The working career of D7656/25306 totalled eighteen years and eight months allocated to London Midland & Western Region depots.
Built: Beyer Beacock, Manchester No. 8066.
When withdrawn 25306 was the 7th remaining vacuum brake only Class 25.
Final exhaust roof panel: flush.
Time between last Classified repair and withdrawal: 66 months.
Time between withdrawal & scrapping: 35 months.
Allocations
D7656 was new to the London Midland (Midland) Lines LMML on July 5th 1966. Further transfers were:
March 1967 to London Division (Western Lines) (D01).
December 1968 to Nottingham Division (D16).
November 1970 to Liverpool Division (D08).
October 1971 to Laira (84A).
January 1972 to Bristol (82A).
May 1972 to Cardiff (86A).
December 1972 to Laira (84A).
August 1975 to Crewe.
Withdrawn February 25th 1985.
Renumbered May 1974.
After withdrawal 25306 was stored at Cricklewood from February to May 1985, then moved to Swindon Works via Acton between May 3rd & May 15th 1985. The Works closed prior to the scrapping of 25306 so it moved to Cocklebury Yard, then on to Leicester Humberstone Road on June 3rd 1987. It moved into Vic Berry's yard the next day, then added to the pyramid by October 1987. It was removed from the pyramid late in January 1988 and scrapped by the middle of February 1988.
Movement details:
25075, 25219, 25306/326 Cricklewood to Swindon May 3rd – 14th 1985
25093, 25126/134/161/164/180/193, 25207/208/260, 25306/327 Swindon Works to Cocklebury Yard, June 3rd 1987.
25093, 25180/193, 25306 Cocklebury Yard to Vic Berry Leicester June 3rd - 4th, 1987.
Works Visits
Works visits (records incomplete).
Noted Derby Works April 1974 (Full repaint).
Noted Glasgow Works July - September 1979 - paint date 25.8.79 (General repair & engine room roof with no raised sections).
Noted Derby Works August 1979 (rectification?).
Highlights
1966
On August 14th D7656 was stabled at Saltley, still displaying a lot of shiny new paint.
On the afternoon of October 15th D7656 was stabled at Saltley.
1967
On the evening of October 28th D7656 was noted at Nuneaton.
1968
On the morning of July 28th D7656 was at Rugby with a wiring maintenance train.
1969
On May 25th (and/or June 25th) 7656 was westbound at Beeston (Notts) with loaded wagons (9T29).
1970
7656 & 7607 worked the roundtrip summer dated Nottingham - Llandudno on July 18th.
On July 28th 7656 was stabled at Crewe north holding sidings.
1971
D7656/25306 did not acquire much passenger mileage, but one of its longest passenger trips occurred on August 14th when 7656 & 5261 worked a Liverpool - Ipswich roundtrip Everton football special, a total of 502 miles assuming the locomotives worked throughout.
7656 noted Exeter December 7th ?? having worked the 6B65 20.20 Plymouth Friary - Exeter Central cement tanks with 1064, both retired to the stabling point.
On December 10th 7656 worked the 6B74 16.57 Hemyock - Exeter milk tanks (nine tanks).
On December 13th 7656 worked the 6B74 16.57 Hemyock - Exeter milk tanks (ten tanks).
On December 14th 7656 worked the 6B67 19.05 Barnstaple Junction - Exeter St David vans (three vans).
On the evening of December 30th 7577 & 7656 were in the steam shed at Newton Abbot.
1972
On the late afternoon of March 4th there were forty two locomotives on Bristol Bath Road including 5230 & 7656.
1973
February 28th was the day of a one-day ASLEF strike, stabled at Exeter (stabling point or Riverside) at midday were 30, 94, 141, 1007, 1027, 1028, 1053?, 1057, 1068, 1638, 1673, 1741, 3797, 4158, 4160, 7016, 7506, 7507, 7656, 7676 and five diesel multiple unit sets.
On March 2nd 7656 worked the 6B16 10.40 Barnstaple - Exeter vans.
March 8th was the day of a one-day strike, stabled at Exeter (stabling point or Riverside) were 35, 85, 162, 189, 1020, 1026, 1030, 1034, 1043, 1563, 1659, 1680, 3509, 3797, 4022, 4158, 4160, 7055, 7506, 7656, 7675, 7676 and six diesel multiple unit sets.
On March 24th 7656 worked the 6B17 14.30? Exeter Riverside - Hemyock and the 6B27 16.35 Hemyock - Exeter milk (12 tanks).
On March 27th 7656 worked the 6B66 10.40 Barnstaple - Exeter vans and later worked the 7B70 13.15 Exeter Riverside - Hemyock and the 6B70 16.57 Hemyock - Exeter milk (ten tanks).
On May 25th 7656 & 6515 were eastbound at Totnes with a mixed freight.
On June 3rd the 6A21 16.40 St Erth - Acton milk was noting passing Liskeard with 7656 & 7677.
At about 1.00am on June 16th the 6B68 22.05FO St Blazey - Exeter Riverside clay arrived at Exeter with 7676 & 7656. Both locomotives retired to the stabling point. The next day, Sunday June 17th during the afternoon 7676 & 7656 worked a relaying train with crane from Liskeard to Tavistock Junction and were later noted returning light engines to St Blazey. Also on this day 7573 was on empty ballast wagons at Lostwithiel.
On June 23rd 7656 & 7676 worked the 22nd's 1V53 23.55 FO Liverpool - Penzance from Newton Abbot to Penzance, at this time this turn was booked for two Class 25s.
On July 14th Exeter stabling point included 7577, 7656, 7657 & 7676.
On July 20th 7656 worked the 6B70 16.57 Hemyock - Exeter milk.
On July 21st 7656 worked the 6B16? Lapford - Exeter milk (two tanks).
On July 23rd 7656 ran light from Hemyock to Exeter (no milk?) and later worked the 20.15 Exeter St Davids - Newton Abbot.
On July 26th 7656 worked the 6B70 17.05 Hemyock - Exeter milk and the 20.15 Exeter St Davids - Newton Abbot.
On July 28th 7656 worked the 6B27 17.05 Hemyock - Exeter milk (two tanks).
On August 11th 7656 was noted at 17.50 passing Liskeard with the 4A13 14.45 Penzance - Paddington vans, going as far as Plymouth.
On August 18th 7656 worked the 09.51 Exeter St David - Barnstaple, the 12.20 return, the 15.55 Exeter St Davids - Barnstaple and the 17.55 return. On August 25th 7656 worked the 15.55 Exeter St Davids - Barnstaple and the 17.55 return.
On September 1st 7656 worked the 6B66 11.05 Barnstaple - Exeter vans (one van).
On September 10th the 6V53 03.30 Stoke on Trent - St Blazey was noted at Exeter with 7656.
Locomotives stabled at Exeter on December 21st included 7502, 7569, 7656 & 7677.
1974
On the afternoon of March 21st 7656 was noted at Keyham with an up trip freight.
On May 10th 25306 was noted at Taunton East yard in ex-works condition.
On May 18th 25306 worked the 6B67 17.05 Hemyock - Exeter milk (one tank).
On June 4th 25306 worked the 7V39 23.45 Warrington? - Exeter.
On June 12th 25306 worked the 6B70 16.57 Hemyock - Exeter milk. It would later work the nine coach 2B48 20.15 Exeter St Davids - Newton Abbot.
On the morning of June 25th 25306 was noted shunting vans at Par.
On August 17th 25306 worked the 4B08 10.50 Plymouth - Penzance vans.
At about 4pm on August 20th 25306 & 1029 arrived coupled together at Exeter stabling point.
On December 20th 25306 worked the 6B59 14.57 Ponsadane - Exeter Riverside freight (ten vehicles and brake van).
1975
On January 2nd 25306 worked the 6B59 14.57 Ponsandane - Exeter Riverside (eight vans).
On July 7th 25306 worked the 10.20 St Blazey - Ponsandane clay.
On July 15th 25306 was noted at St Austell with the eastbound 6B83 mixed freight.
On July 17th a loaded china clay train was noted at St Austell with 25306, 25224 & 25274, 25306 came off the train at St Austell.
1976
On July 29th 25306 was noted on the Churnet Valley line with a loaded sand train.
On the evening of October 27th 25306 was westbound at Uphill Junction with a train of concrete sleepers.
1977
Lenton permanent way yard was host to 25306 & 24087 on the afternoon of July 4th, arriving with a load of rails, later returning light engines to the west. On the evening of July 28th 25067 & 25306 were noted on a Llandudno - Leicester special (was this the return leg?).
On August 28th 25306 was stabled at Springs Branch.
1978
On January 21st 25306 & 25292 were stabled at Wigan Springs branch.
25292 & 25306 were noted at Seacombe Junction with an iron ore train on January 25th.
On August 10th 25306 & 25290 worked the 09.10 Birmingham New Street - Llandudno Town forward from Crewe, returning with the 18.15 ex-Llandudno Town as far as Crewe.
On the evening of September 22nd 25306 was noted at Crewe with an up van train.
On the afternoon of November 25th 25306 was noted at Severn Tunnel Junction.
1979
On February 4th 25306 worked the 22.30 Liverpool Lime Street - Manchester Red Bank vans (5J37).
On May 25th 25306 was noted at Essendine with possibly a Peterborough - Crewe parcels. It was also noted this day at Winwick with a coal train.
On June 3rd 25294 & 25306 were northbound at Crewe with a coal train.
1980
On February 1st 25306 arrived at Crewe from the Chester direction hauling a two-car diesel multiple unit and a parcels van.
On the morning of August 23rd 25306 was stabled at Peterborough.
1981
On February 7th 25306 was stabled at Chester.
On March 21st 25306 was stabled at York.
25306 was noted passing through Whitehaven with a brakevan on April 22nd.
On the evening of May 28th 25306 was northbound at Peterborough with a parcels train.
On August 15th the 07.52 Leeds - Llandudno Town failed at Chester behind 40170, 25306 dragged everything to Llandudno Town and then returned with the 14.00 Llandudno Town - York, see view below.
On the afternoon of August 19th 25306 was noted at Manchester Victoria with an up van train.
On October 26th 25306 was stabled at Northampton.
1982
On May 20th 25327 & 25306 were noted at Peterborough with a mixed freight.
On September 16th 25306 was noted at Helwith Bridge with an engineers train.
The two recorded passenger workings during 1982 involved the north-west. On September 26th 25306 worked the 02.10 Crewe - Bangor.
On December 16th 25306 worked a Euston - Blackpool North relief forward from Preston.
On December 5th 25306 and 08355 were at either end of an engineers train at Hall Road.
1983
1983 brought a small mixed bag of workings. On June 1st 25306 worked the 13.25 Crewe - Cardiff and the 17.15 Cardiff - Crewe and on June 6th (a Monday) it worked the 08.01 Crewe - Cardiff and the 11.40 return.
On July 14th 25306 & 25288 worked a Widnes - Earles Sidings cement empties.
On July 29th 25306 & 25276 worked the 10.10 Euston - Shrewsbury forward from Birmingham New Street.
On August 14th a relief 22.22 Stranraer Harbour - Euston required the assistance of 25306 & 25194 between Rugby & Bletchley, dragging 86324 due to the power being off for engineering work.
Track alterations at Ilkley required a ballast special which was hauled by 25195 & 25306 on October 9th.
1984
25302 & 25306 worked the 06.40 Severn Tunnel Junction - Carlisle (to Crewe?) on January 9th.
1984 brought the final year of passenger workings for 25306. A diesel multiple unit failure on February 10th led to 25306 working the 07.00 Gloucester - Cardiff. Earlier in the day 25251 & 25306 were noted at Birmingham New Street with a mail train.
On April 20th 25306 was stabled at Gloucester Horton Road.
On May 24th (or 25th) 25306 was noted at Bristol Bath Road.
On June 2nd 25306 was noted at Crewe Works (Open Day?).
On June 26th 25306 was at Chester with a short engineers train.
On July 2nd 25306 and a weedkiller train were noted at Sutton Bridge Junction (Severn Valley Railway branch).
Late on July 14th 25306 & 25251 assisted the 23.05 Manchester Piccadilly - Gatwick Airport service between Stockport and Stafford when the power was off for engineering work.
On July 27th a late afternoon Bristol Temple Meads - York relief required assistance from 25306 between Leeds & York following the failure of 46026.
On October 23rd 31430 failed at Settle on the 07.38 Hull - Carlisle, 25306 took the train on to Carlisle and returned with the 16.35 Carlisle - Hull as far as Leeds.
The final passenger working took place on November 2nd working the 12.30 Manchester Piccadilly - Cardiff to Crewe.
During the night hours of November 24th 25306 was noted at Crewe station with an enginers train.
1985
25306 was withdrawn on February 25th 1985.
A builders plate from 25306 (Beyer Peacock 1966) sold at Stafford Auctions for £820 during January 2018.
Not all known passenger workings are recorded on this page.
flk 0323 (1)
18/1647
Resources:
1970s Western Region information courtesy online notebooks of Sean Greenslade.
Page added May 11th 2013.
Last updated May 13th 2023.
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