2631 - Photo: David Hayes.

0194 - Photo: Paul Gildersleve.

2648 - Photo: Paul Bettany.

Allocation History

16.03.62
Ran light from Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows, to Doncaster Works.
25.03.62
To Vulcan Foundry for unrecorded classification (off 03/04). During this visit D9021 was loaned to the LMR and visited Longsight TMD in late March 1962. The locomotive was used in high-speed trials in connection with rail end stress between Manchester & Crewe. D9021 had no brushes fitted to the traction motors and was towed by an electric locomotive.
From the May 1962 "Modern Railways":
"The last of the production series of 'Deltic' diesels, No. D9021, was at Longsight depot at the end of March. According to a correspondent, it was making nocturnal high speed runs between a pair of 25kV a.c. electric locomotives on the Manchester - Crewe line to test the latter's behaviour at up to 100mph. We were interested to learn recently that the 'Deltic's' performance data shows it to have a better rate of acceleration in the higher speed range than a BR 25kV a.c. electric locomotive."
Followed by July 1962 "Modern Railways":
"A correspondent corrects a note in our May issue concerning the appearance of 'Deltic' No. D9021 on the Crewe - Manchester electrified line. The tests were not connected with the running of the electric locomotives but with comprehensive track tests that have been in progress for some time at Heald Green under the aegis of the B.T.C. Research Department. The 'Deltic', which was completely dead, with motor brushes removed, was being powered by the electric locomotives between which it was coupled for the purposes of rail-end stress tests."
02.05.62
Official date of acceptance to BR - allocated 64B Haymarket (contract date: 15.03.61).
04.05.62
1A23 08:30 Edinburgh - King's Cross, "The Talisman" (failed Berwick) - A3 Pacific 60072 "SUNSTAR" assist to Newcastle, D240 forward.
13.09.62
1A23 08:30 Edinburgh - King's Cross, to Newcastle, "The Talisman" (engine failure) - A3 Pacific 60091 "CAPTAIN CUTTLE" forward.

02.04.63
1A58 19:30 King's Cross - Aberdeen, "The Aberdonian" to York (engine failure) - V2 60961 forward.
05.06.63
1A65 20:05 Edinburgh - King's Cross (consist included three extra vehicles to accommodate Princess Marina).
29.11.63
Named "ARGYLL & SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDER" with ceremony at Stirling.

04.09.64
1A30 14:00 King's Cross - Edinburgh, "The Heart Of Midlothian" to Newcastle (engine failure at Darlington) - A3 Pacific 60036 "COLOMBO" assist to Newcastle, D9002 forward).
12.11.64
D9021 was considered to be the test loco of the fleet and its on loan transfer from Haymarket to Finsbury Park from 12th November until 19th June 1965 coincided with the ER (Eastern Region) carrying out certain tests for the fleet - the ER brought about the transfer as D9021 was a ScR (Scottish Region) locomotive. There are conflicting dates for this move and  29th November 1964 until 26th June 1965 is also stated as the loan period - this may be due to the source of the transfers (the Eastern Region used to report them week by week, whilst the Scottish Region often used to report for four week periods).

03.10.65
Released from Doncaster Works after fitting of cast bogies (bogies No.1 1003 replaced by 9000-27 & No.2 1004 replaced by 9000-28).

21.03.66
1st EE maintenance contract expires - mileage recorded at 646,894.
19.04.66
1Zxx 09:56 King's Cross - Doncaster (arrive Doncaster 12:02, high speed press demonstration run - load 8) and 1Zxx 13:56 Doncaster - King's Cross (arrive KX 16:04).

06.12.67
Released from Doncaster Works, after General repair, in blue livery and equipped with dual braking.

01.05.68
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of non-stop running between King's Cross and Edinburgh A3 Pacific 4472 "Flying Scotsman" ran a non-stop special between the two capitals on 1st May 1968. Departure coincided with the day's actual  "The Flying Scotsman" service with D9021 at the helm. D9021, even with a Newcastle stop, arrived in Edinburgh 2 hours before the Pacific!
07.10.68
4xxx King's Cross FLT - Edinburgh FLT, "The Euro-Scot Freightliner" (inaugural service - with headboard).
12.12.68
1xxx 09:45 Perth - Euston, (to Edinburgh) (to pick up "Save the Argyll's" petition at Stirling).

19.09.70
Released from Doncaster Works, after Light repair, with ETH equipment fitted - the 'D' prefix is most likely to have been dropped from the number at this time.

21.01.71
1X01 Larbert - Stirling (royal train - conveying HRH Queen Elizabeth).

16-17.09.72
Eastfield TMD - open day 'Railfair 72' exhibit.
18.09.72
4E47 13:46 Aberdeen - King's Cross Goods, to Newcastle (fish).

02.01.74
Locomotive renumbered 55021.

22.04.76
To Doncaster Works for Heavy General Repair (off 19.01.77). 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).

18.04.78
Restricted to one power unit the locomotive performed the following moves from 18/04 (possibly from 14/04) until 24/04: 0V92 05:40 Haymarket - Perth, 5V92 07:48 Perth - Edinburgh (via Ladybank & Bridge of Earn) and 1E83 17:10 Edinburgh - Berwick. After which it was shopped for repairs at Doncaster Works, which had not been accepting locomotives due to industrial action by employees.
25.08.78
1D01 08:25 King’s Cross - Cleethorpes and 1A21 13:18 Cleethorpes - King’s Cross.
01.12.78
1M41 21:50 York - Aberystwyth, to Stockport and 1E24 22:50 Shrewsbury - York, from Stockport. 55021 may have performed this move for the first time on 26.07.78, however, 55005 is also credited with this move.

03.12.79
1M62 08:49 York - Liverpool and 1E99 13:05 Liverpool - York.

31.01.80
1A23 08:50 Edinburgh - Aberdeen and 1G65 12:40 Aberdeen - Edinburgh.

11.07.81
Stratford TMD - open day exhibit.
02.08.81
1Z19 09:15 Edinburgh - Oban, "West Highlands Tour" and 1Z19 15:00 Oban - Edinburgh.
23.08.81
1Z19 09:15 Edinburgh - Oban, "West Highlands Tour" and 1Z19 15:00 Oban - Edinburgh.
17.10.81
1Z42 Plymouth - Scarborough, "The Minsterman" from York Honiton Round Table railtour and 1Z42 Scarborough - Plymouth return to York.
24.10.81
1Z30 08:45 King's Cross - Blackpool, to Leeds (40024 forward), the locomotive then working 9Z11 21:13 Crofton - Gascoigne Wood, to Doncaster (long welded rail train) before 1Z30 Blackpool - King's Cross, from Doncaster (ex 40024).
30.10.81
1V93 09:50 Edinburgh - Plymouth, to York and 1S27 07:36 Plymouth - Edinburgh, from York (final loco hauled 1V93/1S27 - HST diagram as of 01/11).
23.11.81
1F55 Edinburgh - Glasgow Central, TUC "Job's Express" charter.
31.12.81
1L41 09:40 King's Cross - York (final service to run King's Cross to York, 1L44 with 55017 was terminated at Grantham due to a broken rail). After arrival at York the locomotive was withdrawn.