Doncaster Works - Full

For more than 125 years Doncaster Works constructed locomotives for the Great Northern Railway, then as part of the London & North Eastern Railway and finally British Railways. It was from here that the Stirling ‘Singles’, Ivatt’s Atlantics and Gresley’s Pacifics including the famous Flying Scotsman and the world speed holder for steam, Mallard, emerged.

The final locomotives to be constructed on site were the BR-built dieselelectric Classes 56 and 58 – today only carriage refurbishment takes place in a town once famous for producing Gresley’s ‘racehorses’ and ‘streaks’ for the east coast route from London to Edinburgh. £16.50

DONCASTER WORKS

‘Doncaster Works’ is one of a series of 12 books being released in 2025 showcasing railway works and centres to commemorate ‘Railway 200’.

DONCASTER WORKS Images at and accessible to the Transport Treasury archive

DONCASTER WORKS Images at and accessible to the Transport Treasury archive

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© Images: Transport Treasury or as credited. Design: The Transport Treasury 2025. Text: Alan Butcher.

ISBN 978-1-917776-03-5 First published in 2025 by Transport Treasury Publishing Ltd., 16 Highworth Close, High Wycombe, HP13 7PJ Totem Publishing, an imprint of Transport Treasury Publishing.

The copyright holders hereby give notice that all rights to this work are reserved.

Aside from brief passages for the purpose of review, no part of this work may be reproduced, copied by electronic or other means, or otherwise stored in any information storage and retrieval system without written permission from the Publisher. This includes the illustrations herein which shall remain the copyright of the copyright holder. www.ttpublishing.co.uk Printed in Tarxien, Malta by Gutenberg Press Ltd. Front cover - Heavy freight locomotives Nos 58028 and 56063 undergoing maintenance work at the Plant on 20th May 1989. The Class 58 was new to traffic during March 1985 and had a service life of less than 15 years being withdrawn on 29th October 1999 and scrapped by European Metal Recycling at Kingsbury in August 2010. No 56063 was new to traffic on 6th September 1979 and was in service for a little under 26 years as it was withdrawn during August 2005 and broken up by C. F. Booth at its Rotherham yard in November 2007. (Barry J. Nicolle) Frontispiece - The A2 Pacifics were a development of the mixed traffic locomotives of Edward Thompson that were based on rebuilds of various Gresley designs. The first Peppercorn variant to enter traffic was No 525 that was new to traffic from Doncaster Works on 24th December 1947 – a week before the LNER was nationalised, as a result it was named after its designer – A. H. Peppercorn. It is seen here sporting its BR livery of green with orange and black lining outside the works on 7th November 1954 following a 30-day General overhaul. It was withdrawn from Aberdeen Ferryhill depot on 27th March 1963 and scrapped the following month at St Rollox works. (Eric Sawford) Rear cover - At the Doncaster Works Open Day of 1994 an image of one of its most famous products, Sir Nigel Gresley’s A4 Pacific class. And the one named after him, No 4498 is star of the show. The photographer had to wait for quite a while to obtain a relatively clear shot of it. (Andrew Royle)

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INTRODUCTION Although Doncaster has a history stretching back to the Roman era, it was only in the mid-19th century with the coming of the Great Northern Railway (GNR) that the town underwent a massive change.

In common with other ‘railway towns’ such as Crewe, Derby, Eastleigh and Swindon, it was the decision to construct a railway works in the area that laid the foundation for the dramatic growth in the Victorian era.

In 1846 Doncaster Corporation set out to entice the GNR into the town once the company realised that it would need a larger works to replace those it operated at Boston and Peterborough. After five years of deliberations on the merits of alternative sites the GNR decided that Doncaster would become the location of its new works. Land at Crimpsall Meadow was purchased in early 1852 and on 3rd March tenders were invited for building the new works – these had to be completed for a GNR Board meeting on the 23rd!

The tender from G. & H. Holme, Liverpool, was accepted for some £80,000. The contract was for the erection of ‘repairing’ shops; no mention was made for any intention to construct new locomotives at this time and several years were to pass before any work of this type was to take place.

in 1873 the first sleeping cars; in 1879 the first dining cars in the United Kingdom; and in 1882 the first corridor coaches. In 1891, 99 locomotives, 181 carriages and 1,493 wagons were built.

In 1889 a separate building, constructed at Doncaster Carr for the construction of carriages and wagons, was opened with work ceasing at the ‘Plant’ in 1890. By 1913 all of the work relating to coaches was concentrated in three buildings including a construction facility with 12 roads. The new works was situated across the line from the famous ‘Carr loco’, Doncaster’s motive power depot that had opened on 27th March 1876.

Development of the Plant early in the 20th century included electrification of the works, generation had commenced in 1899 and two years later greatly expanded; by 1906 further enlargements had brought the total capacity up to 836kW that was to be increased over the next few years. Amongst many uses for the new power source

Carriage construction commenced in the late 1850s under the short jurisdiction of John Coffin, the GNR’s first Carriage Superintendent, who died in 1858.

In 1866, Patrick Stirling (29th June 1820-11th November 1895) was appointed as Locomotive Superintendent, and the first locomotive from the ‘Plant’ – as the works became known – was to his design, No 18 being a 0-4-2 that appeared in 1867. Three years later the first of his 4-2-2 ‘Singles’ was to emerge, these being famous for high-speed exploits on the East Coast main line (ECML) – a total of 37 were constructed up to 1882.

At this time the works also began building new designs of coaches:

The builder’s plate as carried by Ivatt Class C1 4-4-2 No 251. New to traffic in December 1902 it would serve the GNR and LNER until withdrawal on 28th July 1947.

The locomotive survives as part of the National Collection. (Roy Vincent)

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was the installation of two electrically driven pumps to keep two accumulators charged up to 1,500lb/sq inch, from where hydraulic mains took power to the shops as required, a new hydraulic riveter being installed in the boiler shop in 1907.

The works was to produce Henry A. Ivatt’s (16th September 185125th October 1923) 4-4-2 Atlantics and Nigel Gresley’s (19th June 1876-5th April 1941) 4-6-2 Pacifics, including Flying Scotsman, the first locomotive to achieve an authenticated 100mph (161km) and also run from London King’s Cross to Edinburgh Waverley non-stop; and Mallard which achieved a top speed of 126mph (203km) on 3rd July 1938 to become the world’s fastest steam locomotive, a record that it holds to the present day. These have hauled named trains such as the ‘Flying Scotsman’, ‘Silver Jubilee’, ‘Coronation’ and the ‘Elizabethan’. Doncaster also constructed the carriages for the last of these express services.

In 1913 the ‘Plant’ employed 4,600 and covered 200 acres (81ha) and from the GNR era into LNER days the works was to build a variety of locomotives. During World War 2, like other railway workshops, it joined in the war effort producing, among other items, Horsa gliders for the RAF; locomotive work included the construction of 30 London, Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS)-designed Class 8F 2-8-0s, 25 of the LNER’ s own O2 class of 2-8-0, and modifications to the Americandesigned and built S160 2-8-0s for use ‘at home’ prior to their shipment and use in Europe following D-Day in June 1944.

The carriage building shop was destroyed by fire on 21st December 1940; attracting the attention of enemy bombers in the area, fortunately none of the bombs explode. The shops were rebuilt in 1947/48 enabling the construction of Thompson steel-panelled vehicles with an eye towards full-scale production – the works would ultimately be used in the construction of the British Railways-designed Mark 1 carriages.

Following Nationalisation in 1948 the ‘Plant’ was used to construct 50 LMS-designed Class 4 2-6-0s – commonly referred to as ‘flying pigs’ due to their austere design. The works was involved with the design and production of the new Standard class locomotives. Output included 10 Class 4MT 2-6-4Ts, 42 Class 5MT 4-6-0s and 70 Class 4MT 2-6-0s – the

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The cab side sheet of Class A1 4-6-2 No 60114 W. P. Allen. Named after a prominent trade unionist the locomotive entered service on 6th August 1948 being allocated to Kings Cross for service on the ECML. After spells at Copley Hill and Grantham it was allocated to its final shed, Doncaster, on 22nd September 1957. Withdrawn from service on 26th December 1964 it was destined to be dismantled in the works yard, but was sold to Hughes Bolckow of Blyth, during February 1965. The RA9 in the bottom right corner is the Route Availability code – the higher the number the fewer routes available. (Roy Vincent)

latter being a more refined version of the LMS type constructed earlier.

The ‘modernisation’ era would soon take hold and in 1957 BR Standard Class 4MT No 76114, would be the last of 2,228 steam locomotives completed. In November 1963 No 60009 Union of South Africa was the last of an estimated 10,000 steam locomotives to be overhauled at the Plant. Carriage building ceased in 1962, but the works was modernised with the addition of a diesel locomotive repair shop. New diesel shunters of both 204hp (152kW) and 350hp (261kW) were constructed.

A series of 24 750V Bo-Bo third-rail electric locomotives for the Southern Region’s Kent coast electrification commenced in 1959.

Construction started in the summer of 1962 on the first of 40 25kV electric locomotives (later Class 84) followed by an additional 40 locomotives during 1965/66 that would become Class 86.

On 1st January 1970 the ‘Plant’ became part of British Rail Engineering Ltd – one of its first jobs was sub-contracted from the Hunslet Engine Co being the construction of three Bo-Bo diesels for Northern Ireland Railways. Construction of 85 Class 56 locomotives, Nos 56031-115 commenced late in 1976 with the first deliveries the following April.

The final new design to emerge from the Plant was the BREL-designed Class 58, No 58001 would emerge in November 1982, with the last, No 58050, in April 1987.

Following completion of the Class 58s the works was reorganised into a large stores and repair depot with components being supplied on a 24 hour emergency basis if needed. The works also undertook tasks on an exchange basis enabling a quicker return to service of any locomotives requiring replacement components. A heavy overhaul programme of the Class 31 fleet took place in 1987/88 and the entire BR fleet of first generation diesel multiple units (DMUs) was allocated for maintenance purposes being followed by their replacement ‘Sprinters’

since. Alongside the smaller objects on display are two Doncaster-built locomotives that have taken centre stage in the museum – Nos 251 and 4771 Green Arrow. They are on loan as part of a partnership between Heritage Doncaster and the National Railway Museum. The museum is located at: Danum Gallery, Library & Museums, Waterdale, Doncaster, Yorkshire DN1 3BZ – tel: 01302 737 555.

Readers wishing to know more about the works and its development are directed to Rail Centres: Doncaster by Stephen R. Batty, Ian Allan 9780711020047, 1991.

As part of the governments privatisation programme, the British Rail Board sold the works to RFS Industries, as part of a management buyout in October 1987. In 1998 the Westinghouse Air Brake Co purchased RFS Industries and in March 2000 it was rebranded as Wabtec. The company is now a comprehensive, worldwide resource for locomotive needs supplying a vast array of quality electronic, mechanical and pneumatic components. In early 2008 the main locomotive repair shop that was built on the Crimpsall was demolished to make way for housing.

At the time of writing Wabtec continued to conduct refurbishment programmes at the Plant, although in February 2025 it was announced that it would be closing its UK operations by 2026.

Despite Doncaster’s railway story it was not until 2021 that visitors could explore the town’s fascinating rail history. The lower ground floor of the Danum Gallery, Library & Museum, is the home of the Rail Heritage Centre, featuring some of the Doncaster Grammar School’s 10,000-item collection. The school’s railway collection was started in the 1930s by its Railway Society and the Doncaster Grammar School Railway Collection Trustee’s have been collecting railway memorabilia ever

Right: A typical GNR locomotive lamp.

These would have been made in the works by the tinsmith – note that the brass cap with GNR embossed on it is highly polished. (Roy Vincent)

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MAKING THE PRODUCT

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Left: The scene in the Wheel Shop with newly tyred wheel sets ready for use. There are two lathes visible with a set of locomotive drivers in the nearest and a bogie wheel set in the adjacent lathe. The sign by the leading driving wheel set reads ‘This road required clear for traverser by nine o’clock’.

Note that the wheel sets are stored on two sets of rails allowing more to be stored on a given length of track.

(Barry Richardson)

Right: Taken on 24th June 1916, during World War 1, two female workers are seen operating capstan lathes. During both conflicts female workers were employed to increase output or release men for the services.

The lathes, also known as a ram-type, consisted of a hexagonal turret on a ram that slides longitudinally on a saddle positioned and clamped on the lathe bedplates. This type of machine is light in construction and suitable for the machining bars of small diameter.

(Transport Treasury, Colourised)

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Left: An oxy-acetylene cutter is seen in operation in ‘D’ shop during June 1947, this was where metal was cut and shaped along with the machining of castings produced at the works. The oxy-fuel cutting and oxy-fuel welding are processes that use oxygen and fuel gases (or liquid fuels) to cut or weld metals. French engineers Edmond Fouché and Charles Picard became the first to develop oxygenacetylene welding in 1903. Pure oxygen, instead of air, is used to increase the flame temperature to allow localised melting of steel in a workshop environment. (Roy Vincent) Below: A second view along ‘D’ shop on the same date shows blanks, or billets, stored on the floor with a superheater header between the machines off to the right and a cylinder casting on the left. Whilst the shop floor appears to be uneven it is made up of numerous blocks of hardwood rather than concrete. These would absorb any liquids split rather than leave a pool of lubricant as a solid floor would, and anything accidently dropped would not be damaged by hitting a hard surface. (Roy Vincent)

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Left: The Great Press was situated in the Tender Shop. It could be used to produce the curved sections of Gresley’s streamlined tenders along with a multitude of other items that required folding or creasing such as the curved sections on the cab side sheets and the A4’s nose sections.

(Roy Vincent)

Right: Tenders under construction, the far one carries the legend ‘Soap 5pm’.

The tender tank was not an empty box as it contains baffle plates and strengtheners to stop the sides bulging under the weight of water and to take the weight of several tons of coal. The lines of snap-head rivets indicate where these items were on the insides, some tenders had countersunk rivets and presented a ‘slab-sided’ appearance.

(Roy Vincent)

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Left: The interior of the power station control room, as mentioned in the Introduction the first steam-driven generators were installed in 1899 with two Williams & Robinson vertical engines each coupled to an 88kW two-pole dynamo. The output was increased in 1901 by the addition of a 220kW set. By 1906 some 836kW could be supplied to the works. During 1910/11 a 300kW eight-pole dynamo and 460hp (298kW) four-cylinder generating set was built into the old erecting shop with a smaller threecylinder set installed alongside the Crimpsall shop.

(Roy Vincent)

Right: Providing steam for the generation of power was in the provision of boilers from withdrawn locomotives. Five ex-GNR Atlantic boilers are seen here performing this service alongside the River Don in 1953. To make life slightly more tolerable for the firemen – or should that be stokers? – the firebox end was enclosed in corrugated iron ‘sheds’.

(Neville Stead Collection)

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Above: Two machinists are seen here using an oxypropane metal depositor. This equipment enables a layer of metal to be added to the surface of an existing item enabling it to be re-machined back to original size, often a cheaper alternative to making a new part.

(Roy Vincent)

Right: Following completion or overhaul the locomotives had to be weighed. A K3 class Mogul is seen in the weigh house during 1954. The equipment was used to ensure that all axles carried its share of the load and was equal on both sides. Adjustments could then be made to ensure all was well before releasing the locomotive to service. The flanges would take the weight and in the original image clear air can be seen between the tyres and rails. (Roy Vincent)

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IN THE WORKS

What were to become the LNER’s Classes J4 and J5 have a complicated history involving different size boilers and cylinders before a common design evolved with Gresley starting his own range of ‘Standard Goods’ locomotives in 1912 – a total of 157 J5s entered LNER ownership. The final batch of Ivatt-designed GNR J5s was initially ordered as a batch of 25 from Dübs & Co. It was from this order that 12 were supplied to the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway (M&GN) in 1900. No 91 entered traffic that October, being renumbered as 091 in May 1937 when the LNER took over the maintenance of the M&GN locomotive fleet. It was allocated 4166 under the 1946 renumbering scheme but this was not to be carried as the locomotive was withdrawn from service at South Lynn depot on 26th January that year. It is seen here on 23rd May 1937 following overhaul at which time it was repainted and renumbered. (George Barlow)

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No 67391 was one of the first 4-4-2T locomotive types introduced by Ivatt (who was the first to introduce Walschaerts valve gear to Britain) the first batch of 10 GNR Class C2 (LNER C12) locomotives was built in 1898 for hauling suburban services in the West Riding of Yorkshire. These were very successful, and a further 50 were built to operate London suburban services replacing the older and smaller Stirling 0-4-4Ts (LNER Classes G1 and G2). The total count of 60 C12s were built in six batches of ten each, between 1898 and 1907. The 50 built for London services were initially fitted with condensing gear for operating the Metropolitan Widened Lines, this was removed when reallocated away from London. The 4-4-2T arrangement was built by the GCR, NBR, and GNR for suburban passenger services. The LNER did not build any further 4-4-2Ts, but it did take over three from the M&GN in 1937. No 67391 commenced its career as GNR No 1541, being renumbered by the LNER as 4541 in March 1925 and again in November 1946 to 7391; it gained its final number in April 1949. It is seen in the works on 20th September 1953, two years before withdrawal on 10th January 1958.

The Atlantic tanks survived rather better than their tender counterparts, with all but 14 being inherited by BR – the last C12s were withdrawn in 1958. Behind No 67391 stands a Class 4MT Mogul, designed for the LMS by his son, Henry George Ivatt, known as George, (4th May 1886-4th October 1972). The wheel sets are marked with their destination and locomotive number – the set in the foreground is marked for ‘4 Bay To 1918.R.’ – being the leading set for Class K3 2-6-0 No 61918. (Leslie Freeman)

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Left Top: Probably one of the most well-known locomotives to be constructed at Doncaster was GNR A1 class Pacific No 1472 Flying Scotsman, entering traffic on 24th February 1923 – the first passenger locomotive to be completed by the LNER at Doncaster.

It was renumbered to the more familiar 4472 on 2nd March 1924.

During its career the locomotive would be renumbered several times – 502 (on 21st January 1946), 103 (on 5th May 1946), E103 (on 15th March 1948), and finally to 60103 on 30th December 1948. At the time of the photograph, 14th April 1935, the locomotive was in works for a General overhaul lasting 53 days between 27th March and 18th May – work included the fitting of an overhauled boiler. Note the use of a ‘narrow gauge network’ enabling large components to be moved around by trollies – this was long before the days of fork lift trucks.

Left Bottom: No 60103 is seen again in the works, this time on 19th May 1962 when undergoing its last General overhaul whilst in BR service. Over its career, numerous modifications were be made to ‘improve the breed’ including rebuilding from A1 to A3 specification between 18th November 1946 and 4th January 1947.

It had been converted from right-hand drive to left-hand drive in March/April 1954 and gained a double chimney in December 1958/January 1959 – both during General overhauls. It would be withdrawn from service on 15th January 1963 and sold for preservation to Alan Pegler. The locomotive is now part of the National Collection. (Leslie Freeman) Right: In late summer 1962 Gresley Pacifics No 60005 Sir Charles Newton and No 60059 Tracery stand side by side in the works.

Class A3 No 60059 underwent a Light Casual overhaul between 3rd September and 10th October with the A4 shopped for a General overhaul between 15th August and 2nd November.

No 60005 carried three names during its career, entering traffic on 8th June 1938 as Capercaille, the plates were removed on 14th July 1942 to be replaced by Charles H. Newton; these were in turn removed and replaced by Sir Charles Newton. On 30th September 1918 Charles Newton left the service of the Great Western Railway to join the Great Eastern Railway where he eventually became Assistant Accountant and, later, Chief Accountant of the London & North Eastern Railway. Whilst on the GWR he studied signalling and railway working and founded the GWR Accountant’s Office Students’ Society. He was Chief General Manager of the LNER during World War 2 and was knighted for his services. The locomotive was one of the A4s fitted with a double chimney from new. Being withdrawn on 12th March 1964 – it had spent its last few months allocated to Aberdeen Ferryhill seeing use on the 3hr expresses between Aberdeen and Glasgow. (G. W. Smith)

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The inside of the Crimpsall repair shop is seen in this undated view, but judging by the lining on the wheel set visible in late LNER/early BR days, unfortunately the photographer did not identify either of the locomotives. The B1 on the left has had its buffer beam removed, presumably as a result of accident damaged that required its replacement, with the A3 undergoing a Light overhaul. (Roy Vincent)

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Class A4 No 4491 is seen during the latter stages of construction on 23rd May 1937. What would become Commonwealth of Australia entered service on the 22nd June at Haymarket depot – spending the majority of its career in Scotland. As part of the 1946 renumbering scheme it would be initially allocated 593, but this was not applied as it gained the number 12 on 12th January 1947. On 26th May 1948 it became 60012 following a General overhaul at Doncaster. After a career of just over 27 years it would be withdrawn from Aberdeen Ferryhill depot on 20th August 1964 and sold to Motherwell Machinery & Scrap at Wishaw for recycling. In the original image, spikes can be seen at the foot of the ladders that would stop them sliding by digging in to the wooden blocks on the floor; what appears to be a cylinder block is on the sack barrow. (George Barlow)

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Left: No 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley has just entered the works for an overhaul – its motion has already been removed. The locomotive entered service as No 4498 on 30th October 1937 being allocated to Kings Cross for service on the ECML. It was renumbered to 7 on 12th January 1947, gaining its BR number on 24th March 1948. Its final depot was Aberdeen Ferryhill where it arrived on 20th July 1964, being used on the three hour expresses from there to Glasgow. It was withdrawn on 1st February 1966 and sold for preservation to the A4 Locomotive Society. (Transport Treasury)

Below: After making its final visit to the Works for overhaul, No 60008 Dwight D Eisenhower is ready for its last journey (at the time) to the United States for preservation at the National Railroad Museum at Green Bay, Wisconsin in 1963.

It would, of course return to the UK in 2012/13 to join the other five surviving A4 class members to mark the 75th anniversary of the 126mph world speed record for steam, achieved by Mallard in 1938. (Transport Treasury)

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Nigel Gresley was knighted in 1936, and died in office on 5th April 1941. His replacement was Edward Thompson (25th June 1881-15th July 1954) who started a muchneeded programme of standardisation that included rebuilding a number of his predecessor’s designs, including the V2 express goods and P2 Mikado locomotives. One of Thompson’s A2/3s is seen under construction in the works during June 1947. This was part of an order for 30, however only 15 were completed, all entering service after his retirement. The remainder of the batch were completed to Peppercorn’s revised design. No 500 (60500) Edward Thompson was the 2,000th locomotive to be completed at Doncaster and named after its designer. All of his Pacifics had three sets of divided drive – the inside cylinder driving on the leading coupled wheels and the outside ones driving the second axle. Three sets of Walschaert’s valve gear replaced Gresley’s conjugated arrangement and all were fitted with double chimneys from new. If the date is correct this is either No 522 (60522) Straight Deal that entered service at Grantham on 19th June 1947 or No 523 (60523) Sun Castle that entered service at Kings Cross on 2nd August 1947. (Roy Vincent)

In 1942 during the early planning stages for the invasion of Europe, it was realised that large numbers of main line and shunting locomotives would have to be built and used on both British and European lines. Robert A. (Robin) Riddles (23rd May 1892-18th June 1983) was put in charge of the design work, and adapted the standard Hunslet industrial inside-cylindered 0-6-0ST to produced the WD ‘Austerity’ 0-6-0ST design to meet the projected requirements. The first locomotive was steamed in January 1943, and a total of 377 were built for the War Department over the next four years. Postwar the LNER was to acquire 75 examples, which required a few modifications that included cab seats, cab side doors and LNER standard lamp irons – these were minor enough to be handled by the shed staff. Given the class designation J94, what would become No 68020 was constructed by W. G. Bagnall & Co in September 1944 entering LNER service in September 1946 as 8020 – gaining its BR number during October 1948 whilst allocated to Immingham. It is seen here in the works on 6th July 1963 having been prepared for sale to the National Coal Board following its withdrawal from Langwith Junction depot on 15th June – its coupling rods are on the running plate ready for it to be delivered to its new owners. One of six ex-BR J94s to be sold to the NCB, it was delivered to Askern Main colliery as No 50; it was withdrawn and scrapped in 1970. (Leslie Freeman)

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Left: During the early 1970s, it became clear to BR planners that a new Type 5 locomotive to handle heavy freight services would be required. Accordingly, in 1974, BR placed an order for 60 locomotives that were originally intended to be constructed in two batches of 30 by British Rail Engineering Ltd’s (BREL) Doncaster Works and Brush Traction, Loughborough. However, Brush had already reached the maximum capacity at its Loughborough site, making it unrealistic to perform the work in-house. To overcome this bottle-neck, the company opted to sub-contract its batch to the Romanian locomotive manufacturer Electroputere. The Class 56 fleet was introduced between 1976 and 1984, with a total of 135 examples being manufactured. The first 30 locomotives (56001-56030) were built in Romania, but suffered from poor construction standards and were withdrawn from service for extensive rebuilding. The remaining 105 locomotives were built

by BREL at Doncaster Works (56031 to 56115) and Crewe Works (56116 to 56135). No 56104 is seen here in the paint shop on 7th February 1982 – the locomotive entered service two weeks later on the 21st. The locomotive was one of 16 selected for conversion to Class 69 by owners GB Railfreight. (Bernard Mills)

Right: No 56094 was out-shopped in BR’s large logo livery and is seen here alongside the weigh house on 26th July 1981 – it entered service on 9th August being allocated to Tyseley depot.

Despite being condemned in late 2011 the locomotive was resold to Colas Rail who still operate it. (Bernard Mills)

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Class 50 No 50031 stands alongside Class 56 No 56046 outside the Diesel Locomotive Test House on 14th May 1978 – the Plant had been equipped with one of the most modern in the country. Two locomotives of up to 2,000hp (1,419kW) each could be tested simultaneously or alternatively one of up to 4,000hp (2,983kW), it is fully sound proofed and no noise reaches the outside world. No 50031 was new to traffic on 1st July 1968 as No D431, gaining its TOPS number on 16th February 1974. The Class 56 was undergoing final testing before entering the paint shop, it entered traffic on 18th July 1978 – it was withdrawn in July 2002 whilst the Class 50 survives in preservation. The Class 50 was named Hood on 28th June 1978 after the ill-fated battleship, constructed by John Brown & Co and commissioned on 15th May 1920. It was destroyed on 24th May 1941 with the loss of 1,415 lives. (Bernard Mills)

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The Class 58 was designed for heavy freight traffic. The narrow body with cabs at either end led to them being given the nickname ‘Bones’ by rail enthusiasts. Work on the first locomotive began in 1979, with the intention of producing a model that was not only suited for the UK but also geared toward potential export markets. The result was a significant departure from traditional British locomotive design, focusing on cost-effectiveness in both construction and maintenance. With export an important consideration, pre-production drawings of the class referred to the type as ‘Standard Export Locomotives’. The engineers were involved in the effort from the conceptual stage of development, bringing design and production planning into close alignment. In the concept phase, the locomotive incorporated features such as modularisation and recently developed manufacturing techniques to lower manufacturing and maintenance costs as well as minimising downtime. Doncaster was responsible for constructing the 50 locomotives, Nos 58001-58050 entered traffic between May 1983 and March 1987. The first of the class was delivered to British Rail during May 1983 – despite expectations of a lengthy service life, during 2002, English, Welsh 7 Scottish Railways (EWS) decided to withdraw all examples of the type after only 19 years in traffic.

Subsequently, 32 were hired abroad – four to the Netherlands, eight to Spain and 20 to France. No 58001 is seen here at Doncaster during a works open day on 9th July 1994, it was withdrawn from service on 8th October 1999. After a long period in store it was one of those exported to France, in August 2009, and scrapped at Alizay in May 2023. (Andrew Royle)

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By the beginning of the 1980s, BR operated a large fleet of what became known as first generation DMUs. While formulating a long-term strategy for this sector of its operations, it was recognised that considerable costs would be incurred by undertaking a further refurbishment programme necessary for the continued use of these ageing multiple units; particularly due to the necessity of handling and removing hazardous materials such as asbestos. In the light of the high costs involved in retention, the prospect for the development and introduction of a new generation of DMUs was explored. The most numerous of the second-generation unit were the Class 142s, these used Leyland bus technology mounted on BR Derby-built chassis – 96 two-car sets were introduced between 1985-87. Doncaster was the works selected to maintain the fleet that became known as Sprinters. Several vehicles are seen here during a works open day on 9th July 1994. The vehicle on the left painted in BR Provincial two-tone blue is from unit 142065. All of the second-generation units have been withdrawn from the national network; numerous examples survive in preservation. (Andrew Royle)

Locomotive power units have to be regularly serviced and its ‘life’ is measured in Engine Hours, this refers to how long an engine has been running throughout its lifespan or during a specific operation – this used in all industries relying on machinery and heavy equipment, and importantly helps accurately determine vehicle or equipment usage and maintenance requirements. The image, taken at Doncaster during 1992, shows the pistons being withdrawn from the cylinders enabling engineers to check for piston ring and cylinder liner wear. (Milepost)

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Between 1873 and 1901 Stirling and Ivatt contributed 302 0-6-0s with 5ft 2in (1.57m) diameter wheels and 4ft 4in (1.32m) diameter boilers. In 1908, Ivatt introduced locomotives with larger diameter boilers to operate the fast goods trains that the GNR was introducing at that time. Following his own standardisation policy, Ivatt based the new J21 (LNER J1) design on that of the existing N1 0-6-2T locomotives, using the same boiler, motion, and coupled wheels – a total of 15 J1s were built at Doncaster. GNR No 11 was introduced to traffic during October 1908, being renumbered 5010 in July 1946. It gained its BR number during December 1948 whilst allocated to Hitchin depot from where it was withdrawn on 19th January 1953, being one of 11 to enter BR service. In this undated view No 65010 is seen in the yard at Doncaster, probably awaiting its fate, behind a number of apparently discarded chimneys. (Neville Stead Collection)

The GNR J4s (LNER J3) were rebuilt by Gresley between 1912 and 1928 with larger 4ft 8in (1.42m) diameter boilers – some were rebuilt from the Stirling version dating from 1892. A total of 153 were rebuilt with the first being withdrawn in 1928. No 4149 emerged from the works of Kitson & Co, Hunslet, Leeds, as GNR No 1151 in June 1900. It was renumbered to 4151 in March 1925 and again in April 1946 to 4149. It is seen here in the works yard in 1939. It never became part of the Nationalised network as it was withdrawn on 28th November 1947. (Neville Stead Collection)

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The GNR built several classes of Stirling designed 0-6-0STs, between 1874 and 1892. The 95 GNR Class J15s were the first saddle tanks built at Doncaster, their boilers, cylinders, and wheel spacing were identical to the existing GNR J6 0-6-0 goods locomotive, but 4ft 8in wheels were fitted. The withdrawals started as early as 1902 and by the Grouping in 1923 11 J15s had been withdrawn; these were either scrapped or sold, with the remainder reclassified as J54 by the LNER. Although the LNER rebuilt many J54s as J55s during the 1920s, withdrawals continued during the 1920s and 1930s – these were caused by new J50s displacing them, which in turn were taking the lighter duties previous undertaken by the J54s, J55s, and J56s. By 1937, only three J55s remained in service. One of these was scrapped in 1947, leaving two to enter British Railways ownership in 1948 — LNER numbers 8317 and 8319. Only the latter was renumbered, to 68319, being used as a Departmental locomotive at the works. It was condemned before it was allocated a number in the Departmental Stock series and cut up before the paperwork was completed! (Neville Stead Collection)

The date that Class N1 0-6-2T No 69466 was seen in the works yard was not recorded; however, it was called into Doncaster for an overhaul in June 1955 that was not to take place. The class was introduced by Ivatt in 1907 but proved too heavy for the Metropolitan Widened Lines, and was quickly moved to the West Riding. The rest of the class was built with a slightly longer frame and with the radial wheels set further back. The coalbunker and side tanks were re-modelled, with an overall effect of moving the weight towards the rear. Although the maximum axle load was still high, the design changes appear to have been a success and by 1912 a total of 51 N1s were operating in the London area. A total of 56 were built in six batches. With the exception for four that intended for use in the West Riding, all were fitted with condensing gear during the 1930s. Later the N1s could be found on virtually all of the shorter passenger routes in the county by which time the condensing gear had been removed. No 69466 entered service during February 1912 as GNR No 1586; it was renumbered by the LNER to 4586 (October 1924) and 9466 (October 1946) before gaining its BR number on 23rd May 1951. It was officially withdrawn from Hornsey depot on 4th July 1955. (Neville Stead Collection)

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The N2 was a development of Ivatt’s N1 class of 0-6-2T; designed by Gresley they featured larger diameter cylinders, piston valves, a superheated boiler, and a greater water capacity. With the piston valves positioned above the cylinders a high-pitched boiler was required, this combined with a short chimney designed to keep the locomotive within the Metropolitan loading gauge. The first 60 had condensing apparatus, as seen here on No 69546, although this was added or removed as required as locomotives were transferred to, or from, the London area. Although initially built for suburban services in the Kings Cross area, later locomotives were built for similar services around Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee. No 69546 was built by the North British Locomotive Co entering service in April 1921 as GNR No 1767. It was renumbered 4767 in March 1925 and again in November 1946 when it became No 9546. It gained its BR number on 28th September 1950 whilst allocated to Kings Cross and is seen here in the works yard waiting its turn for a General overhaul that took place between 4th April and 12th May 1959. It was withdrawn from service at Peterborough’s New England depot on 23rd September 1962, being noted in the works scrapyard the following March. (Neville Stead Collection)

By 1912, the GN was operating a number of goods trains with passenger locomotives. This was not ideal and the Board, asked Gresley to design a new class of locomotive which could haul the heavier goods trains at speeds of up to 40mph (64km). A 2-6-0 design was quickly chosen, with the leading pony truck intended to reduce wear on the leading driving wheels and to provide a steadier ride at higher speeds. The resulting GNR Class H2 (LNER Class K1) was also the first design to incorporate Gresley’s patented double swing link pony truck design. The first locomotive was ordered in March 1912 and was followed by nine further locomotives that were built in early 1913. Due to the use of outside Walschaerts valve gear, which was unusual with the GNR at that time, they acquired the nickname of ‘Ragtimers’ that may also have been connected to their lively nature when running at speed. The second batch of locomotives had a larger diameter boiler and were classified K2 by the LNER – No 61746 is seen here at Doncaster late in 1952 whilst allocated to Lincoln. It entered service as GNR No 1656 in November 1916 and was renumbered 4656 on 16th August 1924; 1746 on 29th July 1946 and gained its BR number on 26th November 1949 whilst allocated to Stratford. It was withdrawn from Boston depot on 27th February 1959 and recycled at Darlington.

(Neville Stead Collection)

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Class K3 No 141 and A3 No 2596 Manna stand in the works yard on 30th June 1935. Although very similar to the K1s and K2s, the K3s looked different due to their large diameter boilers and stout boiler mountings. The cab continued the austere style started by Ivatt, originally no side windows were provided, but a 1ft 6in deep side cut out was provided as a driver look out. The roof also extended back 9in (228mm) over the cab entrance. Later batches of K3s would introduce side windows as seen here carried

by No 141, padded seats for the crew were also provided. The locomotive was built at Darlington Works, entering service on 7th February 1925, initially at Ardsley, but quickly relocating to Doncaster. It would be renumbered 1842 during August 1946, gaining its BR number, 61842, during November 1948. It spent the last eight years of its career allocated to the former Great Central Railway’s Woodford Halse depot. It was withdrawn on 21st August 1961 and scrapped at Doncaster by the end of the year. The A3 was new from the works on 22nd February 1930, being allocated to Gateshead. It had undergone a General overhaul between 23rd May and 29th June 1935; at this date the locomotive was fitted with a non-corridor tender. It was renumbered 85 on 27th October 1946 and gained its BR number, 60085, on 3rd July 1948. Its LNER-style tender would be replaced by a GNR one in April 1962. It was withdrawn from Gateshead depot on 12th October 1964 and sold to Albert Draper’s Hull scrapyard where it was cut up in January 1965 – the company would cut up eight members of the class. The locomotive was named after a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from summer 1924 until September 1925, Manna ran eight times, winning four races. In 1925, as a three-year-old, he won the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and The Derby by a record margin of eight lengths. (George Barlow)

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Class O2 No 63938 was new from Doncaster Works carrying the temporary number 493N, soon amended under the 1924 scheme to 3493. On 12th November 1946 it was revised to 3938, gaining its BR number whilst allocated to Grantham on 10th May 1949. It is seen here outside the works on 8th June 1958 having arrived for a General overhaul that would see it rebuilt to Class O2/4 specification using the same boiler as Thompson’s B1 class 4-6-0. It would be withdrawn from Grantham depot on 8th September 1963 and scrapped the following February at William Rigley’s Bulwell Forest Wagon Works, one of 22 O2s to be scrapped there. The wagon alongside is fulfilling its duties being marked for ‘scrap only’ and ‘for internal use Doncaster Loco Dept’. Its running number has been obliterated and replaced by an X. (A. E. Bennett)

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Left Top: Until the end of steam on BR upon withdrawal of locomotives not all was necessarily cut up – many smaller items, along with boilers and tenders could be reused. In this case Class C1 locomotive frames have been converted to serve as boiler carriers and are seen in the works yard during 1961. Within a few years they would meet their fate in the same scrap yards.

(Neville Stead Collection)

Left Bottom: A variation on the boiler carrier scheme – boiler No 29312 sits on one made from old wheel sets on 11th October 1959. The boiler was fitted to A4 No 60008 Dwight D. Eisenhower before removal for overhaul, emerging from the works in July 1960 fitted to No 60005 Sir Charles Newton. (Alec Swain)

Right: A smart looking Class J50/3, No 68941, standing in the works yard on 28th September 1952. The class was a development of the original Gresley designed Class J23 (LNER J51) 0-6-0T in 1913 for working the steeply graded lines in the West Riding mentioned earlier. The newly formed LNER adopted the J50 as a Group Standard design, and between 1926 and 1939 a total of 52 more J50s were built. The Group Standard J50s had a slightly different cab profile to fit the Composite Gauge. Minor standardisation of parts also occurred, and they were converted from left-hand drive to right-hand drive being classified as J50/3.

No 68941 was constructed at Doncaster, entering traffic in March 1926 as No 586. It was renumber 8941 on 17th March 1946, gaining its BR number during March 1949 whilst allocated to Bradford Hammerton Street. It was withdrawn from Ardsley depot on 13th December 1961. (H. Cartwright)

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With Thompson’s preference for simple two-cylinder designs instead of Gresley’s three-cylinder variants, the K4s were to be no exception when it came to rebuilding. The first outline drawing for a two-cylinder version appeared in February 1945, and incorporated a shortened B1 boiler. A rebuilding order for one locomotive was issued in March, and No 3445 MacCailin Mor was rebuilt and returned to service in December 1945. No further members of the class were rebuilt and Peppercorn developed the two-cylinder variant into his K1 design. Ordered from the North British Locomotive Co it was intended that the class was to be split between the North Eastern and Eastern Regions.

All were delivered to the Eastfield depot where they were run-in before being allocated further south. Many of the North Eastern Regions K1s would often be seen as far north as Edinburgh, and early on they were regularly used on the West Highland line. Later allocations were to the Eastern Region with a significant number sent to March depot. No 62005 was new to traffic at Darlington on 10th June 1949 and is seen here ex-works at Doncaster early in 1961 having undergone a General overhaul between 3rd January-2nd February. It is waiting to return to York (North) depot where it was allocated from 30th August 1959 until 13th March 1966 when it was reallocated to Blyth (North). Withdrawn from Holbeck (MR) depot on 30th December 1967 it was sold for preservation to Lord Garnock. (Barry Richardson)

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The GNR’s Class J14 (LNER Class J53) was Stirling’s last saddle tank design and appeared in 1892. Designed for exchanging traffic with the London Chatham & Dover Railway (LC&DR) at Ludgate Hill, the J14 resembled his earlier saddle tank classes. In 1897, Ivatt introduced a version of the J14 with a domed boiler, and this became GNR Class J13 (LNER J52). Although the two classes were virtually the same except for the boilers, none of the J14s were rebuilt with the larger domed boilers until 1922 when three were rebuilt as J13s. The rebuild process continued after Grouping (1923), with the last J53 (ex-J14) being rebuilt in November 1932. In 1940, the J52 class was divided into two sub-classes. Class J52/1 was used for the rebuilds from the J53s, whilst J52/2 was used for the original domed locomotives. The photographer identified the locomotive seen here as Departmental Service No 1, it was constructed by Sharp Stewart and entered service in May 1889 as GNR No 1246. It was renumbered by the LNER to 4246 (in October 1924) and again as No 8845 in October 1946. It was withdrawn in May 1950, without gaining its BR number, and taken into Departmental stock. When in 1952 it was decided to introduce a DS number series it became No 1. It is seen here in Doncaster Works yard having its boiler washed out – the image is dated 11th October 1958 although according to published dates it was condemned in February the previous year! One wonders, as the locomotive carries no visible identification whether it was either BR No 68858 (DS No 2) or 68840 (DS No 9), both of which were condemned on 3rd February 1961. (Alec Swain)

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Despite the popularity of the ‘Mikado’ 2-8-2 wheel arrangement in many other countries, the LNER was the only British company to operate standard gauge tender versions, with eight being built to two different Gresley designs. The two P1 locomotives were built to haul heavy mineral trains into London, but operational limitations meant they were difficult to run efficiently. The P2s were designed for hauling express passenger trains on the difficult Glasgow to Aberdeen line and received much more publicity. The third of the class to enter service, No 2003 Lord President is seen here on display in the works yard – the last four had streamlined fronts similar to those of the A4 Pacifics. After the death of Gresley in 1941, Thompson took over and began his standardisation programme. Due to their small numbers it was almost inevitable that the P2s would be rebuilt; between January 1943 and December 1944, all six were rebuilt as A2/2 Pacifics. No 2003 was so treated at Doncaster between 2nd September and 17th December 1944; renumbered to 503 on 30th June 1946 and again on 18th September 1948 as BR 60503 following a General overhaul. It would be withdrawn from service at York (North) depot on 27th November 1959 and scrapped at Doncaster soon after.

(Yorkshire Post)

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When he took office Thompson initially worked on producing a mixed-traffic Pacific, before working on a new express passenger design. With the intention of improving the A4 design, he drew up two modified Gresley three-cylinder designs. These designs discarded the conjugated gear and had separate sets of Walschaerts valve gear for each cylinder. Due to space restrictions, the middle cylinder could not be parallel with the outside cylinders.

One design had the middle cylinder forward of the outside cylinders, whilst the chosen option had the middle cylinder further back. Gresley’s Class A1 (by then reclassified A10) No 4470 Great Northern was selected for rebuilding as it was in the works at the time. Most of Thompson’s new ideas were incorporated into No 4470, with very little of the original being used in the rebuilding – even new frames were required. Initially, the design incorporated wing-type smoke deflectors of the type used on the A2/1 and A2/2 Pacifics. These were not very successful, so plans for large smoke deflectors were produced. Although the rebuilt locomotive emerged in September 1945, it was not until December that the new smoke deflectors would be fitted. Great Northern was renumbered No 113 under the 1946 scheme. It became No 60113 on 1st October 1948 following a General overhaul; being withdrawn from Doncaster depot on 19th November 1962 with a badly worn middle cylinder. In this undated view it is seen in the works yard – it was shopped for eight Light repairs and a General overhaul between rebuilding and Nationalisation; note the use of small head code discs and traditional oil lamps along with the electric lights driven by the generator situated on the running board inside the right-hand side smoke deflector. (Roy Vincent)

The front end of BR Britannia No 70036 Boadicea is seen in the works yard in June 1962 – the white patch on the frames was a means of crack testing, any oil in the crack would show up as a black line indicating repairs would be required. The locomotive was recorded as being in the Erecting Shop on 3rd December 1961 – accurate shopping records for the class ceased around 1958. It was new to traffic from Crewe Works on 23rd December 1952 being allocated to the former Great Eastern Railway depot at Stratford. Following service on the Eastern Region it was transferred to the London Midland Region on 25th November 1963, being withdrawn from Carlisle Kingmoor on 15th October 1966. (Transport Treasury)

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When Gresley succeeded Ivatt in 1911, he found the GNR’s Q1 and Q2 0-8-0 heavy goods engines were being worked to capacity. Coal traffic on the mainline from Grantham to London was particularly heavy, and the GNR sought to reduce the number of mineral trains by increasing trainloads. The origin of the locomotive seen here differed as it commenced its career as a member of the Robinson-designed 2-8-0s for the Great Central Railway that were adopted by the War Department (WD) during World War 1.

Constructed by the North British Locomotive Co, Glasgow, it entered service as WD No 1821 in October 1917. Following a period with the London & North Western Railway as its No 2963 it was acquired by the LNER in the summer of 1927 being given No 6751. Renumbered 3746 on 1st September 1946, it entered Gorton Works on 11th September 1946 for rebuilding as part of Thompson’s efforts towards standardisation. It emerged on 27th November carrying its BR number 63746 and reclassified as an O4/1. It is seen outside the works on 19th May 1962 following a General overhaul; allocated to March depot – hence the 31A shed code – it would be transferred to Staveley depot on 24th November 1963 and withdrawn from service on 27th February the following year. Class A3 No 60061 Pretty Polly, complete with ‘elephant ear’ smoke deflectors, stands behind having just had a Light Casual service that did not require the locomotive to be repainted. (Leslie Freeman)

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Thompson’s Class B1 design dated from 1942, it was the LNER’s equivalent to the Great Western Railway’s Hall class and the LMS’s Stanier Black Five, two-cylinder mixed traffic 4-6-0s. However, it had the additional requirement of having to be cheap because, due to wartime and subsequent postwar economies, the LNER, never the richest company had to make savings. Construction of the 410 strong class was split between Darlington, Vulcan Foundry, with North British Locomotive Co producing the majority. No 61409, the last of the class to enter traffic, was new from Darlington, entering traffic at Immingham on 15th June 1950 and is seen in the works yard following a General overhaul in early 1959 carrying a 40B (Immingham) shed plate. It was withdrawn from Lincoln depot on 22nd September 1963, being scrapped by R. A. (Archie) King, Norwich, the following January (it was one of 16 recorded as being scrapped by Kings). The first member of the class was withdrawn due to accident damage, No 61057 at Chelmsford in 1950; the last in September 1967. (Neville Stead Collection)

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AN OPEN EVENT Left: Works open days were a much-anticipated event as it enabled the ‘non-enthusiast’ to have a look round and see the latest the company had to offer. The 20th September 1953 Centenary event at Doncaster works was well attended as seen here. Locomotives on display included EM1 (later Class 76) No 26020, A4 No 60022 Mallard and BR No 70000 Britannia, with steps provided for easy access to/from the footplates.

(Yorkshire Post)

Right Top: A view that would give today’s Health & Safety Executive apoplexy! A wagon body has been co-opted into giving visitors a ‘lift’ and, to give no doubt what they were there for, has been painted with ‘Welcome to the Plant Works Centenary 18531953. (Leslie Freeman)

Right Bottom: Open days were not all about locomotives, this view shows the former LNER’s Locomotive Running Department’s No 961800 at the August 1948 open day. The carriage started its life as a 12-wheel directors’ saloon No 10 in 1883, with a body length of 53ft. Converted to an Instruction Van in 1913 it was given number EX 3. It later became LNER No 961800, later still, c1959, being given a new under frame and four-wheel bogies; it was withdrawn from service in 1964. (Roy Vincent)

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TOWARDS THE END OF STEAM The GNR and LNER both had a number of plans for a heavy 2-6-4T passenger locomotive. These plans were cancelled in favour of the N2 0-6-2T, and a 1927 Stratford scheme was cancelled after the Southern Railway experienced a series of derailments with its 2-6-4Ts. When Thompson became the CME in 1941, his standardisation programme listed the existing V3 2-6-2T as the heavy passenger tank engine, replacing the A5 4-6-2Ts, N2 0-6-2Ts, and some N5 0-6-2Ts. Later, the V3 requirement was replaced with a new two-cylinder 2-6-2T with smaller wheels and a higher tractive effort. It was noted at the time that this new locomotive might have to be a 2-6-4T due to axle weight issues. The prototype L1 locomotives was ordered on 3rd May 1944, and No 9000 was completed at Doncaster in May 1945. This was the only tank engine built by the LNER that was painted in lined apple-green livery. The LNER’s 1945 Modernisation Plan included a total of 110 locomotives and 29 were ordered from Darlington in November 1945; No 9000 would remain the only L1 in service until Nationalisation in 1948 with the balance coming from Darlington (Nos 67702-30), the North British Locomotive Co (Nos 67731-65) and Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns (Nos 67766-800) – in the event only 100 were built. No 9000 (No 67701 from 15th May 1948) was new to Kings Cross depot on delivery, before rapidly being reallocated to Stratford where it was photographed on 26th May 1956. With the introduction of diesel multiple units the class had a short life with the last examples withdrawn at the end of 1962. No 67701 succumbed earlier on 4th December 1960 – being stored until scrapped at Stratford the following September. The wooden bodied 13-ton open wagon, No S13337, has seen better days! (Leslie Freeman)

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The LMS Ivatt Class 4 2-6-0s were designed for medium freight work but also widely used on secondary passenger services. The LMS ordered 162 of this type between 1947 and 1952, but only three were built before nationalisation in 1948. They were classified 4F by the LMS and 4MT by BR. The design was noted for its American looks – the running boards were positioned at a high level with a gap left ahead of the cylinders. The locomotives also incorporated new mechanical features intended to reduce maintenance costs – the utilitarian appearance was a deliberate design decision. Following Nationalisation construction of Nos 43050-69/43107-11/43137-161 was transferred to Doncaster, the other Eastern Region works to take on construction was Darlington where Nos 43070-108 were constructed. No 43061 was ex-works on 27th October 1950 when it was allocated to Peterborough’s New England depot. Locomotives allocated to Eastern Region depots could be seen at Doncaster for overhauls where No 43061 is seen on 10th April 1960. It was withdrawn from Colwick depot on 5th January 1964. (J. Bell)

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The last steam locomotive to be built at Doncaster was BR Class 4MT 2-6-0 No 76114, which is seen here with some of the men responsible for its construction. It entered traffic on 17th October 1957 at St Rollox; with the exception of the Western Region, the class were allocated all over the UK; No 76114 was to spend all its working life in Scotland, being allocated to Parkhead, St Rollox and Corkerhill. It was to have a short career being withdrawn from Beattock for scrap the week ending 31st December 1966.

It was broken up by the Motherwell Machinery & Scrap, Wishaw, the following April. (Yorkshire Post)

Standing outside the ‘New Erecting Shop’ is No D5500, the rear of the print is annotated ‘Brush Type 2 D5500 – first diesel loco built at Doncaster Works’, dating the photograph to October 1957. However, the first diesel constructed at Doncaster was No 8000, the first of four 350hp (261kW) diesel shunters that entered service between August 1944 (2) and March 1945 (2); additional locomotives of the standard design were built in 1958. These shunters were the only diesels constructed at Doncaster until the Class 56s – Nos 5603156115 (entering traffic between May 1977-January 1983) – and all the Class 58s – Nos 58001-58050 between May 1983 and March 1987 were built. What the photographer was not aware of was that No D5500 was at the works for acceptance trials, having been built

by Brush at Loughborough. Constructed with Mirrlees power units these were not a success; Doncaster was however responsible for re-engineering them with English Electric power units, upon which they became Class 31. No D5500 entered traffic in October 1957 and saw service until withdrawn in July 1976; it was subsequently preserved as part of the National Collection. (Yorkshire Post)

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DONCASTER CARR DEPOT On 27th March 1876 what was known as Doncaster Carr shed opened, replacing a facility at the station. As constructed the brick built depot had a 12-road through shed with four slated hipped roofs, together with a repair shop, water tank, coal stage along with a turntable. In 1957 the Eastern Region partially rebuilt the shed, reducing the number of roads to nine shorter in length and adding four pitches and corrugated sheeting gables. The depot closed to steam in May 1966 and was used as a diesel depot. The town was also home to other company’s sheds and stabling points: the London & North Western Railway at Doncaster Red Bank (1881-1925); the Midland, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway (later the Great Central Railway) had stabling points at Marshgate East and West Yards (1880-by 1968). The latter had no facilities with locomotives taking coal and water at Hexthorpe Yard. Class J6 No 64256 is seen in ex-works condition in the shed yard on 24th June 1956. Constructed in the Plant for the GNR it entered traffic in April 1919, as its No 607. It was renumbered to 3607 during March 1925, and again in December 1946 to 4256. It gained its BR number whilst allocated to Hornsey during May 1949.

After serving BR at Colwick, Leicester (GC) and Gorton it was withdrawn from the latter on 29th April 1960 after 41 years service. Behind the J6 is Class B17/6 No 61659 East Anglian that underwent a General overhaul in the works between 17th May and 22nd June. (Eric Sawford)

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The LNER S1 class 0-8-4Ts were designed by Robinson in 1907 for the Great Central Railway and constructed by Beyer Peacock Ltd. These powerful locomotives were designed for hump shunting the newly opened Wath-on-Dearne marshalling yard in South Yorkshire. Initially, four were built between 1907 and 1908. The design was based on his eight-coupled tender engines (LNER Q4), but had three cylinders for smooth powerful uphill shunting. Due to the extra cylinder, a slightly larger boiler was fitted.

Power reversing gear was also fitted due to the constant change of direction experienced in a busy marshalling yard. From 1950, the six members of the class were at Wath, although there was not enough work to employ this many hump shunters. In 1953, BR tested the standard BR 350hp (261kW) diesel-electric shunters in the yard and the S1s were quickly replaced. Three went to Doncaster in early 1954, and one locomotive, No 69903, was tried at Immingham Docks as the diesel shunters had tended to slip; the S1 also had problems – and it was withdrawn four months later. Most of their time at Doncaster was spent in storage, although they were occasionally used for hauling lines of dead locomotives or other shunting duties. All six engines were eventually scrapped in 1956 and 1957. No 69902 was new from Beyer Peacock in January 1908 as No 1172. Renumbered 6172 in December 1924, and again in June 1946 to 9902. It gained its BR number in early November 1950 whilst allocated to Frodingham. Transferred to Doncaster in January 1954, where it was photographed on 7th November the same year, it was withdrawn on 13th January 1956. Sent to Gorton the following month for scrapping it was subsequently towed to Darlington for disposal. (Eric Sawford)

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THE END OF A CAREER Although Ivatt’s first locomotives were merely modifications of Stirling types (E1 2-4-0 and D4 4-4-0), due to traffic developments he was considering the Atlantic 4-4-2 wheel arrangement before his appointment. Permission was granted to build an experimental 4-4-2 in February 1897, and one year later No 990 was completed.

This was the first of the wheel arrangement built in Britain, and quickly acquired the nickname of ‘Klondike’ after the 1896 Gold Rush in the Klondike region of the Yukon. The C2s were initially distributed between the GNR’s main line sheds. In 1905, they were allocated to Kings Cross, Peterborough, Grantham, and Doncaster sheds. Their early duties consisted of the heavier expresses on the GNR main line from London to York. No 3255 departed Doncaster Works during May 1903 carrying the number 255. It gained its LNER number, 3255, in August 1924 and was withdrawn from New England depot during August 1938 – it is seen here minus its rods on the scrap road at Doncaster. No 990 Henry Oakley, the first of the class survives as part of the National Collection.

(George Barlow) The GNR had begun superheating experiments in 1908, and by 1911 had developed enough experience to justify the construction of standard superheated boilers. These were initially used on 15 goods locomotives intended to replace older ‘Standard Goods’ engines (LNER J4). These locomotives were the final development of the Ivatt 0-6-0 goods locomotive, and followed a traditional Doncaster outline. As well as introducing super heaters, these were the first GNR goods locomotives to use piston valves.

Despite these innovations, the GNR classified them as Class J22 – the same as the earlier slide valve engines (LNER J5). The LNER recognised the superheated engines as being different, and gave them the classification of J6. A total of 110 were built at Doncaster in the period August 1911-September 1922 and all were taken into BR service. Initial withdrawals commenced in 1955 and with the introduction of more modern traction accelerated in 1958 with the last examples, Nos 64203, 64223 and 64277 being withdrawn in June 1962. No 64250, seen here in the scrap line at Doncaster on 11th October 1959, entered traffic as GNR No 601 in October 1918 being renumbered to 3601 (in June 1925) and again in January 1947 to No 4250. It gained its BR number, 64250 in late November 1950 whilst allocated to Copley Hill (Leeds) depot. Withdrawal took place from Boston depot on 8th October 1959, and it was scrapped soon after this image at Doncaster was taken on the 11th.

This area of the works used for disposals was known as ‘Burma Road’ – the smoke box door of No 64250 bears the ominous word ‘scrap’. (Alec Swain)

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Class A2/2 No 60501 Cock o’ the North stands in the scrap line at Doncaster complete with nameplates, having been withdrawn from York (North) depot on 8th February 1960. It started its career as the first of the P2 class of 2-8-2s on 22nd May 1934 designed for working the Glasgow to Aberdeen line; as part of Thompson’s standardisation policy it was rebuilt as a 4-6-2 at Doncaster between 24th June and 14th September 1944. The locomotive was renumbered to 501 on 11th August 1946, gaining its BR one on 22nd May 1948. At the end of 1949, the rebuilds moved to England and were divided between York and New England sheds with No 60501 being withdrawn whilst at the works for assessment. (Barry Richardson)

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THE NEW GENERATION

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As part of the British Transport Commission’s Modernisation Plan of 1955, 24 electric locomotives were built in 1958 for the 650V, third rail Kent coast main lines at Doncaster. Numbers were originally E5000-E5023 but the first locomotive, E5000, was renumbered E5024 in December 1962. In some freight yards (notably Hither Green, south east London and Snowdown colliery near Dover) overhead wiring energised to 650V DC was used. This overhead collection method was only employed where it was deemed too dangerous to have an electrified third-rail, with staff constantly at ground level reaching between vehicles to couple and uncouple trains. The system utilised tram-style contact wires and pantographs – as it was not necessary to collect traction current at speed this approach provided a cost saving. Where fitted the pantograph retracted into a cut-out recess in the roof when not in use, to keep within the loading gauge – as seen here. Later in their career, with the reduction in freight traffic on the railway, the opportunity was taken during overhaul to remove the pantograph on some examples of the class, leading to a vacant roof recess. No E5012 is seen in the Paint Shop on 25th October 1959, it was released to traffic two days later, being allocated to Stewarts Lane depot in London. Renumbered as part of the Total Operations Processing System (TOPS) to 71012 it was withdrawn from Ashford Chart Leacon depot during November 1977 after a few days over 18 years service. (Alec Swain)

Under the British Transport Commission’s plans for modernisation of the network 10 ‘pilot scheme’ Bo-Bo diesel-electrics were ordered from the North British Locomotive Co. The Type B (later Type 2) locomotives were designed for main line passenger and freight usage. During construction the original order was increased to 58 examples with all examples going to the London area for commuter services. As with all locomotives constructed by third parties they had to be formally ‘accepted’ before entering traffic.

Here No D6126 is seen at Doncaster for acceptance trials on 11th October 1959 before being sent south to Ipswich. As with many pilot scheme locomotives they were not as successful as hoped and had a short service life. No 6126 was withdrawn from Glasgow’s Eastfield depot on 6th April 1968. (Alec Swain)

With pilot scheme locomotive being built by third parties the Birmingham Railway & Carriage Works contributed by constructing a fleet of 47 Bo-Bo diesel-Electric Type 2 locomotives. They were to become Class 26 with delivery between July 1958 and October 1959 – ultimately the entire fleet was concentrated in Scotland where the last operational examples were withdrawn in October 1993. No D5343 entered traffic on 2nd October 1959 and is seen here on the 11th of the month – note the recessed cab side that accommodated the automatic token exchange equipment required for use over single lines. The locomotive was renumbered 26043 in January 1974 seeing service until withdrawn from Inverness on 19th January 1993 – it survives in preservation. (Alec Swain)

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Only ten of the English Electric ‘Baby Deltic’ Type 2s were constructed in 1959 so they were unlikely to enjoy a long career, once their early shortcomings had become clear; even a programme of rebuilding them all in 1963 couldn’t save them. However, D5901 managed a second service life as a departmental locomotive after 1969. This was a strange choice, given that a more standard example of a Type 2 could easily have been spared from the large Sulzer-powered fleet. Nevertheless, it was to be spotted carrying out its duties at a variety of locations over the following few years, before final condemnation and scrapping took place at Doncaster, where it is shown on 2 May 1976.

(Tony Smith)

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Class 31 No 31116 is seen here in the works yard sporting ‘Dutch’ livery, this was the paint scheme adopted by the Infrastructure division following sectorisation.

It had entered traffic as No D5534 on 16th June 1959 being allocated to March depot. It was rebuilt as a Class 31 in early 1965, and gained its TOPS number during March 1973. It was named Rail 1981-1991 on 26th October 1991 at BRML Doncaster. The plates were removed in October 1993 as the locomotive was renamed Rail Celebrity on the 30th. In turn these plates were removed during January 1995 when they were applied to Class 37 No 37055. No 31116 was withdrawn from Thornaby depot on 4th February 2000 and scrapped in Stockton by T. J. Thompson & Son. (Barry J. Nicolle)

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The origins of the Class 50 lie in an invitation from the British Transport Commission (BTC) to manufacturers to produce a design for a lightweight Type 4 locomotive with a gross power output of at least 2,500hp (1,864kW) In order to produce a prototype quickly, English Electric based its offer on the ‘Deltic’ locomotives that were then in production; however this design was powered by a single engine and was known as DP2 (Diesel Prototype No 2). This led to the 50 locomotives that would became Class 50 being built by English Electric at the Vulcan Foundry in Newton-le-Willows between 1967 and 1968. They were initially on a 10-year lease from English Electric Leasing, and employed hauling express passenger trains on the then non-electrified section of the West Coast main line (WCML) between Crewe and Scotland. Initially numbered D400– D449 the locomotives were purchased outright by BR at the end of the lease becoming Class 50 in the TOPS renumbering scheme of 1973. To deal with increasing reliability problems, the Class 50 fleet was refurbished at Doncaster between 1979 and 1983 – the works having taken responsibility for the fleet after BR completed the purchase.

Following refurbishment, the fleet was concentrated at two depots; Laira in Plymouth, and Old Oak Common in west London being used for Western Region services on its main line out of Paddington, and on the West of England main line from Waterloo to Salisbury and Exeter. No 50008 entered traffic as D408 on 22nd March 1968. It gained the name Thunderer in September 1978 and is seen here in the works on 26th August 1981 having arrived for refurbishment. It was withdrawn on 5th June 1992 and survives, via preservation, in active use on the main line by owners Hanson & Hall Rail Solutions. It stands alongside Class 31 No 31117 that was undergoing an overhaul. No 50008 was named after HMS Thunderer (1911-26), the fourth and last Orion-class dreadnought battleship built for the Royal Navy in the early 1910s. (Bernard Mills)

A busy scene inside the works on 14th May 1978 – left to right are Nos 55019, 37070 and 76020. The Class 55 was new to traffic from the Vulcan Foundry, as D9019 on 11th December 1961, being named Royal Highland Fusilier in September 1965. It was withdrawn on 31st December 1981 and survives in preservation. The Class 37 fleet was introduced in November 1960 with No D6700 entering traffic on 2nd December; the final locomotive was delivered to the Western Region on 9th November 1965. English Electric split the construction between Vulcan Foundry at Newton-le-Willows, and Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns (RSH) of Darlington. The 309 locomotives produced were originally numbered in the range D6700-D6999 and D6600-D6608. No 37070, from RSH was new to traffic as D6770 on 17th August 1962 being allocated to Thornaby depot, it was renumbered as 37070 on 19th January 1974. It was withdrawn from Inverness depot on 19th May 1996 and sold to the Harry Needle Railroad Co, being scrapped at Toton depot during January 2003. No 76020 was constructed at BR’s Gorton Works, it entered traffic as E26020 on 20th October 1951. Renumbered 76020 on 6th June 1973 it was withdrawn from Reddish on 11th August 1977 and survives as part of the National Collection. (Bernard Mills)

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The Class 47 history began in the early 1960s with the stated aim of the British Transport Commission (BTC) to remove steam traction from everyday use with a target date of 1968. It therefore required a large number of Type 4 locomotives with an axle load of no more than 19 tons. The BTC was not convinced that the future of diesel traction lay down the hydraulic transmission path of the Western Region, and concentrated on diesel-electric designs. Initially, the BTC invited tenders to build 100 locomotives to the new specification. Brush Traction offered three options; a production version of their twin-engine D0280 Falcon prototype, or a single engine design using either a Sulzer engine or the English Electric 16CSVT. The designs included steam heating with an option for electric heating. The first 500 locomotives were numbered sequentially from D1500 to D1999, with the remaining 12 being numbered from D1100 to D1111. The locomotives went to work on passenger and freight duties on all regions, rapidly replacing steam traction, especially on express passenger duties. The body side of No 47362 is undergoing a thorough clean during its 1992 overhaul – parts of it are seemingly scattered around the floor with the cooler unit sitting in front. The locomotive was constructed by Brush Traction entering service at Tinsley depot as No D1881 on 18th June 1965. Initially fitted with steam-heat equipment this had been removed by early 1969. Acquiring its TOPS number in February 1974, it was withdrawn from service in March 2000 and broken up at Wigan that December. (Transport Treasury)

The Class 308 alternating current (AC) electric multiple-units were built by BR’s Holgate Road, York, carriage works in three batches between 1959 and 1961. They were initially classified as AM8 units before the introduction of TOPS. The first batch of 33 units were built in 1959, classified as AM8 and numbered 133-165. This was later changed to Class 308/1 under the TOPS system, and units were renumbered 308133-165. These units were built to operate commuter services on the Great Eastern main line (GEML) from London Liverpool Street to Shenfield, Witham, Colchester, Waltonon-the-Naze and Clacton. Each unit was formed of four carriages: two outer driving trailers, an intermediate trailer, and a motor coach. The driving trailer of unit 308158, No 75912, is seen here sporting Metro-Train livery at Doncaster on 3rd March 1985. The vehicle is running on Gresley-style bogies. (Andrew Royle)

Taking centre stage on 20th January 1988 is Class 107 unit No 449 in Strathclyde Transit livery, with Driving Motor Composite Lavatory (DMCL) No 52034 nearest the camera. The class was introduced in 1960 being built at Derby Works; they looked similar to the later Class 108 units, but were heavier as the body was of steel construction. The Class 107s were initially built for suburban workings on the south side of Glasgow and they remained on BR’s Scottish Region for their service life. When new, a number were used on Dundee/Arbroath services. In later years, they were used almost exclusively on services radiating from Glasgow Central to such destinations as Barrhead, East Kilbride, and Kilmacolm, and – prior to electrification – on Glasgow/Ayrshire services (especially to Largs). Most were withdrawn from service by 1991, with many of the units going into departmental use after being withdrawn from passenger use. Either side of No 52034 are Class 108 DMCL No 52056 (left) and Class 115 Driving Motor Brake Second No 51849. (Barry J. Nicolle)

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Left: For the modernisation of the London Division of the Western Region Pressed Steel, of Linwood, Scotland (part of the British Motor Corporation) was contracted to build 39 three-car sets along with six ‘spare’ driving cars – although these could be used to ‘strengthen’ compatible sets. Entering service during 1959/60 the Class 117 units were largely based at Reading and Southall depots. In the 1980s, the withdrawal of other DMUs facilitated moves for some units from the Western Region to Birmingham and Scotland, prior to the delivery of new units to replace them. They were given refurbishments and in the late 1980s the Southall based units were transferred to Network SouthEast (NSE) as part of the run up to privatisation. The last units were used in Scotland between Edinburgh-Perth, Cowdenbeath and Markinch until 12th January 1998. Vehicle No 51593, designated as a Driving Motor Second, is seen here in the works on 15th December 1987 having undergone refurbishment and repainting into NSE livery, entered traffic in June 1960; it was condemned in December 1994.

(Barry J. Nicolle)

Right: In 1958 BR ordered eight (later amended to 10) Driving Motor Luggage Vans (DMLV) from Gloucester Carriage & Wagon Co – these were delivered as Class 128 Nos 55987-55996 in early 1960. Split between the London Midland Region (Nos M55987990) and Western Region (W55991-6) the design differed, as the latter were gangway fitted. Two Leyland Albion 230hp (343kW) engines were fitted to allow the vehicles to pull a tail load, with a maximum weight of 64 tons permitted. The vehicles could be found working their own parcels trains, with or without a tail load, or attached to a service train to add parcel capacity. When first introduced they were in green with yellow stripes on the body side bands and branded ‘Parcels Service’. Those remaining in service were later painted in BR blue with ‘Express Parcels’ branding as seen here on No 55993 in the works on 11th April 1988 clearly showing the gangway connection has been removed. No 55992 has been rebranded for Royal Mail Letters, still retaining gangway albeit plated over. Both vehicles were in service from February 1960 until November 1990. (Barry J. Nicolle)

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Below: Another long-lived product starred at the event in the shape of 08682.

Though Doncaster was one of the five BR workshops responsible for building this huge fleet of diesel shunters, this particular one had come out of Horwich Works as D3849 in 1959. It served as a works shunter at Doncaster for many years and was named Lionheart on 9 July 1994 by Councillor Wedd to mark the 800th anniversary of Doncaster’s charter being signed by King Richard I (the Lionheart). (Andrew Royle)

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Right: Away from the central exhibits, an immaculate 37689 sits in the test area of the Works. A dose of new ballast would appear to have recently been applied to the track here. (Andrew Royle)

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Below: What was to become Class 47 No 47522 was built at Crewe Works, as D1105, entering traffic on 9th November 1966 and allocated to York (North) depot. It would become No 47522 under the TOPS renumbering scheme. The locomotive was named Doncaster Enterprise at the Plant on 3rd October 1987 by Councillor Gladys Ambler, Mayor of Doncaster, in an act of twinning with the Doncaster Enterprise Agency. It is seen here on 10th July 1990 smartly turned out in Rail Express Systems (RES) livery following sectorisation of British Rail. This sector was responsible for transport of mail and parcels, including the travelling post office trains, as well as taking over charter operations from InterCity and haulage of the Royal Train. RES was the first freight company to be put up for sale when the network was privatised; in 1996 the business was integrated into the EWS operation. Withdrawn on 12th December 1988, it was cut up at Wigan by EWS during July 2000. (Barry J. Nicolle)

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Right: No 47901 is seen in the works on 25th January 1988 undergoing a heavy overhaul carrying Railfreight Construction livery following the sectorisation of the BR network. New from Crewe Works, as Class 47/0 No D1628, the locomotive was allocated to Toton on 17th October 1964. Under TOPS it became No 47046 on 22nd November 1973. After being severely damaged in a derailment near Peterborough in 1974, it was selected to be a test-bed for the projected Class 56, and was fitted with a 16-cylinder Ruston16RK3CT engine rated at 3,250bhp (2,420kW) for assessment purposes. To identify it as unique, it was renumbered 47601. Later, in 1979, it was used again for the Class 58 project, this time fitted with a 12-cylinder Ruston engine of 3,300bhp (2,500kW) it was renumbered 47901. It continued in service with this non-standard engine until its withdrawal on 1st February 1990 from Cardiff Canton depot; it was cut up by MC Metals at Springburn two years later. (Barry J. Nicolle)

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Nos 37019, 47352 and 58028 stand in the yard on 4th June 1989. No 37019 was accepted into traffic from English Electric’s Vulcan Foundry works as No D6719 on 27th June 1961 being allocated to Stratford. It gained its TOPS number during May 1974 and is seen here carrying Loadhaul livery following sectorisation. The locomotive was stored unserviceable from February 1995 and used for component recovery. It was cut up by Sims Metal Uk Ltd at its Beeston scrapyard during July 2000. No 47352 was released from Brush Traction at Loughborough and commenced it career as No D1833 allocated to the Nottingham Division on 27th April 1965; it gained its TOPS number during March 1973. Withdrawn from Immingham depot it was cut up by Raxstar at Frodingham depot. No 58028 is one of Doncaster own creation, entering service during March 1985. It saw less than 15 years in traffic being withdrawn on 29th October 1999 and cut up by EWS at Kingsbury. (Barry J. Nicolle)

A view of the main erecting shop on 7th February 1982 with four Class 37s and Class 47 undergoing repair during the BR blue era. Regretfully the photographer did not record any details of the locomotive numbers. In the foreground are the stretcher bars and lifting strops for the lifting of large components. (Dowland)

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A view looking down on three Class 37s undergoing maintenance in the main erecting shop during 1992; all are wearing Trainload Coal livery. No 37358 was new from English Electric’s Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns works as D6791 on 31st January 1963 being allocated to Gateshead. Gaining its first TOPS number – 37091 – in April 1974 it was renumbered 37358 in March 1988. It was withdrawn on 1st March 1997, and following component recovery cut up at T. J. Thomson’s Stockton yard in May 2007. No 37797 was released from English Electric’s Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns on 22nd November 1962 as D6781 being allocated to Hull Dairycoats. It gained its original TOPS number – 37081 – during February 1974, and following conversion to a heavy freight locomotive this was changed to 37797. Withdrawn on 1st February 2003 it was cut up

by C. F. Booth Rotherham in February 2006. No 37894 was released from English Electric’s Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn as No D6824 on 29th April 1963, being sent to Cardiff Canton; gaining its first TOPS number – 37124 – in April 1974. It was renumbered to 37894 on 29th January 1987. Following withdrawal on 1st October 2000 it was later identified as a locomotive that could be hired out – ending up in France under contract hire. It returned to the UK and was put into store until it was cut up by EMR at Kingsbury in August 2008.

Class 50 No 50010 is seen undergoing overhaul in the main erecting shop on 3rd March 1985. It had entered traffic from English Electric’s Vulcan Foundry works as D410 on 23rd February 1968. It gained its name – Monarch – during March 1978 at Laira depot, there was no ceremony. The name had previously been applied to Western Region diesel-hydraulic No D831. HMS Monarch was the second of four Orion-class dreadnought battleships built for the Royal Navy in the early 1910s, it spent the bulk of its career assigned to the Home and Grand Fleets. Its service during World War 1 generally consisted of routine patrols and training in the North Sea. After the Grand Fleet was dissolved in early 1919, Monarch was transferred back to the Home Fleet for a few months before being assigned to the Reserve Fleet. The ship was listed for disposal in mid1922, but was hulked for use as a stationary training vessel. In late 1923 Monarch was converted into a target ship and sunk in early 1925. No 50010 was condemned on 27th September 1988 and was cut up at Laira depot by Coopers Metals during May 1992. (Andrew Royle)

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Below: Even the ‘new order’ could not escape the attention of Doncaster’s cutters as Class 24 No 24070 awaits its demise during May 1976. It had been new from Derby Works, as No D5070, entering traffic on 23rd January 1960 at March depot.

Being steam-heat fitted it was one of the class sent to the Southern Region, as cover for withdrawn steam traction, during the region’s change over from steam to third-rail electric services. It would be renumbered as 24070 in January 1974 and would end its career allocated to Haymarket depot from where it was withdrawn on 2nd February 1976, being despatched to Doncaster for disposal – this may have been one of the last images taken whilst intact. (Tony Smith)

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Right: No 31007 was new to traffic from Brush Traction’s Loughborough works as No D5507 on 19th April 1958 being allocated to the Great Eastern section at Stratford.

Originally fitted with a Mirrlees engine it would gain its English Electric prime mover in early 1969. It would see service at March and Ipswich depots before being renumbered 31007 in February 1974. It would make a final return to the London depot from where it was withdrawn on 4th November 1976. Its mortal remains are seen here being cut up on 14th May 1978. (Bernard Mills)

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The Gresley racehorses on the East Coast main line were replaced by the English Electric Type 5s that became Class 55 under TOPS. Twenty-two locomotives were built, designed for the high-speed express passenger services between Edinburgh and London King’s Cross. They gained the name Deltic from the prototype locomotive, DP1 Deltic (the running number DP1 was never carried), which in turn was named after its Napier Deltic power units. At the time of their introduction into service in 1961, they were the most powerful single-unit diesel locomotives in the world, with a power output of 3,300hp (2,500kW) with an official maximum speed of 100mph (160km/h), and introduced the first regular 100mph diesel passenger service to Britain. They were however capable of higher speeds than this, and often exceeded their official maximum in service, especially in their later years, with speeds of up to 117mph (188km/h), being recorded on level gradients, and up to 125mph (201km/h) whilst descending Stoke Bank.

No 55020 was new to traffic, as No D9020, from EE’s Vulcan Foundry works, entering service at Finsbury Park on 12th February 1962. It entered service carrying the name Nimbus, a racehorse, owned by Mrs H. A. Glenister, winner of the 1949 Two Thousand Guineas and Derby races. It gained its TOPS number on 10th November 1973, and after a career of just under 18 years it was withdrawn on 6th January 1980; it was broken up at Doncaster in early February 1980. (Bernard Mills)

Following the introduction of the High Speed Trains in the late 1970s the days of the high-maintenance ‘Deltics’ were numbered. This line up of withdrawn locomotives is headed by No 55007 and 55004. No 55007 Pinza was new to Finsbury Park on 22nd June 1962, as No D9007 it carried the nameplates from new – being named after the racehorse owned by Sir Victor Sassoon, winner of the 1953 Derby. Gaining its TOPs number, 55007, on 16th February 1974 it was withdrawn on 31st December 1981 – a few days later the last of those still in traffic were switched off. No 55004 Queen’s Own Highlander was new to traffic as D9004, on 10th May 1961, and named by General Sir James Cassels, Colonel of Regiment on 23rd May 1964. Renumbered 55004 on 1st May 1974 it was withdrawn from traffic on 28th October 1981. Apart from the six preserved examples all were despatched by Doncaster’s cutters. (Barry J. Nicolle)

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The origins of the Class 40 fleet lay in the prototype diesel locomotives Nos 10000 and 10001 ordered by the LMS but most notably with the Southern Region locomotive No 10203, which was powered by English Electric’s 16SVT MkII engine developing 2,000bhp (1,460kW). The bogie design and power train of 10203 was used almost unchanged on the first 10 production Class 40s. In all 200 were built by English Electric between 1958 and 1962; they were numbered D200-D399, (later renumbered 40001-40199, No D322 was written off following accident damage). Despite their initial success, by the time the last examples were entering service they were already being replaced on some top-level duties by more powerful locomotives. As they were slowly relegated from express passenger uses, the type found work on secondary passenger and freight services where they worked for many years. The final locomotives ended regular service in 1985. The locomotives were commonly known as ‘Whistlers’ because of the distinctive noise made by their turbochargers. No 40192, seen here being cut up on 3rd March 1985, was new to traffic as D392 on 30th May 1962 from EE’s Vulcan Foundry works and allocated to Gateshead. Renumbered 40192 on 13th October 1973 it was withdrawn from service on 21st January 1985. The cab of Class 03 No 03175 is in use as a cabin for the workforce. (Andrew Royle)

The construction of carriage and wagons was originally carried out at the Plant, but due to increasing workload was relocated two miles away at the ‘Carr’ in 1889. These were closed down in 1965 when wagon repairs were transferred to the ‘Plant’. At the time of writing the property was being marketed as ‘a landmark Doncaster building previously used as a base for the maintenance/servicing of rolling stock using the East Coast railway line but now under complete and extensive refurbishment/upgrade to provide contemporary office/business facilities with on-site car parking. The building comprises 5 similar size bays with brick elevations, incorporating feature window openings, under a series of pitched and recently reclad roofs.’ Over 75 years ago at Carr, members of the DS fleet shunted the works. On 7th November 1954 this was being carried out

by No 5; built by the Sentinel Steam Waggon Co it entered service in September 1930 as Class Y3 0-4-0VBT No 42. It was renumbered as 8165 in September 1946, gaining its BR one, 68165, during May 1948. Withdrawn from stock in March 1953 it was transferred to DS use as its No 5, surviving until condemned during November 1958. The works had a single road through shed with a pitched roof. (Eric Sawford)

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AROUND THE STATION Class V2 No 60872 King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry runs through Doncaster station on the 8th June 1958 at the head of an express service. Constructed at Doncaster, as No 4843, it entered service on 22nd April 1939 being allocated to the nearby depot. It was renumbered to 872 on the 11th August 1946, gaining its BR one on 2nd June 1950, and withdrawn from Doncaster depot on 22nd September 1963. Thompson B1 No 61165 is standing in the platform road, it left the Vulcan Foundry’s Newton-leWillows works as No 1165, entering service at Gorton on 28th May 1947, being renumbered by its new owners on 5th August 1949. It was withdrawn from Canklow depot on 1st November 1964. (A. E. Bennett)

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The Austerity heavy freight 2-8-0 was based on the LMS Stanier Class 8F, which had been the government’s standard design during the early years of World War 2. Various modifications were made to the 8F design by Robert Riddles to prioritise low cost over design life. These included a boiler of simpler construction which was parallel rather than tapered and a round-topped firebox rather than a Belpaire firebox. The firebox was made of steel rather than copper, the latter being needed for the war effort. The North British Locomotive Co (NBL) of Glasgow built 545 (split between its two works at Hyde Park and Queen’s Park) and the Vulcan Foundry of Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire, built 390. What was to become BR No 90394 was new from NBL’s Glasgow works during December 1944 as WD No 76801. It is seen here passing through the station on 12th March 1963 whilst allocated to Immingham, from where it was withdrawn on 12st April 1964. The class were rarely seen inside the works at Doncaster, with the Eastern Region handling its allocation at Darlington and Gorton. (Ron Smith)

Class V2 No 60938 is seen with an Up stopping service leaving Doncaster on 19th May 1962. The locomotive was new from Darlington Works being allocated to the nearby depot on 29th January 1942. It was renumbered 938 on the 27th October 1949, gaining its BR one on 27th October 1949. After a career with spells at March and New England it was reallocated to Doncaster on 23rd March 1962, from where it was withdrawn on 1st October the same year; as with so many locomotives it was disposed of at the works a month later. The carriage behind the locomotive, No E62773E, was a Brake Third in service between September 1938 and November 1964. (Leslie Freeman)

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In 1952, the British Railway Board set up the British Railways Staff Association (BRSA), to provide for the social and sporting needs of its employees. The BRSA was split into five Regions, Western, Eastern, London & Midland, Southern and Scotland. Each Region had its own branches, most with social premises. By being involved with the Association the member, and their families, were able to visit other branches throughout the country, preferably by train. In 1990, with the railways about to be privatised, the BRSA went private. Renamed the National Association of Railway Clubs (NARC) it continues to provide the same facilities as the BRSA. Today NARC is made of five regional organisations based on former BR regions: the Federation of Railway Clubs Eastern; London Midland Railway Clubs Association; Railway Staff Association for Scotland; National Association of Railway Clubs (Southern Region) and the Great Western Railway Staff Association. On the 16th August 1962 the local branch organised a tour for the works children – some of whom are seen here posing for the camera. Class B1 No 61135 was to provide power for the trip; it was new from NBL, Glasgow, as No 1135 on 10th March 1947 and despatched to Stratford. It gained its BR number on 31st December 1948, being transferred to the local depot on 25th October 1959 when it arrived from Parkeston Quay. No 61135 was condemned on 22nd September 1963 and recycled the following month in the works’ scrap yard. (Yorkshire Post)

For more than 125 years Doncaster Works constructed locomotives for the Great Northern Railway, then as part of the London & North Eastern Railway and finally British Railways. It was from here that the Stirling ‘Singles’, Ivatt’s Atlantics and Gresley’s Pacifics including the famous Flying Scotsman and the world speed holder for steam, Mallard, emerged.

The final locomotives to be constructed on site were the BR-built dieselelectric Classes 56 and 58 – today only carriage refurbishment takes place in a town once famous for producing Gresley’s ‘racehorses’ and ‘streaks’ for the east coast route from London to Edinburgh. £16.50

DONCASTER WORKS

‘Doncaster Works’ is one of a series of 12 books being released in 2025 showcasing railway works and centres to commemorate ‘Railway 200’.

DONCASTER WORKS Images at and accessible to the Transport Treasury archive