D1671, apart from being the second of the class to be withdrawn, had the dubious distinction of becoming the first named member of the class to be scrapped. On the night of December 16th/17th 1965, whilst working the 04:00 Carmarthen to Bristol (Dr. Days) ECS duty, D1671 was derailed near Bridgend by a landslip resulting from heavy rain; shortly afterwards it was hit by the 02:30 Cardiff Tidal Docks to Swansea East Dock freight headed by Class 37 D6983 casuing considerable damage to both loco's, which resulted in the deaths of both drivers. Following a few months in store D1671 was condemned on April 18th 1966 - thereby ending a working life of less than 9 months. After being stripped of salvageable components the remains were taken to Bridgend scrap merchant R.S. Hayes, and were cut up, probably, during September. Official withdrawal from BR's books did not occur until August 25th 1966 and the remains were still in Hayes' yard on the 24th. The recovered nameplates were subsequently applied to
D1677, this being the next un-named member of the class in numerical sequence. D6983, itself less than a year old, fared no better and was also scrapped at Hayes' yard during 1966, earning the distinction of being the first Class 37 member to be scrapped, and the only one to not receive a TOPS number.
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D1671
December 17th 1965 © Rob Ranson |
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