The thirteen year career of D7521/25171 saw seven years allocated to LMR depots, then time at WR & ScR depots until its untimely withdrawal.
Built: BR Derby Locomotive Works.
Final exhaust roof panel: flush.
Time between last Classified repair and withdrawal: 28 months.
Time between withdrawal & scrapping: 3 months.
Allocations
D7521 was new to Nottingham (16A) on January 9th 1965. Further transfers were:
January 1965 to Nottingham Division (D16).
May 1968 to London Midland Midland lines (LMML).
June 1968 to Nottingham Division (D16).
July 1972 to Ebbw Junction (86A).
May 1973 to Cardiff.
October 1974 to Laira.
May 1975 to Bristol.
June 1975 to Cardiff.
October 1975 to Haymarket.
Withdrawn October 15th 1978.
Renumbered June 12th 1974.
25171 was the 25th Class 25 to be withdrawn, one of three Class 25s retired during October 1978.
25171 was involved in runaway working at Arbroath Goods Yard September 22nd 1978. Broken up at Arbroath by BR staff during January 1979.
Works Visits
Works visits (records incomplete).
Noted Derby Works September 1968.
Noted Derby Works December 1971.
Noted Glasgow Works April 1976.
Highlights
7521/25171 seems to have generally escaped the spotters notebooks, whether it was for passenger or freight workings.
1965
Condition April: two-tone green livery with small yellow warning panels, no blanking plates, hand/footholds present, straight sided sandboxes, three rung bogie mounted footsteps, engine exhaust in original location, bufferbeam mounted steam pipe connection present.
1966
On the ex-Great Central line at Blackwell (MP61) by the LMR boundary 7504 & 7521 were noted on track lifting trains the week following closure. Authorities were anxious to remove the re-useable rail prior to the right of way being severed by the construction of the M1 motorway.
On July 23rd the summer dated roundtrip Nottingham - Llandudno Town was worked by D7521 & D7502
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.
On Sunday September 18th noted at Colwich shed were D5265, D5267, D5290, D7504, D7505, D7516, D7521, D7557, D7563, D7577 & D7652.
1967
Stabled at Derby on June 1st were D5002, D5183, D7509, D7521, D7579 and visitors 12059 & D9505.
1970
The Toton Open Day on May 30th 1970 featured 7521 and the Toton 75 ton crane demonstrating the art of how to rerail a locomotive.
Condition May: two-tone green livery with full yellow ends, no blanking plates fitted.
1971
On the morning of May 28th 7521 was noted at Banbury.
1972
On June 24th 7521 & 7522 worked the Derby - Norwich - Yarmouth - Norwich - Walsall passenger diagram.
1973
On September 26th the following Class 25s were noted in passing:
Bristol Parkway: 7507 with freight 8B25 about 10.30am
Ebbw Junction Newport: 5182, 7502, 7516, 7517, 7518, 7521, 25080. 1000 & 1200 were also present.
Severn Tunnel Junction: 5189 & 7520.
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
On April 20th 7520 & 7521 were noted passing Newport High Street with up hoppers.
On June 15th 25171 was stabled at Newton Heath.
On December 10th 25171 was the additional pilot at Exeter St Davids for Christmas traffic. It later worked the 8B74 11.30 Exeter Riverside - Exmouth Junction trip (14 vehicles), normally worked by a Class 08. It returned with the 8B74 14.45 Exmouth Junction - Exeter Riverside freight (34 vehicles).
On December 12th 25171 worked the 6B58 15.05 Whimple - Exeter Riverside freight.
On December 14th 25171 worked the 6B27 16.30 Hemyock - Exeter milk (four tanks).
On December 15th 25171 was noted on Exeter stabling point.
On December 17th 25063, 25171 & 25224 were noted at Exeter stabling point.
On December 18th 25171 was noted at Exeter stabling point, with 25063 & 25224. 25171 would later work the 6B18 13.05 Exeter Riverside - Whimple freight (three vehicles) and return with the 7B58 15.25 Whimple - Exeter Riverside freight. On arrival at Exeter St Davids light engine, 25171 was used to assist 33011 on the 1O18 15.55 Exeter St Davids - Waterloo which had become stuck on the bank to Exeter Central due to wet rail and a shortage of sand. After assisting this service 25171 returned to the stabling point.
Late on the evening of December 19th Class 25s present at Exeter stabling point were 25171, 25211, 25224 & 25275.
On December 20th 25171 worked the 6B67 19.10 Barnstaple - Exeter vans (one van).
On Christmas Eve 25171 & 25275 were noted at Exeter stabling point.
On December 27th, 28th & 29th 25171 was noted at Exeter stabling point.
On December 30th 25171 worked the 2B48 20.15 Exeter Riverside - Newton Abbot (eight coaches).
1975
On January 1st 25171 was noted at Exeter stabling point.
On March 11th 25307 & 25171 were noted at Exeter with the 6A19 13.50 St Erth - Acton milk (seven tanks).
On March 14th 25307 & 25171 were noted at Exeter with the 6A19 13.50 St Erth - Acton milk (four tanks).
On April 1st 25171 worked the 6B63 13.03 Plymouth Friary - Exeter Riverside freight.
On October 31st 25171 worked the 9B73 15.05 Whimple - Exeter Riverside.
1977
On December 30th the 17.20 Edinburgh - Dundee was formed of locomotive hauled stock with 25171.
1978
On the afternoon of August 15th 25171 was noted with a northbound freight at Perth. The last recorded passenger working for 25171 was about a month before its demise, on August 23rd 25171 worked the 06.57 Dundee - Glasgow Queen Street.
On the afternoon of September 16th 25171 was stabled at Haymarket.
September 22nd turned out to be the final day for 25171. Whilst hauling a ten wagon ballast train southbound at Arbroath the train ran out of control and was diverted into the goods yard since both main lines were occupied. It demolished the buffer stops and impacted the retaining wall causing major structural damage to the locomotive, not helped by two of the now derailed ballast wagons demolishing the rear of 25171. The guard and driver’s assistant jumped to safety, the driver taking refuge in the engine room.
The No.2 end was leading, with the cab being crushed, the leading bogie was derailed. The No.1 cab was pushed upwards and crushed after being hit by the leading bogie ballast wagon, the second ballast wagon had slid under the leading wagon and been crushed. It is reported the engine was still idling after the collision had occurred.
Condition Final: blue/yellow livery, blanking plates fitted, hand/footholds plated over, three-rung bogie mounted footsteps, sandbox styles appear mixed.
During November 2016 a builder's plate from 25171 sold for GBP395.00 on ebay.
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flk 0723
Not all passenger workings are recorded on this page.
Page added January 28th 2013.
Last updated July 7th 2023.
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