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'''D4100 ''Dick Hardy''''' is the SVR’s only example of an a Class 09 0-6-0 Class 09 350hp diesel electric shunting locomotive. The Class 09 is similar to the Class 08, of which the SVR has a number of examples, but having different gearing giving an increased top speed of 27.5 mph at the expense of a lower tractive effort. D4100 was one of the 26 locomotives originally built as a Class 09; later classified as Class 09/0 to distinguish them from other Class 09s which were rebuilt from Class 08s.

D4100 was built at Horwich Works and entered BR service in September 1961 at Ashford (73F), before being allocated to its sub-shed Ashford Chart Leacon, in February 1966 and later moving to Feltham in July 1967. The locomotive was fitted with air brakes a year later before another move to Selhurst in July 1970.

D4100 arrived on the SVR in from Barrow Hill on 22 February 2013, having been purchased from former owner the Harry NeedleRailroad Company by [[SVR(H)]], supported by the [[Guarantee Company]] who contributed half the £40,000 purchase price. <ref name=SVR181/><ref>SVRT News 182, ''Boardroom Notes''</ref> The locomotive was numbered 09012 and was in Departmental departmental grey livery at the time. Some mechanical work was undertaken, but was repainted into BR Green livery before external restoration. By spring 2014 bodywork repairs and painting were in early 2015. The locomotive is normally based progress at Kidderminster .<ref>SVR News 185</ref> It saw use before restoration was complete, however, and carries an early duty was to help clear the site for building the name “Dick Hardy”[[Diesel Depot]] in 2014.It had its 'Dick Hardy' nameplates refitted in December 2014<ref>[http://www.svr.co.uk/MeetTheLoco.aspx?id=90 SVR "Meet The Loco" web page]</ref>and was repainted into BR Green livery by early 2015.  On 28 May 2015 Richard 'Dick' Hardy visited the SVR at Kidderminster where he met 09012 and some of the team who restored her The locomotive re-entered service in June 2015 having reverted to the earlier number of D4100, although was failed again shortly afterwards with loose horn guide rivets - a hitherto unknown fault.<ref>SVR News 192</ref> After repairs were completed, D4100 spent time with Permanent Way and Carriage and Wagon covering for their [[Ruston and Hornsby 165hp Diesel Shunter D2960|Ruston shunter]]. On Sunday 23 October 2016 the [[Northern Belle]] carriage set arrived at Kidderminster for cleaning and maintenance, with D4100 completing the shunt into the set's usual location alongside the carriage shed.<ref>SVR News 196</ref> In early 2023 it was stopped for a top end repair, where it was found that two cylinder heads were cracked. Although not designed for such use, its ability to operate at line speed means that from time to time it operates, either singly or with [[BR Class 09 09107]], on booked shuttle workings at [[Diesel galas]] or as a 'Thunderbird' rescue locomotive.

The locomotive is normally based at Kidderminster where it regularly carries out shunting duties.  ==Richard 'Dick' Hardy==Richard 'Dick' Hardy, the railwayman, enthusiast and author after whom the locomotive was named, was born at Leatherhead, Surrey, on October 8, 1923. He signed on as an LNER premium apprentice at Doncaster in 1942 and became acting shedmaster at South Lynn when aged just 22. He ran five other major depots before he was 35, and then oversaw the changeover from steam to modern traction on the busy Stratford district of the Eastern Region. As a Divisional Manager with BR he was in control of the East Coast Main Line from London to Grantham as head of the newly created King’s Cross Division, and subsequently head of June 2015British Rail’s Liverpool Division.  After retiring in 1982 at the age of 59, 09012 had reverted to he took on a host of advisory and honorary roles in the heritage field including chairmanship of the earlier Steam Locomotive Operators Association. He wrote a number of D4100railway books and articles, including ''Beeching: Champion of the Railway?'', and ''Bert Hooker: Legendary Railwayman''. A book of his photographs, ''A Life on the Lines: A railwayman's album'', was published in 2012. Dick Hardy died on 18 February 2018, aged 94<ref>[https://www.therailwayhub.co.uk/12562/obituary-r-h-n-hardy/ The Railway Hub, Obituary]</ref><ref>[https://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Lines-railwaymans-album-ebook/dp/B017VWJAWS/ref=sr_1_10?dchild=1&qid=1608733992&refinements=p_27%3AR.+H.+N.+Hardy&s=books&sr=1-10 Amazon]</ref>.

== See Also also ==

[[Category: Rolling stock owned by SVR(H)]] [[Category:Featured articles]]