1964
The frames for D5250 - D5252 were laid down at Derby in the last quarter of 1963. They were part of a large batch of diesels destined for replacing steam traction on the lines northwards from St Pancras. This batch of Type 2's were intended primarily for freight working hence they were built without train heating boilers, although from time to time, particularly in the summer months they might be found on passenger workings.
D5251 made its Works test trip to Corby on February 17th 1964, followed by D5252 two days later.
All were delivered to Toton (16A) during February. During May D5252 was transfered to 16D and then to the Midland Lines Division (ML).
1965
During 1965 all three were transferred to the Leicester Division (M15), D5250 & D5252 in April and D5251 in August.
1966
In a very short lived inter-regional transfer between Leicester/Nottingham and Thornaby D5248 - 5256 were exchanged for D5370 - 5378. The actual transfer of D5248/49/50 and D5370/71/72 occurred on New Years Day with the Class 25s being sent north from Leicester, the Class 27s coming down from Thornaby, the crews changing at Masborough! The re-allocation records show D5248/49/50 being transfered in December 1965, the remainder in January 1966.
Their stay at Thornaby was brief, all were transferred to Leeds Holbeck (55A), the majority in May except for D5254/55 in June and D5256 in October. They were to be used on the summer seasonal traffic generated from the Leeds area, hopefully without the need to use local steam power.
D5251 visited Derby Works from April to September whilst D5252 was at Crewe Works during July.
1967
In January D5252 - D5256 were transferred to the LMR.
Derby Works was visited by D5250 in April & D5252 in August.
By the beginning of November another thirty Class 25s had been transferred to the north west, along with a number of shunters and Classes 40 & 47, during October alone over eighty steam locomotives were withdrawn from the LMR, all from sheds located between the Mersey and the Solway. Included in the newly arriving Type 2s were D5151 5155, loaned to Carlisle from Thornaby, whilst in December Carlisle (12A) received D5248 5251 from Leeds Holbeck and D5252 - D5256 were transferred from within the LMR. Closed to steam early in November were the sheds at Stoke, Crewe South and Birkenhead, with Warrington and Springs Branch closed by month end. Northwich still held onto a number of steam diagrams but increasingly everywhere in the north-west the Classes 25 & 40 were to be found taking over the steam turns.
1968
Further transfers continued within the LMR to finally lay steam to rest, D5250 noved to 8F in February and D5248 - D5254 all transferred to 8J in May.
Photograph courtesy Rex Conway collection.
Its sometime in 1968 and 5250 is seen at Lostock Hall in charge of a weed-killing train.
1969
5251 was noted under repair at Crewe Works during May & June.
1970
5250 - 5252 were transferred to the Nottingham Division (D16) in November.
1971
During February 5252 was at Derby Works for repair, after release it was transferred to the Liverpool Division (D08). 5251 was also transferred here in October.
On Saturday November 27th the Civil Engineers took possession of the fast lines between Wellingborough and Sharnbrook Signal box for the purpose of removing 460 yards of ballast and clay substrata from the down main line just north of the summit and for the further cleaning of an additional 260 yards. Equipment involved was a Plasser ballast cleaning machine, a rail travelling crane with match wagons and 210 twelve & twenty ton spoil wagons. Three Class 45s had been requested but on the day only one showed up, 101, the other two machines were Class 47 1623 and Class 25 5250.
The first train on the scene was of thirty wagons hauled by 101 and was used to haul away the dirt from the ballast cleaning. The dirt was to be taken to the tip at Lidlington but due to the volume of traffic using the goods lines the train would be held at Sharnbrook signal box for a while. The next train on the scene was the rail travelling crane hauled by 5250 which, after the continuously welded rail was cut was used to shift the rails onto the sleeper ends of the up main line and the sleepers were placed in the up main fourfoot way. These two trains were working concurrently with the engineering staff during the afternoon. 5250 had propelled its train to the scene, thus the locomotive remained at the north end of the consist. At about 5pm 5250 propelled its train down to Sharnbrook signalbox and awaited behind 101 and its spoil train for a path on the goods lines back to Wellingborough.
The third train on the scene was sixty one spoil wagons and two brake vans hauled by 1623, it was now getting dark and a light rain was falling. This drew up alongside the excavated area of the down line, the train length exactly matching the line in question allowing the four traxcavators to load the train simultaneously with the minimum of shunting. After loading the train weight was estimated at 1,366 tons and the train was to head towards Sharnbrook box prior to beginning its journey to Lidlington. Crossing the summit at about 10mph the guard and second man were in the two brake vans applying their brakes, but it soon became apparent that the train was running away. Unable to control the train and seeing a redlight ahead the driver of 1623 jumped from the locomotive, fortunately suffering only minor injuries. The spoil train ran into 5250 and its train at about 20mph, pushing the whole train about one hundred feet and into the rear of the spent ballast train hauled by 101.
The crew of 5250 were in the rear cab and suffered injuries, particularly the second man, the driver was able to reach Sharnbrook signal box to report the collision. The brakevan containing the second man off 1623 had a lucky escape after the van was tossed across the down goods line. This was perhaps fortunate as it space was taken by a pile of fourteen crushed and crumpled spoil wagons and 250 tons of clay and used ballast.
Responsibility for the accident lay in the under-estimation of the weight of the train, shown as 1,366 tons on the driver's ticket, but probably closer to 1,600 tons when taking into account the two brake vans and the wetness of the clay. In the preparations for this possession the statement that the train length of sixty loaded spoil wagons was to be taken over Sharnbrook with a single locomotive did not raise any questions. However the fact that the driver had his secondman operate the screw brake in one of the brake vans (in contravention of Operating Procedures) suggested he was concerned about the operation of this train. Not helping the matter was that the there was no provision made for the working of Class 9 trains over the fast lines at Sharnbrook. When the CMEE of the LMR was asked for his recommendation of the loading of Class 9 trains over this route the limit was set at 600 tons, making the runaway train some 1,000 tons over the limit.
The two locomotives received serious damage, 1623 was only a couple of weeks out of Crewe Works, and soon returned there with some fine looking paintwork but two crushed cabs. Both locomotives were removed to Bedford, and were still there at Christmas. The possession had meant to end at 4pm on the Sunday but it took until 6.15am on Monday to get the up goods line open, the up fast line did not become available until 4am on Tuesday and the down fast at 18.20pm that evening.
The five views shown here come from the collection of John Osborn and feature the aftermath of the collision at Sharnbrook. These views are taken from the down goods line, probably on the day after the collision - most of the derailed vehicles have been removed. Despite the relative low speed of the collision the damage sustained by the locomotives, brake vans and spoil wagons was considerable. These photographs were in the process of being dumped during an office clear-out, fortunately John was able to provide a good home for them.
 | A final view of the scene showing the final positions of the Class 25 & 47 and the mountain of wreckage strewn across the Down Line. |
A copy of the ballast train notice issued for the week by the Divisional Manager, Nottingham identified ten engineers trains, 9Z02 - 9Z11 booked to work on a Sat/Sun/Mon possession. All were to be hauled by Class 45's with one Class 25 allocated to haul the crane train. Four of these trains were to consist of 60 engineering department spoil wagons each and another of thirty wagons. When loaded all were to be stabled in Bedford Ballast Pit, presumably for forwarding to Lidlington Tip at some point. There was also to be a hopper train scheduled to be working at the site until 05.30 Monday. Unusually there was no reference in the notice as to the maximum loads that each train was allowed to convey. In other similar documents from other Divisions that maximum loads were stated.
1972
The transfers of 5251 & 5252 continued between the Liverpool & Nottingham Divisions, both return to Nottingham early in the year, 5251 in January, 5252 in April, then both went back to Liverpool in June, only to return to Nottingham in December.
5250 was noted at Derby in February receiving repairs to its accident damage received at Sharnbrook, possibly Derby was making one good locomotive out of two seriously damaged ones (5250 & 7605).
1973
The 08.00 Bristol Plymouth passenger on November 22nd was noted west of Exeter behind 5230 (failed?) and 400. Exeter was also host to foreign Class 25s (& 31s) arriving with sugar beet from the ER, 7626 was noted on 1st, 25031 (2nd) & 5251 (6th).
5251 was transferred to Tinsley in December.
1975
The new summer season began on Saturday May 24th with many regular features returning. The additional services along the North Wales coast were principally in the hands of Class 40s, even the 07.35 Nottingham Llandudno showed up behind 47199, though this service quickly reverted to Class 25 haulage as the summer continued. In an eastward direction the Walsall Yarmouth featured 25083 & 25102, with the Derby Yarmouth in charge of 25065 & 25073, on the 26th this same pair powered a Nuneaton Whitley Bay excursion.
June 21st proved to be a banner day for Class 25 haulage on the North Wales main line, the 09.00 Llandudno York had 25056, 09.23 Manchester Llandudno with 25082, the following 10.33 service had 25278 whilst 25095 & 25090 hauled a Blythe Bridge Llandudno relief. The 07.35 Nottingham Llandudno arrived behind 25102, it had been double headed on June 7th with 25129 & 25131!
During July 25101 was transferred to Eastfield.
1976
25100 & 25102 moved to Longsight in January and both visited Derby Works during the year, 25102 in April and 25100 in May. The visit of 25102 to Derby included its repaint from green to blue livery, it was the second to last Class 25 to carry green livery, eclipsed only by 25043 which was repainted blue at Derby a couple of months later. However perhaps it should be noted that 25102 was the last Class 25 to carry the two tone green livery, the livery carried by 25043 was the solid brunswick green with full yellow cab ends. This would be the last major Works visit for 25102.
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Some ten years after 'BR blue' made its appearance 25102 is seen here still wearing two tone green livery. Its April 7th 1976 and the paint shop at Derby will soon send it out in corporate blue & yellow.
Photograph courtesy Tony Sayer. |
A Skegness - Manchester service was worked throughout by freshly repainted 25102 & 25186 on August 14th.
No Christmas Trees or Christmas carols here, not even any snow, just your average motley collection of 08/25/40's to be found at Birkenhead shed a week before Christmas on December 19th 1976.
1977
25101 returned to Toton during October.
The WR witnessed a number of double headed Class 25s during the summer season which included July 16th's 08.50 Birmingham - Paignton behind 25159 & 25101. The latter would fail at Wellington, how far they went after that is unknown.
1978
The 17.10 Manchester - Blackpool, normally a Class 40 turn in summer was hauled by 25070 (July 31st) and 25100 (August 14th).
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A rather clean 25102 keeps company with a Class 46 at Buxton sometime during August 1978.
Photograph courtesy E A Wood. |
1979
25101 received a general repair at Derby between April and July , whilst 25100 received N6 repairs during August & September.
25100 worked the 15.15 Plymouth - Manchester Piccadilly between Gloucester & Birmingham New Street on October 20th.
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25101 & 25158 get ready to wisk some holidaymakers away to the seaside (to Yarmouth) on August 25th 1979. Surprisingly Toton has turned out two remarkably clean locomotives. Long live BR blue! |
1980
25102 was withdrawn from Longsight depot during April.
On June 15th Tinsley held its annual Open Day, partly to celebrate the centenary of ASLEF. Almost fifty locomotives were on display (fifteen different classes) including 25101 & 25253.
During July 25101 moved to Cricklewood, its stay here was brief as it moved to Toton in October.
Between August 12th & 14th 25102 & 25204 moved as the 9X34 00.05 Crewe Swindon, by October 25102 would be no more.
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A fine view of the work that the Class 25's were built for - freight traffic over the Midland main line. Seen here near Toton on August 20th 1980 is 25101
Photograph courtesy Phil Trotter. |
1981
25100 was withdrawn in February and moved on February 27th as part of the convoy containing 25055, 25100/122, 25281 from ? to Swindon February 27, 1981 (25100 & 25281 ex Reddish & 25122 ex Newton Heath).
25101 motors down the slow lines near Harpenden on April 10th 1981, things have changed since D5251 started working over these lines in 1964.
During April 25101 returned to Cricklewood, then heading north to Bescot in November.
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25101 at Thornaby on February 15th 1981. Although allocated to the NER in the early days, their use on NER metals would be frowned upon during the 1980's, presumably due to a lack of crews trained on them and their increasing unreliability.
Photograph courtesy Tony Sayer. |
1982
The last recorded passenger working for 25101 occurred on September 6th when it substituted for a DMU on a York - Sheffield service.
Nine withdrawn LT underground cars were moved by 25101 on October 10th from West Ruislip to Tinsley for scrapping locally.
1983
Active service ended for 25101 when it was withdrawn during January at Bescot, after a service life of almost nineteen years. The following month 25100 was finally cut up at Swindon.
1984
25101's final move occurred as 25067, 25101/157/187 on the Wolverhampton (25067) Bescot Swindon movement between July 6th & July 11th. It would linger until December 1985 before being broken up.
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A work stained 5250 presents it original livery with small yellow warning panel to the camera, date & location unknown.
Photograph courtesy E A Wood. |
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The late afternoon light catches 25101 at Crewe.
Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson |
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A relatively clean looking 25102, date & location unknown.
Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
