The Deltics: An enduring legacy
As Railways Illustrated remembers the 40th anniversary of the end of the Deltics on BR, Andy Coward summarises the preservation history of the survivors.
When the last of the Deltics were withdrawn by BR in January 1982, many people thought that would be the last time one of these powerful locomotives would ever run on the main line network under its own power.
Apart from 55002 The King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, which was destined for the National Collection, no one could even be sure if any of the others would survive into preservation.
The fact that five other Deltics are still in existence is largely thanks to two preservation groups. The Deltic Preservation Society (DPS) bought 55009 Alycidon and 55019 Royal Highland Fusilier directly from BR following their withdrawal and later purchased 55015 Tulyar from its private owner.
The DPS had 1500 members at its peak and still boasts almost 1000 members 40 years on, establishing itself as one of the UK’S leading modern traction preservationists. A feature on the DPS and their activities can be found later in this issue.
The pioneer production locomotive 55022 Royal Scots Grey (the original D9000) was purchased by the Deltic 9000 Fund, which later also purchased 55016 Gordon Highlander from BR, and the two locomotives initially moved to a base on the Nene Valley Railway.
When the ban on preserved modern traction locomotives operating on the national network was lifted in the early 1990s, it was almost inevitable that a Deltic would be high up the list for a main line comeback.
It was the Deltic D9000 Fund, that later became Deltic 9000 Locomotives Ltd (DNLL), which made history by returning D9000 to the main line, hauling ‘The Deltic Deliverance’ tour on November 30, 1996. Despite the locomotive suffering a collector drum fire during its debut railtour, it went on to clock up thousands of miles on the main line while under DNLL’S care, including use on some timetabled services with Virgin Crosscountry.
DNLL also returned D9016 to the main line with an overhaul financed by leasing giant Porterbrook. The refurbished Deltic was turned out in Porterbrook’s purple and grey colours, along with modern WIPAC lighting clusters on the cab fronts. It wasn’t to everyone’s taste but it certainly attracted plenty of attention, even if its spell on the main line was brief and somewhat ill-fated when it too caught fire and required extensive engine repairs to rectify the damage. However, after a few years of successful operation, and even trying to expand by taking on some other preserved locomotives for proposed main line returns, DNLL got into financial difficulties and collapsed into liquidation in 2004. Both D9000 and D9016 would be sold to repay debts accrued. It would be wrong to produce a tribute to the Deltics without acknowledging the efforts of Michael Timms, his late father Charles, and
the other volunteers who assisted in bringing D9000 and D9016 back onto the main line. Sadly, Michael Timms, who headed DNLL, died in October 2010 and while the organisation clearly made mistakes and over-stretched itself in its ambitions, DNLL still made history by being the first to get a Deltic back on the main line. Following the collapse of DNLL, D9000 was purchased by Martin Walker in 2004 and underwent an extensive rebuild at Barrow Hill before returning to use two years later. Four years after returning 55022 to the main line again, he also purchased D9016, bringing the two former DNLL Deltics back together. Again, Martin has spoken to Railways Illustrated for this special issue about his years with the locomotives, proving that owning and operating these complex machines is not for the fainthearted.
In the case of D9016, this locomotive was bought by a private individual following the demise of DNLL, spending time at Tyseley Locomotive Works and then Peak Rail for a couple of years. It was then sold on again, this time to Harry Needle Railroad Company, which controversially announced plans to strip the Deltic for spares and then scrap the remains.
However, it was later announced that D9016 would be joining the Direct Rail Services fleet, but it never returned to use under the freight operator and was sold back into preservation in 2010.
Martin Walker sold 55022 and D9016 to the Royal Scot Locomotive & General Trust in November 2017. D9016 was part way through its bodywork overhaul at the time of its sale and this was subsequently completed at Locomotive Services’ Crewe Diesel Depot base, before it was moved to Margate for display at the planned 1:1 Collection museum facility in the former Hornby factory. 55022 remains at Crewe, where efforts are underway to return it to main line action. Engine repairs are also underway, and it is hoped that it will reappear on the front of the train in August. With news releases about it referring to the locomotive as D9000, it is assumed that a further operating period in BR green is likely.
Another Deltic that has seen main line action during its life in preservation but now facing a silent future is the National Railway Museum’s D9002. Returned to service in 2011 by the KOYLI Group – a team of volunteers affiliated with the NRM – a change in the modern traction policy by the NRM’S parent organisation has seen D9002 put on static display in the main hall at York, with no short-term prospect of it being returned to use. Some of the KOYLI Group are now involved in the DPS project to revive D9015 at Barrow Hill.
The Deltics operated on BR for just 20 years and most of the preserved examples have been in private ownership for more than twice the time they were owned by BR. The preservation chapter of the Deltics has been, arguably, much more varied than their working lives between 1961 and 1982.