25 279 (D7629)
A Look Back.
As already more than well documented elsewhere this Beyer Peacock built 25 has finally found a safe home under the ownership of Mark Fowler. This is not to say 279 has never been safe though, circumstances over the years in preservation have largely dictated the preservation life of the locomotive.
The purpose of these pages is to compliment both the 40th Anniversary of Classes 25 & 27 pages as well as the excellent restoration history of 279 hosted by Mark Fowler.
Firstly a look at some members of the class where there is a considerable link where 25279 is concerned.
During the early 1980s the Eastern Region were far from happy if a 25 strayed onto their territory. Here we see 279 at the heart of the ER on York depot along with 31169 on 13th February 1982.
25109 at Crewe with the 16:35 from Derby of 17th January 1983. This was the second locomotive to carry Sulzer 6LDA28B engine No. VA 958 which is currently in 25279.
25115 was built as D5265 and entered service in April 1964 at Toton depot fitted with VA958. The loco is seen many years later paired with 25126 at Derby with the 08:35 for Great Yarmouth. The date is Saturday 15th August 1981.
The final example to carry VA958 before 279 was 25315. It is seen here coupled inside 25288 at Aberystwyth during 1984.