Changes

|caption = D1015 Western Courier Champion at Bridgnorth in August 2016

|status = Operational (not SVR resident)

D1015 Western Champion is a BR Class 52 ‘Western’ diesel-hydraulic locomotive, owned by the [[Diesel Traction Group]] (DTG). The locomotive is not normally resident on the SVR, but from time to time has visited the railway on various occasions for diesel galas and for attention by the DTG’s engineering staff.From 2015 onwards the locomotive has remained at the SVR for extended periods of time, and as of 2017 is regarded as a resident locomotive.<ref>[http://www.svr.co.uk/pdf/Special%20Events/SVR%20Spring%20Diesel%20Festival%20Brochure%202017.pdf SVR Spring Diesel Festival 2017 Brochure], which listed D1015 under "Home Fleet"</ref>

==D1015 in servicepreservation==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 was built at BR’s Swindon works Railtour Archive]</ref> In 2002 and 2015 D1015 attended the diesel galas and entered service at Cardiff Canton in January 19632016 D1015 attended both the May diesel gala and the August ‘Western Weekend’. Other allocations included London Old Oak CommonBy December 2016 the DTG had entered into a running agreement with the SVR, Swansea Landore when the locomotive returned 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before D1015 could commit to further mainline running and Plymouth Lairaan appeal for £50, where the locomotive 000 was withdrawn by BR in December 1976 after accumulating 1launched,296,000 miles in servicewhich was rapidly filled and the share offer closed the following month.<ref>[http://www.brdatabasewesternchampion.infoco.uk/locoqry.php?action=locodata&type=D&id=1015&loco=1015 BR DatabaseDTG website announcement](retrieved 6 January 2017)</ref>The loco operated on one engine while two engines are rebuilt in parallel, one by DTG engineers at Kidderminster and one on their behalf in Germany. {{As of|2019|08}} the locomotive is in the [[Diesel Depot]] for a replacement engine to be fitted.

==D1062 in preservation==In 1980 D1015 became The picture below shows the third locomotive to be acquired by still carrying the DTG, identity of D1031 Western Rifleman 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 was used during the rail tours as far as Penzance in the south and Kyle of Lochalsh in the northtour.

In 2016 D1015 attended both the May diesel gala and the August ‘Western Weekend’<gallery>File:D1015_as_D1031_20161226. {{As of jpg | 2016|12}}, the locomotive has D1015 returned to the SVR for inspection following an issue experienced with the B in December 2016File:D1015SteveWainwright1.jpg | Defective engine during a rail tourbeing removed.<ref>[httpJanuary 2018File://wwwD1015SteveWainwright2.westernchampion.co.uk/index.php westernchampion.cojpg | Defective engine being removed.uk announcement]January 2018</refgallery>

[[Diesel Locomotives]]<br />[[Diesel Locomotives visiting the SVR for galas]]<br>[[Locomotive numbering|Locomotives running under different identities]]

DTG website [http://www.westernchampion.co.uk/index.php westernchampion.co.uk]<br>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_52 British Rail Class 52 on Wikipedia]