D5006, 5006, 24006
D5006, 5006, 24006

The sixteen year six month career of D5006/24006 commenced with just over two years on loan to Hither Green before transferring to the London Midland Region and finally the Scottish Region.

Built Derby Locomotive Works.
Full size fuel & water tanks (shortened water tank added later).
Split radiator screens.
Air filters: five upper and four lower on non-BIS side, four upper and four lower on BIS side.
Additional headcode disc brackets fitted (for use with SR six disc headcodes), removed later from No.1 cab.
Boiler water tank removed whilst on Southern Region.
Time between last Classified repair and withdrawal: ?? months.
Time between withdrawal & scrapping: 63 months.

Allocations

The frames for D5006 were laid down at Derby Works during the autumn of 1958, with the locomotive delivered new to Crewe South (5B) on January 3rd 1959, but then immediately loaned to Derby (17A). Further transfers were:

January 30th 1959 to Hither Green (73C) on loan.
March 1960 to Crewe South (5B).
April 1960 to Hither Green (73C) on loan.
March 1962 to Crewe South (5B).
May 1962 to Crewe North (5A).
September 1963 to Rugby (1F).
July 1965 to Crewe North (5A).
September 1965 to Rugby (1F).
April 1966 to London Division (D01).
April 1967 to Stoke Division (D05).
March 1971 to Eastfield (65A) on loan, made permanent April 1971.
July 7th 1975 to unserviceable store.
August 16th 1975 withdrawn.

Renumbered April 1974.

24006 was stored at Eastfield from July 1975 until September 1980 when it was forwarded to Glasgow Works, being scrapped by December 1980, though the bogies lingered at least until early February 1981.

Works Visits

Works visits (records incomplete).

Noted Eastleigh Works February & December 1961.
Noted Derby Works February 1963.
Noted Derby Works April - August 1965.
Noted Derby Works February 1966.
Noted Brush Works, Loughborough May 1966.
Noted Derby Works February & March 1967.
Noted Glasgow Works May 1973.
Noted Glasgow Works August - October 1974.

Highlights

The condition reports assume that throughout the life of D5006/24006 the bodysides had four upper/four lower ventilators on BIS side, five upper/four lower ventilators on non-BIS side, split radiator screens on both sides and headcode disc brackets fitted (for use with SR six disc headcodes) until March 1967 when those on the No.1 cab were removed.

1958/59
It was during the latter half of 1958 that the frames were laid for D5006, one of a batch of twenty machines (D5000 - D5019), which were part of the original order of locomotives for the Modernisation Plan. D5006 was delivered during January 1959, on paper to Crewe South (5B), then immediately transferred to Derby (17A). A month later the Southern Region borrowed a number of these new arrivals including D5006, the move south being made on January 30th 1959 to Hither Green (73C). The loan was made pending the arrival of the BRCW Type 3s and the delayed start-up of parts of the Kent electrification scheme.

The use of D5000 - D5014/17 on the Southern Region was not without problems. Like a number of the early classes the Derby built Type 2s were found to be overweight, in this case almost five tons overweight. This heavier than expected axle loading was a major concern for the SR Civil Engineer, leading to D5004 & D5005 visiting Eastleigh Works in February to see what could be done to reduce the axle loadings. The easiest solution was to remove the train heating boiler and boiler water tanks, this being done on locomotives D5002 - D5006, which made them a little more versatile in regard to their route availability, though the boilers were sorely missed during the winter.

1960
The SR Civil Engineer eased the restrictions affecting the overweight Type 2s, most returned to the LMR to have the boilers and water tanks refitted. D5006 was briefly re-allocated to Crewe South (5B) during March for this purpose.

Condition date uncertain (but on SR): green livery with frame level stripe, full size fuel & water tanks, ridge sided sandboxes, two-rung bogie mounted footsteps, SR headboard/disc brackets fitted (both cabs).

1961
Whilst on the Southern Region certain repairs were carried out at Eastleigh, during February & December D5006 made brief visits there. With the arrival of the Class 33s and the continuing expansion of the electrified network the loaned Class 24s found greater use on freights, including the cross London drags, D5006 so noted at Ferme Park on June 21st.

1962
With the arrival of the BRCW Type 3s and the successful start up of the Kent electrification plan the Type 2s were slowly returned to the LMR, D5006 moved to Crewe (5B) during March.

On June 4th D5009 & D5006 worked the 08.50 Birmingham - Manchester Piccadilly.

On November 4th D5009 & D5006 worked the 08.50 Birmingham - Manchester Piccadilly.

1963
D5006 paid a brief visit to Derby Works during February, perhaps the result of the harsh winter, in September it was re-allocated to Rugby (1F).

1964
At mid-day on July 11th D5006 was at Rugby with empty coaching stock (Peterborough - Coventry?).

On Sunday November 15th D5004, D5006, D5007, D5015, D5032, D5074 & D5080 were stabled at Willesden.

1965
After almost two years in the Birmingham area D5006 headed back to Crewe (5A) during July. From April - August D5006 was under repair at Derby Works.

1966
Brief visits were made by D5006 to Derby Works in February and the Brush Works at Loughborough during May.

The repainted condition of D5006 suggests collision damage to the No.1 cab at some point.

Condition September??: (freshly repainted No.1 cab only and patched elsewhere) green livery with small yellow warning panels, curved upper corners, no frame level stripe, grey roof, full size fuel tank, shortened water tank, ridge sided sandboxes, two-rung bogie mounted footsteps, SR lamp/disc brackets fitted, valencing still present, blanking plates fitted, hand/footholds present, steam style shed plate on No.1 cab front, engine exhaust above engine room.

1967
D5006 spent February and March at Derby Works, possibly for collision damage repairs to the No.1 cab.

On March 31st D5006 was noted at Piddington on the Northampton - Bedford line headed for Olney with a lengthy train of wagons for recovery of materials from the Olney area. The No.1 cab had been repainted, the locomotive was just out of Derby Works, possibly accident repairs to the cab, the entire frame level stripe had been painted over. Additionally the SR headboard/disc brackets were missing.

Condition March: green livery with small yellow warning panels, curved upper corners, full size fuel tank, shortened water tank, ridge sided sandboxes, two-rung bogie mounted footsteps, SR headboard/disc brackets fitted (No.2 cab only), most valencing still present, blanking plates fitted, hand/footholds present, steam style shed plate on No.1 cab front, looks like 1F shedcode.

After five years generally spent at the southern end of the WCML D5006 was transferred to the Stoke Division (D05) in April, calling Crewe its new home. Between April & August the entire batch of D5000 - D5049 were transferred to the Stoke Division, more would follow in 1968.

Noted at Uttoxeter on the morning of June 14th were D5006 light engine and D7596 shunting.

On the morning of June 29th D5006 was at Stoke on Trent with a down freight.

Part of its duties in the Stoke Division would see operation over the former Cambrian metals, on July 22nd D5006 was noted at Towyn (Tywyn) assisting a failed diesel mutiple unit.

On the morning of September 6th D5006 was stabled at Crewe.

1968
On the morning of April 27th D5077 & D5006 were at Shrewsbury with a Euston - Portmadoc excursion to mark the Festiniog Railway annual general meeting.

On the afternoon of August 25th 5006 was noted at Crewe.

1969
By 1969 many members of the less successful diesel types (from NBL, Metropolitan Vickers, Claytons) had already gone to the scrapman, but there still existed within the diesel fleet a surplus in the Type 1 & 2 categories. Because the original batch of Type 2s from Derby Works lacked certain refinements carried by the later machines, they were selected for withdrawal during 1969. Ten were stored or withdrawn, being held at Shrewsbury, Chester, Crewe & Derby.

However 5006 escaped the purge, remaining in service, being noted on a welded rail train at Oxford on January 24th.

Photograph courtesy: Grahame Wareham
Green D5006 awaits its next turn of duty at Crewe during August 1969.

Condition August: green livery with small yellow warning panels, curved upper corners, full size fuel tank (some form of writing on tank end), shortened water tank, ridge sided sandboxes, two-rung bogie mounted footsteps, most valencing still present, blanking plates fitted, hand/footholds present, steam style shed plate on No.1 cab front, looks like 1F shedcode.

1970
On the morning of October 4th 5006, 5024, 5037 & 5050 were stabled at Crewe Diesel depot.

1971
After a stay of almost four years at the Stoke Division another northward move was made, this time to the Scottish Region to assist in the removal of the final members of the Claytons & North British Locomotive products. 5006 moved to Eastfield (65A) during March.

Condition July: green livery with small yellow warning panels, curved upper corners, full size fuel tank, shortened water tank, straight sided sandboxes, three-rung bogie mounted footsteps, headcode disc brackets fitted (for use with SR six disc headcodes)(No.2 cab only), some valencing still present, blanking plates fitted, hand/footholds present, 'D' prefixes still present, locomotive in very shabby condition.

1973
On May 12th Glasgow Works held its first Open Day, remarkably there were sixty four diesels on display that day, although twenty seven of those were condemned Claytons. Two class 25s were present, 5178 and 5157, the latter having a replacement cab fitted from withdrawn 5149. Class 24s noted were 5006/19, 5121/27 under repair and elsewhere withdrawn 5067, 5114/49. Parts of 5068 were still present.

On the evening of May 27th 5006 was stabled at Motherwell.

1974
Despite the waning usefulness of the Class 24s 24006 visited Glasgow Works from August to October for a major repair.

Condition April: blue/yellow livery, gangway doors sheeted over, headcode discs centered on cabfront, full size fuel tank with circular gauge fitted, shortened water tank, ??ridge sided sandboxes, three-rung bogie mounted footsteps, headcode disc brackets fitted (for use with SR six disc headcodes)(No.2 cab only), blanking plates fitted, hand/footholds plated over.

1975 - 1980
On May 3rd 1975 24006 & 24105 were noted northbound at Perth with cement wagons bound for Inverness.

24006 was stored unserviceable in July and officially withdrawn in August. However 24006 was selected for use in rerailing exercises at Eastfield & noted there at least by May 1976. It had arrived in reasonable condition, but as a precaution the cab windows were replaced with plywood. Over time the rerailing exercises and the local vandals and graffitti folks reduce the Class 24 to a veritable eyesore. It remained at Eastfield long after all her Scottish sisters had been despatched to the breakers. It would not be until the autumn of 1980 that 24006 was finally towed away to Glasgow Works, with the end coming quickly during November. This was the last Class 24 on BR property excluding the Research and train heating machines.

Photograph courtesy Tony Sayer
Its March 13th 1976 and 24006 sits dumped at the back of Eastfield depot. The cab windows have been replaced with plywood, anything not securely attached to the locomotive will disappear during its lengthy stay at Eastfield depot.

After five years spent withdrawn at Eastfield, retained as a training/re-railing locomotive as well as a target for the local vandals, in the autumn of 1980 24006 made the short trip to Glasgow Works. As a weak wintry sun breaks through the clouds 24006 is next in line for cutting, once the cutters have finished with 25009 (just off camera to the left).

Condition final: blue/yellow livery, gangway doors sheeted over, headcode discs centered on cabfront, full size fuel tank with circular gauge fitted, shortened water tank, ??ridge sided sandboxes, three-rung bogie mounted footsteps, headcode disc brackets fitted (for use with SR six disc headcodes)(No.2 cab only), blanking plates fitted, hand/footholds plated over.

flk 0521

Page added September 5th 2016.
Last updated September 24th 2022.

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