A good few years ago now, 3 of the old “Bedfordshire bashers” secured a front coach compo behind 25035/27056 on one of the last runs of an enjoyable GCR sixties diesel day. The sun finally come out to warm spirits further and classic basher conversation followed. The banter stopped as loud bursts of Sulzer thrash echoed all around, add clag and even the odd bellow and all aboard and up front were happy!
Leaving my colleagues Bedford bound I joined some vile 170 for the run to Nuneaton and during the fester here thought back on the efforts we sometimes made to get the first rat of the year in. For me this game has lasted almost 50 odd years now such is the staying power of the much missed class 25. The get em in game was enhanced by the unpredictability of what they worked on BR and what preserved lines we had to trek to in later years…
In more recent years the rats have been squeezed out by large numbers of in particular class 31, 37 and 47. Umpteen rats havent worked on a preserved line in years. However thanks to the South Devon Railway there positive attitude to class 25;s have seen 25185, 25262 and in a year or two 25191, all in action on preserved lines once again.
On today’s mainline railway anything goes, money permitting and wouldn’t it be nice for the likes of Old Linslade to once again reverberate to the sound of 2 x 25 passing on a railtour with said “Bedfordshire bashers” flailing up front!
20/2/77 Su
25063 1845 Cardiff-Crewe CA-NP
14/1/78 Sa
25038 1222 Crewe-Cardiff NP-CA
9/3/79 Fr
25061 1600 Crewe-Cardiff NP-CA
12/7/80 Sa
25132} 1430 Yarmouth-Walsall LS-NU
25125}
1/6/81 Mo
25037 1105 Perth-Inverness PE-WA
28/5/82 Fr
25079 2355 (Th)Inverness-Edinburgh Portion HA-WA
4/4/83 Mo
25245 1358 Bangor-Manchester CH-WBQ
25245 warms her boiler up in style before replacing a 47 at Chester with the 1358 Bangor – Manchester Vic on April 4th 1983.
14/1/84 Sa
25276} 1015 Manchester-Euston BY-MP 25
87030(d)
The road is off for 25276 to drag 87030 South to Hemel with the heavily delayed 1015 Manchester – Euston on January 14th 1984. 81011 had earlier brought the wires down at Ledburn with limited dragging for a few hours, happy days!
28/1/85 Mo
25044 1730 Glasgow-Carlisle GC-CA
22/3/86 Sa
25067 1137 Alton-Ropley AL-ME
27/7/86 Su
25057} 0731 Crewe-Onwllyn Railtour NS-Barry I
25109}
1987—-nought!
23/4/88 Sa
25191 1310 Grosmont-Pickering GR-PI
22/4/89 Sa
25191 1000 Pickering-Grosmont PI-GR
From a time when the NYMR looked after their small Sulzers, 25191 awaiting naming at Grosmont on April 22nd 1989. 25191 is now being rebuilt at the South Devon Railway
28/4/90 Sa
25278 1055 Pickering-Grosmont LV-GR
16/2/91 Sa
25322 0615 Swindon-Sheffield Railtour (Sheffield-Hellifield) SH-HE
9/5/92 Sa
25283 1250 Bewdley-Arley AR-HI
2/10/93 Sa
25309 1045 Bury-Rawtensall (multi 40135) BU-RA
6/5/94 Fr
25283 1105 Bridgnorth-Kidderminster AR-KD
1/4/95 Sa
25309 1055 Loughborough-Leicester N LO-LN
9/3/96 Sa
25067 1025 Shenton-Shackerstone SN-SH
8/3/97 Sa
25067 1000 Shackerstone-Shenton (multi 31101) MB-SN
Former “terrible ten” 25067 at Shackerstone on a turn from Shenton on the Battlefield line on March 8th 1997
14/11/98 Sa
25191 1150 Grosmont-Pickering GO-PI
16/10/99 Sa
25283 1020 Brignorth-Kidderminster AR-KI
2/9/00 Sa
25235 1130 Bo’ness-Birkhill BO-BI
22/9/01 Sa
25265 1050 Rothley-Loughborough RO-LO
29/6/02 Sa
25057 1015 Sheringham-Holt (multi 31162) WE-HO
3/5/03 Sa
25235 1250 Bo’ness-Birkhill (multi 26024) BO-BI
28/2/04 Sa
25313 1500 Llangollen-Carrog LL-CA
25313 and 46010 running round at Carrog prior to working a turn back to Llangollen on a wintry February 28th 2004
17/9/05 Sa
25265 1145 Loughborough-Leicester LO-LN
8/4/06 Sa
25321 1110 Butterley-Riddings BU-RI 23/3/07 Fr
25035 1135 Rothley Bk-Loughborough RO-LO
11/4/08 Fr
25035 1120 Leicester – Loughborough QU-LO
25/4/09 Sa
25067} 1500 Shackerstone – Shenton SH-SN
47640}
6/3/10 Sa
25035 1215 Loughborough – Leicester LO-LN
14/5/11 Sa
25279 1145 Loughborough – Ruddington LO-RS
28/4/12 Sa
25279 1235 Loughborough – Ruddington LO-RS Jn
29/3/13 Fr
25173} 1150 Ongar – Coopersdale ON-CO
4141(k)}
25173 at Ongar with the 1150 to Coopersdale on the Epping – Ongar line on March 29th 2013
12/7/14 Sa
25279 1000 Ruddington – Loughborough 60 steps-LO
29/3/15 Sa
25035 1010 Loughborough – Rothley Br (45125 dor) LO-RB
19/3/16 Sa
25035 1030 Loughborough – Leicester LO-LN
18/3/17 Sa
25035 1030 Loughborough – Leicester LO-LN
17/2/18 Sa
25279 0945 Heywood – Rawtenstall BU-RA
5/4/19 Fr
25262 1015 Chinnor – P.Risborough CH-PR
9/10/20 Sa
25035 1345 Loughborough – Leicester LO-LN
11/6/21 Fr
25035 1230 Loughborough – Leicester LO-LN 12/8/22 Fr
25262 1005 Eridge – Tunbridge Wells ER-TW
8/6/23 Th
25309 0945 Minehead – Bishops Lydeard WI-BL
27/6/24 Th
26007} 1130 Heywood – Rawtenstall HY-RA
25279}
8/8/25 Fr
25185 1230 Tunbridge Wells -Eridge TW-ER
3/7/26 Fr
25279 1232 Hopwood GF – Rawtenstall HO-RW
end
After a good few years out of service 25279 makes a welcome return to action working the 1232 ex Hopswood GF to Rawtenstall on the East Lancs on July 3rd 2026 where she is seen at her destination
end
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