The active career of D5204/25054 covered twenty one years and eleven months, allocated only to various London Midland Region depots.
Built: BR Derby Locomotive Works.
Boiler equipped.
Dual brake equipped (1974).
Livery: carried green livery with TOPS numbering (3/74 - 6/74 approx).
Royal Train cabling modification (cab front access panel).
Time between last Classified repair and withdrawal: 70 months.
Time between withdrawal & scrapping: 16 months.
25054 builders plate sold August 2004 on Ebay for GBP232.50.
Allocations
D5204 was new to Toton (18A) on June 8th 1963. Further transfers were:
July 1963 to Cricklewood (14A).
September 1963 to Cricklewood West (14B).
January 1965 to London Midland (Midland Lines) LMML.
November 1967 to Springs Branch (8F).
January 1968 to Carlisle (12A).
May 1968 to Stoke Division (D05).
November 1968 to Liverpool Division (D08).
February 1972 to Manchester Division (D09).
May 1973 to Longsight.
May 1977 to Cricklewood.
August 1980 to Bescot.
March 1983 to Crewe.
Withdrawn May 12th 1985.
Renumbered March 30th 1974.
After withdrawal 25054 was stored at Crewe Gresty Lane. It was moved on January 24th 1986 with 25229 & 25256 as the 10.20am 9Z38 Crewe Gresty Lane – Doncaster Works and scrapped there by the middle of September 1986.
Works Visits
Works visits (records incomplete).
Noted Derby Works July 1966.
Noted Derby Works November 1968.
Noted Derby Works July 1974 (dual brake equipment fitted, gangway doors sheeted over, green to blue).
Noted Derby Works May - July 1979 (Intermediate repair).
Noted Derby Works April 1981 (N4 repair).
Highlights
1964
Stabled at Cricklewood on Sunday April 5th were D5085, D5086, D5089, D5189, D5204, D5222, D5223, D5228, D5237, D5241, D5250 & D7576.
Stabled at Cricklewood on Sunday November 15th were D5194, D5204, D5206, D5211, D5213, D5214, D5217, D5218 & D5219.
1966
On March 6th D5204, D5222 & D7517 were stabled at Leicester Midland.
1967
On the morning of April 10th noted at Washwood Heath as light engines were D5204, D5225, D5238 & D5288.
On the evening of April 15th D5204 & D5239 were light engines at Washwood Heath.
Like a number of Class 25s, D5204/25054's first reported passenger working was on the summer dated Nottingham - Llandudno Town, working the round trip with 7582 on August 19th 1967. The next working was north of the border, on January 8th 1968 handling the 14.55 Edinburgh - Carlisle over the Waverley route.
1968
On January 8th 1968 handling the 14.55 Edinburgh - Carlisle over the Waverley route.
On May 16th D5204 was at Crewe with the 1P39 15.27 Euston - Heysham parcels.
On August 17th 5204 & 7643 were noted at Crewe with the twelve coach 09.10 Euston - Blackpool.
1969
5204 put in a strong performance on January 4th on the 09.00 Liverpool Exchange - Glasgow as far as Preston. With a heavily loaded seven coaches Preston was reached in under thirty three minutes, here 438 took over.
1971
On the afternoon of July 12th 5204 was noted at Crewe.
5204 was on empty coaching stock duty at Liverpool Lime Street on September 1st, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 20th, 21st & 29th.
5204 was on empty coaching stock duty at Liverpool Lime Street on October 1st.
1972
At about 6pm on May 15th 5204 was noted passing Manchester Exchange with a down van train.
5204 was on empty coaching stock duty at Manchester Piccadilly on October 13th.
1973
On May 19th 5204 was back on the North Wales coast, working a Hampstead Heath - Llandudno Town day excursion out and back from Crewe.
5204 was the Manchester Victoria banker (T42) on June 8th & 9th.
At about 9am on July 28th 7592 & 5204 were on empty coaching stock duty at Manchester Piccadilly.
5204 was the Manchester Victoria banker (T42) on August 31st.
On September 29th (the last day of the summer timetable) 5204 worked the 09.30 Manchester Victoria - Bangor.
At about 7am on December 6th 5204 was noted at Manchester Victoria with an up freight. 5204 was on empty coaching stock duty at Liverpool Lime Street on December 27th, 28th & 31st.
1974
5204 was on empty coaching stock duty at Liverpool Lime Street on January 2nd.
On May 11th 25054 & 25252 worked the 09.35 Cardiff - Manchester Piccadilly forward from Birmingham New Street.
On the afternoon of July 12th 25054 was stabled at York.
On July 16th 25054 rescued the 17.18 Kings Cross - Cleethorpes at Peterborough, taking the train on to Lincoln West Signalbox where 31314 took over. 25054 returned south from Lincoln to Peterborough as pilot locomotive to 31109 on the 20.05 Grimsby Town - Peterborough.
On August 10th 25054 & 25050 worked the 09.19 Manchester Piccadilly - Yarmouth to Lincoln Central, returning with the 09.15 ex-Yarmouth.
On December 19th 25054 was noted at Manchester Victoria with the 9T54. On December 20th 25054 was noted at Manchester Victoria with the 4J30. Class 24/25s stabled at Newton Heath depot at 3.30pm on December 20th included 24022/25/52 and 25042/54, 25112, 25291/298. On December 21st 25054 was noted at Manchester Victoria with the 1J05.
1975
25054 was on empty coaching stock duty at Liverpool Lime Street on January 7th.
At about 7.30am on March 5th 25054 was noted passing Olive Mount Junction with a down van train. The Royal Train was in use on March 18th taking Princess Anne from St Pancras to Bolton, powered by 25053 & 25054. On the evening of March 19th 25053 & 25054 were noted at Longsight with the down brickliner.
On May 12th 25054 was noted at Manchester Victoria with the 8X62. 25054 & 25055 were on Royal Train duty on May 14th arriving at Kings Lynn with the stock for a late evening departure for the Duke of Edinburgh. The train ran to Salford via Peterborough, Grantham, Nottingham, Chesterfield, stopping overnight at Bamford. On May 16th 25054 & 25053 were noted at Manchester Victoria with the 1L01. On the morning of May 30th 25054 was eastbound at Guide Bridge with a trip freight.
On the evening of June 13th 25054 was stabled at Peterborough.
On June 16th 25054 & 25120 worked a return Leamington Spa - Aberystwyth day excursion
25054 was on empty coaching stock duty at Liverpool Lime Street on July 2nd.
On August 25th 25054 & 25129 worked a relief Nottingham - Skegness out and back.
1976
1976 produced another Manchester Piccadilly - Lincoln Central (for Yarmouth) and return diagram, with the July 10th working handled by 25054 & 25257.
25054 was noted at Rhyl with coaching stock on August 5th. A morning Bangor - Manchester Victoria relief was worked by 25054 on August 7th.
On the morning of November 8th 25054 was stabled at York.
Although the South Wales allocation of Class 25s had been greatly depleted earlier in the year, the Christmas break found three Class 25s stabled at area depots, with 25054 at Severn Tunnel Junction and 25055 & 25154 at Cardiff Canton.
1977
25054 & 25220 were noted light engines at Cambridge on June 16th headed for March depot.
On the morning of July 13th 25054, 25205 & 25298 were stabled at York.
1978
On the morning of January 19th 25054 was stabled at York.
On the morning of March 16th 25054 was stabled at York.
May 27th saw 25054 & 25236 work the 08.52 Leicester - Skegness and the return 12.32 Skegness - Leicester as far as Nottingham.
On Monday November 6th 25054 worked the 09.55 Willesden to Norwood and the return 12.00 Norwood to Willesden. On Tuesday November 7th 25054 worked (presumably) the 09.55 Willesden - Norwood and the return 12.00 Norwood to Willesden.
On the morning of November 18th 25054, 25117 & 25296 were stabled at Bedford.
1979
The seemingly ongoing shortage of Type 2 power in the London area found locomotives borrowed from distant depots with Eastfield’s 25235 & 25247 noted on local workings towards the end of August/beginning of September. Of course this shortage was partly created by the borrowing of Cricklewood’s allocation by other depots, 25054 was noted on Darlington’s local turns from September 3rd – 6th!
On August 17th 25054 worked the 17.10 Cardiff - Crewe.
Railtour duty on September 29th saw 25054 return the Anglian Explorer from Liverpool Street to Bletchley.
1980
25054 was stabled at Stonebridge Park on January 12th.
On March 1st 25054 was the up pilot at Rugby. On March 21st 85006 failed at Hemel Hempstead with the 07.05 Glasgow - Euston service, 25054 assisted to Euston.
On April 3rd (Maundy Thursday) 25222 & 25054 worked the 09.50 Nottingham - St Pancras relief. On April 6th a Leicester - Scarborough day excursion was worked by 25054 & 25222. The next day (7th) the same pair worked a Nottingham - Barry Island excursion, assuming both trips were worked throughout, a total of 623 miles were travelled. 25054 was noted at Euston on April 28th.
25054 was stabled at Bedford on the night of May 19th.
The continuing shortage of electric locomotives led to the novel use of pairs of Cricklewood’s Class 25’s on the heavy 20.55 Kensington Olympia – Stirling Motorail service. 25189 & 25054 worked up to Crewe on June 3rd & 4th, returning with the 23.40 ex Stirling motorail.
On September 21st 25054 & 47442 were southbound at Crewe with a passenger working.
25054 & 25218 worked October 18th's 13.15 Birmingham New Street - Norwich throughout.
1981
On January 24th there were eight Class 25s stabled at Bescot, including 25054.
25054 was stabled at Birkenhead on February 7th.
1981 saw a small varied selection of passenger workings. On May 10th 25054 & 25236 worked a Rugby - Portsmouth Harbour day excursion as far as Willesden, did they handle the return leg?
On the afternoon of July 10th 25054 was stabled at York.
A visit to the Cambrian line took place on September 19th when 25054 & 25218 worked the 04.10 Shrewsbury - Aberystwyth and the 10.07 Aberystwyth - Euston to Wolverhampton.
On October 27th 25054 was noted with mineral wagons at Washwood Heath.
On a snowy December 12th 25054 worked the 21.13 Manchester Victoria - Blackpool North. On December 14th 25054 was steaming merrily at Preston, possibly equipped with steam lances to clear snow/ice from pointwork etc. On December 18th 25054 worked the 14.15 Manchester Victoria - Blackpool North followed by December 30th's 08.22 Barrow - Blackpool North.
1982
25054 was at Stonebridge Park on April 10th.
On May 9th 25054 was noted at Euston with parcels stock. On May 26th 25054 & 25176 were noted at the Millbrook freightliner terminal.
All the remaining recorded passenger workings apart from one had a very north & north-west area bias. The odd man out occurred on June 5th when a Wigan N.W. - Wembley Central Schoolboy International football extra failed at Bletchley, here 25054 & 25206 were added to Wembley Central. On August 3rd 40029 & 25054 worked the Broughton Lane - Sheffield to Ditton BOC tankers. The two remaining passenger workings for 1982 involved the North Wales mainline. On August 10th 25054 worked the 10.15 Chester - Llandudno Town relief and on August 27th worked the 16.52 Bangor - Manchester Victoria.
On October 14th 25054 was noted on the Dunstable branch working cement wagons to Houghton Regis.
1983
25054 & 25048 were light engines at Brocklesby on February 18th.
On April 28th 25054 & 25064 worked the Cranmore - Ellesmere Port bitumen tanks.
25054 worked a Tunstead - Northwich ICI limestone train on May 21st.
On June 6th 25054 worked the 09.50 Manchester Victoria - Blackpool North and the 12.45 return(?). On the morning of June 16th 25054 ran round its ballast train at Skelton Junction (off the Carrington line) and headed for Warrington. Later the same day 25054 & 25035 worked the Northenden - Hope cement empties.
On August 25th 25054 was noted in Crewe station with an engineers train. On August 30th 25054 & 25057 were northbound through Crewe with mineral wagons.
25054 was stabled at Chester depot on October 8th. On October 22nd 25152, 25228, 25051 & 25054 were light engines through Crewe station.
1984
On February 14th 25054 was westbound through Manchester Victoria with a continously welded rail train. On February 18th 25054 was stabled at Llandudno Junction. On February 20th 25054 was noted passing Eccles with empty continuously welded rail wagons.
On April 25th (?) 25054 was noted at Hereford with a lengthy and delayed afternoon freight from Carlisle. Whilst at Hereford it was combined with a freight hauled by 40004, both locomotives taking the combined train forward to Severn Tunnel Junction. On April 26th 25054 was light engine at Cwmbran.
On May 12th 25054 was noted running through Chester with an engineers working. On May 30th 25048 was eastbound through Llandudno Junction with chemical tanks from Amlwch.
North-west area workings in 1984 produced the 16.20 Glasgow Central - Liverpool from Preston on June 1st & 4th. On June 7th 25054 worked the Warrington Arpley - Ellesmere Port trip freight and returned with an Ellesmere Port - Warrington Arpley trip freight comprised of nine oil tanks of diesel fuel for BR use. On June 8th 25054 & 25035 were noted at Acton Grange with the 6M24 Mossend Yard - Dee Marsh Sidings loaded steel coil.
On July 27th 25054 was at Preston with a train of empty Salmon rail crane bogie wagons. On July 29th 25054 was at Aspatria with a lengthy train of mineral wagons, possibly an engineers possession.
On August 16th 25054 worked the 10.40 Carlisle - Leeds with 25213, and the return 15.55 ex-Leeds.
25054 was back on the Settle & Carlisle on August 20th 1984 rescuing a 'Northern Belle' steam railtour, when N15 30777 Sir Lamiel failed, 25054 & 25209 took the train from Appleby to Leeds. Two days later (20th) 25054 returned to the 16.20 Glasgow Central - Liverpool from Preston, remaining in the area on 23rd to work the 06.30 Preston - Barrow and the 08.20 Barrow - Liverpool.
On August 22nd 25054 worked the 16.20 Glasgow Central - Liverpool from Preston. 25054 was at Crewe on August 31st.
On September 16th 25054 & 25191 were noted at Helsby with empty ballast wagons.
On October 24th 25054 was light engine at Warrington Arpley. On October 26th 25054 was passing Winwick Junction with three bulk powder wagons.
1985
The final recorded passenger working for 25054 took place on February 1st with 25044 working the 07.25 Glasgow Central - Carlisle.
On February 1st the APT moved from Polmadie to Thornaby for wheel turning, being noted through Hexham behind 25044 & 25054, returning on 4th behind the same locomotives.
25054 was receiving attention at Crewe Diesel depot on March 13th.
25054 was withdrawn on May 12th 1985.
Not all known passenger workings are recorded on this page.
47/4462.
flk 0122 (2).
Page added May 5th 2013.
Last updated September 10th 2022.
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