amahy
Member
Having just seen an equivalent thread for steam, I have been inspired to create one for diesels.
Deltic D9000 "Royal Scots Grey" immediately comes to mind.
Deltic D9000 "Royal Scots Grey" immediately comes to mind.
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Least reliable diesel loco in preservation
- Thread starter amahy
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SECR 65
Member
I feel the need to contribute Class 73 E6040 'The Bluebell Railway'
With no disrespect to the owner and the hardworking team who maintain it.
A couple of years ago it failed in section running light engine and had to be rescued by a (purple) steam loco 80151!
With no disrespect to the owner and the hardworking team who maintain it.
A couple of years ago it failed in section running light engine and had to be rescued by a (purple) steam loco 80151!
43096
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SECR 65
Member
No - it has a habit of failing:So one failure makes it the least reliable diesel loco in preservation?
Diesel gala 2025 it had an issue with the 27 way cable.
Ahead of the 65th Anniversary gala it sat down whilst shunting
Diesel gala 2024 is wasn't included in the original lineup as it was experiencing issues of some sort
A month or two ago it gave up for a few weeks.
We have the santa special incident I mentioned above.
Methinks there have been other instances of issues with the engine which currently escape my memory.
Isle of Mull
Member
Surely D345 to some extent or the horrid 97s
xotGD
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Based purely on reputation, surely it has to be a Class 31?
Halish Railway
Established Member
One caught fire on an Embsay and Bolton Abbey Polar Express train last Christmas.
Rail Quest
Member
56006 seems to have had quite a few failures in it's early days in preservation, but that's probably just emblematic of how locos behave having been recently restored back to working order. 58023 is another example of this. Must be said though: props to the hardworking volunteers working on both of these locos! They've done a phenomenal job in getting both locos back to a working condition at all and, with time, all the issues will be ironed out.
It has an unfortunate habit of failing at the most inconvenient times, and therefore sticking in people’s memories a lot more than it normally would.So one failure makes it the least reliable diesel loco in preservation?
Isle of Mull
Member
Surely 50008 is somewhat bad
D365
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If you are referring to the Network Rail Class 97s, they are not locomotives in preservation.
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Nothing that runs is truly preserved, it’s just being life extended by burning through consumables, some of which will eventually run out.
DarloRich
Veteran Member
Quite - what metric are we using here? I have been out several times for events where loco's have broken down but I have no idea how reliable they are generally.
Why/how are they "horrid"? Regardless they don't often run on preserved railways.
Sun Chariot
Established Member
(tongue firmly in cheek) That D5705, hasn't turned a wheel in revenue-earning service since I saw it engineless at Coalville Open Day 1986. Must be unreliable. 
D5705 has done exactly what was expected of it since withdrawal do maybe it’s the most reliable diesel?(tongue firmly in cheek) That D5705, hasn't turned a wheel in revenue-earning service since I saw it engineless at Coalville Open Day 1986. Must be unreliable.
Sun Chariot
Established Member
Take a bow!D5705 has done exactly what was expected of it since withdrawal do maybe it’s the most reliable diesel?
Merle Haggard
Established Member
(tongue firmly in cheek) That D5705, hasn't turned a wheel in revenue-earning service since I saw it engineless at Coalville Open Day 1986. Must be unreliable.
Well it seemed back in the day Tinsley's 47 loco availability status (usually very high) was only taken early in the morning - before they tried (often unsuccessfully) to start any of them up. So on their basis it would be 100% available
43096
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Rather similar to something a very senior EMT peson told me a few months after the start of the franchise... "158xxx is the most reliable unit in our fleet. It's never failed for us. It's also never been off the depot yet because of the state we received it in."D5705 has done exactly what was expected of it since withdrawal do maybe it’s the most reliable diesel?
Sun Chariot
Established Member
Brilliant!Well it seemed back in the day Tinsley's 47 loco availability status (usually very high) was only taken early in the morning - before they tried (often unsuccessfully) to start any of them up. So on their basis it would be 100% available
Wouldn't surprise me if a TOC or two does that, these days...
xotGD
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Here it is on the front of a freight train in 1993...(tongue firmly in cheek) That D5705, hasn't turned a wheel in revenue-earning service since I saw it engineless at Coalville Open Day 1986. Must be unreliable.
Sun Chariot
Established Member
Dragged, for photographic purposes. As at January 2026's Society update (link below) its Crossley engine is still being restored to operaable condition.Here it is on the front of a freight train in 1993...
Class 15 Preservation Society | News
The online home of the Class 15 Preservation Society.
www.d8233.org.uk
tumbles
Member
Think they are carrying out a lot of the modifications that the Aus/IRE variants had in hope it should be more reliable. Cylinder Liners from the V12 IIRC
amahy
Member
Indeed. D8233 could also be a candidate for the least reliable when that is restored!
Saying this about the Class 15 and 28, Class 17 D8568 has become a reasonably reliable runner!
Islineclear3_1
Established Member
How many of these failures are due to the engines not being used enough; i.e., not being run enough to keep everything in working order. I'm sure if my car sat on the drive unused for weeks at a time, I would struggle to start it
tumbles
Member
Even on both its engines last few years I think!
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This is a fair point. Locos don't like sitting around, no surprise then you get sticking contactors or other issues. Some are easily solved, some require a little longer to sort.
31452? Did it now?! I wondered why we hadn't seen it out in a while.
58023 gets my vote - it only does galas and I don't think it's made it through one yet.