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In 1980 D1015 became the third locomotive to be acquired by the DTG, which already owned SVR residents [[BR Class 42 D821 Greyhound | D821 Greyhound]] and [[BR Class 35 D7029 | Hymek D7029]].<ref>[http://www.westernchampion.co.uk/about.php westernchampion.co.uk About Us]</ref> D1015 achieved main line certification in 2002, since which it has hauled over 60 rail tours as far as Penzance in the south and Kyle of Lochalsh in the north.<ref>[http://www.westernchampion.co.uk/loco-d1015-railtour-archive.php D1015 Western Champion Railtour Archive]</ref>
In 2002 and 2015 D1015 attended the diesel galas and in 2016 D1015 attended both the May diesel gala and the August ‘Western Weekend’. In December 2016 the locomotive returned to the SVR for inspection following an issue experienced with the B engine during The Canterbury Champion rail tour.<ref>[http://www.westernchampion.co.uk/loco-d1015-railtour-archive-2013.php#tour060|The Canterbury Champion railtour]</ref> In January 2017 the DTG announced that the engine needed to be replaced before D1015 could commit to further mainline running and an appeal for £50,000 was launched, which was rapidly filled and the share offer closed the following month.<ref>[http://www.westernchampion.co.uk/ DTG website announcement] (retrieved 6 January 2017)</ref> By then the DTG had entered into a running agreement with the SVR, and {{As of|2018|02|lc=y}} social media images show it is operating on in the SVR [[Diesel Depot]] with one 'B' engine while work continues with the rebuild of B removed for replacement by an engine, with delivery to be delivered soon from Germany expected soon.
The picture below shows the locomotive still carrying the identity of D1031 Western Rifleman which was used during the rail tour.
