2641 - Photo: Paul Bettany.

Allocation History

14.09.61
Ran light from Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows, to Doncaster Works - accepted into BR service and allocated 64B, Haymarket TMD.

27.11.62
1E02 07:00 Bradford - King's Cross, "The West Riding" from Leeds to Grantham (engine failure) - A3 Pacific 60112 "ST. SIMON" forward.

16.01.63
Named "THE BLACK WATCH" with ceremony at Dundee.

10.05.65
4E02 (up Presflo cement empties - noted Newark).
21.07.65
Released from Doncaster Works after fitting of cast bogies (bogies No.1 1023 replaced by 9000-7 & No.2 1024 replaced by 9000-8).
17.08.65
3E28 (16:30) Hull - King's Cross Goods, from Doncaster (fish).

21.03.66
1st EE maintenance contract expires - mileage recorded at 775,180.

27.01.67
Released from Doncaster Works, after General repair, with full yellow ends applied.
18.12.67
Released from Doncaster Works, after General repair, in blue livery and equipped with dual braking.

25.02.68
Officially transferred to 34G Finsbury Park (ex 64B Haymarket) - to cover air braked diagrams until completion of dual braking to the fleet (transfer moves actually occurred early May 1968 to coincide with the new timetable).
15.03.68
1xxx 13:40 Cambridge - King's Cross.
16.06.68
Transferred to 64B Haymarket (ex 34G Finsbury Park) - after completion of dual braking to the fleet.

13.09.69-27.10.69
Carrying 'D' prefix on 13/09 but reported dropped by 27/10 (most likely date for this would be after Light repair dated 20/10-27/10).

15.05.71
Released from Doncaster Works, after Light repair, with ETH equipment fitted.

01.09.72
6E39 Leith - Haverton Hill, to Newcastle (tankers).

28.02.74
Locomotive renumbered 55013.

07.06.75
1Z14 Dundee - Crewe, from Haymarket to Edinburgh (assisting failed A4 Pacific60009 "UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA").

25.05.76
To Doncaster Works for Heavy General Repair (off 12.12.76). This included the plating over of route indicators, sand-box fillers and cab quarter light windows.
55016 was the first of the class to be shopped for HGR, however, only four other members would follow as the cost for renewal of inner and outer body-skins and rewiring outweighed the projected future use of the class (in full order: 55016 05.07.75 - 55019 27.02.76 - 55002 16.03.76 - 55021 22.04.76 and 55013 25.05.76). Only 55016 received a 'full' HGR whilst the other four locomotives had work curtailed from the repair in varying degrees. With the scrapping of HGR's the class reverted to Intermediate and Light repairs, although, as another cost-cutting exercise, 55015 was allowed to run without classified repair from October 1975 until February 1979 to ascertain how long the locomotives could run without such work being carried out. The result was that classified repairs were given at two-yearly intervals only from 1979.

17.10.77
During the week commencing 17th October 1977 unofficial industrial action led to the removal of Deltics from all ECML workings. Action was taken by maintenance staff angry at the proposed closure of Finsbury Park Depot with the introduction of the new HST fleet, which was to be maintained at the new Bounds Green Depot. Maintenance staff 'blacked' the Deltic fleet thus all engines remained 'laid-up' at various installations until the dispute was settled on October 21st. A list of how the dispute affected the class is as follows:

 

Locomotive:	Notes:
55001	Haymarket TMD 13/10 - 23/10. Worked 1E35 20:20 Edin - KX 23/10.
55002	Finsbury Park TMD 14/10 - 23/10. Worked 1N29 19:00 KX - N'lce 23/10.
55003	Haymarket TMD 14/10 - 23/10. Worked 1E25 12:15 Aber - KX from Edin 23/10.
55004	Finsbury Park TMD 13/10 - 23/10. Worked 1S21 11:00 KX - Edin 24/10.
55005	Doncaster Works 'Intermediate' 31/03 - 21/10. Worked 1E48 21:15 Aber - KX from Doncaster 26/10.
55006	Finsbury Park TMD 11/10 - 24/10. Worked 1L22 15:55 KX - Leeds 24/10.
55007	York TMD 10/10 - 25/10. Worked 1A06 08:05 YK - KX 25/10.
55008	Gateshead TMD 13/10 - 24/10. Worked 1A40 20:30 N'cle - KX 24/10.
55009	York TMD 17/10 - 23/10. Worked 0D01 12:00 YK - Doncaster 23/10.
55010	Haymarket TMD 13/10 - 24/10. Worked 1E20 15:00 Edin - KX 24/10.
55011	Gateshead TMD 14/10 - 24/10. Worked 1A07 07:25 N'cle - KX 24/10.
55012	York TMD 14/10 - 24/10. Worked 1A06 08:05 YK - KX 24/10.
55013	Haymarket TMD 15/10 - 23/10. Worked 1E39 22:30 Edin - KX 23/10.
55014	Gateshead TMD 14/10 - 25/10. Worked 1A15 09:20 N'cle - KX 25/10.
55015	Finsbury Park TMD 08/10 - 25/10. Worked 1N00 01:00 KX - N'cle 26/10.
55016	Haymarket TMD 15/10 - 19/10. Sent to Doncaster Works 19/10 for 'Light repair' behind 40063.
55017	Doncaster Works 'Intermediate' 03/10 - 19.01.78.
55018	Doncaster Works 'Intermediate' 30/06 - 10/12.
55019	Finsbury Park TMD 14/10 - 23/10. Worked 1D00 08:25 KX - Cleethorpes 24/10.
55020	Holbeck TMD 10/10 - 23/10. Worked 1A47 00:43 Leeds - KX 24/10.
55021	Gateshead TMD 14-10 - 24-10. Worked 1S28 07:00 N'cle - Edin 24/10.
55022	Finsbury Park TMD 14/10 - 23/10. Worked 1S43 18:00 KX - Edin 23/10.

Finsbury Park - 6; Gateshead - 4; Haymarket - 5; Doncaster Works - 3; York - 3; Holbeck - 1; Locomotives moving in this period - 1 (55016, Haymarket to works).

19.03.78
York Station (Scarborough platforms). For the filming of BBC 'Race to the North' program.
30.09.78
1S24 11:55 King's Cross - Aberdeen, "The Aberdonian" (final booked locomotive haulage - HST from 02/10).
19.10.78
1M41 21:50 York - Aberystwyth, to Stockport and 1E24 22:50 Shrewsbury - York, from Stockport.
21.12.78
1D01 08:25 King's Cross - Cleethorpes and 1A21 13:18 Cleethorpes - King's Cross.

13.05.79
Locomotive transferred to York (ex Haymarket). Haymarket and Gateshead based Deltics were allocated to York depot during May 1979 and as a result the York coat of arms was applied to each loco - 55013 was the first to receive this honour.
04.07.79
Doncaster - York (breakdown train - pass Doncaster 06:00).
05.07.79
1M76 15:47 York - Liverpool (second production machine to visit Liverpool) and 1E93 19:05 Liverpool - York.
20.12.79
1A23 08:50 Edinburgh - Aberdeen and 1G65 12:40 Aberdeen - King's Cross.

06.01.80
To Doncaster Works for final Intermediate repair (off 23/02).
08-20.05.80
York TMD - 'C' exam & preparation for Rainhill celebrations (did not attend - 55015 sent instead).
15.06.80
Tinsley TMD - open day exhibit.

30.05.81
1D00 08:05 King's Cross - Hull and 1A18 12:34 Hull - King's Cross (final loco-hauled 1D00 and 1A18 return).
21.11.81
1Z10 17:05 Inverkeithing - Bradford, "The Deltic Scotsman" RCTS/BR railtour, from Edinburgh (ex 55002).
16.12.81
1B26 07:23 Peterborough - King's Cross, (engine failure at Wood Green assisted to KX by 31292 - final train).
20.12.81
Locomotive withdrawn.