As revealed on the first page of this tall tale, the first forty nine Class 25's were withdrawn over a period of about eight and a half years, the next fifty were taken out of service over a period of seven months!
Locomotives withdrawn in this period included the final active Class 25/0's, the first built Class 25/1 - 25026 and ten dual braked Class 25's (25053/082/099, 25155/183/197, 25203/222/232/241). Withdrawal of the Series 3 machines was limited to the vacuum brake only examples.
50 - 66 : November 1980
25026 TO, 25040 LO, 25055 KD, 25061 LO, 25063 CD, 25070 SP, 25110 SP, 25112 & 25116 CW, 25121, 25122, 25127 & 25137 TO, 25159, 25163 & 25166 CD, 25263 BS
 | The yard at Haymarket provides a selection of locomotives which have been familiar to the area for perhaps fifteen years at least. To the left is 55022 Royal Scots Grey, but front and center is 25026 which after seventeen years of service at ER, ScR & LMR depots would end its days working out of Toton - its demise would be rapid, by March 1981 Swindon had done its duty. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson |
 | A nice portrait of 5190 at Springs Branch during November 1972. This locomotive was always allocated to LMR depots. After withdrawal 25040 was quickly moved to Swindon, most of it however would not be broken up there until February 1982 - the cabs would linger into November 1987. Photograph collection of Ian Hammond |
 | An undated view of 5205 at Winwick Jct with a very short freight - a track panel carrying bogie wagon and the ubiquitous brake van. Apart from eleven months allocated to Cardiff during 1976/77, 25055 was always allocated to LMR depots. The end came at Swindon during December 1981. Photograph collection of Ian Hammond |
 | 25061 very much ex Derby Works at Springs Branch, probably during the summer of 1977. This was another Class 25 which spent all its time allocated to LMR depots. Although 25055 was quickly moved to Swindon, it lingered for just over two years before being broken up in March 1983. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson |
 | Ebbw Junction shed looking westwards with 25063 present. 25063 spent almost six years allocated to the WR depots of Bristol, Cardiff & Laira. This was another locomotive that spent over two years dumped at Swindon before meeting its demise during February/March 1983. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson |
 | 25070 was another of the Class 25 fleet to spend its entire career allocated to LMR depots. In this view 25070 catches the sunshine, possibly at Speke Junction, date unknown. A former Cricklewood favourite, allocated their twice inbetween time spent at Willesden, after withdrawal it would spend over two years dumped at Swindon before being cut up during May 1983. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson |
 | 25110 & 25105 pass through Chester sometime during 1980. 25110 was always allocated to LMR depots, spendings its time at either the Nottingham Division or Liverpool Division depots. Fifteen months would be spent dumped at Swindon prior to being broken up during March 1982. Photograph courtesy Pat Webb |
 | 25112 is seen at Speke, date unknown, like 25105 & 25110 above, it has had the boiler room grille plated over during a Works repair. 25112 was withdrawn at the same time as 25110 (above), both on November 2nd 1980. It moved to Swindon late in March 1981, a year after 25110 had gone down to Swindon, but both would be cut up during March 1982. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson |
 | 25116 at Derby Works on August 5th 1978, complete with a missing cab. This was a well travelled LMR machine, spending all its time allocated to LMR depots, including Cricklewood, Kingmoor and many inbetween. Before its demise at Swindon during July 1982 it was used to assist in the re-activation of a number of Class 46's during December 1981. Photograph courtesy Graham Turner |
 | 25122 at Crewe station, date unknown. In this view the locomotive sports different style sandboxes on each bogie. It would spend thirty months in a withdrawn state prior to breaking up at Swindon during June 1983. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson |
 | Southbound at Tapton Junction on a glorious sunny morning is 25127. This was the second of the original allocation of the Tunstead - Northwich ICI limestone locomotives to be retired, spending almost eight years allocated to Manchester area depots (9E, 9A & D09). Another victim of Swindon's cutters, 25127 remained intact until June 1983. Photograph collection Ian Hammond |
 | 25137 & 25129 out to grass somewhere amongst the daisies and caravans. Both locomotives have had the boiler room grilles sheeted over. Quickly moved to Swindon after withdrawal, it would linger there until May 1983. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson |
 | Its about 6.30pm on May 10th 1977 as 25159 heads east along the North Wales mainline with a short parcels train. By this time 25159 was allocated to its final depot, Crewe Diesel. It spent four years on the WR inbetween time allocated to various LMR depots. After removal to Swindon it was broken up during March 1981. Photograph courtesy Larry Goddard |
 | 25163 - your guess is as good as mine! Maybe Warrington Arpley? The size and spacing of the locomotive number on the cabside seems quite varied. Arriving at Swindon about the same time as 25159 above, 25163 would not be disposed of until March 1983. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson |
 | A work-stained 7516 in fading green livery at Derby on August 13th 1970, at this time it was allocated to the Nottingham Division. Another short stayer at Swindon, gone by June 1981 after barely three months at the Works. Photograph courtesy Tony Sayer |
 | 25263 ex-works at Cardiff Canton. Derby have plated over the boiler room grill but have left the tablet catcher recess intact. 25263 was delivered new to Eastfield, spending just over two years there before transferring to the LMR, it would remain on this region until withdrawn. After five months dumped at Crewe it would call Swindon home for over two years before being cut during May 1983. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson |
 | A well worn green liveried D5152 catches the sun At Derby Works, sometime in 1969. Although not boiler equipped the sub group carried a through steam pipe - the external valve and hose clearly visible in this view. Its time at Swindon was brief, barely two months before its demise in April 1981. Photographer not known. |
 | 25005 at Swindon on March 22nd 1981. 25005 was a well travelled machine, spending time on the ER, LMR & ScR, with the longest stint spent at ER depots. The allocation history of 25005 & 25006 (below) were very similar. By August 1981 25005 was no more. Photograph courtesy Tony Sayer. |
 | 25006 at Millerhill. Unlike 25005 above this view reveals that 25006 has not had a circular fuel gauge added to the fuel tank. Although 25006 had arrived shortly before 25005 at Swindon it would take the honour of being the last Class 25/0 in existance, not being broken up until June 1983. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | 25007 possibly at Glasgow Works shortly after its last overhaul. 25007 spent ten years allocated to ER depots and nine years allocated to ScR depots. 25006 & 25007 would move down to Swindon together. After withdrawal it would spend about eighteen months at Swindon before finally being cut up during September 1982. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | Brand new D5160 at Thornaby 1961. 25010 was another of the Class 25/0's to be only allocated to ER & ScR depots. Twenty years later it was reduced to scrap during May 1981. This is believed to have been the last of the sub-class in active service. Photograph collection of Rex Conway. |
 | 25011 catches the afternoon sun at Haymarket. It would be allocated to SCR depots for nine years, which followed an unbroken ten year stint at Thornaby. It would end its days stored at Haymarket prior to a quick trip down to Swindon where it was gone by the end of March 1981. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | 25028 at Polmadie on September 9th 1982, not a happy place to be with the local vandals only too happy to use 25028 as target practice. This Class 25 was only allocated to ER & ScR depots. A move to Glasgow Works would bring no immediate rest for this machine, it would eventually end its days at Vic Berry's Leicester during June 1987. Photograph courtesy Jerry Glover. |
 | 25053 at Euston March 3rd 1978, at this time it was allocated to Cricklewood. This locomotive was only allocated to LMR depots. 25053 had been dual-braked at Derby during 1974, presumably at the time of its withdrawal it was due for a major shopping. It would spend about a year at Swindon before its demise in November 1981. Photograph courtesy Tony Sayer. |
 | A dull July 26th 1976 at Arnside with 25099 & 25057, at this time 25099 was allocated to Toton. 25099 was another dual braked locomotive to fall by the wayside, it was so fitted at Derby in July 1975 and was due for shopping. It lingered at Swindon for less than two months, all gone by February 1981. Photographer not known. |
 | 25155 & 25219 at Ebbw Jct. 25155 was another locomotive due for shopping, it had been dual braked at Derby during September 1975, any other visits to the workshops were of a very brief nature. After nine months at Swindon 25155 was broken up during September 1981. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | 25183 on August 18th 1977 on an afternoon Arpley - Springs Branch freight. Yet another dual-braked locomotive to succumb was 25183, having last seen Works attention at Derby during the spring of 1977. The paintwork in this view reflects its recent visit to Derby. By September 1981, ten months after withdrawal, the cutters at Swindon had done their job. Photograph collection of Ian Hammond. |
 | 25197 at Great Rocks on April 24th 1979. 25197 was dual-braked late in 1974 and should have received a classified repair towards the end of 1979 - this never came, thus sending 25197 to Swindon by December 1980. It was used to start up some reprieved Class 46's from Swindon during December 1981, but by March 1983 25197 was no more. |  | Dual braked 25203 at Derby awaiting repair to its collision damage - it would spend most of the latter half of 1977 at Derby Works. The locomotive was allocated to Cricklewood when it received the cab damage. This locomotive spent all its life allocated to only six LMR depots. After withdrawal it would quickly move to Swindon, spending fifteen months there before being broken up in February 1982. |  | 25216 at Swindon on June 6th 1981. This well travelled machine was allocated to LMR, WR & ScR depots, with its last being Crewe. After withdrawal 25216 was moved to Swindon during February 1981, but was later sent north to Derby Works during October 1981. The locomotive was broken up at Derby Works during March 1983. |  | Dual braked 25222 is coupled to 25221 at Springs Branch as they prepare to work a Royal train. Apart from five years allocated to Leeds Holbeck, 25222 was always allocated to LMR depots with much of that time spent at Willesden & Cricklewood. After withdrawal it was quickly moved to Swindon and broken up a year later in December 1981. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | 7582 at York April 18th 1964. This locomotive spent five years allocated to LMR depots and eleven years allocated to ScR depots. By the time of its withdrawal 25232 appears to have been long overdue for an intermediate repair, having been finally stopped during May 1980 at Polmadie for N4 repairs, not reaching Swindon until January 1981 & being broken up there in May 1983. Photographer not known. |
 | 25264 possibly at Chester. After just over two years allocated to Eastfield, the locomotive headed south for allocation to a great variety of LMR depots. After movement to Swindon during late March 1981 25264 would linger here until broken up during May 1983. Photograph collection of Ian Hammond. |
 | 25118 possibly at Blaneau Ffestiniog, it is doubtful that the onlookers have turned out to just view this fine machine! 25118 must rate as one of the least transfered Class 25's, just four allocations and all effectively keeping the locomtive at the Derby/Toton/Nottingham area depots. After six months stored at Toton 25118 moved to Swindon during October 1981, remaining intact until August 1983. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | 25261 partially dismantled in the Derby Works scrapping area. 25261 had received its last classified repair at Crewe in the spring of 1975, it should have been due for another classified repair in the spring of 1980 but this did not take place. After a year dumped at Tyseley it was sent to Derby Works in March 1982, but would not be completely scrapped until December 1985 in-situ by Vic Berry. A dispute during May 1983 at Derby caused no further locomotives to be cut here by BREL/BR staff. |
 | A snowy February 17th 1979 finds several Class 25's including 25043 enroute to Derby Works for attention. 25043 would have been due for a classified repair in the summer of 1980, it never came. Instead it soldiered on until February 1981 when it was withdrawn and noted at Derby by April 1981 and broken up there by August, a swift demise for a locomotive at Derby. Photograph courtesy John Glynn. |
 | 25046 at Polmadie. This locomotive spent fourteen years allocated to LMR depots, then spent the last four years allocated to Haymarket. 25046 received an intermediate at Glasgow during the spring of 1980, so presumably to have been withdrawn less than a year later suggests it suffered an expensive failure. It would linger however, not being broken up until July 1987, initially moved to Thornton Jct for breaking but then dragged down to Vic Berry, Leicester. Photograph courtesy A Forster. |
 | 25065 at Haymarket on a snowy February 19th 1978. Another Scottish machine to last less than a year in service after receiving an intermediate repair at Glasgow. After withdrawal it was stored briefly at Kingmoor before moving south to Swindon, with its final demise occurring in February 1982. Photograph courtesy Tony Sayer. |
 | 25094 at Toton during 1977. At the time of its withdrawal 25094 was BR's most transferred diesel locomotive (28 moves) and had been allocated to depots on all of the regions. It started and ended its career essentially at the same depot - Toton. After withdrawal it lingered at Derby for fifteen months before scrapping in May 1982. Photograph collection of Steve Jones/old buffers.com |
 | 25100 possibly at Toton. Apart from two years on the ER at Thornaby & Holbeck depots 25100 was always allocated to LMR depots. It last received minor Works attention at Derby in the summer of 1979. Its last depot was Longsight and ended its days dumped at nearby Reddish before spending two years at Swindon prior to scrapping in February 1983. Photograph collection of Ian Hammond. |
 | Its the end of the road for many Class 24's at Kingmoor as 25114 runs by on September 7th 1976, at which time it was allocated to Springs Branch. 25114 was always allocated to LMR depots. It's last classified repair was at Derby in the summer of 1977. By the middle of March 1981 it had reached Swindon, four months later it was no more. Photograph courtesy Tony Sayer. |
 | 25172 at Cardiff, date unknown - this Class 25 would be allocated to LMR, WR & ScR depots, with its time on the Scottish Region being the shortest, about fourteen months and all at Haymarket. After delivery to Swindon it would spend just over two years dumped there before being scrapped in May 1983. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | 7567 and sister at Elford. The allocation history of this locomotive was typical of many Class 25's, with time spent at LMR, ScR & WR depots, returning to the LMR until withdrawn. 25217 missed its classified repair in the spring of 1979, instead being called to Derby after withdrawal. By January 1982 Derby had done its job and 25217 was no more. Photograph collection Steve Jones/ old buffers.com |
 | 25267 at Nottingham on July 31st 1976. This was another Class 25 with few moves. After being transferred away from Eastfield in August 1968 it remained on the LMR until withdrawn. The last classified repair for 25267 apears to have been at Crewe at the end of 1974. Ending its days at Leicester 25267 reached Derby Works by October 1981 and was broken up by February 1982. Photographer courtesy Tony Sayer. |
 | A work stained 25273 passes through Leamington on April 24th 1975. This locomotive received minimal transfers, after leaving Eastfield in July 1968 it spent time at only four LMR depots. Its last was Bescot, being allocated here for over seven years. After withdrawal 25273 moved to Swindon during March 1981, and remained until April 1982 before being cut up. Photograph courtesy Tony Sayer. |
 | 25281 location & date unknown. 25281 spent two years on the ER before being reallocated to the LMR, where it remained for the rest of its career. 25281 missed its classified repair during the autumn of 1979, and was taken out of service during February 1981 at Reddish. It did not linger long here, it moved to Swindon at the end of February 1981 and was broken up during May 1981. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | 25293 date and location unknown. It spent thirteen months allocated to ER depots before moving to the LMR and remaining on this region until withdrawn. This was another machine that did not linger long, it ended its days at Crewe in February 1981, by March it was at Swindon and by August it was no more. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | 25082 & 25043 at Sheffield Midland with a railtour, date unknown. 25082 received a classified repair at Glasgow during the summer of 1977 when it was dual-brake equipped. After withdrawal it was held at Haymarket before movement to Kingmoor for storage. It eventually reached Swindon by June 1982 and was cut up by January 1983. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | 7591 on its familiar Craigentinny ecs duties at Edinburgh Waverley on August 17th 1969. It spent four years allocated to LMR depots and thirteen years allocated to two ScR depots, Eastfield & Haymarket. 25241's last classified appears to have been at Glasgow in the spring of 1976. After withdrawal it was quickly moved to Swindon by early July 1981 and was broken up during September 1981. Photographer not known. |
 | A work-stained D7641 at Carnforth (?), date not recorded. This is another Class 25 that appears to have run towards the end of its career for quite awhile without a classified repair. It reached Swindon in January 1982 and was disposed of by November 1982. Photograph collection of Ian Hammond. |