60th Anniversary of first modernisation diesel locos.

[sandwhich]

In 1957 the first modernisation diesel locomotives the Class 20 entered service at Devons Road in East London,228 were built over the coming years and worked in many parts of the country, 22 locos of this class are still main line certified. In fact Devons Road was rebuilt as one of the first all diesel depots in 1959 but ended up being closed in 1964 with the gradual demise of the docks and the remaining Class 20s moved to Stratford or Willesden, many other types of diesel locos soon followed on in service.

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

An important milestone indeed.

Many thanks!!!

[Mickey]

In 1957 the first modernisation diesel locomotives the Class 20 entered service at Devons Road in East London,228 were built over the coming years and worked in many parts of the country, 22 locos of this class are still main line certified. In fact Devons Road was rebuilt as one of the first all diesel depots in 1959 but ended up being closed in 1964 with the gradual demise of the docks and the remaining Class 20s moved to Stratford or Willesden, many other types of diesel locos soon followed on in service.

When I was at Stratford loco as a secondman (during 1979) there was a number of former Devons Road drivers at Stratford shed at that time that had either been firemen or drivers at the shed during the 1950s & early 1960s anyway there was a job at Stratford back in the 1970s called 'the Poplar Goods' that came out of Temple Mills marshalling yards around 09:30hrs (Mon-Fri) and was usually a long mixed train made up of box vans and bogie-bolsters with brake vans at either end of the train (for running round at Victoria Park) usually worked by a Brush type 2 (class 31). Anyway after leaving Temple Mills and making it's way up to Victoria Park and then running round the train the train would then traverse the single line from Old Ford down to Poplar Docks yard passed the former Bow Junction and Devons Road loco shed by which time in 1979 the former shed was just a wide open fenced off open space.

Mickey

[Mickey]

As the reverend Awdry once memorably stated on film in 1968 when asked his opinion about diesels-

"Box on wheels".

Mickey

[burnie]

I love railways, always have, I guess it's an age thing that I prefer steam to any other form of loco, as a youngster I often got the train home from school, if a diesel turned up we used to wait for a steam train, even when it meant being late home for tea.

[Mickey]

On the ECML the first generation of diesels during the late 1950s & early 1960s were ok such as the Deltics the Baby Deltics the Brush type 2s & Brush type 4s and the EE type 4s and a few other classes but the current motive power situation on Network Rail of class 66s everywhere are pretty boring.

Mickey

[sandwhich]

Im not sure how many Class 20s were at Devons Road I know it was the first 20 D 8000-19 but I think there were some more allocated there as well. I seem to remember that a small batch were allocated to Hitchin depot until around 1964.
Also in 1957 the 20 "toffee apple" Class 31s arrived down the road at Stratford.

[Mickey]

Hawker Siddeleys HS4000 'Kestrel' should have been saved for the national collection.

I saw her working the 17:00hrs Kings Cross-Leeds Pullmans back in 1970 or 71 a few times.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_HS4000

Mickey

[Mickey]

Personally I always liked the Brush type 2s during there 1960s two tone green livery & 1970s corporate blue livery although by the late 1980s & 1990s I didn't much care for them being painted in the 'Dutch' livery of grey/yellow/black but regardless of there liveries they were always easy diesel locos to drive.

Start the loco up with a 'drivers key' and let the loco build up it's air and put the AWS 'in' (above the door) then put the 'selector handle' on the desk in the forward position and take the 'loco brake off' and open the controller on the desk a notch or two and away thee jolly well went...

Mickey

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

Steam is my first love and always will be but the 1960s diesels do at least make a lovely noise, or most of them do. Clqss 56 sounded OK at a distance when the throb of the diesel could be heard over the scream of the turbo but 58 and what came after are just over silenced for me. I like to hear the exhaust roar!

The Severn Valley have the Clayton back for this years' diesel gala. I'd forgotten what an awesome sound that makes on full bore.....

[52D]

I have a thing about Claytons as they took over the branch goods at Alnwick when we lost our beloved K1s. Many trips were enjoyed down the branch and one memorable trip to newcastle was had.

[Mickey]

I use to like seeing the double-headed Paxmans working the Ashburton Grove-Blackbridge sidings rubbish trains passing through Welwyn Garden City circa 1968-1970 and if they didn't have a couple of Paxmans on the front then it would usually be a couple of two tone green double-headed Brush type 2s.

Mickey

[S.A.C. Martin]

Hawker Siddeleys HS4000 'Kestrel' should have been saved for the national collection.

I saw her working the 17:00hrs Kings Cross-Leeds Pullmans back in 1970 or 71 a few times.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_HS4000

Mickey

I have to question: why? What makes Kestrel so worthy of preservation? Just because she was a one off?

I love the design, it looks amazing, but it wasn't exactly the most successful prototype. If anything, the potential deaccessioning of a class 47 from the National Collection should anger us more than make us pine for the lone HS4000.

[Mickey]

Hawker Siddeleys HS4000 'Kestrel' should have been saved for the national collection.

I saw her working the 17:00hrs Kings Cross-Leeds Pullmans back in 1970 or 71 a few times.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_HS4000

Mickey

I have to question: why? What makes Kestrel so worthy of preservation? Just because she was a one off?

I love the design, it looks amazing, but it wasn't exactly the most successful prototype. If anything, the potential deaccessioning of a class 47 from the National Collection should anger us more than make us pine for the lone HS4000.

Mainly a sentimental reason from seeing the loco on several occasions working the Kings Cross-Leeds Pullmans back in 1970. I believe Kestrel went to Russia and never returned to the UK being eventually cut up over there.

Mickey

[strang steel]

60 years since D8000 appeared... now I do feel old.

Yes, the first 20 type 1s went to Devons Road initially, but some moved away after 12 months or so, and the early D8200s were brought in.

Then D8037-D8044 went there in 1959 for a short while before the depot was slowly wound down.

I too have a soft spot for Kestrel as I used to see it most weekday afternoons in 68/69 while on my way home from school. It worked regular coal trains to Whitemoor, from either Worksop or Mansfield concentration sidings.