Mainline Diesel Shunters
With period railway scenes in mind and with the cheaper and more effective running costs they can deliver, there are a handful of ex-British Rail diesel shunters based on site. Despite normally working lightly they sometimes feature at special events on passenger and freight traffic.
| Number & Name | Description | History & Current Status | Livery | Owner(s) | Date | Photograph |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operational | ||||||
| No. D3101 | British Rail Class 08 0-6-0DE |
D3101 was built at Derby Works as one of a batch of 10 air-braked shunters which were also given an English Electric 6KT engine and was allocated to the Southern Region. Based primarily at Ashford (73F) & Eastleigh (71A), in 1973 she left the Southern for use at Loughborough Midland station and its local sidings. After withdrawal she was bought by a Great Central Railway volunteer and arrived at Loughborough in December 1984. In 2010 she returned to regular shunting duties after a long restoration and now performs as shed pilot for Loughborough Central. Funds were raised on the 2012 Autumn Steam gala for this loco to be repainted and this task is currently being carried out. | Black. | Private owner. | 1955 | |
| No. 13180 | British Rail Class 08 0-6-0DE |
13180 was built at Derby Works as no. D3180, allocated to nearby Derby (17A), working there on pilot shunting duties until withdrawal in 1983. After a narrow escape from the cutter's torch she was purchased for preservation and was transferred to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway. Until 1997 she had also spent some time at the southern section of the Great Central Railway, before moving to the heritage complex at Ruddington, where she works on shunting duties in the yard, and at diesel galas also performs on shuttle passenger trains. | BR Green with the Early Crest. | Private owner. | 1955 | |
| No. 08220 | British Rail Class 08 0-6-0DE |
08220 was also built at Derby Works and operated primarily on the London Midland Region until withdrawal in the 1990s. After being taken out of service she was stored at Carnforth to provide a source of spares parts for sister engine 08678, but was only lightly stripped with most taken parts being internal mechanisms. Nonetheless she was to eventually to be moved to a private site at a farm yard near Wrenbury for static display. She arrived at Ruddington for restoration in 2008, which has included a comprehensive replacement of all the removed equipment. | BR Rail Blue. | English Electric Preservation. | 1956 | ~ |
| No. D2158 Margaret-Ann |
British Rail Class 03 0-6-0DM |
D2158 was built at Swindon Works and was initially allocated to York North followed by Goole, Bradford, Colchester, Stratford, Botanic Gardens Hull and then finally Colchester for a second time. During this time it worked regularly in the Ipswich area. After withdrawal by BR in 1987 she spent 10 years in store at Whitemoor awaiting preservation, and in 1997 was moved to her new home at Peak Rail. In 2004 she was moved yet again, this time to the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway at Wirksworth, where she was given a new name and fitted with vacuum brakes. She now operates primarily at Rothley, but occasionally travels to other parts of the railway to move rolling stock or appear at special events. | BR Blue with the Late Crest. | Great Central Railway Plc. | 1960 | |
| No. 10119 Margaret Ethel-Thomas Alfred Naylor | British Rail Class 10 0-6-0DE |
D4067 was built at Darlington Works, fitted with a Lister Blackstone engine. She was based for her British Rail service career in South Yorkshire. However in 1971 she was sold to the National Coal Board, which relocated her to Betteshanger Colliery in Kent, followed by three years spent at Nailstone from 1976. After that she was withdrawn completely from service and was purchased for private preservation at Loughborough. After several years of hard restoration work carried out her first train ran in 1986 was later named, after the parents of the owner. | BR Rail Blue. | Private owner. | 1961 | |
| Undergoing overhaul, restoration or repairs | ||||||
| No. D2118 | British Rail Class 03 0-6-0DM |
Built at Swindon, D2118 was first based at Swansea (87A), to replace Great Western locomotives. Within less than a decade she moved to Barrow and was withdrawn in the 1970s due to mechanical failures. She was saved from scrap by contractors in Norfolk, but was out of work again by the 1980s. After being declared redundant a third time, she was preserved at Rutland Railway Museum and Peak Rail, where she was sold off in late 2010. The new owner now intends to undertake the restoration at Ruddington, with completion of motor work planned for 2011. | BR Rail Blue. | Private owner. | 1959 | ~ |
| No. 08694 | British Rail Class 08 0-6-0DE |
08694 was built at Horwich Works and was first allocated to Annesley Depot (16B), carrying pre-TOPS number D3861. In 1962 she was moved to Nottingham (16A) and lived there until the shed closed in 1967. Following the closure she spent 20 years at Crewe until purchase by now-defunct EWS in the 1980s for work at Toton (TO), and Old Oak Common (OC). After retirement in 2009, she was delivered to the Great Central in 2009 from Rotherham. Restoration is being carried out when possible, as most of the available resources are going to other locomotives. | EWS Red & Gold. | Private owner. | 1959 | |
| No. 07005 | British Rail Class 07 0-6-0DE |
07005 was built by the Ruston and Hornsby engine company as part of the 14-strong class of shunters. Her first home was at Eastleigh TMD (71A), working light-freight trains to and from Southampton Docks (71I). Retired in 1977 in favour of more-efficient classes, she left the area for a brief period of work in Middlesbrough, far cry from the Southern Region city port. After a lengthy amount of time spent in storage at Barrow Hill, she moved to the Battlefield Line Railway in 2002. She has since moved to the Great Central and spent a long time at Swithland sidings awaiting restoration. During summer 2012, 07005 was shunted out of Swithland sidings and moved to Loughborough Central were the restoration work will take place. This will include a full motor overhaul. | BR Rail Blue. | Private owner. | 1962 | |
Read more about this topic: List Of Great Central Railway Locomotives And Rolling Stock