Class 25

[greyman42]

Where would you see a Class 25 in action these days?

 

[birchesgreen]

At the moment probably hardly anywhere as preserved lines tend to be shut down for winter except for santa specials (which are usually steam hauled) but there a number in use.

 

[sprinterguy]

I believe that the North York Moors Railway have one mainline registered in a limited capacity, to help work trains over the Network Rail Grosmont to Whitby section. That's about as exciting as it gets for class 25 action these days - plenty of preserved railways have them (might be able to knock up a list later if I don't spend all my evening in the pub), but as noted above the depths of December perhaps not the best time to be looking for them.

 

[driver_m]

Surprised no one has ever run these on the main line to get the spotters excited. Alright I know they can't pull that much, but you'd think mini tours that are a bit cheaper might have been popular with the likes of WCRC

 

[snakeeyes]

Surprised no one has ever run these on the main line to get the spotters excited. Alright I know they can't pull that much, but you'd think mini tours that are a bit cheaper might have been popular with the likes of WCRC

WCRC have a few 33's, much more powerful

 

[daikilo]

As I recall, only some had steam heat boilers and none had ETH.

 

[The Lad]

The NYMR is running a 25 top and tail on a 7 coach santa weekends ATM. It gets out between Whitby and Battersby occasionally with a 45mph limit.

 

[Bevan Price]

Surprised no one has ever run these on the main line to get the spotters excited. Alright I know they can't pull that much, but you'd think mini tours that are a bit cheaper might have been popular with the likes of WCRC

Main line certification is probably much too expensive. Then finding paths for relatively slow trains would not be easy.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

I think the problem is that many were bought in the late 80s / early 90s by primarily steam-orientated lines as cheap diesels for engineering trains etc, were then run into the ground over 10-15 years or so and have since been stored outside and are now restoration nightmares.

 

[SUB62]

059 at the KWVR, often on the Keighley end. Got a feeling it's out this weekend. Thought I heard it earlier.

 

[simonw]

If you go to wnxx you may get a fuller answer.

 

[connor18]

There's a 25 at KWVR at the Keighley end. It's helping with the santa specials that are running

 

[Spartacus]

While in theory most 25s were permitted up to 90mph, in reality getting up to 75mph with a decent train would need the effort of two. Now, with faster trains about than when they were running mainline, even with a pair of rats you'd probably be looking at slotting into a 50mph, maybe 60mph steam path, of which there are some around, but as I say, I think you'd need to have two of them.

 

[DarloRich]

I would say the NYMR is your best bet - the 25 often runs on the Grosmont - Whitby leg.

 

[hooverboy]

While in theory most 25s were permitted up to 90mph, in reality getting up to 75mph with a decent train would need the effort of two. Now, with faster trains about than when they were running mainline, even with a pair of rats you'd probably be looking at slotting into a 50mph, maybe 60mph steam path, of which there are some around, but as I say, I think you'd need to have two of them.

used to be the case on MML. usual haulage would be a 45 or 47 with 8-10 mk1's in tow,but was not uncommon to see a pair of rats.they were rated up to 90mph.
they also used to work some of the waste rubbish trains up to elstow.

FWIW very versatile little engines!would have made more sense keeping these than the 20's.

 

[mushroomchow]

It was a reliability thing I think hooverboy. EE units were just generally more trustworthy than Sulzers in the long run. The 25s were pretty prone to failures by the 80s, at least in comparison to the 20s.

They certainly had a penchant for belching out clag too, did the Rats. I remember well the PWay team starting up 25265 in Quorn yard here during a midweek turn I did many years ago, and needless to say it took the best part of an hour for the smoke to clear - and that was a loco in almost daily use!

As an aside, it surprises me that there was never an attempt to modify a 20 to give it a second cab. I'm guessing it was either impractical to do, or just unneccesary with enough around to allow dual running on a regular basis.