The sixteen year four month career of D7664/25314 was spent allocated to a few London Midland Region depots.
Built Derby Locomotive Works.
Dual brake equipped from new.
Center lampbracket & other fittings removed (No.2 cab only).
Time between last Classified repair and withdrawal: ?? months.
Allocations
D7664 was new to the London Division (D01) on November 23rd 1966. Further transfers were:
December 1968 to Birmingham Division (D02).
July 1971 to London Division (D01).
May 1973 to Cricklewood.
Withdrawn March 20th 1983.
Renumbered into TOPS March 16th 1974.
Renumbered to 97252 'Ethel 3' July 1983
After withdrawal 25314 was stored at Crewe. It was taken to Derby Locomotive Works on June 23rd 1983 for attention prior to becoming 97252.
Works Visits
Works visits (records incomplete).
Noted Derby Works March & April 1977 (Classified).
Noted Derby Works August & September 1979.
Noted Derby Works April 1982.
Noted Derby Works June & July 1983 (Ethel conversion).
Highlights
1966
Laid down in the summer of 1966 at Derby Works as part of order No. 11001, D7664 was part of the order transferred from Beyer Peacock. D7664 was delivered from Derby during December to the London Division (D01) D7664 was delivered in blue livery with full yellow ends.
Twelve new Type 2s (D7660 - D7671) were allocated to Willesden to take over the empty coaching stock, parcels and local freight duties in the London area. With the arrival of these locomotives it was possible to release the remaining Class 24s to the Stoke Division, as part of the eradication of steam in the North West. Of this batch of Class 25s D7660 - D7669 were dual braked from new, whilst D7670 & D7671 were not, however these latter two were quickly transferred to the Nottingham Division (D16).
1972
One of my earliest recorded Class 25 haulages occurred on July 29th when 7663 & 7664 were used between Derby & Leicester (on the Yarmouth service?).
1973
During May 7664 moved to Cricklewood, this was its last transfer whilst in revenue earning service as a powered locomotive.
1975
On March 7th 25314 worked the 17.50 Matlock - Derby.
On April 4th two northbound services from St Pancras were Class 25 hauled, 25314 took the 17.13 to Leicester and 25285 & 25037 the 17.26 to Derby.
1977
25314 was at Derby Works during March & April for repair. On a very damp April 6th 25314 went out on test assisting 45119 on a London service (to Leicester presumably).
On May 22nd 25314 was noted at Frodingham depot.
25314 & 25266 were noted on the last day of July assisting a southbound WCML service between Bletchley & Willesden.
1979
25314 was back at Derby Works during August & September with NC repairs.
At an unknown date a pair of Class 25s with 25314 leading were noted derailed on the slow lines near West Hampstead whilst working a freight train, possibly an engineers/spoil train. Both Class 25s were derailed with 25314 leaning over at a 45 degree angle. Possibly the visit to Derby Works mentioned above was to provide repairs to 25314.
1980
The 18.12 Liverpool - Barrow was worked by 25314 & 40144 on October 8th.
1981
May 16th saw a veritable feast of Class 25’s in passenger service in the Birmingham area including 25033 & 25314 taking over from 46023 on a Skipton - Bridgnorth special, the Class 25's working as far as Bridgnorth.
A week later on May 23rd 25314 & 25253 worked a round trip over the Cambrian lines, out from Wolverhampton to Aberystwyth and then back to Wolverhampton.
On August 15th 25314 worked the 07.35 Nottingham - Llandudno Town and 13.26 return.
1982
25314 was stabled at Severn Tunnel Junction on January 30th.
On February 27th 21.24 Bristol Temple Meads - Glasgow Central took banking assistance from 25314 for its ascent of the Lickey Incline.
On March 14th the 15.02 Manchester – Bristol parcels failed at Shrewsbury behind 25314, nearby 25318 & 25319 on a Cranmore – Ellesmere Port tank train took the parcels forward to Hereford. Here 25318 continued south, still with 25314 attached, whilst 25319 returned north to continue on with the tank train.
September 5th found 25314 at the southern end of the WCML assisting one southbound service between Watford Junction & Willesden because the power was off for engineering work. During 1982/83 25314 was one of a small pool of locomotives maintained at Bletchley specifically to handle the Fletton sidings - Wembley brick trains. Bletchley handled the A & B exams and tried to keep them on locals turns in between the brick workings and the Tring cement jobs.
1983
25314 was withdrawn on March 20th and stored at Crewe.
June 23rd found Crewe depot sending withdrawn 25314/319 & 40007/019 eastwards, the Class 25's to Derby and the Class 40's to Doncaster. The Class 25's had been out of service for about three months and were received at Derby for generator and bogie work prior to their moving to Aberdeen to join ADB 97250 as generator vehicles. 25314 would become ADB 97252 and allocated to Eastfield during July 1983. Unfortunately 25319 would not leave Derby as intended, eventually being scrapped at Swindon in December 1985.
By the end of September 25314 had reached Aberdeen Ferryhill, with work already underway on its conversion to ETHEL 3.
1986
97252 was noted at Carlisle Kingmoor during October for a generator exchange - after this it was forwarded on to Willesden on October 23rd.
On December 28th 97252 commenced operating out of Marylebone on the steam specials originating there. Its first working was with 4472 on a Sunday Luncheon Marylebone - Stratford service. Unfortunately 97252 failed at West Ruislip, was removed at Banbury and remained there overnight.
1987
97252 received Inter-City livery sometime during 1987.
1988
1994
97252 (25314) was moved by road to MC Metals and broken up during August 1994. Prior to scrapping its power unit was rescued for use in preserved 25244.
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Page added August 5th 2006.
Last updated October 22nd 2019.