19870412_TJ_galler72347.fotopic.net_Peter_Kellett

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24May87. A return visit was made on this date, but not in such nice weather as April. This was the working locos, in order, 27025, 20219/201, 27024, and then all facing the same way are 20218/222/225/212.
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24May87. The unusual sight of four Class 20's all facing the same way in a line, 20212/225/222/218.
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24May87. 25046 withdrawn in Feb 81 at Haymarket, it was moved out of the way to Millerhill in June that year for 4 months before being moved onto Mossend Yard and Polmadie in preperation of a tow to that little railway town in Wiltshire that had the job of storing and disposing of surplus locomotives in the 1980's. It was thought unwise or unsafe for a move all the way south to Wiltshire so 25046 was moved out of the way again, this time to Shawfield sidings where it resided until being sold to Vic Berry in late April 87. Moved to Thornton for disposal but then moved back west to Mossend on 10 June to start its journey to oblivion in Leicester disappearing into the great abyss never to be seen again in July 87.
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24May87. 25160 another long time resident of Shawfield Sidings this was another loco that made the long journey south to Leicester for disposal.As a teenage train spotter visiting Toton on 28th November 1964 little did I think that I would witness the dimise of this engine, then only 18 days in traffic, less than 23 years later, after all the steam engines that these machines had been built to replace had lasted over half a century.
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24May87. 25160/046, 26013, 25028/318, 27016 line up waiting for Vic Berry to decide the next move.
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24May87. The remains of 08726. I have this down , as D3894, as being on Crewe South shed ex works in April 1960 along with '95 and '96 while under construction in the works were D3897-3904. What puzzles me is that it was not accepted into traffic and allocated to Parkhead (65C) until July that year. A Scottish engine all its days it came to grief suffering from collision damage and was sold to Vic Berry for disposal.
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12Apr87. Not all the locomotives at Thornton that day were connected to Vic Berry's operations as the yard was still an active signing on and stabling point both for passenger and the local freight services. 20223/227 and 27026 wait for their next duties.
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12Apr87. A closer look at 20223 complete with the 'Castle' emblem of Haymarket depot.
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12Apr87. The opposite end of the 27026 20227/223 line up.
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12Apr87. The line up of Vic Berry acquisitions waiting their fate, in order are 26019/13, 25058/318, 27016/27/29.
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12Apr87. 26019 which last turned a wheel in traffic as long ago as February 1983 when it was placed in 'unserviceable' store at Haymarket. It reached Thornton after short spells stored at Craigentinny and Millerhill. Eventually cut up at Thornton in June its cabs still had a final journey to make though as they were transported to Leicester for final scrapping.
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12Apr87. 26013 had been out of use even longer than sister '019. It went into store at Dundee way back in September 1982. It was moved to Dunfermline Townhill in 1983 and then again relocated to Thornton for continued storage in Dec84. It was then sent over to Glasgow Works, maybe for component recovery(?) in August 1986 but was returned to Thornton in April 87 after being sold to Vic Berry in Dec 86. This loco was not cut at Thornton however and made another journey, which took a week to complete, to Leicester and scrapping by July 1987.
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12Apr87. 26013/19 had spent long periods out of use but they were short stays compaired to 25028 seen here. This loco was taken out of traffic unserviceable in Oct 1980! Originally stored at Millerhil until Sep81 it made a move over to Polmadie residing there until Feb83 when it made what should have been its 'final' journey to Glasgow Works for disposal. However Vic came along and bought the machine in Jan87 and it was moved to Thornton that month for scrapping. Change of heart yet again, 25028 made yet another 'final' move, this time it was for good though as after leaving Thornton on 03Jun it arrived in Vic Berry's yard on 09Jun and had disappeared by the 14th.
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12Apr87. 27016 with all the tell tale marks of the fire of 24Mar83. This was a fatal fire as far as the loco was concerned as it never worked again being moved from Eastfield the short distance to Glasgow Works it remained there until Jan87 when it was towed to Thornton for scrapping. This never took place as 27016 left Thornton on 10Jun and staggered to Leicester with stop overs at Mossend, Carlisle New Yard and Basford Hall. Cut up in Leicester during Jul87.
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12Apr87. 27027 another victim of the fires that seemed to plague the class. Placed in store at Inverness due to fire damage in July 82 it was reinstated two months later but only in an unserviceable state (?) before moving to Glasgow Works early 1983 where it remained until movement to Thornton in Jan 87. Cut up at Thornton with its cabs being sent to Leicester for disposal.
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12Apr87. 27029 was next in line for the chop when this picture was taken, it had disappeared completely eight days later.
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12Apr87. Three cabs from Class 27 victims almost certain that they were two from 27040 and one from 27021.
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12Apr87. Vic Berry's lorry stands like a vulture over the remains of 27040.
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12Apr87. A much happier scene from the visit to Thornton Yard was these two pairs of 20's waiting to take up their duties on the local frieght traffic the following morning. 221 was paired 201 and 225 had 222 as its partner.
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12Apr87. 27051 is not yet the property of Vic Berry as it had not yet been withdrawn, although it never worked again, to my knowledge. It remain at Thornton until being moved over to Falkland Yard Ayr in August, starting its journey south to Leicester on 14 Sep and arrived in the scrapman's yard on the 30th, disappearing from view in October.
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12Apr87. 27053 had not been withdrawn either but was stored out of the way. It was eventually sold to Vic and his henchmen disposed of this lovely machine in their Leicester lair two years later after a spell on the famous pyramid.
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12Apr87. 26042 although trapped in amongst the stored engines escaped and lasted until October 1992 when it was finally withdrawn. Was to be sold to The Weardale Railway but it fell through and this engine was disposed of by MC Metals in June 1995.
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12Apr87. 27059 the great escapee. Made it into preservation, at the time of writting on The Severn Valley Railway as D5410.
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12Apr87. 27051 again.
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12Apr87. A general view of the yard.
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