The eighteen year seven month career of D7508/25158 included allocations split between the London Midland Region and the Western Region.
Built: BR Derby Locomotive Works.
Boiler room grilles sheeted over (1979).
Final exhaust roof panel: raised, square.
Time between last Classified repair and withdrawal: 46 months.
Time between withdrawal & scrapping: 49 months.
Allocations
D7508 was new to Toton on November 5th 1964. Further transfers were:
January 1965 to Nottingham Division (D16).
January 1965 to Saltley (2E).
April 1966 to Birmingham Division (D02).
April 1966 to London Midland (Midland) Lines.
January 1967 to Nottingham Division (D16).
March 1967 to London Midland (Western) Lines.
March 1967 to London Midland (Midland) Lines.
December 1967 to Nottingham Division (D16).
February 1968 to London Midland (Midland) Lines.
June 1968 to Nottingham Division (D16).
January 1972 to Laira (84A).
December 1972 to Ebbw Junction (86B).
May 1973 to Bristol (82A).
July 1973 to Cardiff.
October 1974 to Bristol.
December 1974 to Cardiff.
May 1975 to Bristol.
February 1976 to Toton.
February 1976 to Crewe.
Withdrawn May 22nd 1983.
Renumbered May 1974.
25158 was the 180th Class 25 withdrawn, one of six retired during May 1983.
After withdrawal 25158 was stored at Newton Heath from May 1983 until June 26th 1984 when it was moved (see details below) to Swindon Works. The Works closed prior to the scrapping of 25157, which was moved to Cocklebury Yard on May 25th 1987, then to Hinksey Yard, Oxford on June 2nd 1987 and into Vic Berry's Yard, Leicester on June 11th 1987. The locomotive had been scrapped by the first week of July 1987, although the cabs lingered for a while.
25126/134/158, 25208 Newton Heath – Swindon Works, June 25th 1984. (none of this batch would be broken up at Swindon Works).
25027/75, 25123/133/144/158, 25228/234, 97202, 40046/63 Swindon Works – Cocklebury Yard, May 26th 1987.
25027/75, 25123/133/144/158, 25228/234, 97202, 40046/63 Cocklebury Yard – VB Leicester June 2nd-11th, 1987, by 20019 & 20197 (Oxford – Leicester).
Works Visits
Works visits (records incomplete).
Noted Derby Works June 1967.
Noted Derby Works September 1968.
Noted Derby Works January & February 1973.
Noted Derby Works May - July 1979 (General repair).
Noted Derby Works December 1979 - February 1980 (Rectification?).
Noted Derby Works November 1981 (N4 repairs).
Highlights
1965
On June 28th D7508 worked the 5M08 16.40 Hinksey - Water Orton.
1966
On the early afternoon of August 6th there were 54 locomotives on shed at Toton including (Classes 20/45/46/47 excluded):
12038, 12052
D3117, D3119
D5236, D5280, D7502, D7508, D7521, D7530, D7539, D7548, D7553, D7562, D7659
D5415
D4, D5, D6
78021 & 48272.
1967
On March 24th the 20.05 Luton – Bathgate special car carrier, normally a Type 4 diagram found D7508 & D5233 working the trip throughout, returning south the next day on the 06.40 Millerhill - Carlisle freight. The regular working for this car carrier had recently disappeared in the new timetable.
On the evening of August 19th D7508 was noted at Crewe.
1970
On the afternoon of June 12th 7527 & 7508 were noted at Small Heath with an up freight.
About noon on July 9th 7508 was stabled at Crewe.
On the evening of July 25th 7508 was southbound at Crewe with a parcels train.
1971
Any early passenger workings for D7508/25158 have so far gone unreported. On August 4th 7508 & 5244 worked a roundtrip Derby - Skegness. 7508 was in two-tone green livery with full yellow ends.
1972
During January 1972 7508 was transferred to Laira.
On the evening of February 21st 7508 ran light from Exeter stabling point to Laira.
On March 24th 7508 worked the 6B67 19.05 Barnstaple Junction - Exeter vans (three vans).
On March 27th 7508 worked the 6B74 16.57 Hemyock - Exeter milk and the 20.10 Exeter St Davids - Newton Abbot.
A roundtrip from Plymouth to Fishguard and return on March 28th include the following observations:
1045 & 128 1E99 05.40 Plymouth - Sheffield (uncertain where 1045 came off)
7575 at Plymouth
Newton Abbot:
1026 23.45 Paddington - Penzance
1021 06.40 Newton Abbot - Paddington
Exeter St Davids:
805 & 1010 07.10 Exeter - Penzance
6540 07.20 Exeter - Waterloo
7508, 812 stabling point
Taunton:
7588, 7677
Severn Tunnel Junction (passing):
115, 144, 1035, 1039, 1640, 1683, 1745, 1845, 5227, 5180, 5181, 6923
East Usk:
7513
Ebbw Junction
1672, 6999, 7005, 7092, 7099, 7510, 7514
Cardiff:
1061 1C13 08.00 Paddington - Swansea
Cardiff Canton:
129, 1910, 5842, 7086
Margam:
1648, 1945, 6606, 6837, 7098
Landore:
1017, 1056, 1665, 1901, 6887
Swansea:
1056 11.50 Swansea - Fishguard
Fishguard:
6883, 6975
1056 1C68 14.00 Fishguard - Swansea load 11
Swansea:
1925 1BXX 15.55 Swansea - Bristol load 6
Margam:
138, 1611, 1709, 1720, 1750, 6955, 6957
Cardiff Canton:
177, 1923, 6973, 6994, 7075, 7086
Cardiff station:
1609, 6602, 6888, 6930, 6971, 6973, 6985, 7510, 7514
Ebbw Junction:
1902, 5181, 5227, 6875, 6923, 6925
Severn Tunnel Junction:
163, 1589, 1594, 1640, 1729, 5180, 7512, 7624
Bristol Temple Meads (18.10hrs):
68 1V87 09.40 Edinburgh - Plymouth
814
Bristol Bath Road:
806
Taunton:
1654 6M44
7677
Exeter St Davids:
6529 & 812 19.55 Exeter St Davids - Basingstoke
1670 1B75 17.30 Paddington - Plymouth.
At about 2pm on April 29th 7508 ran light from Exeter stabling point to Tiverton Junction presumably to work the Hemyock milk tanks.
On May 13th 7503 & 7508 (not in multiple) worked the 14.40 Barnstaple Junction - Exeter St Davids. Later that day 7508 worked 16.05 Exeter St Davids - Barnstable and the return 17.55 Barnstable - Exeter St Davids.
On May 15th 7508 hauling a failed multiple unit worked the 13.55 Exeter St. Davids - Barnstaple and the 16.10 return. 7508 failed prior to taking up the 17.40 to Newton Abbot, another multiple unit was found to work this service.
On June 23rd/24th 7508 & 7574 worked the 23rd's 7B34 19.40 Bristol Temple Mills to Ponsandane freight, and the 24th's 1E21 10.30 Penzance to Bradford passenger service to Plymouth, then light engines to Laira depot and ending with the 7B31 18.20 Plymouth Friary to Par freight.
On July 7th 7508 worked the 6B09 (Acton - St Erth milk empties arrived at Exeter with 1018 wich came off here?).
On July 8th 7508 ran light from Exeter stabling point to Exeter Riverside to work the 7B70 13.15? Hemyock empties and returing with the 6B70 16.57 Hemyock - Exeter milk (two tanks).
On July 11th 7508 worked the 0B16 Keyham - Lapford light engine movement.
On July 18th 7508 worked the 6B74 16.57 Hemyock - Exeter milk (six tanks).
On July 20th 7508 worked the 6B74 16.57 Hemyock - Exeter milk (six tanks).
On July 24th the 6A17 15.20 Penzance - Paddington milk & perishables arrived at Exeter with 7508 & 1051, 7508 came off and retired to the stabling point.
On August 5th 7508 worked the 09.51 Exeter St. Davids - Barnstaple and 12.18 return.
On August 23rd 7502 was scheduled to take over the 6B09 13.50 Acton - St Erth milk empties from Exeter to Newton Abbot, at which point 7508 would take charge of the train.
On September 16th 7508 & 7505 worked the 7B34 19.40 Bristol Temple Mills to Ponsandane freight, the 1E21 10.30 Penzance to Bradford passenger service to Plymouth, then light engines to Laira depot and ending with the 7B31 18.20 Plymouth Friary to Par freight.
On October 10th 7508 worked the 6B70 16.57 Hemyock - Exeter milk (16 tanks) and was later noted at Newton Abbot on the 4B10 Bristol - Plymouth vans.
On November 21st the 6B65 20.25? Plymouth Friary - Exeter Riverside cement (21 Presflos) was noted at Exeter with 7508 & 1000.
7573 & 7508 were noted westbound through Liskeard on a damp November 28th with a lengthy train of vanfits, possibly a special Tavistock Junction to St Blazey freight or a sugar beet special from East Anglia to Cornwall.
1973
A comment on a Derby Locomotive Works snag sheet from about February indicated 7508 test snags.
On February 21st 7508 made a test run from Derby Works, no load/speed/amp records were made.
The train time was 1.45, there were two comments on the snag sheet:
Load regulator switch to change
Engine governor to examine, intermittent sticking.
On February 26th 7508 made a test run from Derby Works, its third test run.
The snag sheet for February 26th recorded:
| 7508; February 26th 1973; time 9.45 Derby | |||||
| Load | Speed | Amps | Volts | Notes | Other |
| 1 | 30 | 925 | - | - | - | 2 | 37 | 925 | - | - | - | 3 | 42 | 975 | - | - | - | 4 | 48 | 1,050 | - | - | - | 5 | 59 | 1,050 | - | - | - | 6 | 66 | 1,075 | - | - | - |
Over voltage regulator to check.
On May 11th 7508 (Bristol allocation) was noted at Exeter stabling point.
On Sunday May 27th the 16.40 6B21 St Erth - Acton milk was noted passing Liskeard with 7508 & 7506. This was normally a Type 4 working, but during the summer of 1973 was worked at least six times by pairs of Class 25s.
7508/7506 6a21 1640 st erth - acton milk 1854 hrs Liskeard . On June 19th 7508 was noted at Gloucester depot.
On June 23rd 7508 worked the 15.55 Exeter St Davids - Barnstaple and the 17.55 return.
On June 25th 7508 worked the 6B16 17.15 Lapford - Exeter milk (two tanks).
On June 30th 7508 worked a 6Z00 Torrington milk extra (six tanks).
On July 2nd 7508 ran down to Exmouth Junction to drag dead multiple unit vehicles 51557/59580/51578 back to Exeter St Davids.
At about midday on July 4th 7508 was noted running light engine from Swindon to Bristol.
On December 9th (a Sunday) eight additional freights ran from Margam to Knighton & Toton, three powered by Class 37s, the remainder by Western Region allocated Class 25s. All worked as far as Washwood Heath, returning to the west as light engines or with a freight train. The Class 25s involved were 5209, 7508, 7510, 7513 & 7521.
1974
25158 and one coach were noted on June 20th on the Penarth branch awaiting authority to proceed to Cogan Junction, to gain access to the mainline.
During the early afternoon of September 6th two pairs of Class 25s were at Exeter stabling point: 25152 & 25032 and 25158 & 25077.
On September 10th & 11th 25158 was noted at Exeter stabling point.
On December 11th 25158 was noted at Exeter stabling point.
1975
On August 6th 25158 worked the 7B73 15.00 Whimple / 17.00 Chard - Exeter freight.
On August 9th 25158 worked the 6B70 17.00 Chard - Exeter milk (one tank).
On August 14th 25158 worked the 8Z08 20.00 Taunton - Hackney (permanent way materials).
The Plymouth to Old Oak 5A06 empty news vans (via the Berks & Hants) was always a lottery loco wise as it was a Laira "chuck out", on August 16th Laira must have been on the floor for traction as 25158 put in an appearance on this very heavy train. The locomotive worked throughout and later returned light to Laira, no doubt the crew that took the train up to Paddington were the only crew available with traction knowledge to take the Class 25 away from Paddington.
On September 4th & 6th 25158 was noted at Exeter stabling point.
On September 16th 25158 was noted bringing fire damaged 47290 onto Exeter stabling point. The Class 47 had been working the 15th's 6V35 16.30 (Sun) Ince & Elton - Truro freight, with the locomotive catching fire at Tavistock Junction.
On October 9th 25158 was noted at Bristol Bath Road, the No.1 end showing headcode 6O73.
On October 16th 25080 & 25158 were noted on 6Z09 an up ballast at Exeter St Davids.
On October 23rd 25158 & 25080 were noted at Exeter St Davids with the 6A19 St Erth - Acton milk.
At 5pm on December 16th 25152, 25158, 25169, 25216, 25217 & 25224 were noted on Exeter stabling point.
1976
Mainline running was the order of the day on January 24th when 25158 & 25167 rescued failed 47027 at Taunton on the 13.30 Paddington – Paignton service, all three were replaced at Exeter St Davids. On the afternoon of January 31st 25158 was light engine at Taunton.
During February 1976 25158 was transferred north to Toton.
On August 7th 1976 25158 & 25038 worked the 08.00 Walsall - Yarmouth to Norwich, returning with the 14.15 Yarmouth - Derby from Norwich.
1977
On July 19th 25158 was noted at Chester with a very short engineers train. 25158 was north of the border on July 22nd with 25108 working the 22.00 Stranraer Harbour - Euston to Carlisle Kingmoor. A week later (30th) 25158 & 25151 worked the roundtrip Walsall - Norwich (for Yarmouth).
1978
On June 3rd 25158 & 25320 were noted with northbound empty hoppers at Leicester. The 16.05 Nottingham - Carlisle on June 23rd was worked throughout by 25158, a total of 195 miles. A week later on July 1st 25158 & 26040 worked the 01.20 Stranraer Harbour - Blackpool North to Carlisle. On August 19th 25158 & 25213 replaced 40068 at March on the 14.30 Yarmouth - Walsall, possibly the Class 40 had taken over from another pair of the diagrammed Class 25's which were presumed failed.
1979
On March 2nd 25107 & 25158 were noted at Crewe with northbound coal hoppers. On March 4th 25158 was noted at Crewe with an overhead maintenance train.
On April 1st 25158 was noted at Nottingham signing on point.
On August 3rd 25158 worked the 15.08 Cardiff - Crewe.
On August 4th 25158 & 25224 worked the 05.35 Cardiff - Crewe.
On August 25th 25158 & 25101 worked the Derby - Norwich - Yarmouth - Norwich - Walsall diagram. The same pair were noted the next day (26th) on an unidentified excursion at Birmingham New Street (possibly returning from Pwllheli). On August 28th 25158 was noted at Banbury with a parcels train. On August 29th whilst working an afternoon Scunthorpe - Brierley Hill freight, 25158 became a failure at Hasland, rescue came in the shape of 20021 & 20096, sent from Barrow Hill.
On September 5th 25158 & 25177 worked a roundtrip Derby - Skegness. Two days later (7th) the 17.10 Poole - Nottingham was worked forward from Birmingham New Street to Derby by 25158, possibly also taking the train on to Nottingham.
On the evening of October 5th 25042 & 25158 were noted at Crewe on a down coal. The late morning Banbury pick-up freight was noted at Oxford on October 22nd with 25158.
25158 was noted at Ebbw Junction on November 4th.
1980
Only one passenger working has so far been noted for 1980, on June 29th a Gloucester - Aberystwyth day excursion was worked from/to Shrewsbury Abbey Foregate Junction by 25158 & 25192.
On July 21st 25158 was stabled at York depot.
On the morning of November 11th 25158 was stabled at York.
1981
On the morning of January 21st 25158 was at York with a northbound freight.
On April 16th 25158 was noted westbound at Guide Bridge with loaded ICI hoppers.
On the morning of May 1st 25158 was noted at Preston with an up van train. Unlike 1980, the year 1981 produced a mixed selection of passenger turns. Not far into the summer timetable, on May 18th 25158 worked the 17.18 Llandudno Town - Manchester Victoria. On the afternoon of May 28th 25158 was stabled at Guide Bridge Guide Bridge.
On June 27th 25158 & 25279 worked the 04.10 Shrewsbury - Aberystwyth and the 10.07 Aberystwyth - Euston to Wolverhampton. The next day (28th) the same pair worked the 08.45 Birmingham New Street - Aberystwyth (via Bescot) and the 18.00 Aberystwyth - Euston to Nuneaton.
On July 14th a roundtrip Derby - Skegness was worked by 25158 & 25177. The same pair were back at Skegness on July 16th with a roundtrip from Burton on Trent. 25158 & 25177 were still together on July 18th when they worked the 08.35 Derby - Yarmouth to Norwich and the 14.20 return to Derby from Norwich. Between July 19th & July 22nd 25158 & 25115 were noted on a variety of motorail services between Kensington Olympia & Willesden. By July 23rd 25158 had finished with its motorail duties and was noted with 25177 working the 10.05 Derby - St. Pancras as far as Bedford where both Class 25s were replaced by a Class 45/0 after 25158 failed.
On August 8th 25158 & 25138 worked the 04.10 Shrewsbury - Aberystwyth and the 10.07 Aberystwyth - Euston to Wolverhampton. The next day the same pair worked the 08.45 Birmingham New Street - Aberystwyth from Shrewsbury, returning with the 18.00 Aberystwyth - Euston to Nuneaton. Just over a week later 25158 was noted north of the border, on August 17th 25158 worked the 08.40 Carlisle - Glasgow Central and the return 12.40 Glasgow Central - Carlisle. The next day (18th) saw 25158 work the 12.40 Glasgow Central - Carlisle.
On a snowy December 7th 25090 & 25158 were noted at Standedge with a loaded coke train.
1982
25150 & 25158 were noted light engines at Northampton on March 23rd. On March 28th 25158 was noted passing Willesden with a short loaded ballast train.
On June 3rd 25158 was noted at Westhouses working a weedkilling train. On June 16th 25144 & 25158 worked a Crewe - Margam coal train.
On July 24th 25158 worked the 08.40 Manchester Victoria - Scarborough forward from Leeds returning with the 12.00 Scarborough - Manchester Victoria.
On August 6th 25158 worked a Ribblehead - Carnforth (reverse at Hellifield) loaded ballast. On August 28th 25158 worked the four coach 16.05 Leeds - Carlisle. The final passenger working for 25158 took place two days later on August 30th with the 16.05 Leeds - Carlisle, 47473 had worked the outward leg. On August 31st 25158 was noted at Culgaith with six covered hoppers and a brakevan.
1983
25158 was stabled at Warrington Arpley on January 16th.
On the evening of February 1st 25158 & 25253 were stabled at Severn Tunnel Junction. On February 14th 25158 was noted at Stockport with a freight.
On April 12th 25158 was noted at Cockshute.
25158 was noted at Oxford with oil tanks on May 6th. Four days later (10th) 25079 & 25158 were noted at Skelton Junction with empty ICI PHV hoppers from Northwich to Tunstead.
25158 was withdrawn on May 23rd 1983.
Not all known passenger workings are recorded on this page.
54/4923
flk 0521 (1)
Resources:
1970s Western Region information courtesy online notebooks of Sean Greenslade.
Page added August 25th 2013.
Last updated March 20th 2024.
Back to 25157
Forward to 25159