In 1982 it was still possible to “bunk round” depots and on 9th May 1982 I am doing just that my local depot, Toton. Standing on the depot headshunt, normally the preserve of withdrawn or stored locomotives is an interesting visitor in the form of redundant carriage heating unit ADB 968002 waiting is fate. Why it has been moved to Toton is a mystery and it would spend almost three years in this spot on the depot headshunt before being towed to Marple and Gillot, Atterclife, Sheffield in March 1985 and broken up during April 1985.
Locomotive History
ADB 968002 was converted from Class 15 D8237 withdrawn from traffic in March 1969. The design and manufacture of the British Thompson Houston Type 1 (Class 15) was a collaboration between several companies. British Thompson Houston (the main contractor) provided electrical equipment, Paxman supplied the engine, a rather complex V16 for only 800 bhp, and Clayton supplied bogies and superstructure, with the frame construction and final assembly initially taking place at Yorkshire Engine's Sheffield works. The Pilot Scheme order for ten locomotives, numbered D8200–D8209, entered service between November 1957 and November 1958. The design showed sufficient promise for a repeat order of thirty four locomotives, numbered D8210–D8243 and these were assembled by Clayton at Hatton, Derbyshire and delivered between October 1959 and February 1961. D8237 entered traffic in November 1960, allocated to Finsbury Park MPD. It transferred to Stratford in April 1963 where it remained, apart from a short spell in 1967 at Ipswich for the remainder of its career as a locomotive. The class were troubled by several reliability problems, especially with the engines which were found to require excessive maintenance. A series of modifications to the pistons, piston rings and maintenance schedules, and fitting cast iron cylinder heads improved the engine reliability considerably and the class then proved to be far more reliable than the North British Type 1 (Class 16) and the Clayton Type 1 (Class 17) designs. However it still could not compete with the highly reliable and more powerful English Electric Type 1 (Class 20) and when diesel fleet reductions commenced in 1968, due to surplus locomotives the Class 15 was deemed non standard and withdrawals commenced. However four of the Class, D8203/33/37 and D8243, were taken into the Departmental Stock for carriage heating duties and renumbered ADB968000-3. These duties lasted for around 10 years until they became redundant in the early 1980’s.
Praktica LTL, Boots Colourslide 5
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Tags: 9th May D8237 ADB968002 Praktica LTL Boots Colourslide 5 Epson 4490
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