The nineteen year three month career of D5235/25085 saw allocations to all regions apart from the Southern.
Built: BR Derby Locomotive Works.
Boiler equipped.
Final exhaust roof panel: flush.
Time between last Classified repair and withdrawal: 30 months.
Time between withdrawal & scrapping: 14 months.
Allocations
D5235 was new to Toton (16A) on December 21st 1963. Further transfers were:
February 1964 to Nottingham (16D).
January 1965 to London Midland (Midland) Lines LMML.
March 1968 to Nottingham Division (D16).
May 1968 to London Midland (Midland) Lines LMML.
June 1968 to Nottingham Division (D16).
May 1973 to Toton.
August 1973 to Eastfield.
October 1973 to Tinsley.
March 1975 to Cardiff.
August 1975 to Haymarket.
October 1980 to Springs Branch.
January 1981 to Toton.
May 1981 to Kingmoor.
Withdrawn March 21st 1982.
Renumbered April 20th 1974.
25085 was the 125th Class 25 withdrawn, the only member of the class retired during March 1982.
25085 had reached Derby Works during March for engine repairs, these were not approved and the locomotive was withdrawn whilst at the Works. It would be scrapped at Derby by the end of May 1983.
Works Visits
Works visits (records incomplete).
Noted Derby Works December 1966.
Noted Derby Works April & May 1975.
Noted Glasgow Works August & September 1979 (Intermediate repair).
Noted Derby Works March 1982 (N1 repairs, withdrawn after evaluation).
Highlights
1963
D5234 - D5237 were constructed at Derby during the last quarter of 1963, all being released to traffic during December to Toton (16A). This batch of locomotives were the first to be delivered featuring the re-styled body work and two tone green livery similar to that carried by the Brush Type 4s (Class 47s). The redesign principally affected two areas; the cab and the location of the air intakes. The gangway doors fitted to the earlier examples were rarely used, their presence certainly added to the complaints of noise and draughts in the cabs. The removal of the air filters to the cantrail was the result of a comparison carried out at Inverness between a batch of Derby built Type 2s and a batch of BRCW Type 2s, the tests targetting the air quality within the engine room.
The tests revealed the location of the grilles on the Derby designed build allowed for much more debris to reach the filters (especially the lower ones), clogging them quicker, leading to decreased air quality within the engine compartment, and so potentially affecting performance and engine wear. With over two hundred Class 25s still on the order books the redesign of these areas would result in a cost savings in the long run, in addition to a better working environment within the cabs, and providing less cluttered look to the locomotive's exterior.
One unique feature of these machines was their being equipped with steam heating equipment, all the following Class 25s would be without boilers.
D5234 & D5235 were sent out on their test runs to Corby on December 4th 1963.
1964
The 14.58 Nottingham - Sheffield was worked by D5235 on November 9th, instead of the more normal diesel multiple unit.
1965
The 09.03 Leeds - Llandudno featured D5181 on June 19th & D5235 on June 26th.
On Sunday December 5th a visit to several East Midlands area installations produced the following Derby/Sulzer Type 2s:
Derby Works:
D5054, D 5087, D5135
D5166
D5268, D5298
D7562, D7564, D7566, D7567, D7576, D7588, D7598, D7599, D7600, D7601, D7602
Derby shed:
D5011
D5185, D5189, D5198, D5205, D5224, D5230, D5293
D7505, D7521, D7529, D7532, D7538, D7540, D7543, D7548, D7559, D7560, D7569, D7572, D7582, D7591, D7594, D7634
Toton shed:
D5186
D5201, D5228, D5231, D5235, D5237, D5240, D5242, D5256, D5259, D5261, D5265, D5267, D5272, D5280, D5284, D5285, D5287, D5288, D5299
D7504, D7527, D7542, D7544, D7545, D7558, D7561, D7571, D7577, D7579, D7597
Nottingham shed:
D5209, D5270, D5290
D7511, D7533, D7563
Colwich shed
D5195, D7554, D7557
1966
On the afternoon of May 15th D5188, D5235, D7512, D7582, D7587, D7592 were stabled at Derby along with 45289, 45350, 48153, 48270, 48286, 48442, 90078 & 90352.
On the afternoon of July 9th D5235 was noted passing Mirfield with an eight coach (relief?) service (1E47).
1967
On the afternoon of August 3rd D5235, D7511, D7518, D7555, D7590, D7595 & D7597 were stabled at Derby.
On October 19th D5235 worked the 07.54 Harpenden – Moorgate.
1968
Condition May: two-tone green livery with full yellow cab fronts.
1969
A Yarmouth - Birmingham service was worked forward from Leicester by 5235 on March 13th.
On the evening of May 4th 5235 was noted at Crewe.
On the evening of August 21st 5235 was shunting at Longton.
1970
May 25th found a Derby - Blackpool excursion in the hands of 5235 & 7651.
On the afternoon of July 29th 5235 was stabled at Crewe north holding sidings.
On the afternoon of September 17th 5228, 5235 & 1759 were light engines at Banbury.
1972
Freight trains noted at Luton on August 21st include:
1885 6V66
5243 4M32
1617 8V27
5212 9C29
7558 & 5235 8F50
32 8M41
101 3D25
7567 8F26
7523 0O36
70 6Z39
6591 6M54.
An excursion from St Pancras to Hartlepool (1Z69) on October 14th with 1855 included the following observations:
Luton: 7593 & 5273 8F30
Bedford: 7523
Wellinborough: 7615
Leicester
5225, 5235, 5248
Loughborough: 2, 8, 8135, 8187 & 8144
Toton: 6
Beighton Scrapyard: 4 COR units 3139 & 3168
York south: 95, 274, 1989, 6861, 8311, 9012
York station :395, 3238, 3315, 3687, 5582
York depot: 19, 396, 3874, 5520, 5521, 5558, 5559, 5585, 5588, 5659, 5670, 5820, 6701, 6719, 6779, 6926
Thirsk: 6803
Northallerton: 5658
Stockton: 6776, 6793, 6900
Hartlepool: 2067, 2076, 2099, 3799, 6731, 6732 6813 (then a local multiple unit to Newcastle)
Sunderland: 2105
Newcastle: 368, 2064, 2104, steam locomotives 2392, 4498, 3395, 29, 80002
Gateshead depot: 34, 53, 141, 166, 167, 180, 183, 190, 252, 254, 257, 272, 285, 286, 353, 1513, 1577, 1578, 1996, 2052, 2053, 2056, 2059, 2061, 2071, 2074, 2163, 3182, 3244, 3875, 5108, 5109, 5598, 5616, 5856, 6758, 6794, 6796, 6952
Newcastle: 79, 141, 166, 254, 275, 1970, 2102, 2170, 3244, 5691, 6703, 6729, 6795, 9013, 9016, 9018
Hartlepool: 3943, 6731, 6732
York depot : 1108, 1977, 5520, 5522, 5559, 5669, 5820, 5834, 6719, 6926, 6950
York station: 3315, 5523
Leicester depot: 1730, 5225, 5248, 5563, 5800, 5836.
Freight trains noted at Luton on December 12th included:
135 branch
5235 & 5244 8Z73
1827 6C35
57 8D15
73 6M53
87 6E49 bogie oil tanks.
1973
5235 & 5535 were noted on the 08.00 Walsall - Yarmouth (as far as Norwich) on June 2nd.
5235 was noted shunting at Loughborough on July 28th.
After nine years allocation to depots along the Midland mainline 5235 transferred to Eastfield during August. By October 5235 had moved south to Tinsley.
1974
Although the small batch of Type 2s which included 5235 were oddities in terms of their bodystyling & being boiler equipped, this technical difference did not affect the issuing of TOPS numbers for them, they were numbered in order with the remainder of the Class.
On the morning of March 6th 5235 was stabled at York.
On the afternoon of June 12th 25085 was northbound at Skelton with a freight.
On September 27th 25085 was noted at Exeter stabling point.
On November 5th the 06.43 Peterborough – Kings Cross arrived behind 31108 & 25085.
1975
On March 7th 25085 was noted at Manchester Victoria.
After eighteen months at Tinsley 25085 transferred to Cardiff during March. Its stay here would be brief, during August it was transferred to Eastfield.
On the afternoon on March 12th 25085 was noted at Exeter stabling point.
25084 & 25085 were in Derby Works for repair between April & June.
On May 14th 25085 made a test run from Derby Works.
The snag sheet for May 14th recorded:
No.1 end leading, recordings from No.2 cab.
| 25085; May 14th 1975; 1M51 Derby 9.45 | |||||
| Load | Speed | Amps | Volts | Notes | Other |
| 1 | 27.5 | 900 | - | - | - | 2 | 36 | 900 | - | - | - | 3 | 42 | 910 | - | - | - | 4 | 50 | 920 | - | - | - | 5 | 61 | - | - | - | - | 6 | 72 | 1,000 | - | - | - |
No.2 cylinder exhaust passing
Knecht fuel filter union leaking
Pipe work clips missing on B/C
Radiators unbalanced B low
No.1 cab engine room door seal
Engine oil pressure low on top? 40 psi
Wheel slip at 71 & 82 mph
Fire alarm bell button sticking
Engine rocker covers leak
Trace generator seal leak.
On July 31st 25085 was stabled at Cardiff Canton.
On September 21st 25085 was stabled at Perth.
1976
April 5th found 25085 working the 09.10 Edinburgh - Inverness via Ladybank & Hilton Jct.
On June 12th 25085 was stabled at Haymarket.
25238 & 25085 were noted at Oxford on August 5th on the long distance Leith - Yeovil pipe train, presumably the Class 25s came off at Oxford. Two days later 25085 was noted at Leicester. During the middle of September 25085 was noted on local trip work from Willesden, no doubt Haymarket would have preferred to have their boiler fitted locomotive returned north as soon as possible.
1977
The 17.20 Edinburgh - Dundee was worked by 25085 on September 12th.
1978
On August 10th 25085 was noted at Inverness shed for most of the day. 25085 was noted at Eastfield on the evening of August 14th, the next day (15th) 25085 was noted southbound light engine at Arbroath shortly after midday, and was later noted stabled at Dundee shed the same afternoon.
25085 worked the 14.44 Glasgow Queen Street - Dundee on September 23rd.
On October 7th 25085 was noted light engine at Dundee.
On October 16th 25085 worked the 25085 1C96 21.40 Edinburgh - Carstairs.
The 8M36 Tyne Yard - Carlisle freight was hauled by 25085 on October 25th.
1979
On May 5th 25085 was stabled at Haymarket.
25085 was noted in Glasgow Works on August 19th.
25085 was at Glasgow Works during August & September for an Intermediate repair. 25085 was noted on the 15.57 Dundee - Glasgow Queen Street on September 21st.
On November 24th 25085 was stabled at Haymarket.
1980
On the late afternoon of Monday February 18th 25085 was noted northbound at Perth with a class 8 freight.
25085 was in charge of the 1A53 17.12 Glasgow - Ayr on April 25th.
25085 was stabled at Millerhill on June 14th.
25085 was stabled at Inverness on June 9th and was stabled at Haymarket on June 24th.
On July 5th 25085 was noted at Millerhill. On July 10th 25010 & 25085 worked the Perth - Kensington motorail as far as Mossend. The next day 25085 came to the rescue of an ailing 47210 working the 17.40 Edinburgh – Inverness. The Class 25 was sent from Perth to push the failure from Stanley Junction to Murthly, here detaching the failure before heading out alone to Dalwhinnie where 47040 was added to the train for the run to Inverness.
On July 31st 25085 & 25049 were light engines at Haymarket station.
On August 5th 25085 worked a passenger service between Edinburgh & Dundee (1S84?).
After five years on the Scottish Region 25085 transferred to Springs Branch during October.
On November 18th 25085 worked the 19.30 Crewe - Cardiff but with the service stating from Shrewsbury.
1981
25085 was transferred to Toton during January.
Engineering work at the south end of the WCML led to diesel substitutions, on March 1st 25085 covered one brief working between Stonebridge Park and Euston whilst the 20.45 Barrow - Euston was worked forward from Bletchley by 25084 on 3rd and 25085 on 8th.
Some lucky 'BedPan' commuters had the delights of 25058 & 25085 on the 07.40 Bedford - St Pancras service on May 5th.
On May 24th 25085 & 25267 were stabled at Leicester.
On May 30th 25085 was stabled at Toton.
25085 was transferred from Toton to Kingmoor in May.
At lunchtime on June 1st 25084 & 25085 were noted at Crewe with a down freight. On June 9th 25085 & 25153 were northbound at Crewe with a loaded sand train. The 16.02 Crewe - Cardiff was worked by 25085 on June 26th, the next day it worked the 17.10 to Crewe.
On the afternoon of July 25th 25085 was the Camp Hill banker.
On August 1st 25085 & 25032 worked a ‘Welsh Marches Pullman’ charter between Shrewsbury and Chester, following the failure of Black Five No.5000. On August 10th 25085 worked a Shrewsbury - Bristol empty van train, then ran light to Severn Tunnel Junction. The next day (11th) the 12.10 Penzance – Glasgow went forward from Bristol behind 25085. On August 12th at about 19.15 25085 & 25135 arrived at Leeds Holbeck off the Z26 job. On August 22nd 25085 was diagrammed for the 10.14 Perth - Motherwell, it only got as far as Gleneagles before requiring the assistance of 20121.
A short trip for 25085 was working the 14.05 Blackpool - Crewe as far as Preston on September 5th. 25085 was also noted this day at Crewe with passenger stock.
An Open Day at Warrington Central on October 10th & 11th featured 25085, 40115, 47334, a Class 08 and a number of other vehicles. 25085 was noted at Ashburys on October 14th.
The failure of 45009 at Derby on October 15th whilst working a Newcastle - Bristol service led to 25085 taking over as far as Birmingham - this may have been 25085's last passenger working.
1982
25085 was retired during March, possibly whilst at Derby Works with an engine defect.
1983
April was the last month for the scrapping of locos at Derby Works by BREL staff, 25085 was the last complete locomotive to be cut, a start was made on 25261 but a dispute halted cutting on this locomotive.
00/00
flk 0623 (1)
Page added September 20th 2001.
Page updated February 17th 2024.
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