A regular summer Saturday trip out for Toton's Class 25's was the 1D30 07.35 Nottingham - Llandudno Town & 1D17 13.00 return. Seen here on July 29th 1978 25224 is approaching Platform 2 at Derby, a runround will be necessary before heading off to Stoke and the North Wales resorts. Sometimes the incoming locomotives would run round and work the trip throughout to North Wales, at other times Derby would have another locomotive standing by to take over.
1963
The frames for these three locomotives were laid down during the summer of 1963 at Darlington, D7573/7574 were delivered to Cricklewood (14A) during October whilst D7575 followed on in November to Toton (16A), but was quickly transferred the following month to Cricklewood (14B) along with D7576 & D7577
This batch D7568 - D7577 were numerically built out of sequence, chronologically they followed on from D5222 at Derby. D5223 - D5232 were planned for construction at Derby but this batch were transferred to Darlington to allow Derby to tool up for the redesigned Class 25's commencing with D5233.
D7573 & D7574 worked their test train to Corby on October 18th 1963. D7575 was joined by D7576 to make the Corby test run on November 5th 1963.
1964
All three moved to Nottingham (16D) with 7571 - 7577 in October, then on to Cricklewood South (14B) two months later with 7572 - 7575.
D7575 was noted working a Failsworth - Morecombe excursion on June 20th.
1965
The Type 2's made regular visits on excursions and specials to the south coast resorts, visiting Eastbourne during May were D7513 & 5291 (11th) and D7595 & 7574 (25th), both trips had originated on the ER.
1966
D7573 was noted at Derby Works with accident damage during March & April.
D7574 moved to the Nottingham Division (D16) during May, then on to the Midland Lines (ML) in September.
1967
Toton's boiler equipped D7568 - 7573 were sent to Holbeck during August in exchange for D7627 - 7632, these being used to replace steam on Leeds - Bradford workings.
A brief move for D7574 was made to the Birmingham Division during August & September before heading back to the Midland Lines (ML).
Paired Type 2's were still frequently allocated to Midland passenger services, D5283 & 5198 worked October 17th's 12.30pm Manchester - St Pancras and D5205 & 7575 arrived in London the next day with an early morning service from Leeds.
1968
During May D7573 moved to Longsight (9A) whilst D7574/7575 went to Allerton (8J).
With steam in the north-west rapidly in decline the areas parcels trains were now diesel hauled - the afternoon Leeds City - Patricroft a regular Holbeck Type 2 working, noted in January were D5147 (10th), D5096 (12th) & D7573 (26th).
Although this January was a remarkably mild one heavy snowstorms on January 9th & 10th brought considerable chaos to many parts of the country. Particularly hard hit were the London commuters with most of the termini suffering many cancellations due to frozen up equipment. Perhaps because of this it was no surprise to find Holbeck based D5112 at St Pancras on 9th, whilst on 13th D7573 was noted southbound through Newark with the 08.25 Leeds - Kings Cross, albeit with four coaches only!
By October 7574 had reached Crewe Works for repairs.
1970
On April 29th whilst negotiating the crossovers at the center of Manchester Victoria station 7573 become derailed. The Newton Heath breakdown crane arrived behind 5154, taking about an hour to put 7573 back on the rails.
7574 & 7575 were transferred to the Manchester Division (D09) in May.
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Sister 7573 is captured on film laying over at Newton Heath on August 15th 1970.
Photograph courtesy Tony Sayer. |
1971
With the WR making further inroads into its hydraulic fleet 7573 - 7575/7577 were transferred to Laira (84A) during October, part of a larger fleet reorganisation. At the time of these transfers 7574 visited Derby Works during October. The Class 25's were not the most popular machines in the south-west, their mechanical condition leaving a lot to be desired. Typical was 7573 spending a month out of service at Exeter before being moved to Laira for repair. The Class 25's had still not fully replaced the Class 22's on the local duties in Devon and Cornwall, crew training still taking place at several locations. Not helping matters was the use of Laira based 7574 at Bristol for crew training. Additionally the Class 25's were still not cleared for use on the Drinnick Mill branch.
7573 & 7575 would spend the rest of their time working on the Western Region, they would become familiar locomotives working the secondary passenger duties in the Exeter area, with eight years in this area it is more than likely they covered all the local passenger duties many times over. They would also be very active on the summer holiday extras and assisting the long distance workings out of Penzance & Plymouth from time to time.
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Its August 7th 1971 and 7574 runs through Preston station, still sporting solid green livery with white band and full yellow ends and gangway doors. When the summer timetable ended 7574 would be transferred to the Western Region.
Photograph courtesy collection of Ian Hammond. |
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Wigan is the location for this view of 7575 on August 21st 1971. The locomotive lacks the white stripe carried by 7574 (see above), though some three years after the end of steam both still carry the 'D' prefix.
Photograph courtesy collection of Ian Hammond. |
1972
Derby Works was host to 7573 during March and 7575 during June.
On June 10th the through Paddington - Barnstaple service was hauled by 7573 & 7647 beyond Exeter. This was at a time of a serious shortage of motive power in the west, a number of Hymeks & Warships having been reinstated to cover the shortages.
On September 2nd front line duty befell 7574 & 7575 when they were noted leaving Penzance in charge of the northbound 'Cornishman'.
On October 5th St Blazey received 7575 & 7676 for taking up further Class 22 duties, unfortunately 7575 was defective and returned to Laira for repair. Its replacement was 5180, these two handling the trips to Dennis Junction, Retew and Goonbarrow Jct.
1973
7575 & 5223 were noted working an engineers train at Barnstaple on June 3rd.
7575 paid a visit to Derby Works during November.
1975
Heavy rains in the south west between January 18th and 20th caused flooding on the SR line east of Exeter, on the 18th the 19.55 Exeter - Basingstoke was worked as far as Yeovil by 25224, the locomotive then returning light.
1976
On June 5th 25223 handled an Exeter - Plymouth relief to provide connections from the extremely late arrival of a Waterloo service.
25225 was at Derby Works during September & October.
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25224 spent seven years on the WR from 1971 - 1978 based at St Blazey, being equally at home on local passenger workings or the many freights covered by St Blazey depot. Seen here September 15th 1976 in front of the turntable at St Blazey depot.
Photograph courtesy Tony Sayer. |
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Seen here on a taxing duty of one PMV 25223 heads through Truro on September 15th 1976.
Photograph courtesy Tony Sayer. |
1977
The WR witnessed a number of double headed Class 25's during the summer season. On July 16th the 08.50 Birmingham - Paignton used 25159 & 25101, also returning with the ecs. A Plymouth - Old Oak Common parcels ran with 25225 & 50029.
The local Round Table in the Barnstaple area ran a special on August 29th from Barnstaple to Meeth. The ten coaches were 'top & tailed' by 25223 & 25052!
The West Country hosted a number of enthusiast specials during the early part of October. 40081/84 worked a special from Paddington to Exeter on October 9th, replaced here by 25052 & 25223 for the round trip to Paignton for the Kingswear branch.
1978
During May 25224 moved north to the Stoke Division (D05), this transfer probably prevented 25224 from being an early casualty on the WR two years later. Now based in the Crewe area it would be frequently used on the Crewe - Cardiff passenger services.
On November 25th the RPPR 'Welsh Wonder' railtour from Paddington to South Wales left the capital with 25157 & 25225 in charge. However all was not well with the pair, 46001 being added at Reading taking the train as far as Severn Tunnel Jct. Here 20044 & 20188 took over for a trip round the Welsh Valleys, the return to London was behind a pair of Class 37's. This tour was repeated on the following Saturday, December 2nd, with 25052 & 25225 providing more solid performance between Paddington and Severn Tunnel Jct.
The year closed out with bad weather on December 29th. Heavy snow over the New Year plagued services with delays and faulty equipment made life even more difficult to maintain the timetable. In the West Country Exeter proved to be a graveyard for frozen up locomotives, with temperatures reaching down to -13C most things simply froze up. The 00.05 Paddington - Penzance was reported sixteen hours late at Plymouth, 50046 had left Paddington 150 minutes late continuing to loose time throughout the journey, before expiring completely at Brent, with 47106 coming to the rescue. The train was cancelled at Plymouth with Penzance passengers connecting with the 10.30 from Paddington, arriving at Penzance some eighteen hours late! At Exeter the local services were cancelled with the dmu's frozen solid. The diesels fared little better with eighteen frozen up locomotives including 25052, 25206/225/263, the only serviceable machine being 46020, which had been equipped with steam lances for the freeing of pointwork and rodding.
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A late summer visit to the West Country finds Exeter a hive of activity on August 26th 1978 with 25225 sandwiched between another Class 25 and one of the local DMU services. |
1979
25223 visited Derby Works during April. From August to October 25224 was at Derby Works for a General Repair including making good some fire damage.
The year closed out with heavy rains leading to flooding from December 27th in many areas. The Berks & Hants line was closed at Laverton, as was Box Tunnel and the WR Bristol line at Saltford. On the SR the Weymouth line was closed at Yetminster, with the Exeter route closed at Crewkerne and between Chard & Axminster. The Barnstaple and Looe branches also went underwater. The Central Wales line was closed south of Llanwrtyd Wells, whilst the Hereford - Newport line was cut in two places, at Ponthir & Pandy, trapping 46040 on the 12.25 Crewe - Cardiff. 25224 on the 11.30 Cardiff - Crewe was running an hour late due to heating problems, whilst 25055 on the 16.02 return encountered moderate flooding at Woofferton. The Class 46 was finally released from its impoundment early on December 29th. Also closed were the Rhondda & Rhymney Valley lines and a weakened embankment on the South Wales main line west of Neath led to single line working.
1980
Unusual duty befell 25225 & 25080 on April 12th, taking over at Exeter from 31304 & 31163 on a Paddington - Meeth special, the Torrington - Meeth section top and tailed due to lack of run round facilities at Meeth. The special also covered the line to Meldon.
25225 came to the rescue of the 18.56 Exeter - Barnstaple DMU on August 15th (throughout?) & returning with the 20.50 to Exeter. A month later on September 15th 25225 worked the 18.00 Barnstaple - Exeter, having to later return to the branch to assist ailing 25207 on the 17.15 freight to Exeter.
October 5th saw an Alfreton - Barnstaple charter handled by 45061 to Exeter with 25223 & 25080 taking the train onto Barnstaple.
Numerical sisters 25223 & 25225 were withdrawn by the WR in October.
By the end of November 25225 had been broken up at Swindon.
A Euston - Bridgnorth special on December 20th worked forward from New Street behind 25221 & 25224 running via Sutton Park, Dudley & Stourbridge, services in the area were somewhat in turmoil due to freight train derailments at Barnt Green & Rowley Regis.
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In May 1978 25224 moved from the WR to the Stoke Division. When the Crewe - Cardiff service became loco hauled it was only a matter of time before boiler equipped 25224 started working over the line. Seen here on October 18th 1980 25224 awaits departure from Crewe with the 139 mile journey to Cardiff ahead.
Photograph courtesy Paul Bettany. |
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As 25224 headed back to LMR in May 1978, sisters 25223/225 remained on the WR and were withdrawn from there in October 1980. Both were quickly despatched to Swindon, within a month of withdrawal they were scrapped. 25225 is seen here at Swindon on October 26th 1980. The TOPS reports reveal 25223 was turned off for good on October 7th, 25225 on the following day. 25225 was overdue an 'E' exam by 294 hours! |
1981
During the first half of 1981 25224 covered some considerable mileage on the Crewe - Cardiff run, these journeys were interrupted on May 10th when it covered the early morning 03.57 Crewe - Birmingham. The routine was broken in July when 25224 & 25080 worked roundtrips over the Cambrian lines on July 4th & 5th. On the Saturday they worked the 04.10 Shrewsbury - Aberystwyth and 10.07 return as far as Wolverhampton. On the Sunday they worked the 08.45 Birmingham - Aberystwyth (via Bescot), coming back with the 18.00 to Euston as far as Nuneaton. This same routine was carried out on August 1st & 2nd, this time with 25224 attached to 25130.
On August 5th the 15.32 Norwich - Birmingham suffered problems with 31260 at Nuneaton, for the last leg of the run 25224 was added to assist the Class 31. This summer had seen more Class 25's than normal deputising on this cross country service. 25224 would work another Norwich service, this time throughout on August 11th with the 10.15 Birmingham - Norwich.
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The overhead equipment creates a maze of wires and supports for 25224 to navigate as it runs by Winwick on June 30 1981.
Photograph courtesy Phillip Moore. |
1982
Early in 1982 25224 spent a little time in Scotland, on February 26th it was on the Dundee - Glasgow circuit, whilst on March 5th & 6th it worked the 10.14 Perth - Motherwell with 25037, though on the latter day both Type 2's failed near Gleneagles.
On March 11th 25224 had the slow job of towing 08149/303/455/622 from Derby to Swindon for storage. Two days later 25224 & 25327 worked the return leg of an excursion (ex-Nelson) from Preston back to Leamington Spa. By 19th it was deputising for a DMU on the 09.19 Morecambe - Leeds. More majestic scenery beckoned on June 26th when 25224 worked the 8.57 Leeds - Carlisle & 15.37 return.
25224 made two summertrips over the Cambrian lines during July. On 3rd 25224 & 25133 worked the 7.38 Shrewsbury - Aberystwyth and 10.07 Aberysywyth - Euston, as far as Wolverhampton. And on 28th 25224 & 25167 worked in on a Derby - Aberystwyth day excursion, however the recent reduction of run-round facilities at Aberystwyth caused problems to the regular dmu service when this excursion arrived late. Despite the loss of the ScR allocation of Class 25's they were still frequent visitors to Glasgow, 25224 worked the 17.30 Glasgow - Carlisle on October 20th & 21st. More normal power for these services over the GSW featured eth equipped Class 47's. The 12.46FO Portsmouth - Leeds used 25224 north of Birmingham on December 3rd, the next day this machine was in charge of the 10.15 Birmingham - Norwich and 16.45 return.
1983
The New Year was only a week old when 25224 (with 25188) was utilised for passenger haulage, on January 7th's 13.15 Birmingham New Street - Norwich as far as Leicester.
On February 28th 25224 worked the 08.01 Crewe - Cardiff and 11.50 return, this was a Monday's only turn due to the regular Class 33 being required for crew training. A short working on March 27th found 25224 assisting 47439 between Stafford & Birmingham on the 23.55 Glasgow - Bristol. April saw 25224 on one Cardiff - Crewe service (4th) and one Birmingham - Norwich (20th). During the summer season there were no recorded workings of 25224 on the scheduled Aberysywyth services. However it did work a Llandudno Town - Euston service as far as Crewe on August 10th.
During September it also worked the 07.22 Derby - Birmingham service (2nd) and the 02.10 Manchester Piccadilly - Cleethorpes throughout on 15th.
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New Year's Day 1983 finds snow plough equipped 25224 resting over at Tyseley. Along with 25042, 25224 would be one of the last vacuum braked only Class 25's to remain in service.
Photograph courtesy Tony Sayer. |
1984
Deputising for something on March 29th 25224 worked the 18.18 Birmingham New Street - Norwich as far as March, where 37088 took over. The following week, on April 7th 25042 & 25224 had railtour duty, working the "Knotty Northern Circular" between Stafford & Leeds and return. A thrash down the WCML, again with 25042, took a charter train from Wolverhampton to Mitre Bridge Jct (destination Folkestone Harbour) on May 26th. On the last day of May 25224 filled in on the late evening 22.20 Birmingham New Street - Leicester.
25224's solitary trip over the Cambrian during 1984 occurred on July 7th, still attached to 25042! They worked the 07.35 Euston - Aberystwth forward from Wolverhampton, bringing back the 14.00 to Shrewsbury, which was extended to Birmingham, though the Class 25's came off at Wolverhampton. Scottish adventures took place on July 23/24 with 25224 taking over the 20.50 Carlisle - Perth at Mossend Yard. Perth turned the locomotive out for the 24th's 01.05 Perth - Aberdeen. After fuelling here it was sent out on the 04.49 to Elgin & Inverness, where its passenger wanderings came to an end.
On September 26th 25224 was in charge of a Manchester - Leeds newspapers train.
After its mid summer Scottish wanderings 25224 started over nine hundred miles of passenger work between Carlisle and Glasgow Central between December 4th & 8th. Round trips were completed on 5th/6th/7th, a Carlisle - Glasgow leg was worked on 4th & 8th. During 1984 this was the longest consecutive number of days that a Class 25 was on passenger duties. And finally post-Christmas travellers on December 28th had 25224 on the 09.20 Crewe - Lincoln, as far as Derby.
1985
On March 9th 25034 & 25224 worked the 'Lancashire Linx' railtour between Southport and Birmingham New Street. The last week of March saw the 15.02 Manchester - Bristol parcels behind 25224 (26th) & 25229 (27th).
A Stoke - Llandudno Town round trip took place on April 8th with 25042 & 25224 doing the honours.
The 07.00 Worcester Shrub Hill - Bristol started its journey behind 25224 on July 11th, the Class 25 being replaced at Gloucester.
When the 13.50 Manchester Victoria - Liverpool DMU failed before even starting the journey on October 12th, 25224 was called on to assist - this was possibly 25224's last passenger working.
1986
Late January found a number of Class 25's reaching Exeter. 25057 arrived on 23rd & 29th with an early morning Cartics from Severn Tunnel Jct, 25224 (23rd) with a Hookagate - Newton Abbott engineers train. 25224 soldiered on until the start of the summer timetable, being withdrawn during May and stored at Crewe.
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With the railcar & diesel facilities providing a backdrop, 25224 leaves Chester sometime during 1986.
Photograph courtesy P O'Garra. |
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May 11th 1986 and 25224 is towed into Crewe Depot by 47547.
Photograph courtesy Ian Hammond. |
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25224 standing withdtawn at Crewe sometime during 1986.
Photograph courtesy Paul Wraithmell. |
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Its Sunday July 27th 1986 and 25224 has been dumped at Crewe for about two months, slowly surrendering parts to the dwindling active members of the class.
Photograph courtesy Stephen Houlker. |
1987
On January 9th Crewe sent four machines, 25064, 25198, 25224/269, (the first of many convoys of Class 25's) direct to Vic Berry's yard at Leicester for breaking, by January 12th 25224 had reached the yard and by month end Vic Berry's men had done their job.
Photograph courtesy Nick Wheat.
25224 awaits its grim fate at Vic Berry's Leicester, by the end of January 1987 it would be no more.
Undated views
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From the RCTS archives comes a view of D214 & D7575 at Blackpool Central, sometime during the mid 1960's.
Photograph courtesy RCTS Collection Ref#WARD293. |
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25223 with train at Torrington, date unknown. The modern canopy structure midway down the platform was the covered area used for loading the milk tanks.
Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
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The date and train is unknown, but at least 25225 and Exeter can be identified.
Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
