Ground off "D" from D numbers on cast diesel loco number plates

[18B]

Evening, 

 

Am I miss remembering, or were some of the Hydraulic locos which had cast numbers have the D ground off post 1968? 

 

Was there an official date for BR no longer requiring diesel locos to have a D to their numbers

 

TIA

[andyman7]

The 'D' prefix was officially dropped after the end of steam (August 1968). For diesels with cast numbers, where these were separately affixed they got removed in some (but not all cases); for locos with cast plates, deleting the D meant painting over it in the background colour of the plate. I don't think any were ground off!

[Phil Bullock]

The numbers on hydraulics with cast numbers …. Westerns and Hymeks … were attached as individual

characters . It probably took some effort to get them off but that’s what was done in some cases …. Have a look at the photo of D1010 on this page, the D had gone AWOL and the leading 10 is painted on … and you can see the rivet holes where the original cast numbers were attached.

 

D1010 1977

[TravisM]

The Hymek’s had individual cast numbers and letters which I believe were screwed on from the back, Western’s on the other hand had cast plates and the “D” was usually painted over, from what I recall as a pimply sprog.

[MidlandRed]

12 hours ago, Phil Bullock said:

The numbers on hydraulics with cast numbers …. Westerns and Hymeks … were attached as individual

characters . It probably took some effort to get them off but that’s what was done in some cases …. Have a look at the photo of D1010 on this page, the D had gone AWOL and the leading 10 is painted on … and you can see the rivet holes where the original cast numbers were attached.

 

D1010 1977

Interesting photo - it does beg the question, why did the 1 and 0 get removed as well? Seems very odd and presumably this would have occurred during works attention? 
 

I recall many Hymeks and Westerns operating with the D painted out also. 

[Phil Bullock]

26 minutes ago, MidlandRed said:

Interesting photo - it does beg the question, why did the 1 and 0 get removed as well? Seems very odd and presumably this would have occurred during works attention? 
 

I recall many Hymeks and Westerns operating with the D painted out also. 

Yes me too! Painting out the D was the more common way I think. As for works attention hmmm suspect unofficial removal but interrupted!