Class 25 photos

[MidlandRed]

On 26/12/2022 at 19:49, Rugd1022 said:

Not a 25 obviously, but I thought I might as well post this in here - D5010 at Adderly Park on 21st September 1962, photo by Gordon Hopkinson...

 

 

 

 

 

Extraordinary to note that both the LM and before them, the SR, found it possible to use the 1160 hp class 24 on class 1 passenger, but in later years the WR found the more powerful class 25 (and class 31) so wanting for their patterns of work 🤪

[Phil Bullock]

4 hours ago, MidlandRed said:

Extraordinary to note that both the LM and before them, the SR, found it possible to use the 1160 hp class 24 on class 1 passenger, but in later years the WR found the more powerful class 25 (and class 31) so wanting for their patterns of work 🤪

Hmmm ….. probably not surprising when you look at the mix of motive power on the WR…. With only 56 type 1s and 58 type 2s most services would have been timed for type 3s or 4s …. Type 2s were never going to cut the mustard when compared to at least a Hymek …

[MidlandRed]

1 hour ago, Phil Bullock said:

Hmmm ….. probably not surprising when you look at the mix of motive power on the WR…. With only 56 type 1s and 58 type 2s most services would have been timed for type 3s or 4s …. Type 2s were never going to cut the mustard when compared to at least a Hymek …

Absolutely, I agree. However they should have been ok on the type 2 duties and possibly some of the lighter Hymek duties. 

[Tankerman]

6 hours ago, MidlandRed said:

Extraordinary to note that both the LM and before them, the SR, found it possible to use the 1160 hp class 24 on class 1 passenger, but in later years the WR found the more powerful class 25 (and class 31) so wanting for their patterns of work 🤪

 

I can think of two possible reasons for this. Firstly the lines west of Exeter, including the branches which still retained some goods services, were anything but flat, and secondly the stations in Cornwall  were, for a supposedly main line, quite close together.

 

The former obviously required more horsepower for the same weight of train and the second required a reasonably quick acceleration to reduce the time taken between stops.

 

Many years ago now, when I still lived in Cornwall and steam was still in use, I attended a talk by a railwayman who from memory was something to do with locomotive provision at Laira. In the question and answer session after his talk he was asked what locomotive he considered to be the best one for use in Cornwall. His answer was the Granges as due to their smaller wheels and tractive effort they were better at hill climbing and could accelerate the train quicker between stops.  

[Phil Bullock]

6 hours ago, Tankerman said:

 

I can think of two possible reasons for this. Firstly the lines west of Exeter, including the branches which still retained some goods services, were anything but flat, and secondly the stations in Cornwall  were, for a supposedly main line, quite close together.

 

The former obviously required more horsepower for the same weight of train and the second required a reasonably quick acceleration to reduce the time taken between stops.

 

Many years ago now, when I still lived in Cornwall and steam was still in use, I attended a talk by a railwayman who from memory was something to do with locomotive provision at Laira. In the question and answer session after his talk he was asked what locomotive he considered to be the best one for use in Cornwall. His answer was the Granges as due to their smaller wheels and tractive effort they were better at hill climbing and could accelerate the train quicker between stops.  

Granges also had improved steam passages … compared to Halls the valves were one inch bigger IIRC so able to get more steam to the cylinders 

[Covkid]

1 hour ago, Phil Bullock said:

Granges also had improved steam passages … compared to Halls the valves were one inch bigger IIRC so able to get more steam to the cylinders 

 

Fascinating fact Phil.  Thanks for that 

[billy_anorak59]

A couple of poor photos from me - sorry and all that - an instamatic was all I had at the time...

 

First off, 25195+25161 at Chester bringing in the Shrewsbury leg of the "Marches Venturer" railtour 7th October 1978. I think it was 'Clun Castle' that took over.

The rest are unidentified, but may be of interest to someone.

 

Unidentified 25 on Chester MPD at dusk along with 40075 and a DMU. May 1982.

 

An unidentified 25 trundles through Chester on what looks like a short engineers train. 7th October 1978.

 

Another unidentified one from a moving train at Manchester Victoria on 13th August 1977.

Edited January 24, 2023 by billy_anorak59

[stovepipe]

On 23/01/2023 at 12:50, Covkid said:

 

With the utmost respect, that cannot be D5289.

 

The class 25s were in several series

D5151-D5175 became 25001-25025 - 25/0 class 24 bodyshell - side filters

D5176-D5193 became 25026-25043 - 25/1 - side filters gangway doors steam boiler *

D5194-D5232 became 25044-25082 - 25/2 - side filters gangway doors steam boiler

D5233-D5237 became 25083-25087 - 25/2 - cantrail air filters and steam boiler

D5238-D5299 became 25088-25149 - 25/2 - cantrail air filters

D7500-D7567 became.25150-25217 - 25/2 - cantrail air filters

D7568-D7597 became 25218-25247 - 25/2 - side filters gangway doors steam boiler

D7598-D7677 became 25248-25327 - 25/3 - cantrail air filters

 

* except 25029-25032 which were not built with boilers

 

I refer here to ATH Taylers book Sulzer types 2 and 3 which is the only tect I have seen referring to  25044-25082 as 25/2 which he quotes as design code25.2cX. Strangely, he records the batch 25026-25043 as a mix of /1 and /2.

 

All references I have seen apart from Tayler refer to 25026-25082 as 25/1, 25083-25247 as 25/2 and 25248 onwards as 25/3. 

 

HTH 

 

 

 

 

 

It does look to be numbered D52xx, and I think it was Derby Works that put the OHLW signs in that position, which points to D5200-22. The next 10 from Darlington had the OHLW signs much higher up.

[brushman47544]

On 23/01/2023 at 12:50, Covkid said:

 

With the utmost respect, that cannot be D5289.

 

The class 25s were in several series

D5151-D5175 became 25001-25025 - 25/0 class 24 bodyshell - side filters

D5176-D5193 became 25026-25043 - 25/1 - side filters gangway doors steam boiler *

D5194-D5232 became 25044-25082 - 25/2 - side filters gangway doors steam boiler

D5233-D5237 became 25083-25087 - 25/2 - cantrail air filters and steam boiler

D5238-D5299 became 25088-25149 - 25/2 - cantrail air filters

D7500-D7567 became.25150-25217 - 25/2 - cantrail air filters

D7568-D7597 became 25218-25247 - 25/2 - side filters gangway doors steam boiler

D7598-D7677 became 25248-25327 - 25/3 - cantrail air filters

 

* except 25029-25032 which were not built with boilers

 

I refer here to ATH Taylers book Sulzer types 2 and 3 which is the only tect I have seen referring to  25044-25082 as 25/2 which he quotes as design code25.2cX. Strangely, he records the batch 25026-25043 as a mix of /1 and /2.

 

All references I have seen apart from Tayler refer to 25026-25082 as 25/1, 25083-25247 as 25/2 and 25248 onwards as 25/3. 

 

HTH 

 

I agree it shouldn't be D5289, but what do you suggest it is? Enlarging the image on Flickr, it is definitely D52xx and the third and fourth digits are not the same shape as the 2 and they are also not a 0 or 1 which sort of rules out D5200 to D5232... Puzzling, especially as David Flitcroft is a name I recognise as having lost of photos published in railway magazines of the time so should be reliable.

[Halvarras]

13 hours ago, MidlandRed said:

Absolutely, I agree. However they should have been ok on the type 2 duties and possibly some of the lighter Hymek duties. 

 

Class 22s (1960s) followed by Class 25s (1970s) were used singly on reasonably heavy passenger duties between Exeter and Paignton, the lack of hills on this mostly coastal route no doubt having something to do with it (is the same true of Exeter - Barnstaple? I've never travelled it but under the impression it too is fairly flat.....)

[stovepipe]

 

duplicate

Edited January 24, 2023 by stovepipe

[Covkid]

22 hours ago, Halvarras said:

 

Class 22s (1960s) followed by Class 25s (1970s) were used singly on reasonably heavy passenger duties between Exeter and Paignton, the lack of hills on this mostly coastal route no doubt having something to do with it (is the same true of Exeter - Barnstaple? I've never travelled it but under the impression it too is fairly flat.....)

 

Went on the last train to Torrington one really dismal wet day and from memory the train was 15 Mk1s top and tailed by 31158 and 31174 from memory.  Back in BR days it wasn't the done thing for a tailling loco to apply power so the single 31 managed quite a large train each way. The run to and from Exeter saw both locos in multi on the front.  

 

Sadly it was 31s instead of 25s which I would have preferred. 

[Rugd1022]

Photo by Steve Stepney : 25 266 at Bletchley TMD...

 

 

 

[03060]

Washing off the grime ... 25 221 at Holbeck, 1983. Photo by Paul Corrie.

 

 

[Ray M]

83 with headcode panels ?

[03060]

2 hours ago, Ray M said:

83 with headcode panels ?

 

10/6/83 according to Paul's notes.

 

I certainly remember them on Holbeck with 0000 displayed in the headcode box, I would have been nearly 15 on this date and so would probably only have been allowed down into town on my own for a couple of years or so, probably from around 1980 onwards. I'll have a scan around to see if there are any others similar ... could just be a typo or mis-remembered date, not unknown on some Flickr images.

 

Regards,

Ian.

[balders]

3 hours ago, Ray M said:

83 with headcode panels ?

Yep it had a headcode panel in 1983. A quick Flickr search confirms. Derby Sulzers excellent website confirms it never had domino's fitted and withdrawn in Jan 1984 still original headcodes 

 

Regards

 

Guy

Edited January 31, 2023 by balders

[russ p]

9 minutes ago, balders said:

Yep it had a headcode panel in 1983. A quick Flickr search confirms. It looks like the other end was a domino comparing photos between May-June 1984 

 

Regards

 

Guy

 

I understand a lot of locos had the blinds wound to 0O00 and handles removed but apparently some had them left on so blinds could still be used unofficially 

[keefer]

40173 kept them until c.1980 and 40162 had them at withdrawal c.1982.

A few cl.127 DMUs kept them and often had the correct headcodes in use until they were finally (eventually) replaced by the cl.317s in 1982/3

[andyman7]

On 31/01/2023 at 06:14, Ray M said:

83 with headcode panels ?

 

On 31/01/2023 at 09:26, balders said:

Yep it had a headcode panel in 1983. A quick Flickr search confirms. Derby Sulzers excellent website confirms it never had domino's fitted and withdrawn in Jan 1984 still original headcodes 

 

Yes, I remember this one very clearly - by 1983 it was very unusual hence why these late headcode box survivors stood out. 83012 also kept a working set of blinds to the end, including its final years on Euston ECS duties

[franciswilliamwebb]

 

25113 at Crewe on 28/09/79 (my photo)

[franciswilliamwebb]

 

25137 with a short fitted freight at Perry Barr on 20/06/78 (my photo)

[Downendian]

Images of green TOPS class 25s are quite rare, so I was pleased to pick this one up. It’s one of my green 25s that’s awaiting further detailing. No information re location and date, but will be around 1974/5.

My copyright 

Neil 

[Ben B]

 

More from my old pics of the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, and my first diesel gala on the line in 2009.  The currently out-of-service class 25 heads away from Haworth towards Oxenhope...

 

 

...and heads towards Haworth at Mytholmes Tunnel.

[franciswilliamwebb]

 

25195 at Wolverhampton on 09/06/84 (my photo)