a troubled man. He was approaching retirement age and had been driving diesels for about five months. He had suffered from dizzy spells for about fifteen months prior to the accident, since transferring to diesels his stomach had troubled him, unable to keep down food after he had been driving diesels. Cooking smells also upset him, at the time of the accident the second man was in the rear cab cooking up his breakfast of bacon and eggs on the hotplate. At this time all nightime diesel workings were doubled manned to provide protection for the crews in case of drowsiness brought on by the more comfortable environment found in the diesel cabs. The second man had been in the rear cab for about fifteen minutes and had not monitored any of the signals. Additionally the guard of the train admitted to only a casual observance of the signals on that trip.
The driver could remember nothing of the final moments of the journey, either because of a spell of dizzyness or drowsiness imparing his actions. Equally as disturbing was the operation of the deadman's pedal, which although found to be in proper working order after the collision appeared to have been operational by the action of a downward pressure lower than that prescribed by the manufacturer - if the driver had fallen asleep the weight of his legs would normally have been inadequate to keep the pedal depressed. In the case of the pedal in D5160 it was operating outside of its designed specifications and allowed the locomotive to operate with the driver incapacitated, therefore making the device virtually of no use.
During August D5160 was noted in Darlington Works & Yard presumably for accident repairs.
1965
During January D5160 made a visit to Derby Works - possibly the first of the Class 25/0's to visit these workshops. D5158 was soon to follow, being noted here in March & April.
1966
On February 5th D5158 was noted dragging 48392, 76040 & an unidentified V1 south through Northallerton, the 8F was noted with its cab missing.
Derby Works received D5161 for repair between July & October.
Sometime during 1966 two of Thornaby’s Type 2’s were trialled with fluorescent front panels - so treated with red paint was D5159. This machine was noted in this garb on September 12th handling the heavy ICI Haverton Hill block ammonia train, comprised of two WR brake vans and thirty six tank wagons.
1967
D5160 spent most of February at Derby Works.
 | A wonderful view of D5159 leaving Tees Yard on April 17th 1967. The orange flourescent warning panel, only carried on this locomotive is clearly visible. Perhaps even more of interest is the fascinating selection of goods wagons being pulled along by D5159, and no doubt filled with many chemical products from the industrial complexes on Teeside.
Photograph courtesy Bill Wright 'Barkingbill'. |
On August 17th D5160 worked the 7B61 14.10 Tees Yard - Dringhouses freight piloted by K1 62005, the steam locomotive going forward to Leeds for examination at Hunslet’s Works.
1968
D5159 was at Derby Works during April & May for the repair of collision damage, it was joined here by D5158 during May.
1969
On April 8th 6782 hauling the 11.40 Lincoln - Newcastle failed at Darlington, 5158 came to the rescue taking the train on to Newcastle.
1971
5160 visited Derby Works during February.
Amongst a quantity of Class 25/0's transferred to Leeds (55A) during the latter half of 1971 were 5158 in July & 5159/5160 in August. During October 5161 moved to Eastfield.
1972
5158 - 5160 were transferred to Eastfield (65A) in January. 5159 was noted at Glasgow Works during August.
On November 6th 5160 was working a ballast train from Girvan to Stranraer. Its progress was halted after it caught fire and ran away over the steep gradients near Pinwherry - the locomotive was quickly evacuated to Eastfield for assessment of repairs.
1973
All four of the locomotives visited the workshops during 1973, 5158 was at Derby from January to March, closely followed by 5160 during March and April whilst Glasgow received 5159 during February & 5161 in October.
1974
After over two years at Eastfield all four were transferred to Haymarket, 25008/009 in April and 25010/011 in May.
25011 was noted at Glasgow Works during June.
At the end of the summer timetable 25009 & 25010 were transferred to Tinsley during October.
1975
In exchange for the Scottish Region receiving four boiler equipped Class 25's, 25008 & 25011 were sent south to Tinsley during February, during its time at Tinsley 25008 spent April and May under repair at Derby Works. Tinsley was, for a brief time now home to all the Class 25/0's.
 | 25010 hurries through Ferryhill on June 10th 1975 with yet another trainload of steel from the Teeside area.
Photograph collection of Ian Hammond |
 | 25008 & 27012 south of Perth station sometime during June 1975.
Photograph courtesy A Healey. |
During the summer a reshuffling of motive power took place to deal with the mass withdrawals of the LMR & ScR Class 24's, part of these transfers included sending 25005-25014 from Tinsley to Eastfield. during August.
October 6th found 25002 on the 10.10 Queen St – Aberdeen, possibly deputizing for a failure, later that afternoon 25008 & 26029 worked six brakevans north over the Highland mainline.
1976
25009 was one of several Class 25/0's stored during February, it would be reinstated to Eastfield during June.
25011 was noted at Derby Works during March.
A new contract to move pipes from Leith Docks to several long distance locations including Derby, Wisbech and Salisbury, and shorter hauls to Carlisle, Darlington, Law Jct, Maud & Montrose would provide much work for pairs of Haymarket Class 25’s. The Leith – Salisbury diagram involved the Scottish Type 2’s working as far as Didcot, examples noted were 25011 & 25026 (March 13th & 15th) and 25002 & 25317 (March 27th), 25018 & 25031 (April 10th), 25026 & 25092 (April 24th), the locomotives generally returning north light, at least as far as the Birmingham area.
On October 12th a Bishopston – Mossend ammunition train derailed all but four of the thirty three wagons just south of Hamilton Central station. The locomotive, 25008 remained on the tracks. The majority of the wagons derailed in Barncluith tunnel, the Army taking three days to safely remove all the explosives, with a further four days required to relay the track and replace the overhead equipment.
25011 was transferred to Haymarket during October.
 | A fine study of 25010 at Ayr on June 6th 1976. The locomotive still has the gangway doors in place, they would be sheeted over at the next works visit. The steam style shed plate is still afixed to the cabfront! Photograph courtesy Tony Sayer |
1977
25009 was noted at Glasgow Works during November.
 | 25008 basks in the afternoon sun at Polmadie on September 3rd 1977. |
 | The Class 20 captured in the above view was infact sandwiched between 25008 & 25009. In this view 25009 reveals its unusual headcode housing, not the regular rectangular box but one with 'wings' that do not contain the airhorns. |
 | A sunny September 17th 1977 finds Eastfield full of locomotives, 25010 basks in the afternoon sun, looking in need of a Works visit and repaint. |
 | 25008 stands at Polmadie on October 29th 1977.
Photograph courtesy Tony Sayer. |
 | Glasgow workshops are host to 25009 on October 29th 1977.
Photograph courtesy Tony Sayer |
1978
 | Another fine study of 25010, this time from the other end and now seen in Glasgow Works on February 18th 1978. The cab roof features the later style with the roof mounted air horn placement. Photograph courtesy Tony Sayer |
During April 25010 paid a visit to Glasgow Works, the following month it was transferred to Haymarket.
During August 25011 was noted at Derby Works receiving minor attention. After release the locomotive was sent off in the opposite direction to its home depot in Scotland! It was noted on the 15.55 Bristol - Plymouth parcels on September 7th, working as far as Exeter, being replaced here by 25155. It continued its westward march by working the 19.30 Exeter - Paignton!
 | On a damp & dismal June 29th 1978 25010 heads a freight southwards through Mossend. At this time one didn't have to remain too long at Mossend before seeing one of the remaining Class 25/0's come through on some sort of freight working. |
 | The refuelling shed at Ayr depot on June 30th 1978 is the location of 25011 on this dull afternoon. |
 | A surprise visitor to Derby Works was 25011, seen here on August 5th 1978. It was only received for minor repairs, it was soon released back into traffic. At this late stage in the life of the Class 25/0's any major attention would normally be carried out by Glasgow Works. |
1979
25011 was briefly at Glasgow Works during February.
 | A couple of big Type 4's sandwich 25011 on Haymarket depot at 3pm on February 1st 1979.
Photograph courtesy A Forster. |
 | Its 9am at Haymarket on February 18th 1979 and 25011 awaits its next turn of duty.
Photograph courtesy A Forster. |
 | 25011 marshalls its train of empty hoppers at Millerhill 9.30am on August 24th 1979.
Photograph courtesy A Forster. |
On May 12th 25011 was noted with buffet car SC1706 at Millerhill and bound for the Penmanshiel tunnel collapse.
Glasgow Works received 25008 for an intermediate repair during June & July, possibly the last Class 25/0 to receive a classified repair.
1980
25008 & 25009 were transferred to Haymarket during January.
25008 was withdrawn during May with collision damage, it was quickly removed to Glasgow Works - the TOPS report indicates it was received here on June 16th and was cut up by the end of the month. During July 25009 was withdrawn, moved to Glasgow Works and broken up there during September.
25011 was noted at Edinburgh in the early evening of August 26th with a passenger train.
 | 25011 at Millerhill at 6.30pm on April 14th 1980.
Photograph courtesy A Forster. |
 | 25009 has come to the end of the road in the scrapping area at Glasgow Works, seen on October 4th 1980. Little time now remains for 25009, next in line is 24006 having recently been dragged over from Eastfield depot. |
25011 was noted on Haymarket depot on October 14th derailed and awaiting repair.
All the remaining Class 25/0's were taken out of service and withdrawn during December, including 25010 & 25011. 25011 ended its days out of service at Haymarket, by early January it was at Millerhill.
1981
From February 9th - 11th 25010 with 25011, 25023 & 25087 were moved from the Scottish Region (Millerhill?) to Swindon for scrapping. At least as far as York (and possibly further southwards) 25010 was used to power the consist, perhaps giving 25010 the dubious honor of being the last Class 25/0 to remain in an operational condition. It is believed the convoy reached Swindon by February 11th. 25011 was broken up at Swindon during March, 25010 would be gone by the end of May 1981.
 | A weak afternoon sun catches 25010 at York on February 6th 1981 attached to three other Class 25's. This was in fact 25010's last journey dragging three others down to Swindon for breaking. Photograph courtesy John Turner |
What Darlington put together and Derby & Glasgow tried to keep running, so Swindon took it all apart.
Photograph courtesy Mark Bennett
Undated Views
 | Back at Eastfield again with 25010 posing amidst Class 08 & 20's. Clearly shown is its borrowed cab roof from a Class 25/1. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson |
 | An unusual view of 25010, believed to be at Eastfield, date not known. If the locomotive sustained any damage, it clearly didn't keep it out of service for long. Photograph collection of Steve Morris |
