I can still remember my first class 25 haulage back on February 20th 1977. I had spent the day chasing the Western Requim tour with some Gloucester enthusiasts with 1010 (sick), 37179 and 1023 featuring in the valleys.
Back at Cardiff rather than return to my then Swansea home i opted for 25063 on the 1845 Cardiff – Crewe for a short but enjoyable blast to Newport. The sounds included the hiss of steam heat and that type 2 chatter in full song plus a few distinctive parps on the horn. Only 128 more “rats” were to be sampled in the following years with some in preservation.
Enjoy this “first run” list with a few phots below too
25027 1J20 0740 Euston-Aberystwyth Wolves – Welshpool (with 25083) 120682
25032 2J57 1715 Aberystwyth-Euston Welshpool – Shrewsbury (with 25083) 060883
25034 1V11 1335 Crewe-Cardiff Crewe – Shrewsbury 240684
Class 25s worked most Cardiff – Crewe services until 1981 when 33’s took over. The Sunday Crewe – Cardiffs often saw a 25 kicked out until 1985 and heres 25034 leaving Shrewsbury on June 24th 1984 with the 1335 Crewe – Cardiff.
25035 1Z26 0400 Plymouth-Linby Railtour “Vital Statistician” New St – Toton (via Brownhills) (with 25048) 110284
25037 1G47 1105 Perth-Edinburgh Perth – Waverly 010681
25038 1222 Crewe-Cardiff Newport – Cardiff 140178
25042 2M67 0750 Cardiff-Crewe Cardiff – Newport 151077
25043 1600 Crewe-Cardiff Newport – Cardiff 030478
25044 1J20 0735 Euston-Aberystwyth Wolves – Wellington (with 25175) 180884
25048 1Z37 Plymouth-Stafford “Bedford Bricker” Railtour Bletchley – Bletchley (via Bed,M.Mow,Bur,Staff) (with 25245) 291083
25049 1738 Dundee-Glasgow Dundee – Perth 080977
25051 1Z98 Burntisland-Sheffield “Burntisland Bellower” Railtour Carlisle – Newcastle (with 25239) 011083
25055 2V67 1600 Crewe-Cardiff Newport – Cardiff 110677
25057 2A23 0235 Euston-Bletchley (steaming) Watford Jn – L.Buzzard 250384
25058 1J24 1010 Euston-Aberystwyth New St – Wolves (with 25194) 220881
25059 0740 Euston-Buxton Railtour Stoke -Leek Brook Jn (and back) (with 25218) 100384
25060 0250 Swansea-Hellifield Railtour Toton – Healy Mills (with 25044) 160385
25061 2V67 0532 Cardiff-Crewe Cardiff – Hereford 031277
25062 1653 Glasgow-Dundee Queen St – Stirling 100977
25063 2M67 1845 Cardiff-Crewe Cardiff – Newport 200277
My very first 25 for haulage!
25065 1244 Glasgow-Dundee Perth – Dundee 120977
25067 1137 Alton – Alresford (preserved-MHR) Alton – Medstead 220386
My first preserved class 25
25068 1335 Glasgow – Aberdeen Queen St – Stirling (with 26028) 070977
25072 0715 Euston-Holyhead Charter (LNER) Rugby – Coventry (WL over Rugby fly) (with 25207) drag 86218 130584
25073 2V67 0600 Crewe-Cardiff Newport – Cardiff 140577
25076 1640 Inverness-Edinburgh Kirkcaldy – Waverly (with 26028) 060977
25078 0815 Inverness-Glasgow Inverness – Perth (with 25233) 030977
regular enough at the time , but these Highland line rats were hell!
25079 1T04 2350 (27/5) Inverness-Edinburgh portion Haymarket – Waverly 280582
25080 1607 Portsmouth H-Cardiff T.Meads – Cardiff 210679
25083 1J20 0740 Euston-Aberystwyth Wolves – Welshpool (with 25027) 120682
25089 2P94 2115 Preston-Barrow Preston – Grange – O-Sands 170683
25091 1338 Dundee-Glasgow Dundee – Perth 120977
25095 1J20 0735 Euston-Aberystwyth Wolves – Aberystwyth (with 25154) 110884
25108 2345 (4/9) Inverness-Glasgow portion Perth – Queen St 050977
25109 1Z26 0731 Crewe-Onwllyn Railtour New St – Barry Is North (with 25057) 050586
25117 1J20 0735 Euston-Aberystwyth New St – Wolves (with 25237) 270883
25125 1M66 1430 Yarmouth-Walsall Leicester – Nuneaton (with 25132) 120780
25132 1M66 1430 Yarmouth-Walsall Leicester – Nuneaton (with 25125) 120780
25133 1E05 0748 Leicester-Leeds Leicester – Loughboro 230783
Wasnt expecting this on a normal Peak turn and wish i’d done the “rat” further but after i bailed at Loughborough 25133 thrashes North with the 0748 Leicester – Leeds on August 27th 1983
25136 1J20 0740 Euston-Aberystwyth Wolves – Welshpool (with 25181) 310782
25154 2J57 1605 Aberystwyth-Shrewsbury Welshpool – Shrewsbury (with 25200) 120682
25161 1Z36 Liverpool-Plymouth Cheshire Cheeser Tour Lime St – Warrington A (with 25042) 261183
25168 1510 Crewe-Llandudno Rlf Crewe – Chester 200882
25168 thrashes out of Chester with a 1510 Crewe – Llandudno on August 20th 1982
25173 1J20 0735 Euston-Aberystwyth Wolves – Welshpool (with 25237) 230684
25175} 1615 Euston-Northampton Watford Jn – Hemel Hempstead 201283
078 (d)}
093 (d}}
Bourne End wires down, 24 hours of dragging, at least 12 rats worked pass locally!
25176 1S63 1245 Euston-Glasgow Bletchley – Rugby (via Weedon) (with 25079) 310783
25176 and 25076 at Rugby after a good run dragging 87025 on the 1245 Euston – Glasgow from Bletchley, the “seven” went forward from here unassisted on Sunday July 31st 1983
25178 1J24 1010 Euston-Aberystwyth Shrewsbury – Welshpool (with 25192, which failed at Sutton Br Jn) 010984
25181 1J20 0740 Euston-Aberystwyth Wolves – Welshpool (with 25136) 310782
25185 1430 Paignton – Kingswear (preserved Dart V) Paignton – Kingswear 110688
25189 1J20 0735 Euston-Aberystwyth Wolves – Welshpool (with 25076) 020684
25190 1J20 0740 Euston-Aberystwyth Wolves – Shrewsbury (with 25207) 140882
25191 0612 Wolverhampton-Littlehampton Railtour T.Meads – Andover (via Lugg) (with 25181) 270786
25181 and 25191 at Bristol Temple Meads with the “Coastway Crusader” tour on July 25th 1986. Unfortunately 25181 failed at Ludgershall and never returned home, being cut at Eastleigh later that year…
25192*1J24 1010 Euston-Aberystwyth Shrewsbury – Welshpool (with 25178) 010984 *25192 failed Sutton Br Jn
25193 1A46 1010 Aberystwyth-Euston Welshpool – Shrewsbury (with 25282) 010984
25194 1J24 1010 Euston-Aberystwyth New St – Wolves (with 25058) 220881
25196 1J20 0735 Euston-Aberystwyth Wolves – Welshpool (with 25235) 060883
25198 1725 Eastbourne-Bedford Rtn Charter L.Buzzard – Bletchley (with 31217) 270485
47597 removed at West Lon Jn
25199} 1A07 0700 Wolverhampton-Euston M.Keynes – Bletchley (with 25236) 87008(d)} 211283
25200 2J57 1605 Aberystwyth-Shrewsbury Welshpool – Shrewsbury (with 25154) 120682
25201 0345 Padd-Pwhelli Railtour Wolves – Pwhelli (with 25037) 240886
25202 1A46 1010 Aberystwyth-Euston Shrewsbury – Wolves (with 25212) 280583
25203 1E91 0800 Walsall-Yarmouth Nuneaton – Hinkley (with 25267) 230880
25205 2J87 1705 Aberystwyth-Shrewsbury Aberystwyth – Shrewsbury (with 25218) 110884
25207 1J20 0740 Euston-Aberystwyth Wolves – Shrewsbury (with 25190) 140882
25209} 1P02 0945 Euston-Preston Euston – Milepost 5.75 010484
86328(d)}
Booked morning isolation
25211 1J20 0735 Euston-Aberystwyth Wolves – Welshpool (with 25202) 040683
25212 1A46 1010 Aberystwyth-Euston Shrewsbury – Wolves (with 25202) 280583
25213 1600 Euston-Bletchley Addit (load 10) Euston – Watford Jn 201283
absolute hell climbing Camden Bank! due Bourne End dewirement.
25216 1M73 1710 Cardiff-Crewe Cardiff – Newport 030879
25218 2V67 0600 Crewe-Cardiff Newport – Cardiff 151077
25219 2M67 0750 Cardiff-Crewe Newport – Shrewsbury 080677
25220 2M67 0750 Cardiff-Crewe Cardiff – Newport 300477
25221 1M68 0532 Cardiff-Crewe Cardiff – Newport 121177
25222 2M67 0750 Cardiff-Crewe Newport – Pontypool 121177
25224 0604 Crewe-Cardiff Newport – Cardiff 170678
25227 2345 Inverness-Edinburgh/Glasgow Inverness – Perth (with 25241) 040977
25228 1J24 1010 Euston-Aberystwyth New St -Wolves (with 25239) 230783
25229 1J24 1010 Euston-Aberystwyth New St -Wolves (with 25234) 200883
25230 1J20 0735 Euston-Aberystwyth Wolves – Welshpool (with 25037) 250884
25233 0815 Inverness-Glasgow Inverness – Perth (with 25078) 030977
regular enough at the time , but these Highland line rats were hell!
25234 1J24 1010 Euston-Aberystwyth New St -Wolves (with 25229) 200883
25235 1J20 0735 Euston-Aberystwyth Wolves – Welshpool (with 25196) 060883
25236} 1A07 0700 Wolverhampton-Euston M.Keynes – Bletchley (with 25199) 87008(d)} 211283
Bourne End dewirement drag
25237 1T15 0752 Euston-Aberystwyth LNER Charter (with 25243) Wolves – Aberystwyth 300483
25239 1J24 1010 Euston-Aberystwyth New St-Wolves (with 25228) 230783
25241 2345 Inverness-Edinburgh/Glasgow Inverness -Perth (with 25227) 040977
Highland line rat overnight! Premier league move!
25242 1J20 0735 Euston-Aberystwyth Wolves – Shrewsbury (with 25078) 280583
25243 2C34 1000 Bedford-St.Pancras Luton – St Pancras 200879
My only rat off Luton, this diagram occasionally produced in the Summer of 79
25245 1J22 1349 Bangor – Man Vic Chester – Warrington BQ 040483
25249 1A46 1010 Aberystwyth-Euston Welshpool – Wolves (with 25284) 230684
25250 1A46 1010 Aberystwyth-Euston Wolves – New St (with 25287) 270883
A grey September 10th 1983 sees 25250 and 25257 at Wolves after working the famous “12 o’clock rats” departure from New St with the 1010 Euston – Aberystwyth
25251 1820 Euston-Northampton Watford Jn – Hemel H 201283
25254 1J20 0735 Euston-Aberystwyth Wolves – Welshpool (with 25298) 010984
25257 1J24 1010 Euston-Aberystwyth New St -Wolves (with 25250) 100983
25259 1J20 0735 Euston-Aberystwyth Wolves – Welshpool (with 25287) 040884
25262 1200 Bury – Ramsbottom (preserved East Lancs) Bury – Ramsbottom 061090
25265 1A46 1010 Aberystwyth-Euston Welshpool – Wolves (with 25315) 020684
25266} 1S57 0945 Euston-Glasgow Bletchley – Rugby 310783
86207(d)}
25267 1E91 0800 Walsall-Yarmouth Nuneaton – Hinkley (with 25203) 230880
25268} 1M57 0920 Glasgow/Edin Preston – Stockport (via Man V) 180683
87001}
25269 1A46 1010 Aberystwyth-Euston Shrewsbury – Wolves (with 25277) 140882
25276} 1A33 1015 Manchester-Euston Bletchley -Milepost 25.5 87030(d)} 140184
Ledburn wires down
The road is set for the thrash to begin! 25276 dragged 87030 from Bletchley to Hemel after a wires down at Ledburn incident on January 14th 1984
25277 1A46 1010 Aberystwyth-Euston Shrewsbury – Wolves (with 25269) 140882
25278 1A46 1010 Aberyswyth-Euston Welshpool – Wolves (with 25287) 080984
25279 1J20 0735 Euston-Aberystwyth Wolves – Welshpool (with 25325) 280784
25282 1A46 1010 Aberystwyth-Euston Welshpool – Wolves 280784
25251 failed and dumped at Machnylleth
25283 1A46 1010 Aberystwyth-Euston Welshpool – Shrewsbury (with 25288) 310782
25284 1A46 1010 Aberystwyth-Euston Welshpool – Wolves (with 25249) 230684
25285 1J24 1010 Euston-Aberystwyth New St – Wolves (with 25277)160783
25286 0700 Euston-Maxwelltown Railtour Carlisle Maxweltown (with 25200) 030885
25286 and 25200 at Dumfries with the enjoyable Euston – Maxwelltown “Silver Hammer” Railtour on August 3rd 1985. The rats were split here to top and tail down the now long closed Maxwelltown branch.
25287 1A46 1010 Aberystwyth-Euston Wolves – New St (with 25250) 270883
25288 1A46 1010 Aberystwyth-Euston Welshpool – Shrewsbury (with 25283) 310782
25289 1A46 1010 Aberystwyth-Euston Welshpool – Shrewsbury (with 25316) 040683
25289 and 25316 arrive at Welshpool with the 1010 Aberystwyth – Euston which was always a serious wedge to Salop on June 4th 1986. Sadly not just the rats are history here the trackbed was relocated 300 yards South of here and a road now occupies the trackbed and former up slow platforms, good eh!
25296 1J20 0740 Euston-Aberystwyth Wolves – Welllington (with 25320) 260682
25297 1Z08 0550 Cardiff-Norwich Railtour Coventry – Liverpool St (via Watford, NLL) (with 25268) 121085
25298 1J24 1010 Euston-Aberystwyth New St – Wolves (with 25322) 040982
25305 1J24 1010 Euston-Aberystwyth Shrewsbury – Welshpool (with 25194) 040683
25309 (as 25909) 1500 Bury – Ramsbottom (preserved East Lancs) Bury – Ramsbottom 061090
25311 1A46 1010 Aberystwyth-Euston Welshpool – Wolves (with 25298) 070784
25313} 1D05 0828 St.Pancras-Nottingham Leicester – Nottingham 130882
45138}
25315 1A46 1010 Aberystwyth-Euston Welshpool – Wolves (with 25265) 020684
25316 1010 Aberystwyth-Euston Welshpool – Shrewsbury (with 25289) 040683
25320 1J20 0740 Euston-Aberystwyth Wolves – Welllington (with 25296) 260682
To the Wolverhampton ticket office staff bemusement about 30 of us all bought day returns from Wolves to Welshpool that morning to sample 25296 and 25320 on the 0740 Euston – Aberystwyth on June 26th 1982
25321 1Z11 Marylebone-Edinburgh DAA Railtour Marylebone – Toton (via Bley, Bed) (with 25316) 040584
25322 1J24 1010 Euston-Aberystwyth New St -Wolves (with 25298) 040982
25323 1157 Bangor-Manchester Llandudno Jn – Colwyn Bay 210882
25325 1J20 0735 Euston-Aberystwyth Wolves – Welshpool (with 25279) 280784
Total to 190722 – 129.
Leighton Lists 