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From introduction the Westerns were used mainly on express passenger work, but also on heavy freight duties. They initially suffered from reliability issues, mainly with the transmission output shaft bearings and final drives. By the late 1960s these had been resolved and the locomotives performed well on the accelerated services introduced to compete with the M4 motorway. However the working life of the class would be relatively short. By 1968 the transfer of freight to roads and the removal of rural networks and branch lines meant BR had too many locomotives. The hydraulics were unpopular with BR engineering, mainly due to the additional maintenance costs, and the 1968 traction plan foresaw their end.
The arrival of class 50s and the air-conditioned Mark 2 stock which required ETH saw the Westerns increasingly used on freight duties. Swindon stopped overhauling Westerns in autumn 1972 and withdrawals began in 1973, with the last members of the Class including D1013 being withdrawn in early 1977. Seven examples are preserved of which three four are resident on the SVR; D1013 ''Western Ranger'', [[BR Class 52 D1015 Western Champion | D1015 ''Western Champion'']] , [[BR Class 52 D1048 Western Lady | D1048 ''Western Lady'']] and [[BR Class 52 D1062 Western Courier | D1062 ''Western Courier'']].
==D1013 in service==
As the Class numbers dwindled, their popularity rose giving rise to increasing numbers of enthusiast railtours from around 1975. D1013 became a 'railtour' engine, and its red backed number plates gave it notoriety as a 'fairground' engine. One such tour was the 'Severn Valley Flyer' on 1 May 1976 from Swansea to Kidderminster and return.<ref>[https://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/70s/760501gr.html 'Severn Valley Flyer' on Six Bells Junction] (Retrieved 18 October 2021)</ref>
<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">
D1013 Western Ranger in Paddington.jpg |D1013 after completing a rail tour at Paddington in late 1976
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On 26 February 1977, D1013 and D1023 Western Fusilier worked the last Western rail tour on BR, the "Western Tribute" Paddington – Swindon – Newport – Swansea – Newport – Bristol – Plymouth – Newbury - Paddington. Two days later the remaining members of the Class including Western Ranger were withdrawn from service, with D1013 having achieved around 1.3 million miles in service.
On 31 March and 1 April 1979 D1013 and D1062 took part in the SVR's first "Western Weekend", the 1 April seeing the first double headed 'Western' hauled train in preservation.
<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">
Western Ranger D1013 (8061975876).jpg |D1013 (nearest) with D1062 at Bridgnorth, August 1981
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In 1982, Western Ranger was used in the filming of the BBC TV sit-com [[L For Lester]].
On 9 March 1985 4930 Hagley Hall failed, with D1013 working the 16:20 from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster.<ref>SVR News 76</ref> The same year 1985 Holdsworth Conversions Ltd. became insolvent and the receiver advertised the locomotive for sale. The WLA informed the receiver that major parts were owned by the Association, removal of which would render the locomotive out of gauge for removal. Sale was agreed and on 16 October 1995 ownership passed to Roger Smith, remaining under care of the WLA. On 22 March 2000 ownership passed to Western Ranger Limited, before being passed to the WLA.
On 15 September 1991, five of seven surviving Class 52s , including the three now resident on the SVR , were reunited at the Plymouth Laira Depot opening day.<ref>[http://www.bropendays.co.uk/laira1991.html BR Open Days] (Retrieved 20 November 2023)</ref>
In April 2001 D1013 was repainted at Kidderminster, the new livery being blue with full yellow warning panels, black backed number and nameplates. On 23 March 2002 it received an overhauled "A" end engine.
2008-2009</ref> The main picture above shows D1013 in September 2009. On 10 October 2009 the locomtive was withdrawn for overhaul at [[Bridgnorth]], with rewiring a particular priority. Work is progressing, with D1013 moving to the [[Diesel Depot]] on 25 November 2018 to facilitate the rest of the overhaul.<ref>WLA Facebook 24 November 2018</ref>
In 2021 the WLA announced that experience gained on D1062 Western Courier meant that the overhaul would be extended to include a full bogie overhaul. This work will include lifting the locomotive off its bogies for an initial assessment and inviting tenders for the work. This will precede a complete strip down, shot blasting and repairs to the bogie frames, overhaul of the lateral dampers, new thrust pads, springs and overhaul of the final drives. A major part of this work will require the wheelsets to be re-tyred as they are on minimum thickness safety levels. Much They intended much of this will need to would be outsourced to ensure that work complies complied with legacy British Rail specifications and other safety standards. The WLA , and launched an appeal for private donations and sponsorship as a prelude to applying for funding £756,000 from The [[:Category:Lottery funding#National_Lottery_Heritage_Fund|The National Lottery Heritage Fund]].<ref>[https://d1013bogieappeal.uk/ WLA bogie appeal website] (Retrieved 18 October 2021)</ref> In May 2023, however, the WLA's expression of interest was rated as 'low priority' by the NLHF, and they instead devised a plan using existing resources to bring the bogies up to standard, fit for towing on the main line at 60 mph, at a cost of £30,000<ref>Western Locomotive Association June 2023 e-Newsletter</ref>.
===Main line movements===
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