D5063 5063 24063
D5063, 5063, 24063

Photograph courtesy Tony Sayer
Its October 3rd 1974 and 24063 is seen at Crewe still in green livery. A Works visit to Derby at the beginning of 1975 would be one of the last for the Class 24s, for 24063 it would enable it to continue operating until 1979.

The nineteen year two month career of 5063/24364 saw allocations to Eastern Region, London Midland Region & Scottish Region depots.

Built Crewe Locomotive Works.
Shortened fuel tank & full size water tank (water tank later removed - 1975).
Four upper and four lower air filters on non-BIS side, three upper and four lower on BIS side.
Cab roof ventilators sheeted over (Eastern Region modification), maybe a late modification or cab roof swap, No.2 cab only.
Roof (above generator/brake cubicle): retained original 'L' shaped raised panel surrounding engine exhaust.
Time between last Classified repair and withdrawal: 49 months.
Time between withdrawal & scrapping: 4 months.

Allocations

The frames for D5063 were laid down at Crewe Works during November 1959, D5063 was new to March (31B) on January 26th 1960. Further transfers were:

October 1960 to Willesden (1A) on loan.
February 1961 to Watford (1C).
March 1961 to Finsbury Park (34G).
October 1966 to Haymarket (64B).
January 1968 to Longsight (9A) on loan, made permanent January 1968.
June 1968 to Manchester Division (D09).
November 1968 to Stoke Division (D05).
May 1973 to Crewe.
November 2nd 1977 stored, then reinstated the next day.
April 9th 1979 - withdrawn (collision damage).

Renumbered March 23rd 1974.

After withdrawal 24064 was stored at Crewe from April 1979 until July 2nd 1979 when it was towed to Derby, attaching 74010 & RDB968007, then to Tinsley and arriving Doncaster on July 4th 1979. It was broken up at Doncaster Works during August 1979.

Works Visits

Works visits (records incomplete).

Noted Stratford Works June 1962.
Noted Doncaster Works March 1963.
Noted Doncaster Works June 1964.
Noted Derby Works November 1965.
Noted Derby Works September & October 1966.
Noted Derby Works February 1970.
Noted Derby Works July 1971.
Noted Derby Works January & February 1975 (green to blue/yellow, gangway doors sheeted over, boiler water tank removed).

Highlights

1960
On June 21st D5063 worked the 14.10 Euston - Bletchley.

1964
D5063 worked the 17.35 Moorgate - Luton on April 16th.

1965
On April 20th D5063 worked the 17.35 Broad Street - Hertford North.

1966
On July 5th D5063 worked the 17.05 Broad Street - Gordon Hill.

1967
When the Broughty Ferry - Kingsmuir branch finally closed, a diesel multiple unit from Dundee ran a farewell trip on October 7th, the last freight had run the previous day behind D5063.

1971
On the morning of June 11th 5063 & 5032 were noted on a down passenger train (1D01) at Crewe for the Chester Line.

June: green livery with all yellow ends.

Crewe based 5063 reached Tyne Yard with a freight from Scunthorpe on December 6th, returning southbound with a freight for Healey Mills.

1972

Photograph courtesy Pat Webb
A short engineers train hauled by green liveried 5063 passes Holyhead depot sometime during 1972. In the sidings behind the train are some of BRs fleet of cattle wagons, used for the movement of cattle received from Ireland with many of these trains handled by the Class 24s.

1973
5063 & 5087 worked the 17.25 Crewe - Bangor on May 25th.

At about 5pm on July 6th 5063 was noted at Rock Ferry with an up freight. On July 28th the Nottingham - Llandudno was noted arriving at its destination behind 5063.

On September 22nd Crewe Works held its annual Open Day, although the Type 2s were no longer maintained here 5063 (plain green livery, full yellow ends, 34G steam style shedplate on cabfront, gangway doors in place) was used to bring in a breakdown train complete with a fifty ton 1930 vintage Cowans Sheldon steam crane.

1974
On the morning of August 20th 24063 was noted at Etruria, possibly attached to 24023.

1975
On February 28th 24063 made a test run from Derby Works.

The snag sheet for February 28th recorded:

24063; February 28th 1975; time ??

No observations were made, but a note on the snag sheet said:
Reg? (regulator?) round to '0', switch made diverts run? in 1/2/3 straightaway, reg stays on '0'.
E/Gov 3 CA 2, low pressure due to S/F fuse blown, long type.

No.1 cab door seal unserviceable
Holes in No.1 cab
Holes to blank off around No. 2 cab nose doors
Speedometer plug and pins check
Knecht fuel filter leaks
No.2 cab 2nd man's side heater cover
Low on power, divert issues
S/F fuse blown.

On April 18th 24052 & 24063 worked a Bidston Dock - John Summers Shotton iron ore train.

1976
At about 8am on February 25th 24079 + 24063 were noted at Birkenhead North with iron ore for Shotton.

24063 was stabled at Birkenhead Mollington Street on April 11th & 19th.

24063 was light engine through Crewe station on April 26th.

24063 was northbound at Moore (WCML) with a lengthy freight on May 26th.

On July 12th 24063 was noted on the Brymbo - Croes Newydd yard empies.

24063 was stabled at Gloucester Horton Road on August 28th.

1977
24063 was stabled at Newton Heath on January 27th.

24063 was stabled at Birkenhead on February 8th.

On the morning of February 13th 24063 & 25299 were southbound at Stoke on Trent with a coal train.

24023 & 24063 worked a late evening Trentham - Shotwick freight on February 17th. On February 18th/19th 24063 & 24047 worked a late evening Crewe - Shotwick and Shotwick - Pratts Sidings freights.

24063 & 25103 were noted at Bidston with iron ore for Shotton on March 16th.

24063 was light engine at Chester station on July 14th.

On the evening of July 20th 24063 was westbound at Chester with a freight for Mold Junction(?).

On July 21st 24063 was stabled at Llandudno Junction.

24063 was stabled at Crewe Diesel depot on July 26th.

On August 2nd 24047 & 24063 ran light engines through Rock Ferry headed for Birkenhead Mollington Street.

On August 9th 24063 & 24047 were northbound through Crewe station with hopper wagons (sand?).

24063 was stabled at Birkenhead on September 24th.

A gloomy grainy shot of 24063 at Cockshute on October 16th 1977.

Photograph courtesy Dave Homer
24063 with a permanent way train at the Menai Bridge, date unknown, but definately after 24063's last visit to Derby Works.

24063 was noted at Bescot on December 1st.

1978
On March 17th the 00.35 Healey Mills - Warrington Arpley freight was worked by 24063. The Warrington Arpley - Glazebrook trip workings were worked by 24063 on March 31st.

On April 3rd 24063 was working a local trip freight at Bangor.

24063 was noted at Skelton Junction on April 14th with what appeared to be a train load of pipes.

The additional summer services and holiday extras provided plenty of unusual diesel haulage on the North Wales line, but the star turn was still the diagram commencing with the 09.42 Llandudno - Manchester. June 28th - 30th & July 3rd & 4th saw 24082 on this diagram, July 6th & 7th had 24023. On July 10th 24047 got as far as Chester on 16.42 to Crewe, being replaced by 40145. July 11th & 12th saw 24023 again except it was replaced on the 20.30 Crewe - Bangor by 24063, getting only as far as Chester before 24035 took over, which succumbed at Llandudno Junction! The significant diagram started with the 09.42 Llandudno - Manchester Victoria, then the 13.30 to Llandudno, the 16.42 to Crewe, the 20.30 to Bangor and finally the 22.45 to Llandudno Junction. 24023 worked this diagram on July 6th, 7th (a wet day, the train comprised six coaches), 11th & 12th, on the latter date it was replaced at Crewe. On July 13th 24035 & 24063 were moved from Llandudno Junction to Crew depot for attention.

24063 was stabled at Cockshute on July 15th.

On July 18th 24063 & 24082 were noted at Betley with a lengthy loaded coal train.

On Thursday August 3rd 24063 & 25179 arrived at Tamworth Low Level from the north at 19.05hrs with twelve Salmon wagons loaded with rails and a brake van, which were duly reveresed into the siding and uncoupled. The locomotives returned to the platform and then headed northwards at 19.32hrs.

On the evening of September 19th 24063 was noted at Bescot with a freight.

On October 11th 24063 was noted at Healey Mills, the following day (12th) it was in charge of the 01.25 Manchester Victoria – Bangor, but called for help at Chester whilst experiencing difficulties en-route.

Photograph courtesy Rex Conway collection.
24063 in its final condition, with gangway doors sheeted over, solid blanking plate over the boiler room grille, roof ventilator formerly above the cab door is gone, boiler water tank removed and no builders plate present.

24063 was noted at Bidston on December 11th.

1979
On January 2nd 24063 and a parcels van were noted at Manchester Victoria in a snowstorm. 24063 was stabled at Chester on January 21st. On January 27th & 29th 24063 & 24081 were noted at Cockshute, the 29th with a little snow on the ground. Even though there were only three Class 24s left in service (24063/81/82), they were noted several times at the end of January working in pairs on various Shotwick workings. The 04.50 Grange Junction Sidings - Shotwick freight was hauled by 24063 & 24081 on January 30th.

The snowy weather of January continued into February with 24063 being noted at Manchester Victoria on February 1st with one parcels van and at Crewe Diesel depot on February 2nd attached to a snow plough with large quantities of snow on it, it is not known where the plough had been.

On February 7th 24063 & 25290 worked an early morning Healey Mills - Northwich freight, returning to Northwich with a freight later that morning. On February 8th 24063 was noted at Chester depot, and on February 20th was noted at Crewe Diesel depot.

On March 27th 24063 was noted with a brakevan at Partington Junction, and was also noted this day at Skelton Junction with a lengthy mixed freight.

Late into March the two remaining Class 24s 24063 & 24081 were still soldiering on, observed on the Oakamoor sand train were 24081 & 25215 (28th) and 24063 & 25159 (29th). Regrettably from April 10th 24081 would be the last remaining Class 24 in service following the withdrawal of 24063 the previous day. Whilst working the 14.20 Bidston Dock – Shotwick iron ore service the locomotive collided, at Shotwick, with some wagons from the local trip working hauled by 25158. 24063 sustained a lengthy scrape down the BIS side of the locomotive with the secondman's side of the No.1 cab sustaining considerable damage. All was not lost for 24063 however as it would later surrender its power unit to the Derby Research locomotive, 24061.

On July 2nd 24063 departed Crewe for the final time, as the 9Z50 09.00 Crewe – Tinsley freight, adding RDB968007 (24061) & 74010 at Derby. The cavalcade reached Doncaster Works on July 4th (or 7th) allowing for an engine swap between the two Class 24s. By the end of the month 24063 had been reduced to scrap, the last of this class to be broken up here.

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Page added June 9th 2016.
Last updated July 8th 2022.

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