Allocation History

10.11.61
Ran light from Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows, to Doncaster Works - accepted into BR service and allocated 52A, Gateshead TMD.

22.03.62
Released from RSH Darlington Works after Unclassified repair - power units No.1 (unknown) replaced by 457 & No.2 (unknown) replaced by 421. It was the first instance of piston seizure with the 18 cylinder Napier Deltic power unit.
26.06.62
1A50 17:00 King's Cross - Newcastle, "The Tees-Tyne Pullman" - A3 Pacific 60112 "ST. SIMON" assist from Greatford.
01.10.62
1A66 20:20 King's Cross - Edinburgh, to Grantham (engine failure) - A3 Pacific 60106 "FLYING FOX" forward.
29.10.62
1A54 17:35 King's Cross - Newcastle, to Peterborough (engine failure) - V2 60881 forward (D9015 "TULYAR" from York).
23.11.62
1E18 21:33 Bradford - King's Cross, from Leeds to Grantham (engine failure) - A3 Pacific 60112 "ST. SIMON" forward.

22.07.63
1A35 10:00 Edinburgh - King's Cross, "The Flying Scotsman" to Grantham (engine failure) - A3 Pacific 60063 "ISINGLASS" forward.
29.10.63
Named "THE DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY" with ceremony at Durham.

24.12.64
1A21 10:15 Newcastle - King's Cross - piloted between Newcastle & Peterborough by A1 Pacific 60124 "KENILWORTH".

18.09.65
Released from Doncaster Works after fitting of cast bogies (bogies No.1 1047 replaced by 9000-21 & No.2 1048 replaced by 9000-22).

21.03.66
1st EE maintenance contract expires - mileage recorded at 713,935.

27.04.67
Released from Doncaster Works, after General repair, with full yellow ends applied.

08.05.68
Released from Doncaster Works, after General repair, equipped with dual braking and retaining green livery.
11.12.68
On 11.12.68 whilst working 1A21 11:00 Newcastle - King's Cross D9017 over ran a platform at Darlington and became derailed on catch points south of the station. It was discovered that when the locomotive was coupled to the stock at Newcastle the loco's hoses weren't coupled correctly to the coaches air brake pipe. A brake test wasn't performed resulting in the driver only having the loco brakes to try and stop the train at Darlington. D9017 entered Works on 23.12.68 for a 'Light repair' with fuel and water tanks damaged and suspect No.4 axle bent. It was released from Works on 07.01.69. One of the outcomes was to ensure that the pipes had their heads changed so as to prevent the incorrect pipes from being coupled in the future.

04.10.69
Released from Doncaster Works, after Intermediate repair, in blue livery - the 'D' prefix was dropped from the number at this time.

21.05.71
Released from Doncaster Works, after Intermediate repair, with ETH equipment fitted.

18-19.06.72
Newcastle Central - on display with Brush type 4 1577, Brush type 2 5856 and A4 Pacific 4498 "SIR NIGEL GRESLEY".

03.02.74
Locomotive renumbered 55017 (officially 09/02).

03.10.77
To Doncaster Works for final Intermediate repair (off 19.01.78).
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).

28.04.78
3E17 20:45 Wigan - Brian Mills Depot, from York to Newcastle (parcels).
05.07.78
1M41 21:50 York - Aberystwyth, to Stockport and 1E24 22:50 Shrewsbury - York, from Stockport.

15.01.79
1D01 08:25 King's Cross - Cleethorpes and 1A21 13:18 Cleethorpes - King's Cross.
24.03.79
1Zxx Huddersfield - Edinburgh, "Merrymaker".
13.05.79
Locomotive transferred to York (ex Gateshead).
23.07.79
1M73 11:28 Newcastle - Liverpool and 1E16 17:05 Liverpool - Newcastle.
28.08.79
1A23 08:50 Edinburgh - Aberdeen and 1G65 12:40 Aberdeen - Edinburgh.
29.09.79
1A00 06:06 York - King's Cross (last loco hauled 1A00).
31.12.79
1V93 09:50 Edinburgh - Plymouth, to Sheffield and 1E24 11:45 Cardiff - Newcastle, from Sheffield.

16.01.80
Sustained collision damage to No.1 end at Finsbury Park TMD.
18.01.80
To Doncaster Works for collision damage repairs (off  28/03).
It was first thought that 55017 had been fitted with a nose section from either 55001 or 55020 (following the cutting up of these locomotives) indeed one nose section from 55020 was missing from the scrapline on the 17th February, however, it later became apparent that an entirely new nose had been fabricated. This new nose cone could easily be identified by the fact that the central footrest had not been replaced above the buffer beam equipment.

03.01.81
1E15 14:25 Edinburgh - Newcastle (final loco hauled 1E15 - DMU turn as of 05/01).
13.11.81
To Doncaster Works for Unclassified repair - No.1 power unit 443 dephased - 443 replaced by 424 (off 17/11).
55017 was the final Deltic to be given a power unit change at Doncaster Works and TV cameras were allowed into 'The Plant' on Monday 16th November 1981 to film a small celebration to mark the event. A film crew from BBC 1 regional news programme 'Look North' filmed the locomotive being pushed out of 4 bay Crimpsall repair shop. A bottle of Champagne was broken over the buffers and the locomotive was shown starting up and moving around the works (both trackside and from the cab). There was a short interview with Mr. Irving Wells, who it was stated had supervised the building of the first Deltic. During the Programme footage of the prototype was shown at Liverpool working the "Merseyside Express" and it was stated that the DPS were "one of several" societies interested in buying a locomotive.
31.12.81
1L44 16:03 King's Cross - York, to Grantham, (broken rail at Grantham). Last Deltic service train from King's Cross and carried headboards "Deltic City Tribute & 20 Years Service" at Grantham the headboards were taken north for 55019 on 1E26 so as they could finally reach York. 55017 then formed 1G26 18:58 Grantham - King's Cross, however, only travelled as far as Knebworth as wheel Slip Relay No.5 was sticking, and the train was cancelled. 55017's final move being 5G26 Knebworth - King's Cross (behind 47426). The locomotive was withdrawn on arrival at Finsbury Park.