Briddon sells pioneer Class 14, D9500

THE UNRESTORED pioneer Class 14 diesel-hydraulic locomotive, D9500, has been sold by its previous owner, Andrew Briddon, after he admitted that other commitments to restore his shunter locomotive fleet meant he would probably never get around to restoring it.

“I have to be realistic,” Mr Briddon explained to Railways Illustrated in late August before the sale had been concluded, adding: “The locomotive needs a fair amount of restoration and rebuilding work, principally a new engine, but it is restorable and the time has come to pass it on to someone who has the time, resources and energy to get it running again. It would be a crying shame if the pioneer Class 14 never ran again.”

Since first being preserved in 1987 after withdrawal from industrial service with the National Coal Board, the locomotive has been based at several heritage lines. Originally based along with D9502 at the Llangollen Railway following preservation in 1987, it subsequently moved to Swindon, Williton, Meadowhall, Barrow Hill and finally Peak Rail in 2007. It is one of three of the surviving Class 14s to have never hauled a train in preservation

Following its purchase by Mr Briddon in 2010, he moved D9500 to his Darley Dale base, also at Peak Rail. He had always planned to re-engine the locomotive, as its original Paxman 6YJXL engine had been previously stripped down and the engine block has since been sold to the owners of D9504 on the Kent & East Sussex Railway.

Mr Briddon also owns 14901 – the former D9524 – which is fitted with a Rolls Royce engine, but this locomotive is also awaiting an overhaul after spending a number of years on hire to various heritage lines. The locomotive is in good condition and will undergo engine repairs and other works before returning to service. Mr Briddon says he has no plans to sell 14901.

The Class 14s are well represented in preservation, with 19 survivors, as although they were only in service with British Railways for a very short time, many of them found further use in industrial service with the likes of the National Coal Board and British Steel Corporation, surviving in regular use until the late 1980s.

He also hinted that some other items of rolling stock in his collection may be sold off in the near future, as he looks to slim down his fleet slightly, although he said he remains committed to the preservation, restoration and hire of shunting locomotives.

The sale of the locomotive includes a Rolls Royce CV12 engine, which Mr Briddon originally purchased with the intention of installing into D9500.