NOSTALGIA
No. D1013 on shed at Old Oak Common in late 1976, surrounded by various Class 47 and 50 locos – types that would replace the ‘Westerns’. Left: The irony! The arrival of Class 50s from the London Midland Region in 1974 was the start of the end for the ‘Westerns’ – but here No. D1054 tops a then unnamed No. 50034 on the 08.35 Penzance to Paddington near Lostwithiel on July 27, 1976. Roger Geach
It is only September, but already there is evidence of No. D1023’s steam heating being used, as the loco calls at Reading on the 9th of that month in 1976 with a Paddington to Oxford service.
Right: Although booked passenger work had finished early in 1976, ‘Westerns’ were still in regular use for most of the year – particularly for summer-dated services. Here No. D1054 arrives at Liskeard on July 23, 1976 with a Penzance to Cardiff working.
of the class still in traffic: Nos. D1001/05/ 09/10/13/15/2123/28/33/ 36/37/41/48/51/53/54/ 56/58/65/68/70-72). During the same period, eight more Class 50s had been transferred in from the London Midland Region, with the final four following in May to coincide with the timetable change.
SUMMER SWAN SONG
The long, hot summer of 1976 afforded plenty of opportunity to travel behind ‘Westerns’, particularly in the West Country. The Saturday workings to and from Falmouth were covered in detail in our August 2016 issue (RE 243). But other holiday destinations were also frequented by the locos. One of these was Newquay, where the locos would appear on services from/to Paddington as well as cross-country workings, such as the 1M95/08.45 NewquayManchester. Regular workings to Penzance also took place, and with members of the class also outbased at St Blazey (Par) for the china clay workings. So Cornwall became a popular hotspot for dieselhydraulic followers. Paignton also saw frequent visits
by the surviving ‘Westerns’ during the Summer, the 08.30 from Paddington and 15.55 return on Saturdays being one service which a loco would regularly appear on. August 13 saw the appearance of a ‘Western’ on the Exmouth branch, possibly for the last time. No. D1001 Western Pathfinder was used to haul an empty stock working from Exeter to Lympstone Commando, which had opened earlier in the year. The coaches then formed a ‘Troopex’, which was hauled by No. 45102.
EARLY CASUALTIES
OFF REGION
Locos still ventured off the Western Region on passenger work during the year, including an appearance by No. D1009 Western Invader at Weymouth on August 14. It worked south from Bristol on the 06.50 Derby-Weymouth, returning north at 13.20. More frequent were workings to Birmingham New Street from Paddington via Banbury. Even into November, when the fleet had been reduced to 18 examples, they still appeared at regular intervals – with Nos. D1010 Western Campaigner, D1038 Western Nobleman and D1071 Western Renown all being observed at Birmingham during the course of the month.
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WITHDRAWAL of the ‘Westerns’ began in 1973, when 11 examples were switched off for the last time. These included the four locos (Nos. D1017-20) that had not been fitted with air brakes. As a consequence of the introduction of Mk.2a/b/c coaches, which were air-braked only, as well as air-braked freight trains, dual-braking of fleet had begun in 1968. No. D1066 Western Prefect was the first to be treated, but with the fleet due to be run down, a decision was made to only modify 70 members of the 74-strong class. The first loco to be stopped was No. D1032 Western Marksman in January 1973, although it was to be four months later before it was officially withdrawn. During this period, the loco was on decision and in need of bogie and engine attention as well as a major exam, and it was used as a ‘Christmas tree’ for parts at Laira depot, Plymouth. Final withdrawal came on May 6, when the first of the vacuum braked locos, No. D1019 Western Challenger, was also condemned having been taken out of traffic at Laira.
No. D1020 Western Hero was stopped at Laira in May, official withdrawal taking place the following month when No. D1018 Western Buccaneer was also removed from service. The last of the vacuum braked locos, No. D1017 Western Warrior, remained in service into July 1973, and was formally withdrawn on August 1. Its demise followed that of Nos. D1039 Western King and No. D1042 Western Princess, of which No. D1039 had been on decision since March and No. D1042 since April. Scrapping of the first ‘Westerns’ took place at Swindon Works the following year. No. D1018, which had moved north from Laira via Bristol St Philip’s Marsh, was cut up in March 1974. No. D1020, which had arrived at Swindon from Laira in December 1973, was scrapped the following month. Both locos had spent around ten years in service. Over the next five years or so, all the remaining ‘Westerns’, other than the seven examples that passed into preservation, were scrapped at Swindon.
March 2017 RAIL EXPRESS 23