The fifteen year career of D7631/25281 started with two years on the Eastern Region before transfer to the London Midland Region for the remainder of its career.
Built: Beyer Peacock, Manchester.
Boiler room grills sheeted over.
Final exhaust roof panel: raised, square.
Time between last Classified repair and withdrawal: ?? months.
Time between withdrawal & scrapping: 3 months.
Allocations
D7631 was new to Tinsley (41A) on September 29th 1965. Further transfers were:
April 1966 to Wath (41C).
August 1967 London Midland Midland Lines (LMML).
June 1968 to Longsight (9A).
June 1968 to Manchester Division (D09).
January 1969 to Birmingham Division (D02).
May 1973 to Bescot.
October 1976 to Springs Branch
Withdrawn February 1st 1981.
Renumbered April 1974.
25281 was the 96th Class 25 to be withdrawn, one of twelve retired during February 1981.
After withdrawal 25281 was held at Reddish until February 27th 1981 when 25055, 25100/122, 25281 were moved to Swindon (25100 & 25281 ex Reddish & 25122 ex Newton Heath). 25281 was scrapped at Swindon by the middle of May 1981.
Works Visits
Works visits (records incomplete).
Noted Derby Works September 1971.
Noted Derby Works July 1976 (assumed Classified, boiler room grills removed).
Highlights
1966
On February 20th D7627 & D7631 were stabled at Wath.
1968
On the morning of February 26th D7631 was southbound at Nuneaton with a parcels train.
1970
On the morning of June 14th 7631 was stabled at Banbury.
1972
On August 12th 7631 & 5242 worked the 1E91 07.35 Walsall - Yarmouth to Norwich, returning from there with the 1M37 14.20 Yarmouth - Derby.
1973
On May 19th 7631 was stabled at Saltley.
On September 20th 7631 was southbound at Water Orton with a mixed freight.
1974
25118 & 25281 worked a morning Bescot - Exeter Riverside freight on June 9th, they returned north with Exeter Central - Westbury Presflow empties.
On July 20th 25281 & 25272 worked the 1E91 08.00 Walsall - Yarmouth to Norwich, returning from there with the 1M37 14.15 Yarmouth - Derby.
1975
On the afternoon of April 3rd 25281 was light engine at York.
On August 2nd 25281 & 25142 worked the 1E91 08.00 Walsall - Yarmouth to Norwich, returning from there with the 1M37 14.15 Yarmouth - Derby.
On August 22nd the 12.52 Norwich - Birmingham New Street was noted with 25281 in charge at Leicester, its uncertain where the Class 25 took over, maybe March?
On September 13th 25281 & 25081 worked the 1E91 08.00 Walsall - Yarmouth to Norwich, returning from there with the 1M37 14.15 Yarmouth - Derby.
1976
On May 18th 25281 was noted at Springs Branch.
On September 11th 25281 & 25081 worked the 1E91 08.00 Walsall - Yarmouth to Norwich, returning from there with the 1M37 14.15 Yarmouth - Derby.
1977
On May 19th worked worked loaded ICI hoppers from Tunstead to Oakleigh.
On May 25th 25281 was noted at Moses Gate with a loaded coal train for Kearsley Power Station.
The 07.35 Nottingham - Llandudno Town was worked from Derby by 25281 on June 25th, and returned with the 13.05 Llandudno Town - Nottingham.
1978
On the morning of August 4th 25281 was noted at Kings Norton.
On the morning of November 5th noted at Guide Bridge were 25102, 25170, 25281 & 25302.
On December 9th noted at Springs Branch were 25036, 25060, 25102, 25129, 25172, 25197, 25281, 25285, 25300 & 25304.
1979
On March 10th the 1M30 07.54 Norwich - Birmingham New Street with 25281 was noted on time arriving at Birmingham. Later that day the 12.36 Birmingham New Street - Norwich failed at Leicester behind a Class 31, 25281 took the service Norwich.
25281 was noted at Ashton Moss North Junction with a permanent way train on April 21st. 25281 was noted in Wallerscote yard on the evening of April 28th.
On the afternoon of July 19th 25281 was stabled at Springs Branch.
On August 27th 25281 worked the 05.35 Cardiff - Crewe.
The 07.50 Cardiff - Crewe, the 12.25 Crewe - Cardiff and the 17.10 Cardiff - Crewe were worked by 25281 on August 28th.
On the morning of November 10th 25281 was noted at Stafford.
On the afternoon of December 9th 25281 was noted at Derby.
Noted on the Midland mainline on December 12th were:
Leicester shed (09.15): 25281, 25310, 25311
Bedford stabling point (10.00): 25220, 25313
Cricklewood (10.40): 25038, 25180.
1980
25281 was noted working Northwich - Tunstead limestone empties at Chinley on April 23rd.
On May 17th 25281 was eastbound at Timperley with empty ICI limestone hoppers.
On May 22nd 25281 worked ICI limestone empties from Oakleigh for Tunstead.
On May 23rd 25281 worked loaded ICI hoppers from Tunstead to Oakleigh.
The 19.50 Crewe - Derby was worked by 25281 on June 17th following failure of the diagrammed diesel multiple unit.
On the afternoon of July 19th Class 25s noted at Kingmoor were 25041, 25056, 25202 & 25281.
1981
25281 was withdrawn on February 1st.
At least one cabside number panel was saved following scrapping of the rest of the locomotive.
Not all known passenger workings are recorded on this page.
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flk 0626 partial
Page added January 11th 2013.
Last updated June 26th 2026.
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