201 - 202 : November 1983
25097 TO, 25120 CD
During 1983 the withdrawals of the Class 25's had remained fairly constant, November would see just two withdrawn.
 | 25097, date & location unknown, but possibly at Crewe. 25097 ended its days dumped at Bescot, it didn't linger long here, early in February 1984 it was off to Swindon attached to 08153, 25186 & 25308. By January 1985 Swindon had done its job and 25097 was just so much scrap. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson |
 | A fine view of 25120 at Stafford on an engineering train, date unknown. Accident damage sent this machine to an early demise. After withdrawal 25120 did not linger long, it had reached Swindon by February 1984 and was cut up during May 1984. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson |
 | A mighty fine portrait of a relatively clean 25069 at Willesden, date unknown. I'm not sure how many Class 25's visited Portsmouth Harbour but 25069 was one of them, paying a visit on September 19th 1983. 25069 spent fifteen months dumped at Springs Branch before heading south during February 1985 to Swindon, where it met its demise in June 1986. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson |
 | 25084 at Manchester Victoria, date unknown, displaying all the classic signs of having been outshopped at Glasgow. Withdrawal came at Newton Heath depot, moving to Swindon during February 1985, being cut up there during July 1986. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson |
 | 25138 rolls along the WCML somewhere near Winwick Jct, date unknown. After just over a year dumped at Crewe 25138 moved to Swindon in February 1985, finally being broken up during November 1986. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson |
 | 25140 showing signs of a little wear, date and location unknown. 25140 spent fifteen months dumped at Kingmoor before making the long journey south to Swindon early in April 1985 with 25239 & 25258. Swindon finished the locomotive off during October 1986. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson |
 | A nice portrait of 25301 (at Crewe?) date unknown. 25301 spent four months dumped at Bletchley before moving to Swindon during April 1984. Its main generator was earmarked for reuse in ETHEL 1, by August 1984 25301 was no more. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson |
 | 25320 at Tan-y-bryn with a Bangor - Manchester Victoria service on September 6th 1982. By January 1984 25320 had reached Derby Works, later moving in one of the convoys of scrap locomotives to Swindon early in February 1985. By June 1985 the locomotive had been broken up. Photograph courtesy John Powell |
 | A rather work stained 25049 at Newton Heath, date unknown. Collision damage led to the withdrawal of this machine, moving to Derby Works by January 1984, then on to Swindon early in February 1985, where it was broken up by June 1985. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | Looks like a damp day somewhere, wherever this undated view of 25117 is. This was another locomotive to be swiftly dealt with, ending its days dumped at Cricklewood, it was moved to Swindon during February 1984 and cut up there during May 1984. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | 25152 at Derby Works on June 11th 1978. This was one of many Class 25's to end its working life at Crewe depot, but not lingering here long. During February 1984 it was off to Swindon, rotting here for a year until broken up in February 1985. Photograph courtesy Graham Turner. |
 | Balmy days amongst the weeds and the battered facade of Manchester Victoria for 25289 shunting parcels stock. 25284 ended its days at Toton, then was moved to Bescot before final dispatch to Swindon in March 1984 & broken up there in October 1984. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | Glory days for 25221 & 25222 at Springs Branch all dolled up for a Royal working. But like many of its sisters 25221 would eventually make the trek to Swindon for breaking, ending its career there during December 1986. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | Derby's last built diesel 25327 stands withdrawn in the rain (at Crewe?). After withdrawal it spent a couple of months at Kingmoor before moving south to Crewe. Almost a year was spent here before a tow down to Swindon at the end of March 1985. Its demise would however not be at Swindon, it would be dragged off to Vic Berry's, Leicester for dismantling there during February 1988. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson |
 | A very work-stained 25228 catches the sun at Eastfield, date unknown. 25228 was moved from Willesden to Derby Works in January 1984 where it was later condemned with severe structural defects. A move to Swindon followed in February 1985, then a final move to Vic Berry's, Leicester yard, being broken up here during June 1987. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | 25277 at Manchester Victoria, date unknown. 25277 was hit by some empty coaching stock at Euston on November 25th 1983 and was moved to Willesden. Like 25228 above it was then off to Derby and Swindon, where 25277 ended its days during October 1985. Whilst dumped at Swindon 25277 was given a prominent place at the east end of the Works alongside the running lines missing one cab, not the greatest advertisement for the modern image of British Rail. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | A wonderfully lit shot of 25208, date & location unknown. Newton Heath became the dumping ground for 25208 before it moved to Swindon late in June 1984. This was another machine to eventually make the journey to Vic Berry's, Leicester endings its days there in July 1987. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | Odd man out 25242, date & location unknown. The only one of the boilered 25's to have its water tanks removed. Once retired it did not linger too long, it was moved from Crewe to Swindon early in July 1984, and was broken up there during November 1984. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | Now I wonder where is this view of 25250, date unknown. It ended its working life at Crewe, was towed to Swindon early in July 1984 and was cut up there during February 1985. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | 25083 at Millerhill during 1978. The one that got away, no doubt due to it being dumped at Crewe Electric Depot. This would become the last non-preserved Class 25 on BR property, which then of course made it the perfecr machine for preservation! Photograph courtesy A Foster |
 | Passenger duty for 25076 & 25095 at Crewe, date unknown. 25076 was dumped for a short while at Bescot prior to removal to Swindon late in March 1985. It would linger here until broken up during August 1986. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | 7511 & 7513 at Cardiff? date unknown. 25161 ended its days dumped at Toton before moving to Swindon late in February 1985. It survived here long enough to join the locomotives that were transferred to Vic Berry's Leicester, and was broken up there during March 1988. Photographer not known |
 | A reasonably smart looking 25185 is seen at Thornaby on June 15th 1980. After withdrawal at Toton 25185 became a training locomotive for the depot, once this duty was over it was quickly acquired for preservation and moved to South Devon under its own power on February 13/14th 1986 for a bright future. Photograph courtesy Jerry Glover. |
 | 25193 heads south near Syston Junction, May 6th 1980. This locomotive's retirement history is a mirror to that of 7511 (25161) above, only it met its demise at Leicester alittle earlier, during November 1987. |  | 25207 at Toton, date unknown, it would be at Toton that its working career would end. And its final movements would mirror 25161 & 25193 above, although Vic Berry would cut up 25207 during March 1988. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | 25239 & 25006 along with many others at Eastfield, date unknown. 25239 ended its days at Kingmoor, making the long move south to Swindon between March 20th & April 2nd 1985, then lingering about a year at Swindon before being cut up there during September 1986. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | Looks like a snowy day at Crewe with 25236 and some Class 40's awaiting their next turn of duty. 25236 moved from Crewe to Swindon in the latter half of February 1985. Swindon would break up 25236 during October 1986. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | 25258 at Manchester Victoria on August 3rd 1984. Like 25239 (above) this machine ended its days dumped at Kingmoor and would make the journey with 25239 & 25140 to Swindon, with Swindon cutting 25258 up during December 1985. Photograph courtesy J Davenport. |
 | Well no surprise its Manchester Victoria again, now ith 25182 front and center! 25182 would end its service life dumped at Toton, by the end of March 1985 it was off to Swindon where the cutters did their job on 25182 six months later in September 1985. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | 25218 with 25208 on October 21st 1978 on railtour duty at Derby. This machine survived a trip to Swindon during May 1980 to recieve a replacement cab after sustaining damage at Stonebridge Park on March 19th 1980. 25218's final trip to Swindon took place in March 1985 after a short period dumped at Bescot. Remarkably 25218 did not linger long at Swindon, by May 1985 the cutters had done their job. |  | A fine view of 25251 at Springs Branch. After three months dumped at Crewe 25251 moved south to Swindon late in March 1985. It took awhile for Swindon to finish off 25251, not until December 1986 did the end finally come. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | Well the rain is certainly coming down here on 25284 at March on January 2nd 1982. Crewe was the location where 25284 was taken out of service, three months later at the end of March 1985 it was off to Swindon, where the end came in October 1986. Photograph courtesy Tony Sayer. |
 | A misty September 6th 1981 finds 25326 parked at Bletchley. This locomotive would end its working career in the London area, dumped at Cricklewood. Early May 1985 found it on the move to Swindon, where it was cut up during Februasry 1986. Photograph courtesy Jerry Glover. |
 | 25234 at Crewe?. 25234 is reported as withdrawn due to its general poor condition, that it survived a visit to Derby Works in October 1984 is quite remarkable! It moved to Swindon late in July 1985, then on to Vic Berry's Leicester where it was scrapped in June 1987. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | Manchester Victoria again, but this time a rather unusual movement with 25306 hauling a SR electric multiple unit from Horwich, perhaps. 25306 was dumped at Cricklewood until early in May 1985 when it moved to Swindon, it survived its stay here, moving to Vic Berry's, Leicester for its final demise in February 1988. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | 25154 out of service at Tyseley? It ended its days at Vic Berry's, Leicester during July 1987. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | 25235, somewhere, some day. 25235 would of course reach preservation, hooray! Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | Happy days at Warrington on April 7th 1984 with 25298 and a dmu in tow. Taken out of service at Crewe it moved during February 1986 to Doncaster Works for breaking. This occurred in October 1986, with 25298 being the last Class 25 to be broken up at Doncaster Works. Photograph courtesy J Davenport. |
 | 25178 at Birkenhead. This locomotive was initially stored at Kingmoor and finally ended its days at Vic Berry's, Leicester almost four years later during March 1989 Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | 25210 at Birmingham New Street I think. After a period dumped at Crewe the locomotive moved to Doncaster Works during January 1986, and was broken up a short while later in April 1986. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson. |
 | 25256 in the sun, somewhere, maybe Crewe? Initially dumped at Crewe it moved to Doncaster late in January 1986, two months later it headed south to Swindon Works where it was finally cut up during October 1986. Photograph courtesy ??. |
 | 25054 at Stockport with one of the Hadfield line emu's. Crewe became the dumping ground for the withdrawn 25054, it was moved to Doncaster Works late in January 1986 and broken up there in September 1986. Photograph courtesy ??. |
 | A scene from the not too distant past with 25212 at Derby on July 30th 1976. After withdrawal 25212 was stored at Crewe until called to Vic Berry's, Leicester where it was broken up during July 1987. Photograph courtesy Tony Sayer. |
 | A very damp night at Crewe finds 25229 on parcels duty. 25229 would spend eight months dumped at Crewe before moving to Doncaster Works late in January 1986, where it would be broken up during September 1986. Photograph courtesy Andrew Walker. |
 | 25119 at Buxton on March 11th 1979. 25119 was retired to surrender its power unit to 25057, after storage at Crewe it moved to Doncaster in the middle of April 1986 and was broken up there during July 1986. |  | 25194 & 25151 at Newton Heath. 25194 was used at Shrewsbury early in October 1985 as part of an emergency services exercise. After this it was moved to Bescot at the end of August 1986 and remained here for almost eight years. In April 1994 it was taken by road to MC Metals Glasgow and broken up there during May 1994. Photograph courtesy ?? |
 | 25195 in Watford Yard on April 21st 1985. 25195 surrendered its power unit to 25205 and its bogies to 25262. Storage took place at Toton, then it was off to Doncaster Works early in March 1986. It was later removed to Goole and then sent on to Vic Berry's, Leicester for breaking up during December 1986. Photograph courtesy Ian Hammond |
 | 25226 at Haymarket on June 11th 1976. With exactly nine years left in service from the date of this view 25226 will end its days dumped at Crewe. In the middle of April 1986 it'll be moved to Doncaster Works where it will be broken up during September 1986. Photograph courtesy Tony Sayer |
 | 25237 at Crewe, date unknown. After eight months stored at Crewe 25237 was moved to Doncaster Works during February 1986 and broken up there during April 1986. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson |
 | 25245 at Crewe, date unknown. Like many others withdrawn at this time 25245 would be dumped at Crewe, linger here for awhile and then be dispatched for breaking up, in the case of 25245 it remained at Crewe until the middle of April 1986 when it was moved to Doncaster Works and broken up here during September 1986. Photograph courtesy Ian Mawson |
 | It is perhaps fitting to end this section with a view of 25302 at Hellifield on June 14th 1985, on one of its very last workings prior to withdrawal at Kingmoor. It is believed to have surrendered its power unit to 25323 and its bogies to 25321. It would reach Doncaster in the middle of March 1986 and be broken up there during June 1986. Photograph courtesy Stephen Houlker |