12. Swindon Works-01.10.77

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-1977 > 12. Swindon Works-01.10.77
My second visit of the year to Swindon works. A thorough tour of the works followed by some time spent on the scrap-lines. The weather was better than my April visit and things had moved on.
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Images 1-13 of 13 displayed.

D1033, awaiting cutting, Swindon Works D1033 'Western Trooper' heads a long line of Westerns at the back of Swindon Works. D1033 was withdrawn in September 1976 and, at the time that this picture was taken had been a Works resident for over a year. Perhaps its extended stay of execution and that it was covered with a tarpaulin was indicative of a preservation move? Sadly, 'Western Trooper' did not emerge from the works again.
D1071, awaiting cutting, Swindon Works Since my last visit in April, D1071'Western Renown' has moved from the Swindon scrap-lines to the back of the works. Still looking complete and with its experimental cab ventilator 'Trooper' sits awaiting its fate. Note the ex. GWR brake van and crane to the right of the picture.
24041, 24039 & 24135, scrap-line, SwindonWorks A trio of class 24s await cutting at Swindon Works. 24041 and 24039 were both 1959 Crewe built and withdrawn as part of the same cull in July 1976. Behind the tree, 24135 lingers, it was a 1960 Derby built engine withdrawn in January 1976.
24041, 24039, 24134, 24075, 24085, 24141 & D1009, Scrap line, Swindon Works An impressive line up of condemed diesels at Swindon Works. 24041, 24039, 24134, 24075, 24085, 24141 and D1009 'Western Invader' are all seen awaiting the attention of the cutter yielding his oxyacetylene lance. Notice my fellow visitors and their choice of 1970 coats, namely Parkas of various types!
D1011 & D1022, scrap line, Swindon Works D1011 'Western Thunderer' and D1022 'Western Sentinel' languish in the early autumn sunshine. D1011 had been at the works for 2 years by the time this picture was taken and D1022 just 10 months.
D1012, scrap line, Swindon Works Having been on the Swindon scrap-lines for 3 years, D1012 'Western Firebrand' is looking very faded and forlorn. The brake van will be another casualty of the cutter sooner than later!
08008, D1063 & D1001, being cut up, Swindon Works In the final stages of complete obliteration, 08008's cab, still in BR green livery, waits to be finished off! Behind the 08's cab are the cabs of D1063 'Western Monitor' and D1001 'Western Pathfinder'. Whilst nothing like the bizarre scenes recorded at Vic Berry's Leicester yard some years later, this picture does have a certain strange eeriness about it.
D1009, 24141 & 24085, scrap-line, Swindon Works D1009 'Western Invader' covered nearly 1.4 million miles in its lifetime, one of the highest record mileages of the entire class. It was withdrawn in November 1976 so had been here at Swindon for nearly a year when this picture was taken. The 24s in the background are 24141 and 24085.
W55018 (P118), awaiting scrapping, Swindon Works Withdrawn at Laira Depot sometime in early 1976, this class 121 'Bubble Car' DMU awaits its fate at Swindon Works. P118 was a 1958 unit fitted with 2 AEC engines producing a megre 150bhp between them. W55018 spent its later life on the Devon and Cornwall branch lines. Before that it was a Midland machine used in and around the Birmingham area. To the left, notice the old weighbridge. Now this has reincarnated into The Weighbridge Brewhouse located on the newly built Penzance Drive.
24084, awaiting scrapping, Swindon Works 24084 is well away from the rest of the withdrawn locomotives at Swindon Works. It was almost like it was being kept safe in readiness for a preservation bid. Sadly, this did not happen and it went the way of the rest of the class 24s at Swindon. Just to the right of the picture is the GWML and this 24, along with a number of other locos, was in full view of the passing trains.
D1023 & D821,under-restoration, Swindon Works A happier scene met us on our tour in the weighbridge. To the left is D1023 'Western Fusilier'. It was undergoing a restoration to prepare it to become part of the national collection. Today it can still be seen in this condition and livery, but with nameplates and numberplates firmly attached, at the National Railway Museum in York. D1023 was the only member of the class to have the domino style headcode panel fitted. This was a requirement for it to run on the Eastern Region when it hauled 'The Western Talisman' from King's Cross to York. It also had the honour of hauling the final railtour with D1013 'Western Ranger' on 26.02.77. To the right is D821 'Greyhound' . This was undergoing restoration by the DTG and today it can be found doing the rounds of the various preserved lines so can still be enjoyed for haulage!
D1015, D818 & D7029, turntable, Swindon Works Grouped around the turntable at Swindon Works is a fine trio of hydraulics! D1015 'Western Champion' is to the left. It was in the care of the DTG and remains part of their collection today. At the time of writing, in 2018, it is undergoing a protracted and expensive engine rebuild so it can return to service and, possibly, the mainline again. D818 'Glory' was not as good inside as the exterior would suggest. It was just a display engine and over the next few years it deteriorated badly to point, after it was stripped for parts for D821, it was scrapped. D7029 is also the property of the DTG and is in service today and can be found on various preserved lines. Finally, as for the white Morris Marina TC to the far right, I suspect that the tin-worm destroyed this too within a few years of this picture!
1313, undergoing overhaul, Swindon Works Looking very smart approaching the end of its overhaul at Swindon Works is a class 207 East Sussex unit number 1313. The 207 had a different appearance from its class 206 and 204 cousins due to the rounded finish where the front panel meets the side panels and recessed jumper cables.

Images 1-13 of 13 displayed.