Class 02 diesel hydraulic 0-4-0 shunter D2853 stands in the round house at Barrow Hill, 6th April 2019.

Locomotive History
D2853 was built by the Yorkshire Engine Company and entered traffic in October 1960. This class of twenty locomotives would fall victim of the mass diesel shunter withdrawals which commenced just before the end of steam on British Rail in 1968. The first five to be withdrawn were D2861/62/63/68/69 all condemned in December 1969. Unlike most of the small classes of diesel shunters, four class 02 locomotives survived long enough to be allocated 1973 TOPS numbers although only three survived long enough to carry them briefly before withdrawal in the summer of 1975. D2853 was initially allocated to to Bank Hall MPD and transferred to Speke Junction in October 1966 and Allerton in May 1968 from where it was withdrawn in June 1975. It was one of the class to carry a TOPS number (02003) applied a few months prior to withdrawal. Following withdrawal, it was sold to LCP Fuels, Shut End, Staffordshire before eventually being preserved.

Tags:   6th April 02003 D2853

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Class 07 diesel electric 0-6-0 shunter 07012 stands in the round house at Barrow Hill, 6th April 2019.

Locomotive History
Fourteen 0-6-0 diesel electric shunting engines (D2985 – D2998) were built in 1962 by Ruston and Hornsby specifically for dock yard shunting at Southampton Docks. They became class 07 however with the drastic reduction in wagon load traffic through Southampton Docks in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s the class started to become surplus. Being a small class and with the tendency to run hot when required to travel any distance the class started to be withdrawn as early as May 1973 when D2988/91/92/98 were condemned. Three further locomotives 07003/09/10 were withdrawn in October 1976 and the remaining seven were withdrawn en-block in July 1977. 07012 was originally D2996 and was condemned in July 1977. All bar three locomotives were sold for further use and 07012 was sold to Powell Duffryn, Kidwelly before eventually being preserved.

Tags:   6th April D2996 07012

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Transport for Wales 142076 is the rear unit of 2J12, 11:41 Barry Island – Pontypridd as it heads up the Taff Valley departing Radyr, 10th April 2019.

Unit History
142076 is from the second batch of forty six Class 142 units, built in 1986/87 and now over thirty years old. It was initially allocated to Neville Hill for Leeds area local duties. It transferred to Cardiff around 2000 as part of a swap between Arriva Trains Wales and Arriva Trains Northern of fifteen class 142 units with fifteen class 150/2 units. It is highly likely that sometime within the next eight months it will be withdrawn from traffic.

Tags:   10th April 142076

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Transport for Wales 143601 approaches Pontypridd working 2E24, 10:38 Merthyr Tydfil – Bridgend, 10th April 2019.

Tags:   10th April 143601

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Transport for Wales 143602 approaches Pontypridd working 1F29, 10:07 Treherbert – Cardiff Central, 10th April 2019.

Unit History
The class 143 fleet of twenty five two car units was introduced between 1985 and 1986. They originally worked around the North East but were later transferred to Wales. The vehicles are based on an Alexander bus body mounted on a four wheeled chassis. The twenty-five units were originally numbered 143001-025 but later re-numbered 143601 – 143625. Two units (143613/15) have been withdrawn and broken up due to fire damage.

Transport for Wales operate fifteen units on South Wales duties and Great Western Railways operate the remaining eight units on duties based at Exeter. It is highly likely that sometime within the next eight months these units will be withdrawn from traffic.

Tags:   10th April 143602

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