D1048 Western Lady - History

by Mike Tromans

Built

Built at Crewe and released to traffic on 15th December 1962

Liveries

1962: Maroon with half yellow warning panels
1966: First of the class to be painted blue with full yellow ends - 14th November 1966
1979: Painted BR green with half yellow ends, operating on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway
1997: Restoration work at the Midland Railway Centre
2008: Full repaint in blue with full yellow ends
2023: Repainted blue with full yellow ends, ready for static exhibition at Severn Valley Railway's Autumn Diesel Gala

Current livery: Blue with full yellow ends

Depot Allocations

December 1962: 88A Cardiff Canton
December 1962: 82A Bristol Bath Road
January 1963: 88A Cardiff Canton
September 1964: 83A Newton Abbot
June 1965: 84A Plymouth, Laira

Total Mileage

1,368,000 miles

Notable Events in BR Service

November 1966: First of the class to be painted blue with full yellow ends
July 1970: Dual brakes fitted to operate both Vacuum Braked and Air Braked trains; fitted with AWS
February 1977: Last passenger working for D1048 on the Western Lament tour, 24 February 1977 & last of the class to operate a single headed service out of Paddington
February 1977: Operates on the final day of service for BR, acting as back-up loco with D1010 Western Campaigner, shadowing the Western Tribute final rail tour hauled by D1013 Western Ranger and D1023 Western Fusilier on 26 February 1977.
February 1977: Stored at Newton Abbot on 28 February 1977
June 1978: Moved to Swindon

The last Crewe built member to be left in operational service

Notable Events in Preservation

1978: Purchased privately by Mr D. Rigby and moved to North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Operating Agreement made with NYMR.
1979: D1048 hauls Pickering to Goathland leg of The Western Recall rail-tour on 18 March 1979; inaugural run of D1048 in BR green with half yellows.
1980: Sold to D1048 Western Lady Ltd and stored at Horwich Works
1980: Attended BR Horwich Open Day
1983: Moved to Steamport museum, Southport, locomotive sold again
1988: Moved to Bodmin & Wenford Railway
1988: Attended BR Laira Open Day
1991: Moved to The Railway Age, Crewe, locomotive now owned by Pete Waterman
1995: Attended BR Crewe Basford Hall Open Day
1997: D1048 transferred to Midland Railway Centre, March 1997, now privately owned, in care of Midland Diesel Group
2018: D1048 moved under cover at MRC.
2019: Deteriorated bodywork cut out and replaced
2023: D1048 moved by road from Butterley to Kidderminster to attend SVR Autumn Diesel Gala as a static exhibit
2023: Owners of D1048 - Pete Simpson & Marc Koch kindly gift locomotive to WLA

Locomotive currently undergoing an electrical assessment and programme of fault finding, to be followed by mechanical assessment.

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