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The twenty year eight month career of D7561/25211 was spent entirely allocated to London Midland Region depots.
Built Derby Locomotive Works Allocations D7561 was new to the Nottingham Division (D16) on October 23rd 1965. Further transfers were:
April 1967 to London Division (D01). Renumbered November 24th 1973. 25211 was the 285th Class 25 withdrawn, the only one withdrawn during June 1986. After withdrawal 25211 was stored at Crewe before moving to Bescot Yard during October 1986. Along with several other Class 25s dumped at Bescot, 25211 was sold to MC Metal Processing, Glasgow about September 1993, however two more years would pass before the locomotives left Bescot. On June 14th 1995, after seven years dumped at Bescot 25211 was taken by road to MC Metals, Glasgow. By the first week of July 1995 25211 had been scrapped, the last Class 25 to be broken up. Works Visits Works visits (records incomplete).
Noted Derby Works October 1966. Highlights
1965 On Sunday December 5th a visit to several East Midlands area installations produced the following Derby/Sulzer Type 2s:
Derby Works:
Derby shed:
Toton shed:
Nottingham shed:
Colwich shed
1966
Noted at Derby station on March 24th between 4.30pm & 7pm were about fifty train and locomotive movements involving diesel Classes 08/25/37/45/46/47. Class 25s and steam locomotives included: On July 2nd D7561 & D7511 were in charge of the 08.36 Nottingham - Llandudno Town and return working.
1967 On the evening of June 28th D7561 was at Madeley with the train of Luton car bodies (3C14).
1970
1971
1972 On July 5th 7561 was southbound at Garsdale with a freight (two-tone green livery, full yellow ends).
A trip from Luton to Derby for a visit to the Locomotive Works Open Day on August 26th includes the following observations:
Freight and special trains noted at Luton on August 29th include:
1973 When the LMR discontinued the 'Division' allocation of its locomotives during May, 7561 became allocated to Toton. On May 19th 7561 was noted at Saltley (two-tone green livery, full yellow ends; headcode 6O83). On July 5th the 13.35 Banbury - Marylebone diesel multiple unit required the assistance of 7561 throughout following the failure of the unit. On the afternoon of September 27th 7561 was stabled at York. When the 08.01 Manchester Piccadilly - St. Pancras failed at Derby on October 23rd behind Class 45 No. 132 the train was taken forward to Leicester by 7581, here the Class 25 was replaced by a Class 45. 7561 was noted at Derby Works during November, it was renumbered on November 24th, presumably when it was still in Works.
1974 On the evening of February 26th 25211 was light engine at Derby. The evening Huddersfield - Wakefield parcels was worked by 25211 on April 12th. A late evening working on May 31st found 25211 assisting 46023 between Birmingham New Street & Derby on the 19.30 Bristol Temple Meads - Newcastle. It was a trip to the seaside with 25046 on August 3rd working the 12.30 Skegness - Leicester having presumably worked out on the 08.52 from Leicester. On the morning of October 8th 25211 was stabled at Peterborough. Late on the evening of December 19th Class 25s present at Exeter stabling point were 25171, 25211 (Toton allocated), 25224 & 25275.
1975 On July 12th it worked the 1D30 07.35 Nottingham - Llandudno Town and 13.00 return. On August 16th with 31200 it worked the 1E86 08.52 Leicester - Skegness and 12.30 return. On the afternoon of September 9th 25211 was stabled at York. On November 29th 25211 was noted at Lenton Junction with Toton tripper T29.
1976 On June 12th it was off to Norwich with 25065 on the 08.00 Walsall - Yarmouth, returning from Norwich with the 14.15 Yarmouth - Derby. On August 14th 25211 & 25029 had quite a day out working the eleven coach 1V77 09.49 Nottingham - Paignton throughout. Its not recorded how the Class 25s returned from the West Country. On August 24th 25211 worked the 08.00 Matlock - Derby. On September 1st 25211 was noted at Doncaster station with coaching stock.
1977 On the afternoon of March 23rd 25211 was stabled at York. On the afternoon of May 11th 25211 was shunting at Derby. A charter working on July 17th saw 25211 & 24023 working the 18.45 Rhyl - Walsall. On November 5th 25211 was stabled at Manchester Victoria. On November 16th worked a roundtrip Whitemoor - Temple Mills freight.
1978 On the evening of January 28th 25273 & 25211 were noted at Wolverhampton High level. On May 13th 25211 was northbound at Wolverhampton HL with empty five plank wagons. During November & December 25211 was at Derby Locomotive Works for its last Classified repair which included the fitting of dual braking equipment. During this final Classified repair the boiler room grilles were sheeted over, an alteration not frequently carried out on the later build of the Class 25/2s.
1979 ![]()
25211 was noted on a northbound tanker train on January 23rd on the WCML in the London area. Little was moving this day due to an ASLEF strike. On Monday January 29th 25211 worked the 09.55 Willesden to Norwood and the return 12.00 Norwood to Willesden. On the morning of February 8th 25211 was stabled at York. During March 25211 was reallocated to Longsight. During April 24081 was a regular visitor to Hereford. It arrived with 25211 on 9th on a freight from Stoke to South Wales, returning north with the 15.10 Radyr Shotwick. On Easter Monday April 16th the good weather saw large numbers of visitors spend a day at Blackpool. This was great for business but overwhelmed the passenger services when it was time for everyone to go home. To ease the crowded conditions the police asked BR to provide additional services to assist in getting the crowds home. With the evening s final diesel multiple unit services imitating sardine cans emergency resources produced 25211 with eight coaches and 40151 with elevens coaches, both bound for stations to Manchester Victoria. There were more trips to the seaside during August, on 11th 25211 replaced 25133 at Derby with the 07.30 Nottingham - Llandudno Town and returned with the 13.00 to Nottingham. On August 15th 25211 & 25221 worked a Cliffe Hill - Hayes freight. The next day (16th) the same pair were off to the East coast on a roundtrip Derby - Skegness relief (the 09.53 from Nottingham which this day started from Derby) and the 18.15 return to Derby. On September 9th 25211 & 25106 worked an Ellesmere Port - Cranmore bitumen tank train. The next day (10th) 25211 was noted at Bristol Bath Road depot. September 14th found 25211 in charge of the 15.15 Plymouth - Manchester Piccadilly between Gloucester and Birmingham New Street, requiring a pair of Class 37s to assist the train up Lickey Incline. 25211 would recieve an 'E' exam (its last?) at Reddish during September. A month later on October 14th 25211 worked the 15.15 Flint - Euston as far as Crewe. This train normally started from Holyhead. The next day (15th) the 13.22 Norwich - Birmingham New Street failed behind 25211 at ??, 31417 pushed the service to ?? On the afternoon of November 15th 25211 was southbound at Derby with a coal train.
1980 On the afternoon of July 20th 25211 was noted at Manchester Victoria with a ballast train and was also noted this as the Manchester Victoria banker. On September 9th 25211 & 25106 worked the Ellesmere Port - Cranmore bitumen tanks.
1981
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On June 12th 25211 was stabled at Northwich. On the afternoon of August 19th 25211 was westbound at Bromsgrove with 28 merry-go-round hoppers. 25211 received attention at Reddish on August 30th.
1982 On February 2nd 25211 was noted eastbound at Llanwern with empty steel carrying wagons, the Class 25 was smoking rather badly from the exhaust. 25211 was stabled at Shrewsbury station on March 21st. On April 6th the 16.22 Paddington - Cheltenham failed on the Gloucester - Cheltenham leg with 25211 shortly after leaving Gloucester and was rescued by 50040. On the evening of April 8th 25211 was stabled at Gloucester. On April 21st 25211 was light engine at Gloucester. On the morning of May 14th 25191 & 25211 were noted at Exeter with the Ellesmere Port - Exeter City Basin oil. On August 14th 25211 was at Aberystwyth with two loaded ballast wagons and a brakevan. 25211 was noted on empty coaching stock duties between Birmingham New Street and Vauxhall & Duddeston on August 19th. 25211 was noted at Derby Works during September & October for N4 and collision repairs.
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On December 5th 25211 & 25083 were noted at Wolverhampton High Level with a ballast train. 25211 was stabled at Warrington Arpley on December 28th.
1983 A month later on February 20th 25211 & 25196 were on hand to assist 86318 between Tring & Bletchley after it had failed on the 09.40 Euston - Wolverhampton. At Bletchley 47537 replaced the three locomotives. On March 7th 25211 was noted passing Manton Junction with a train of PCA cement tanks from Ketton. On March 24th 25211 & 25242 were noted at Warrington Bank Quay with bogie oil tankers. 25211 was noted at Stonebridge Park on March 30th.
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25279 & 25211 were noted at Leighton Buzzard on a damp May 8th with a ballast job. On May 18th 25211 & 25051 worked the Cranmore - Ellesmere empty bitumen tanks. On the afternoon of May 21st 25211, 25230 & 25300 were stabled at Willesden. The Cambrian lines were visited on June 4th when 25211 & 25202 worked the 07.35 Euston - Aberystwyth forward from Wolverhampton, returning from the coast with the 14.00 Aberystwyth - Shrewsbury. Two weeks later on June 18th 25210 & 25211 were part of the Manchester Railway Re-union railtour, top and tailing the short Carnforth - Morecambe/Heysham section. Jubilee 5690 Leander had brought the train into Carnforth. It was back to the Cambrian metals on July 2nd when 25211 & 25154 worked the 07.44 Shrewsbury - Aberystwyth, 25154 failed outside of Aberystwyth. 25211 continued with the diagrammed 10.10 Aberystwyth - Euston as far as Wolverhampton. 25211 was back at Carnforth on July 13th assisting the 09.19 Morecambe - Leeds diesel multiple unit forward from Carnforth to Leeds due to lack of fuel on the unit. 25211 was noted at Newport on August 6th as a participant in the local Open Day, being coupled to 31315 & 40044. On August 22nd 25211 was noted westbound at Stenson Junction with a short freight. 25211 was noted at Manchester Victoria on September 11th. There were two short passenger turns in October. Firstly from Ashton-under-Lyne to Manchester Victoria in providing assistance to the 17.10 York - Manchester Victoria. Secondly on the same route on October 15th when 45077 working the 08.05 Liverpool - Newcastle required assistance from Stalybridge to Leeds, where both were replaced by 46045. On November 1st 25211 provided assistance to the 07.40 Norwich - Birmingham New Street from Nuneaton to Birmingham New Street after 31419 had failed. More failures in December, again in the Manchester area brought more unexpected passenger haulage for 25211. When the 22.34 York - Shrewsbury (date??) with 45103 expired at Standedge Tunnel, it was 25211 that took the train on to Crewe. On December 24th 25211 was noted at Manchester Victoria with coaching stock. Shortly after Christmas on December 28th 46026 expired at Manchester Victoria with the 1E94 08.05 Liverpool - Newcastle, 25211 took the train on to Leeds, then retiring to Holbeck.
1984 Class 25s were still frequent visitors to Parkeston, often heading back to the LMR on the evening Parkeston Ditton working so noted was 25211 on January 27th. Pairs of Type 2s were still common on the Ellesmere Port Riverside bitumen tanks, so noted were 25244 & 25211 on February 14th. On February 19th 25211 was stabled at Springs Branch. When 47413 failed at Kilmarnock on March 14th with the 21.50 Glasgow Central - Euston 25211 worked the train forward to Carlisle. On April 9th Edge Hill could provide nothing bigger than 25211 for the 09.05 Liverpool - Scarborough which it worked as far as Leeds before being replaced. On April 10th & 12th 25211 was the Manchester Victoria pilot. On May 22nd 25072, 25201 & 25211 had been noted in the Rugby area working permanent way trains, in the evening they ran light to Bescot. 25211 was noted passing Bletchley on the afternoon of May 30th with empty container flats. The failure of a Class 31 at Nuneaton on June 29th whilst hauling the 12.10 Cambridge - Birmingham New Street saw 25211 on hand to take the train forward to New Street. 25211 was reallocated to Bescot during July. On July 5th 25211 & 25144 were noted at Cwmbran with the 6S78 18.10 Severn Tunnel Junction - Mossend freight. 25211 & 25178 were noted on Sunday engineering work at Abergele & Pensarn on July 8th. On July 9th 25211 was noted at Chester station. On August 1st 25211 was stabled at Severn Tunnel Junction. August 20th found the 18.20 Severn Tunnel Junction Whitemoor Speedlink service, normally a Class 37 turn, in the hands of 25211 & 25258. 25211 was still in the area on the 23rd when it started a three day turn on the Cardiff - Crewe services, starting with the 23rd's 11.45 Cardiff - Crewe from Abergavenny after 33008 failed. Another seven workings followed, ending on the 25th with the 10.03 Crewe - Cardiff, a total of approximately 1,080 miles over these three days. On August 23rd 25211 was stabled at Crewe. On August 27th 25211 assisted the 20.36 Lichfield City - Longbridge from Lichfield City to Birmingham New Street after the diesel multiple unit failed at the outset. 25211 was the banker at Manchester Victoria on September 8th.
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On December 28th 25211 was noted at St Pancras.
1985 On February 2nd 25211 was used to take 31424 from March to Stratford for repair. On a wintry, overcast February 8th whilst 25211 & 25205 were northbound with loaded oil tanks (Stanlow - Bishopbriggs?) climbing Shap, 25205 shut down due to low oil pressure at Scout Green following a 20mph speed restriction. 81017 working the 6S97 assisted from the rear but failed near the summit. 87016 & 86035 were detached from a southbound freightliner held at Hardendale and assisted the northbound freights as far as Penrith. On February 10th 25211 was noted at Lancaster with an electrification train and later worked the 21.44 Preston - Liverpool. On February 16th 25211 was stabled at Toton. 25211 was noted at Scunthorpe on April 11th and at Manchester Victoria on April 23rd. When the 14.13 Portsmouth - York arrived at Birmingham on May 2nd Saltley had turned out 25211 to work the service northwards. This good news ended at Derby where a Class 45/1 was waiting to take over. At the end of the month 25211 was back on the NE/SW route, this time however the Class 25 was allowed full access to the route working May 28th's relief 14.25 York - Plymouth as far as Bristol Temple Meads. What a delight that must have been, happy days - until a Class 31 (31202) replaced 25211 at Bristol Temple Meads! On June 10th 25211 was noted eastbound at Saltney with a lengthy freight (Llandudno Junction - Walton Old Junction?). On June 19th 25211 & 25257 were light engines at Severn Tunnel Junction. 25211 was noted westbound at Water Orton with a short freight on June 25th. 25211 was noted passing through Stafford during the afternoon of June 29th with a parcels train. The last transfer for 25211 came in July when it was allocated to Crewe. On July 3rd 25211 was noted with a short Coton Hill Yard to Boys and Bowden Yard, Welshpool freight. On July 27th 25211 was noted on the west side of Summit Tunnel loading ballast for use inside the tunnel. On August 4th 25211 was on banking duty at Manchester Victoria. 25211 was north of the border on August 11th when it worked the 13.45 Plymouth - Edinburgh forward from Carstairs. It appears to have stayed in the area for a couple of days as it was noted on empty coaching stock duties at Edinburgh Waverley on August 14th. And on August 19th 25211 was noted shunting an Enparts? van at Haymarket depot.
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25211 was stabled at Springs Branch on September 27th, 29th, October 25th & November 2nd.
1986 A broken rail north of Rugby on March 3rd caused the diversion of the 13.06 Rugby - Stafford local service via Coventry with 25211 dragging the Class 304 unit to Nuneaton. 25211 was noted passing Springs Branch light engine on March 13th. 25211 worked the 4J15 14.23 Edge Hill - Red Bank newspaper empties on March 31st. 25211 was noted at Frodingham depot on April 11th/12th.
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On April 30th 25211 worked the 7G42 Leekbrook Junction - Witton sand train. Many of BRs freight services were frequently withdrawn from the timetable with little fanfare and often mourned only by those locals who knew of their operations. One such working was the Charringtons oil train from Ripple Lane to the small Charringtons depot at Hawkesbury Lane on the Coventry - Nuneaton line. This was generally electrically hauled over the WCML to Coventry where a diesel would take over for the short run to Hawkesbury Lane. The last working of this train occurred on May 7th 1986, after which the depot was closed, its work being transferred to their Brownhills facility. The diesel locomotive on duty this was day 25211 and local enthusiast Ron Kosys was aware of this last working and was able to capture on film both the north & southbound workings. The northbound loaded working was the 6M43 04.05 Ripple Lane - Charringtons, whilst the southbound empties was the 7E53 13.42 Charringtons - Ripple Lane.
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On May 28th 25211 was noted at Machynlleth with the Stanlow - Aberystwyth oil train. 25211 was noted at Machynlleth shed on May 29th. On June 7th 25211 was noted at Barmouth with two ballast wagons. After 25211's little piece of glory during May working the final Charrington's tanks as described above it was of interest that 25211 would be again in the limelight the next month returning to passenger work on Cambrian metals. On June 11th 37426 failed on the 15.40 Euston Aberystwyth, the turn being covered by 25211, also taking up the returning working on 12th. The next day 25211 returned west from Shrewsbury, being attached to a now functioning 37426, the Class 25 being required at Machynlleth for permanent way duties. However all was not over for 25211 for it was required on a gloriously sunny June 14th to rescue almost ex-works Railfreight liveried 37509 on the 07.25 Birmingham - Aberystwyth which had failed west of Newtown. Unable to release the train brakes the train was taken to Caersws, with passengers transferred to a following service. The failed train was then forwarded to Machynlleth for repairs.
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The end came on June 27th 1986 when 25211 was withdrawn from Crewe. The locomotive was initially stored at Crewe before being moved to Bescot by November 1986, possibly earlier. Here it went into hibernation for nine years, it should have been expected to make the short journey to Vic Berry's at Leicester but the unexpected closure of the facility prompted its continued stay at Bescot.
1988 ![]()
Distinguishing Features
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Page added February 7th 2009.
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