Class 14s with BR where did they operate?

[Phil Bullock]

27 minutes ago, br2975 said:

From my notes, some movements were:-

 

18th. November, 1968

9539, 9546, 9553 seen heading south at Toton.

Not known how they were moved.

 

30th. June, 1969

D9502, D9514,D9518 & D9527 left Canton for Gloucester hauled by D6607.

Reported as sold to NCB,

4th. July, 1969

Still stabled Gloucester Horton Rd,

Subsequently photographed passing Derby Midland (see attached, photographer unknown)

6th. August, 1969

Arrived NCB Ashington

.

22nd. November, 1969

D9500 & D9517 noted at York depot en-route from Canton to NCB Ashington

.

Monday, 9th. November, 1970                                                                                                                                                                                                                               D9535 moved Canton to NCB Ashington (how ?)

.

Wednesday, 9th. December, 1970                                                                                                                                                                                                                               D9509 & D9519 moved from Cardiff Canton to Geo. Cohen, Kettering via Barnt Green, Nuneaton & Wigston.                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Believed hauled throughout by Hymek D7069

.

Brian R

 

Was looking for that very photo! Cheers Brian.....

[br2975]

The end of the 'nine-fivers'

 

The demise of the "nine-fivers" has always been skipped over by authors of books and articles.

I will attempt to address this.

.

D9518 was under repair at Cardiff Canton on 1st. March, 1969 before despatch to pilot duties at Radyr Yard.

.

D9518 returned to Canton for an exam, on 17th. March, 1969 before returning to traffic on 1st. April, 1969.

.

She was apparently back at Canton on 6th. April, 1969 for attention to her turbo-charger and a broken spring.

.

Commencing Monday, 14th. April, 1969, D9518 was rostered to work the following daily 'trip' workings from Radyr Yard

06:15 to Roath Branch Jcn.

09:35 to Roath Branch Jcn.

14:20 to Maindy

.

When these duties were finished on Saturday, 19th. April, thus ended the last known rostered revenue earning service of a Class 14 on British Rail. 

From Monday, 21st. April, 1969 the above 'trips' were taken over by a Class 08.

.

 "The last one" D9518 at Radyr Yard 5th. March, 1969 - photographer unknown.

 "The last one" D9518 in the same spot, three days later, Radyr Yard 8th. March, 1969 - photographer unknown.

.

On Saturday, 26th. April, 1969 the following Cardiff, Canton allox Cl.14s were officially withdrawn D9500, D9502, D9514, D9518, D9527                    ( previously withdrawn No's D9509, D9519, D9526, D9530 & D9535 were also stored at Canton at this date)

Canton's previously withdrawn D9517 was stored at Newport, Ebbw Jcn. depot and was still there until at least Sunday, 24th. July, 1969.

On the same day, 26th April, the following Cl.14s, which had had no rostered diagrams since at least 12th. April, 1969  were  officially withdrawn D9521, D9524, D9536, D9538, D9555 at Swansea, Landore, and were still at there the following November q.v..

.

The final operational example, D9518 was initially stored at Radyr Yard, and reportedly removed to Cardiff Canton for more secure storage on Saturday, 24th. May, 1969 but other information suggests the loco was already at Canton by Sunday, 11th. May, 1969.

.

On 30th. June, 1969,  D9502,D9514, D9518,D9527 departed Canton for Gloucester, Horton Road depot hauled by D6607.

They had been sold to the NCB,

On 4th. July, 1969 all four were still stabled Gloucester Horton Rd, but arrived in the North East (NCB Ashington) on 19th. July (altho' some reports suggest 6th August).

.

However, this was not the end of the story.....

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During September, 1969, despite being 'officially withdrawn' Canton's D9500 & D9517 were brought back to life with D9517 in use as the 'shed pilot on 18th. September, and both were subsequently employed on local PW workings and 'trips' from Penarth Curve North (a small yard, adjacent to the Canton DMU depot). This was obviously to keep them in working order, as by Saturday 22nd November, both D9500 & D9517 were noted lying over at York depot whilst en-route to a new life with the NCB, also at Ashington.

.

By Sunday, 23rd. November, 1969 there had been a 'move around' with

D9521 & D9555 stored at Landore depot,

D9524, D9526 & D9538 now stored at Landore goods depot

.

By the following Saturday, 29th November, 1969  D9521, D9526, D9555  had moved from Swansea to Cardiff Canton, joining D9509 & D9519.                                                        

Whilst D9524, D9530, D9536 (apparently moved from Canton) , D9538  were at Swansea on the same date  

.

The last of the class I saw 'operating' was D9555, ticking over beneath Canton depot's footbridge  whilst shunting Canton Brickyard & Mileage sidings  one cold evening during the first week of December, 1969, it was again in use as depot pilot on 19th. December, 1969.. 

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But..... on 8th. March, 1970, D9538 was in use as the Canton 'shed pilot'  - again, in advance of its' sale the following month to Shell-Mex. Although it was later re-sold to BSC Ebbw Vale.

. 

This was still not the end of the story with D9524 (some reports state D9540 instead of D9540, but this was sold from Daireycoates in Nov.1968) & D9535 resurrected from store at Canton, during March 1970 and brought back to life for use during May, 1970on an extensive PW relaying job on the North & West route, and during which they regularly stabled in the bay at Hereford.

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On completion, both returned to Canton with D9524 being sold during July, 1970 for use at BP Grangemouth, and D9535 being sold the same month to the NCB for use at Burradon.

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However, this was not the end of the story, as far as "nine-fivers" on the mainline in South Wales  are concerned.......

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D9530 was initially sold to Gulf Oil and used at their Waterston refinery in West Wales; from where it was re-sold to the NCB for use at Mardy Colliery, Maerdy, at the head ofthe Rhondda Fach.

It would appear the sale was 'arranged' through Messrs A.R.Adams of Newport, and D9530 received attention at Swindon Works prior to delivery to Maerdy.

D9530 awaits attention outside Canton depot, circa 1976/1977. Peter Jordan photograph.

 

Whilst at Maerdy, D9530 was a regular visitor to Cardiff, Canton for attention, and on one occasion circa 1976/1977, Canton were too busy to carry out the repairs and D9530 was towed to Ebbw Jcn. depot for the necessary repairs.

Repairs complete, staff at Ebbw Jcn. were of the impression a 'test run' was required, and one night shift driver was qualified on "nine-fivers"................and so, in the dead of night, almost eight years after the class were officially withdrawn from BR service, D9530 ran (unofficially) from Ebbw Jcn. depot to Rogerstone and back, before returning to Mardy Colliery, Mardy where she was eventually scraped in the early 1980s.

 

Brian R

                                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                  

Edited November 7, 2019 by br2975

[Enterprisingwestern]

On 17/09/2019 at 19:36, 45125 said:

The transfer of the 14s to Dairycoates was primarily to remove the last of the steam working in the Hull area, and secondary reason the shed master at the time thought the been hydraulic they would not need as much electrical maintenance (DOH). The loco did some useful work in the Hull area during the short stay, transfer trips from the docks to the yards, Hessle quarry to Wilmington cement works, trips up the branch to Bridlington and also a few trips venturing as far as Healy Mills and the West Riding.

 

Many of the problems the Western had with the disappeared whilst at Dairycoates, but other emerged. Some problems never did vanish like not stooping too well, turbo brackets fracturing and the usual Paxman disease pissing coolant everywhere. 

 

Al Taylor

 

They also worked the Haxey branch.

 

Mike.

[Phil Bullock]

Brilliant summary Brian... and good gem from up narth too! Many thanks for going to the trouble of posting fascinating gen. D9502 must have done the most work of all the class, will be good to see her back when the Bury boys have finished their fettling 

[On the block Allan]

Quote

Class 14 mystery. On 1st March 1969 I was traveling from Sheffield to Doncaster when my adult travel companion saw a class 14 and said it was D9516, we were traveling backwards at the time so I only saw the locomotive but not the number. I have always assumed it was in one of the Rotherham scrap yards on the West/North of the line. Looking at different lists and records I cannot find any reference to D9516 being in that location around that time or indeed identify it as another member of the class. Any thoughts out there?

 

Allan. 

 

[Phil Bullock]

1 hour ago, On the block Allan said:

 

 

D9506/13/22/31 were sold from store at Worcester to Arnott Young, Parkgate, which might fit your geography but perhaps not the date - but only 6 and 22 were cut, 13 and 31 were sold on to Hargreaves at Crigglestone - see http://www.miac.org.uk/stored85a.html#class14 - and both still exist.

 

However D9516 was withdrawn from Hull at the end of 68 and was sold to BSC Corby so date fits - there is no telling if that was via a scappie or perhaps it might just have been in transit when you saw it? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_14 - also still exists - and she did do some work while she was at Hull! 

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mark-walker/29154536507/in/photolist-LqhBYx-pNeTN5-f5rM3r-25eUv3z-9DETtj-23RxH8t-jGiuRd-nJ4Lhs-2chKK19-ok4b7x-7HXmTc-bvrC8K-qnPeMY-nZzuUn-o4xcYf-ecqnfY-Q2KZdQ-rc9ovG-jLG6cP-2e5ez9c-2ft8rq8-uRm8Bd-trKtxt-Xxj8Qx-fDXn8B-ccG4Fb-2515gJH-pFqmG9-SQebDC-nU9uaF-o2gpZs-2g7rdod-7J7BYq-2g7qWwR-nKV5gV-2gAdpaM-2g7qWn7-2g7qXns-9uXU9M-29Dm1Sx-A8KBRF-YwFBcw-XFeFZa-rEzxtb-QuoabU-fa7jmk-wh8iNE-26uFZZP-TDh75w-cwFauW

 

 

Hope that helps

 

Edited November 18, 2019 by Phil Bullock

[45125]

On 18/11/2019 at 06:44, Phil Bullock said:

 

D9506/13/22/31 were sold from store at Worcester to Arnott Young, Parkgate, which might fit your geography but perhaps not the date - but only 6 and 22 were cut, 13 and 31 were sold on to Hargreaves at Crigglestone - see http://www.miac.org.uk/stored85a.html#class14 - and both still exist.

 

However D9516 was withdrawn from Hull at the end of 68 and was sold to BSC Corby so date fits - there is no telling if that was via a scappie or perhaps it might just have been in transit when you saw it? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_14 - also still exists - and she did do some work while she was at Hull! 

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mark-walker/29154536507/in/photolist-LqhBYx-pNeTN5-f5rM3r-25eUv3z-9DETtj-23RxH8t-jGiuRd-nJ4Lhs-2chKK19-ok4b7x-7HXmTc-bvrC8K-qnPeMY-nZzuUn-o4xcYf-ecqnfY-Q2KZdQ-rc9ovG-jLG6cP-2e5ez9c-2ft8rq8-uRm8Bd-trKtxt-Xxj8Qx-fDXn8B-ccG4Fb-2515gJH-pFqmG9-SQebDC-nU9uaF-o2gpZs-2g7rdod-7J7BYq-2g7qWwR-nKV5gV-2gAdpaM-2g7qWn7-2g7qXns-9uXU9M-29Dm1Sx-A8KBRF-YwFBcw-XFeFZa-rEzxtb-QuoabU-fa7jmk-wh8iNE-26uFZZP-TDh75w-cwFauW

 

 

Hope that helps

 

All of the Dairycoates allocated Paxman did some work there, some not much. All of those that went into industrial use from Dairycoates appear to have gone straight from BR and not via scrapmen, as BR staff went to to various locations to remove some of the devices that were not required in industrial use and so show the new users around them. Two of my former colleagues spent quite a long period at Washington and Corby.

[Halvarras]

I spied D9509/19/35 on Canton whilst passing by on the way to Swansea in late July 1970, and made a note that D9535 was 'moving' - for years I thought I must have been wrong about that but recent info, confirmed above, says I wasn't!

My only other contact with this class (pre-preservation) was finding D9555 at NCB Ashington in May 1974, thankfully still in BR livery. It was nice to find it looking immaculate at the EWS Open Days at Old Oak Common 26 years later.

[Michael Delamar]

Working Between Healey Mills and Hull at Featherstone.

 

click on each one for link to Flickr.

 

 

 

 

 

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

In the third picture it would seem the inevitable has happened!

 

Mike.

[45125]

On 24/05/2020 at 22:33, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

In the third picture it would seem the inevitable has happened!

 

Mike.

Allegedly all there were working.

 

[45125]

On 05/11/2019 at 17:27, br2975 said:

From my notes, some movements were:-

 

18th. November, 1968

9539, 9546, 9553 seen heading south at Toton.

Not known how they were moved.

 

30th. June, 1969

D9502, D9514,D9518 & D9527 left Canton for Gloucester hauled by D6607.

Reported as sold to NCB,

4th. July, 1969

Still stabled Gloucester Horton Rd,

Subsequently photographed passing Derby Midland (see attached, photographer unknown)

6th. August, 1969

Arrived NCB Ashington

.

22nd. November, 1969

D9500 & D9517 noted at York depot en-route from Canton to NCB Ashington

.

Monday, 9th. November, 1970                                                                                                                                                                                                                               D9535 moved Canton to NCB Ashington (how ?)

.

Wednesday, 9th. December, 1970                                                                                                                                                                                                                               D9509 & D9519 moved from Cardiff Canton to Geo. Cohen, Kettering via Barnt Green, Nuneaton & Wigston.                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Believed hauled throughout by Hymek D7069

.

Brian R

Thats platform 2 at Derby not York.

[br2975]

9 minutes ago, 45125 said:

Thats platform 2 at Derby not York.

I think you may have misread my post ?.

.

I have not claimed this photo was taken at York.

.

I wrote:-

"....4th. July, 1969

Still stabled Gloucester Horton Rd,

Subsequently photographed passing Derby Midland (see attached, photographer unknown)...."

 

I am aware the photo was taken at Derby, But do not know what date it was taken. However, I do know that the train in the photo is made up of D9502, D9514,D9518 & D9527, as you can clearly see the first loco to be D9502.

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The locos sighted at York on 22nd November, 1969 were different to those seen passing Derby, and were D9500 & D9517.

.

I hope this clears up your confusion ?

.

Brian R

[montyburns56]

South Witham to Stainby sidings 1970

 

 

[Phil Bullock]

Mike Thomas from Worcester has been kind enough to share his 66/67 notes with me - I think this adds something to knowledge of workings for me. Many thanks Mike!

 

Can I add a few notes regarding those early diesel classes.

My first sighting of a Class 14 was on sat 14th november 1965 at Abbotswood.It worked a Chepstow-Abbotswood ballast hoppers & returned LE to Gloucester.Loco was D9521.

The next one seen was D9527 on sat.March 5th 1966.Lydney-Worcester ballast hoppers so at least this one made it to Worcester.After that they were fairly regular on either ballast trains or local freights from Worcester-Gloucester.Last one noted was D9502 on sat july 16th 1966.

The D63xx class were kept fairly busy from 1968 to April 1971.I have numerous sightings of them during this period on ballast & concrete sleeper trains mainly.

My earliest sighting is 14 jan 1968 6316 on P.Way train at A/Wood.

6318 was at Ashchurch on may 4th 68 on the clear up after the freight train collision.

On sat 12th april 1969 85A worcester Open Day 6321/6324/6329 & 6342 were present.

Sun 6th july 1969;6320/6348/6352 on Gloucester Shed.Also present were 9514/9518.

As far as I can see my last working of a 63xx was sat 17th April 1971 when 6354 worked a 8B51 ballast to Worcester.

[class37418stag]

Hello everyone 

 

Ex-BR class 14 has running from Buckminster quarry to Corby steel work via midland Mainline by only freight main line ?

 

 Thank you 

[br2975]

On 11/08/2018 at 15:43, russ p said:

You do wonder why the weren't fitted with MU gear?

.

Cost, pure and simple.

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When the idea of the  Western Region Type 1 was first mooted, in the mid/late 1950s, a 'trip loco' was all that was required, no train heating and no multiple working capability.

.

They also worked out many thousands of pounds less than the alternative, the EE Type 1, or later Cl.20.

 

[russ p]

1 hour ago, br2975 said:

.

Cost, pure and simple.

.

When the idea of the  Western Region Type 1 was first mooted, in the mid/late 1950s, a 'trip loco' was all that was required, no train heating and no multiple working capability.

.

They also worked out many thousands of pounds less than the alternative, the EE Type 1, or later Cl.20.

 

 

You have to wonder if MU gear would've come later as they were fitted with air throttle 

[br2975]

13 hours ago, russ p said:

 

You have to wonder if MU gear would've come later as they were fitted with air throttle 

.

From the BR point of view I suspect the cost would have been excessive, as the writing was already on the wall for the class.

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On the Western, there was never any desire to work the locos in multiple, as they were generally used as intended, on trip and shunting work. 

Their main base on the WR, Cardiff (my hometown) saw them used on such work between long gone locations such as Radyr, Marshfield, Canton Mileage Sidings, Penarth Curve North, Ferry Road, Penarth Cement Works, Ely Paper Mill, Newtown, Long Dyke etc etc.

..

Those that were transferred  from the Western Region to Botanic Gardens ( where traffic was also in decline ) were apparently only considered a stop-gap pending the delivery of D83xx series Cl.20s which could explain why the Eastern Region management never went to the trouble and expense of fitting m.u. gear.

[45125]

On 18/01/2023 at 12:00, br2975 said:

.

From the BR point of view I suspect the cost would have been excessive, as the writing was already on the wall for the class.

.

On the Western, there was never any desire to work the locos in multiple, as they were generally used as intended, on trip and shunting work. 

Their main base on the WR, Cardiff (my hometown) saw them used on such work between long gone locations such as Radyr, Marshfield, Canton Mileage Sidings, Penarth Curve North, Ferry Road, Penarth Cement Works, Ely Paper Mill, Newtown, Long Dyke etc etc.

..

Those that were transferred  from the Western Region to Botanic Gardens ( where traffic was also in decline ) were apparently only considered a stop-gap pending the delivery of D83xx series Cl.20s which could explain why the Eastern Region management never went to the trouble and expense of fitting m.u. gear.

They never went to Botanic Gardens, they were at Dairycoates. And as on the Western the traffic that they were built for was disappearing at a rapid rate. The EE Type 1s became available along with a juggling about of EE Type 3 allocations this is more or less what led to the withdrawal of the D95s. Thought was given to fitting MU  working whilst at they were at Dairycoates, but  it was dismissed on coast. On a reliability note they were fairly reliable whilst at Hull, the main problem as on the Western was the lack of brake power, hence the amount of double heading on some of the jobs at Hull.

 

Al Taylor.

Edited January 26, 2023 by 45125

[br2975]

19 hours ago, 45125 said:

They never went to Botanic Gardens, they were at Dairycoates.

.

Thank you for pointing out my geographical slip.

.

[br2975]

Radyr, my local shed then and (if it were still open) now.

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This  Saturday, 12th. March, 1966 view shows Radyr just as I remember it, invariably with the different types of loco each lined up on different roads.

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Here we see (L-R)  D9548, D9531 & D9513.

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We used to nick in through the other end of the shed, which backed on to the River Taff.

.

If I lean back and close my eyes.......

[br2975]

An undated view of D9514 parked up for the weekend at Aberbeeg.

.

There were a couple of Class 14 duties in the Western Valley, using Canton allocated locos.

[br2975]

I believe this may be a G.W. Sharpe photo ?

.

Taken in June, 1967 it shows D9514 on duty H04.

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H04 worked between Radyr dep 06:15 SX, Roath Branch Junction, Treforest, Pontypridd Goods, Maesmawr, Radyr and Long Dyke (Cardiff) arr. 17:50

In this photo the loco is passing through Cardiff General, on the last leg, from Radyr to Long Dyke.

.

 

[Phil Bullock]

I gave a talk to the Worcester Locomotive Society Tuesday last … a very enjoyable evening, about 80 ex and current railwaymen and enthusiasts present.

 

Took the opportunity to explore two points ….

 

D9506-9 May have been allocated to Worcester on paper but they were never actually on the ground 

 

and 

 

As Mike Thomas mentioned to me in his notes up this  thread they did work up to Worcester from Gloucester but only for a short time after steam finished until replaced by NBL type 2s … so that’s 1966 to 67.

 

Cheers