OTHER SURVIVING DELTICS

D9000 Royal Scots Grey

D9000 stands at Tyseley in February 2001. (David Russell)

Operated by Deltic 9000 Locomotives Ltd, this locomotive returned to the main line in 1996 and has since been used on many special workings, including a DPS charter train to Liverpool. D9000 was hired by Virgin Trains to work a Summer Saturday service from Birmingham to Ramsgate during the Summer 1998 and 1999 seasons, and has since appeared on a number of charter trains.

In April 2000, it was announced that D9000 had joined the Fragonset Railways operational fleet, although remaining in the ownership of DNLL. The loco made her passenger debut under the Fragonset banner on September 9th 2000, with a successful outing from Carnforth to Scarborough and return, and operated a number of charters whilst operating under Fragonset. The Fragonset/DNLL partnership came to an end in 2001 and the loco is now normally stabled at Hornsey in between its main line duties. In August 2003, it was out of traffic awaiting generator repairs.

55 002 The Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

En route from Loughborough to Doncaster, 'KOYLI' stands at Woodall services on September 26th 2002. (Richard Senior)

Part of the national collection, 55 002 returned to the National Railway Museum at York in July 1997 after a one year visit to the East Lancashire Railway. During this period, the loco starred in the DPS 20th Anniversary Weekend. The loco carries green livery with full yellow ends, which was applied at Doncaster Works in December 1980.

On August 14th 1998, 55002 was hauled by D9000 from the National Railway Museum to Brush at Loughborough, where work commenced on an overhaul for main line running. The NRM is set to enter into a 10 year partnership with Deltic 9000 Locomotives Ltd, who will be responsible for the operation of the loco. It will be restricted to 50 workings per year, and the majority of these are expected to be charter trains. Work at Brush stopped towards the end of 1999, and the loco's overhaul is now to be completed by Wabtec at Doncaster.

D9016 Gordon Highlander

9016 being towed by D9000 from Loughborough to Toton on December 3rd 1999, prior to the loco's fire. (Clive Elverstone)

Purchased from BR by the Deltic 9000 Fund, Gordon Highlander was initially intended as a source of spares, but was eventually returned to working order, operating on preserved railways for several years, although it has not worked a passenger train for over seven years now.

The loco is also due to return to the main line during 2001, following sponsorship from Porterbrook Leasing. It was towed by D9000 from Stewarts Lane to Brush at Loughborough for overhaul on April 27th 1998, although work on this did not commence until this year. The completed loco was unveiled to the railway press at a launch on September 7th 1999, and carried a modified version of Porterbrook colours. 

D9016 was released from Brush on December 3rd 1999, but regrettably, it suffered a fire later the same day and returned to Brush. Some photos of 9016 on the main line prior to the fire can be accessed by clicking here.

After the original re-launch of the loco last September, ownership of Gordon Highlander was transferred from Deltic 9000 Locomotives Ltd to Porterbrook Leasing. The loco was moved to Crewe Diesel Depot in June 2000, where its power unit (No 406) was removed and sent away for repairs. This was reinstalled in January 2002 and the loco hauled its first passenger train on the main line since 1981during April 2002. 9016 returned to Deltic 9000 Locomotives Ltd operation in October 2002 and has recently been returned to two-tone green livery (with the DPS providing colour samples, specifications and drawings to aid the repaint) at Toton depot.

Prototype DELTIC

DELTIC on display at the National Railway Museum (Gary Thornton)

After 20 years on display at the Science Museum in London, the prototype DELTIC was moved to the National Railway Museum at York in October 1993. Normally on display in the main hall, the loco is unlikely ever to work under its own power again, and a planned appearance at the Shildon 175 Cavalcade in August 2000 was scuppered by the cancellation of the event.

In December 2001, the National Railway Museum agreed to allow the DPS to undertake an engineering survey on the loco. For more information about this, please click here.

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