The Peaks

D14 (45015) Entered Traffic 11/60, Withdrawn 3/86

Holding the one hundred and forty first spot in the shortest service life league at 25 years 4 months is D14 (45015)

D14 was the fourth of the uprated BR/Sulzer Type 4's (Class 45) released from Derby works and entered traffic in November 1960, allocated to Derby MPD. The first five class 45's were built with nose-end gangway doors similar to the class 44's and split headcode boxes, however the doors were quickly discontinued from the rest of the class but not the split headcode boxes. In 1967 Derby works started replacing the split headcode boxes on some of the class 45 Peaks with the type fitted from new on the Class 46 locomotives and D14 was one of the locomotives. Its first few months in service would see it transferred around a number of North East depots (Holbeck, Neville Hill and Gateshead) on crew training duties before settling down at Holbeck were it would spend the majority of its career. After twenty five years service 45015 was withdrawn in March 1986 and eventually entered preservation on the Battlefield Line. However little work has been done on the locomotive and it is little more than a rusting hulk and is most likely to be broken up rather than restored.

45015 – http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/9112523915/
45015 – http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/6674645037/
45015 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/8397688970/

To be continued

 

D89 (45006) Entered Traffic 3/61, Withdrawn 9/86, Broken Up 10/88

Holding the one hundred and forty second spot in the shortest service life league at 25 years 6 months is D89 (45006)

D89 was built at Crewe Works, entering traffic in March 1961, allocated to Derby MPD. On the 9th June 1965 it received the name The Honourable Artillery Company at a ceremony at Broad Street station, London. It remained allocated to Midland Main Line depots until August 1968 when it became a Holbeck engine. In May 1978 it transferred to York and in May 1979 to Tinsley. Its final transfer was in January 1985 to Toton from where it was withdrawn in September 1986, “generally worn out” seven years since its last classified repair at Derby works in September 1979. It was broken up in October 1988 by Vic Berry, Leicester.

45006 – https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/14494791770/
45006 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/14658457156/

To be continued

 

D96 (45101) Entered Traffic 4/61, Withdrawn 11/86, Broken Up 9/88
D123 (45125) Entered Traffic 10/61, Withdrawn 5/87

Holding the one hundred and forty third and fourth spots in the shortest service life league at 25 years 7 months are D96 (45101) and D123 (45125)

D96 was built at Crewe Works and entered traffic in April 1961 allocated to Derby MPD. In 1973 the Midland Main Line services started to migrate from steam heating to electric heating of the coaching stock and D96 was the first of fifty class 45 locomotives selected to have its Stone Vapour 4625 steam heating boiler replaced with electric train heating equipment (a Brush BL100-30 ETH auxiliary alternator) and emerged from Derby Works in March 1973 as 45101. It would be associated with the Midland Main Line throughout its career being a Derby or Toton engine (apart from two weeks allocated to Holbeck in July 1973) until withdrawn in November 1986. It was broken up by Vic Berry. Leicester during September 1988.

D123 was built at Crewe Works and entered traffic in October 1961. Like most of the class, it was initially allocated to Derby, where it worked express trains on the Cross Country and the Midland Main Line routes. The engine was allocated close to the Midland Main Line all its life although its last six months in traffic were based at Tinsley in Sheffield for Trans-Pennine services, after the introduction of HSTs to the Midland route. In 1974 the engine became one of the fifty engines in the class to be fitted with electric heating, and it became 45125. It was withdrawn on 7th May 1987, and was towed for storage at March on the 20th May 1987. The engine was stored with a number of others for four years before purchase for preservation. It was towed to Hull Dairycoates depot in late 1991, where it stayed for the next seven years until D123 moved to Loughborough, arriving on April 2nd 1998.

45125 – https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/13897850051/
45125 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/7334020522/
45125 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/39049851330/
45125 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/48815012566/
45125 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/24527764546/
45125 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/50008111033/
45125 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/50250762186/
45125 – http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/12557467745/
45125 – http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/12923197403/
45125 – https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/14502766470/
45125 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/26849785726/
45125 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/41616986360/

To be continued

 

D107 (45120) Entered Traffic 7/61, Withdrawn 3/87, Broken Up 5/93
D117 (45130) Entered Traffic 9/61, Withdrawn 5/87, Broken Up 3/92

Holding the one hundred and forty fifth and sixth spots in the shortest service life league at 25 years 8 months are D107 (45120) and D117 (45130)

D107 was built at Crewe Works, entering traffic in July 1961 allocated to Derby MPD. In 1973 the Midland Main Line services started to migrate from steam heating to electric heating of the coaching stock and D107 was one of fifty class 45 locomotives selected to have its steam heating boiler replaced with electric train heating equipment (a Brush BL100-30 ETH auxiliary alternator) and emerged from Derby Works in 1974 as 45120. Through out its career it would always be associated with the Midland Main Line being allocated to Derby, Wellingborough, Cricklewood, Toton and finally Tinsley from where it was withdrawn in March 1987. It was broken up by MC Metals, Glasgow in May 1993.

D117 was built at Crewe Works, entering traffic in September 1961. It would be associated with the Midland Main Line for virtually all of its career. In 1973 the Midland Main Line services started to migrate from steam heating to electric heating of the coaching stock and D117 was one of fifty class 45 locomotives selected to have its steam heating boiler replaced with electric train heating equipment (a Brush BL100-30 ETH auxiliary alternator) and emerged from Derby Works in June 1974 as 45130. After twenty six years service 45130 would fall victim to the large class 45/1 fleet reduction that took place in May 1987 when twelve were condemned (almost 25% of the peaks modified with electric train heating). After lingering almost five years 45130 eventually reached MC Metals, Glasgow and was broken up in March 1992.

45120 – https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/23692853085/
45120 – http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/5900025382/
45120 – https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/50828322013/
45130 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/6007129699/
45130 – http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/8461091242/
45130 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/14003362015/

To be continued

 

D92 (45138) Entered Traffic 3/61, Withdrawn 12/86, Broken Up 4/94
D135 (45149) Entered Traffic 12/61, Withdrawn 9/87

Holding the one hundred and forty seventh and eighth spots in the shortest service life league at 25 years 9 months are D92 (45138) and D135 (45149)

D92 was built at Crewe Works and entered traffic in March 1961 allocated to Derby at the start of a career that would last over twenty five years, most of which would consist of charging up and down the Midland Main Line. In 1973 the Midland Main Line services started to migrate from steam heating to electric heating of the coaching stock and D92 was one of fifty class 45 locomotives selected to have its Stone Vapour 4625 steam heating boiler replaced with electric train heating equipment (a Brush BL100-30 ETH auxiliary alternator) and emerged from Derby Works in October 1974 as 45138. It was withdrawn in November 1986 and following withdrawal it was towed to March for storage. It would slumber away in the weeds for almost seven years until the remaining twelve stored Peaks were readied for movement to MC Metals, Glasgow. 45119/38/42 moved to Glasgow on the 14th February 1994, hauled by 47372 and 45138 was broken up shortly after arrival during April 1994.

Built at Crewe Works D135 entered traffic in December 1961 allocated to Derby MPD. It was transferred to Cricklewood in June 1964 and Toton from May 1966. In 1973 the Midland Main Line services started to go from steam heat to electric heat coaching stock and D135 was one of fifty class 45 locomotives selected to have its steam heating boiler replaced with electric train heating equipment (a Brush BL100-30 ETH auxiliary alternator). It was the penultimate loco dealt with and was renumbered 45149 on release into traffic in February 1975. It was withdrawn in September 1987 with a traction motor defect, a year before the end of class 45 operation on British Rail. It was parked at Cricklewood for a long period before being towed to Leicester and offered for sale. There was competition for its purchase but Pete Waterman was successful in becoming its new owner in 1993. It was moved to Heysham for safe storage and then to Crewe Heritage Centre in 1994 minus its power unit. No restoration work was carried out. The locomotive was eventually offered for sale again late in the autumn of 1996 and was purchased by the Cotswold Mainline Diesel Group and restored at the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway.

45138 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/17037344402/
45149 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/6297688522/
45149 – https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/15976120804/
45149 – http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/8747133424/
45149 – https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/37372852144/

To be continued