Class 26 D5310 at Severn Valley

From the SVR forum, but may be of interest outside of the gala section / thread as well....

Severn Valley Railway
1960’s event
20th/21st/22nd May 2011

With the unfortunate situation of Class 50 – D444 not being available, the Enthusiasts Events committee have decided to replace the Class 50 with a visiting diesel.

We are pleased to announce Class 26 - D5310 will be on loan courtesy of the Llangollen Diesel Group.

The Class 26 will be running all 3 days on the below paths.

Friday & Saturday

09.20 & 13.20 Kidderminster Departures
11.35 & 15.45 Bridgnorth Departures

Sunday

09.40 & 13.40 Kidderminster Departures
11.55 & 16.05 Bridgnorth Departures


We would like to thank Llangollen Diesel Group for there assistance and also wish the Fifty Fund the best in getting D444 ready for mainline running.

 

Showing my ignorance here, where were the Class 26 locos based in BR days? I ask because I can't remember ever seeing one!

 

Excellent - I was planning a day linesiding for the Black 5s but a ride behind the 26 may be tempting.

 

Ah. That explains why they are unfamiliar to me. My train spotting teen years (back in the 70s) were on the North Wales Coast! Thanks for the info.

 

Also little known was that they did a very short spell at Thornaby in the 60's working steel, coal and ore etc. Didn't last long as they struggled to handle the heavy freight work unless working in multiple as they did up in Scotland towards the end of their careers on MGRs. Found this out at Wensleydale from an ex-BR driver who had driven them out of the Thornaby - most interesting!

We're very much looking forward to taking her to the SVR, she is leaving Llangollen today.

 

Correction Tez - the Thornaby locos were Class 27 D5370 - 78 which were allocated from new in January 1962 and subsequently transferred to Leicester in December 1965 after proving unsuitable on Tees-side. As you noted the original Class 26 D5300 - 19 were initially allocated to 34B Hornsey (with some being officially allocated to the new depot at 34G Finsbury Park) but as more Brush Type 2s arrived the fleet was transferred to Scotland with D5300-19 moving to Leith Central then Haymarkt whilst D5320-5329 + 5336-5346 went directly to Haymarket and subsequent transfer to Inverness whilst D5330-5335 were allocated to Haynmarket but loaned to 34B Hornsey for a about 3 months before returning to Haymarket and subsequent reallocation to Inverness.