The seventeen year eight month career of D5279/25129 was spent allocated to a small number of London Midland Region depots.
Built: BR Derby Locomotive Works.
Boiler room grilles sheeted over (1977).
Time between last Classified repair and withdrawal: 52 months.
Time between withdrawal and scrapping: 37 months.
Allocations
D5279 was new to Nottingham (16A) on June 18th 1964. Further transfers were:
July 1964 to Trafford Park (9E).
March 1968 to Longsight (9A).
June 1968 to Manchester Division (D09).
March 1972 to Nottingham Division (D16).
May 1973 to Toton.
Withdrawn February 7th 1982.
Renumbered April 1974.
After withdrawal following collision damage at Roade, 25129 moved to Toton, then to Derby Works during April 1982. It remained here until February 4th 1985 when it became part of a convoy of derelict Class 25s sent down to Swindon Works for disposal. It was scrapped at Swindon Works by the third week of March 1985.
Works Visits
Works visits (records incomplete).
Noted Derby Works June 1967.
Noted Derby Works April 1977.
Noted Derby Works September 1977 (Classified, boiler room grills sheeted over).
Highlights
1964
During March D5255 & D7586 were transferred to Trafford Park (9E), presumably to be trialled on the limestone workings. D5255 was transferred back to Toton during April, but D7586 remained allocated to Trafford Park until January 1965 when it was briefly reallocated to the Nottingham Division, but returned to Trafford Park the same month. With the testing completed the decision was made to utilise the Sulzer Type 2's on the limestone trains. To accomplish this seven Type 2's would be allocated to Trafford Park (9E) shed. All the locomotives selected were virtually brand new and had been on allocation to Toton (D16) after delivery from the workshops. D7586 which had been one of the locomotives used in the trials remained at Trafford Park, perhaps an odd choice since the locomotive was boiler equipped. The remainder were D5274 - D5279 and arrived during June & July.
On June 20th D5279 was noted assisting 45597 on the NE/SW route with the 07.50 (SO) Paignton - Newcastle. The next day (21st) D5279 worked a roundtrip Derby - Llandudno Town day excursion.
On July 5th stabled at Toton were D5184, D5185, D5234, D5243, D5244, D5245, D5247, D5249, D5251, D5257, D5262, D5263, D5268, D5277, D5279, D5280 & D5281.
1965
On June 27th a Derby (?) - Llandudno Town day excursion was worked out & back (?) by D5277 & D5279.
1966
On the evening of June 25th D5279 worked a Northwich - Healey Mills freight.
1967
On July 8th D5279 was noted at Manchester Victoria with the service from Yarmouth (1M99).
On the evening of August 19th D5279 was noted passing Marsden on a down freight.
1969
On August 2nd the 09.27 Manchester Piccadilly - Yarmouth to Sheffield and the return 11.55 Yarmouth - Manchester Victoria from Sheffield were worked by 5279 & 7675.
1972
At about 6pm on January 28th 5279 was noted at Manchester Victoria with an up freight (9T56).
During April 1972 5279 was transferred to the Nottingham Division (Toton), allowing it to acquire a considerable amount of passenger haulage, particularly the summer dated services.
During the summer of 1972 5279 worked the Derby - Norwich - Yarmouth - Norwich - Walsall diagram at least three times, on July 1st with 7564, on July 15th with 7614 and on August 5th with 7614. For the July 15th trip the Derby - Yarmouth and return used the infamous LMR maroon set of coaches, believed to be comprised of eleven coaches. The following weekend (July 22nd) the maroon set was used for a Burton - Skegness roundtrip and again on July 29th with the Derby - Yarmouth again. On August 5th the set was used again on a roundtrip Leicester - Skegness. The LMR maroon set included 15268, 15384, 15444, 15635, 24018, 24581, 24661, 24752, 24902, 25072, 25120, 25273, 25281, 25666, 34070 & 34458.
On August 15th 5279 was noted at Kettering with a short freight.
Condition August: two-tone green livery, full yellow ends.
1973
The summer dated roundtrip Nottingham - Llandudno Town service was worked by 5279 on June 16th. A Leicester - Skegness roundtrip was worked by 5279 & 7557 on June 17th.
A roundtrip Derby - Skegness was worked by 5279 & 5270 on July 28th.
On the afternoon of August 17th 5242 & 5279 worked a Bournemouth - Newcastle relief forward from Birmingham.
On August 18th 5242 & 5279 worked the 12.50 Manchester Victoria - Llandudno and the 17.06 Llandudno - Manchester Victoria. This working normally utilised the locomotive & stock off the 09.31 Scarborough - Manchester Victoria, due at 12.20pm. The locomotive was normally a York or Healey Mills Class 40. In this case it is possible that 5242 & 5279 handled the Scarborough turn as well. At about 10am on August 25th 5279 was noted at Wigston on an up permanent way train.
On September 1st the roundtrip Nottingham - Llandudno Town service was worked by 5279 & 5224. September 22nd saw 5279 work the 15.00 Sheffield - St. Pancras.
1974
On April 8th 5279 was noted at Cambridge on a freight showing headcode 6G00 (G was for internal Eastern Region special traffic).
On the evening of April 16th 5279 was northbound at Doncaster with a freight.
On the morning of April 29th 25129 was stabled at York.
On May 25th the 12.30 Skegness - Leicester was worked by 25129 & ?? (presumably part of a roundtrip?).
The 08.00 Walsall - Yarmouth to Norwich and the return 14.15 Yarmouth - Derby from Norwich were worked by 25129 & 25073 on August 10th.
On the evening of August 13th 25073 & 25129 were light engines at Derby.
On August 26th a roundtrip Nottingham - Skegness was worked by 25129 & 25102.
1975
On March 5th 25129 was noted at Manchester Victoria with the 9T25.
On the afternoon of March 11th 25129 was stabled at York.
The 08.52 Leicester - Skegness and the return 12.30 Skegness - Leicester were worked by 25129 & 25131 on May 31st.
On June 4th a Thoresby - Southfleet coal train derailed near Finedon, damaging much track, dumping a lot of coal and leading to the closure of the slow lines. 25129 arrived with the Toton crane to assist with the clean up. Three days later on June 7th the 07.35 Nottingham - Llandudno Town was worked by 25129 & 25131, they did not work the diagrammed return.
On the afternoon of August 1st 25087 & 25129 were stabled at York.
On August 9th the 08.25 Leicester - Blackpool North from Nottingham and the return 14.30 Blackpool North - Leicester to Nottingham were worked by 25129 & 25074. On August 25th a relief roundtrip Nottingham - Skegness was worked by 25129 & 25054. A lengthy run along the northern half of the NE/SW route occurred on August 29th when the 13.35 Birmingham New Street - Newcastle was worked throughout by 25129 & 25136.
On the afternoon of November 8th 25129 was noted at Exeter stabling point.
1976
On January 28th the 14.43 Leeds - Plymouth was noted at Derby with 25129 assisting a failed Class 45 to ??
1977
On June 8th 25129 was noted passing Syston South Junction with loaded ballast wagons. On June 19th the 08.40 Leicester - Skegness and the return 18.30 Skegness - Leicester were worked by 25129 & 25124.
On August 4th 25129 made a test run from Derby Works.
The snag sheet for August 4th recorded:
| 25129; August 4th 1977; 1C21 Derby | |||||
| Load | Speed | Amps | Volts | Notes | Other |
| 1 | 27 | 900 | - | - | - | 2 | 36 | 875 | - | - | - | 3 | 41 | 950 | - | - | - | 4 | 48 | 950 | - | - | - | 5 | 60 | 970 | - | - | - | 6 | 67 | 1,020 | - | - | - |
No.2 cab driver's dimmer know incorrect, won't secure
Nos.5 & 6 rocker covers
Floor plate to secure
Loco to clean out.
On September 1st the 09.20 Paignton - Nottingham arrived at Birmingham some 90 minutes late behind 25129, it was replaced here by 46046.
The Derby Locomotive Works Open Day on September 10th featured ex-works 25129 in front of the office block, alongside 40175 & 56031. 25129 was noted light engine at Crewe on September 13th.
Ex-works 25129 was noted on engineering work alongside Longsight depot on October 16th.
1978
On May 27th the 08.00 Walsall - Yarmouth to Norwich and the return 14.15 Yarmouth - Derby from Norwich were worked by 25129 & 25136.
The month of July produced many passenger workings for 25129 commencing on July 1st with the 08.00 Walsall - Yarmouth from Nottingham to Norwich and the return 14.15 Yarmouth - Derby from Norwich worked by 25129 & 25137. The same pair worked roundtrips to Skegness from Derby on July 2nd and from Leicester on July 3rd.
On July 11th 25129 worked the 4B10 15.55 Bristol - Plymouth parcels (nine vans). At Exeter St Davids BG M80505 was removed from the train due to serious damage to a door.
On July 15th 25129 & 25125 started out with the 08.32 Derby - Yarmouth but were failed at Nottingham and replaced by 25126 & 25101. The next day (16th) 25129 & 25125 worked a roundtrip Hinckley - Skegness. The Derby - Norwich - Yarmouth - Norwich - Walsall diagram was worked by 25129 & 25124 on July 29th. The next day (30th) the same pair worked a roundtrip Nottingham - Skegness day excursion.
At about 12.20pm on August 10th 25129 & 25136 were noted running light engines through Exeter St Davids. Elsewhere at the station the 1B44 09.35 Paddington - Penzance arrived behind 08646 & 50016, the Class 50 had failed on the approach to Exeter with traction motor fan problems. 47117 was taken off the 6V32 02.35 (TTho) Ripple Lane - Exeter to work the 1B44 forward.
On August 12th 25129 & 25136 worked the Derby (from Nottingham) - Norwich - Yarmouth - Norwich - Walsall diagram.
1979
On a snowy March 17th 25129 was noted at Saltley and was also there on March 31st.
The 15.07 Plymouth - Manchester Piccadilly was worked from Gloucester to Birmingham New Street on April 5th by 25129.
On May 5th 'The Pennine Rose' railtour from Marylebone to Dinting was worked to Birmingham New Street (out) and from Coventry (back) by 25129 & 25141.
The early morning Toton - Eastleigh freight was noted at Oxford with 25129 on July 10th. On July 24th 25274 & 25129 were noted passing March with short wheelbase tanks (for Whitemoor?). Problems at the southern end of the WCML on July 26th saw the Up Manchester Pullman diverted into St Pancras with 25129 taking over at Nuneaton. The diversion was caused by the derailment of the 25th's 20.33 Toton - Willesden freight during the early hours of the 26th. Seven wagons were derailed which damaged the overhead line equipment, blocking the main line for at least six hours. St Pancras & Paddington received diverted services, one of which, the 07.46 Northampton - Euston with two Class 25s was diverted at Bletchley to Bedford, arriving at St Pancras almost two hours late.
On September 2nd the 08.45 Birmingham New Street - Barmouth and the 17.45 Barmouth - Euston to Wolverhampton were worked by 25129 & 25188. A week later (9th) the return leg of 'The Yorkshire Terrier' railtour from Canonbury Junction to Birmingham New Street was worked by 25129 & 25263.
25129 was noted eastbound at Cardiff General on November 24th.
25129 was stabled at Saltley on December 10th.
1980
25129 worked an early morning Tyne Yard - Carlisle freight on January 5th.
On April 27th 25129 was noted southbound passing Saltley with a mixed freight.
1980 proved to be a bountiful year for passenger haulage for 25129. On June 14th 25129 & 25272 worked the 10.10 Euston - Aberystwyth from Birmingham New Street, returning with the 16.10 Aberystwyth - Shrewsbury. The next day (15th) a roundtrip Birmingham New Street - Bridlington day excursion was worked by 25129 & 25272. On June 27th the 19.41 Leicester - St. Pancras was worked by 45133 & 25129.
On July 4th 25129 & 25143 worked the 18.03 Blackpool North - Blythe Bridge. On July 5th the relief 10.03 Walsall - Yarmouth to Norwich was worked by 25129 & 25143. On July 6th 25129 & 25143 were stabled at March. The Derby - Norwich - Yarmouth - Norwich - Walsall diagram was worked by 25129 & 25123 on July 19th and by 25129 & 25116 on August 2nd.
The 08.02 Walsall - Yarmouth to Norwich and the return 14.15 Yarmouth - Derby from Norwich on August 30th were worked by 25129 & 25131. This same pair remained together at least until September 7th working a roundtrip Leicester - Skegness on 1st, a roundtrip Burton on Trent - Skegness on 4th and the Derby - Norwich - Yarmouth - Norwich - Walsall diagram on September 6th.
On September 24th 25129 & 25136 were southbound at Ratcliffe-on-Soar with a loaed coal train.
1981
25129 & 25323 were noted in Coventry yard on March 12th. 25129 was noted at Bescot with a short trip freight on the afternoon of March 27th.
25129 was stabled at Saltley on April 4th and at Cockshute on April 11th. 'The Palatine' railtour on April 25th from Euston to Buxton saw 25129 & 25130 used between Bescot & Crewe (out) and Crewe & Walsall (return). On the outward leg 25033 & 25076 had been failed and replaced at Bescot.
25129 was stabled at Northwich on May 31st.
25129 & 25202 were noted as up light engines through Warrington on the early afternoon of June 1st.
25129 was noted at Wellingborough on July 6th. 25129 was noted arriving at Northwich with loaded ICI limestone hoppers on July 18th.
25129 was noted westbound passing the former Manchester Exchange station with a short empty coal train on a snowy December 15th.
1982
On January 3rd whilst two engineering trains had possession of the up slow line at Roade a collision occurred between the two trains hauled by 25129 & 25215. Although the impact speed was less than 5mph an open wagon rode up into the brakevan, regrettably one railwayman was killed, three seriously hurt, six others less so. Since 25129 was withdrawn the following month possibly it may have sustained some sort of minor damage in the collision?
On April 21st 1982 25129 moved from Toton to Derby Works (with 20068/88 and 25149). After almost three years dumped at Derby 25129 was part of a large dead-engine movement on February 4th 1985 from Derby to Swindon, being broken up there by late March 1985.
94/10502
flk 12/21
Not all known passenger workings are recorded on this page.
Page added May 26th 2014.
Last updated July 19th 2022.