The twelve year nine month career of 5068 saw allocations to Eastern Region, London Midland Region & Scottish Region depots.
Built Derby Locomotive Works.
Shortened fuel tank & full size water tank (retained until withdrawn).
Four upper and four lower air filters on non-BIS side, three upper and four lower on BIS side.
Original exhaust port covered but not immediately removed.
Livery: two numbers & two emblems each side (from 1967 - 1968 shoppings), non-standard: emblems on cab doors, No1 end driver's side upside down.
Headcode discs centered on cab front (Glasgow modification).
Time between last Classified repair and withdrawal: ?? months.
Time between withdrawal & scrapping: 7 months.
Allocations
The frames for D5068 were laid down at Derby Works during September 1959, D5068 was new to March (31B) on December 31st 1959. Further transfers were:
November 1960 to Willesden (1A).
April 1961 to Finsbury Park (34G) on loan, made permanent June 1961.
August 1966 to Haymarket (64B) on loan, made permanent October 1966.
October 9th 1972 - withdrawn (collision damage).
5068 was noted at Glasgow Works during March 1972 with collision damage, it was withdrawn whilst at Works and scrapped there by April 1973.
5068 was the 12th Class 24 to be withdrawn.
Works Visits
Works visits (records incomplete).
Noted Derby Works December 1960.
Anticipated Derby or Glasgow Works August 1966??, but was most likely Inverurie.
Anticipated Glasgow Works circa 1971??
Highlights
1960
On the late evening of June 3rd D5068 was noted passing Finsbury Park with a fitted freight headed for Ferme Park.
1963
On September 15th there were 26 diesels noted at Finsbury Park including D5057, D5066, D5068, D5072, D5094, D5095 and D0260 'Lion'.
On October 30th D5068 worked the 17.35 Broad Street - Hertford North.
1964
D5068 worked the 08.40 Gordon Hill - Moorgate on November 3rd.
1966
On the morning of January 15th D5068 was at Kings Cross with the passenger stock for the 1N06 09.20 Kings Cross - Leeds, to be worked by D9018.
On the morning of April 13th D5068 & D5626 were the Kings Cross pilots.
On the evening of April 27th D5068 was at Kings Cross with coaching stock for the 22.30 down service.
On the morning of May 14th D5068 was north of Hornsey with a down freight.
On the morning of May 16th the Kings Cross empty coaching stock duties included D5050, D5061, D5066, D5068, D5095 & D5901.
On the morning of May 28th D5068 was at Kings Cross with the stock for the 10.20 Kings Cross - Leeds & Hull.
On the morning of June 13th D5068 was at Ferme Park on empty coaching stock duties.
On the morning of July 18th D5064 & D5068 were at Kings Cross on empty coaching stock duties.
During the summer the Eastern Region started a shake up of its motive power. Intent on stabilising its fleet principally with Classes 31/37/47, it began to divest itself of the Class 24s, with D5057 – D5060 to Willesden (D01) and eleven others moving to Haymarket (64B). The first arrivals were D5061/65 on August 4th, with D5068/71 on 9th. On transfer to Haymarket they were used on the local empty coaching stock workings and the passenger services to Carstairs, Hawick & Carlisle. This move released the temperamental Claytons to the Thornton/Dunfermline/Dundee area, joined here by the ex-WR EE Type 3s, to subdue the local steam fleet.
Blue livery finally reached the Class 24s late in the year, possibly the first outshopped was D5068 (from Glasgow or possibly Inverurie?).
Condition (date uncertain): blue/yellow livery, gangway doors in place, steam style shed plate fitted to cab front, shortened fuel tank, full size water tank, exhaust in original position, blanking plates fitted, hand/footholds present, valencing fitted, two numbers with 'D' prefix on each side under cab windows, BR emblems on each cab door, on the drivers side the emblem is upside down, non-standard numberstyle (similar to 25217), no data panel.
1967
D5068 worked the 17.35 Glasgow Queen Street - Aberdeen on August 11th.
1968
5068 worked the 07.06 Edinburgh - Carlisle (via Hawick) on September 10th.
On the evening of September 17th 5068 was at Perth with an up parcels.
1971
Condition July: blue/yellow livery, gangway doors sheeted over, headcode discs centered on cabfront; shortened fuel tank, full size water tank, blanking plates fitted, hand/footholds plated over, bodyside valencing removed, shed code allocation (64B) painted on secondman's side of No.2 cab; non-standard numberstyle (similar to 25217), no emblems.
1972
5068 was withdrawn on October 9th 1972. It had suffered collision damage to the No.1 cab, scrape marks to the non-BIS side and minor damage to the No.2 cab and bogie.
1973
On May 12th Glasgow Works held its first Open Day, remarkably there were sixty four diesels on display that day, although twenty seven of those were condemned Claytons. Two Class 25s were present, 5178 and 5157, the latter having a replacement cab fitted from withdrawn 5149. Class 24s noted were 5006/19, 5121/27 under repair and elsewhere withdrawn 5067, 5114/49. Parts of 5068 were still present.
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Page added June 6th 2016.
Last updated July 30th 2024.