Changes

|image = D1015_20160829D1015_20220909.jpg|caption = D1015 Western Champion at Bridgnorth in August 2016September 2022

'''D1015 Western Champion ''' is a BR Class 52 ‘Western’ diesel-hydraulic locomotive. A total of 74 were built for BR's Western Region between 1961 and 1964. All were given two-word names beginning "Western", hence the type became known as Westerns. Other nicknames included D1000s or 'thousands', and 'wizzers'. A description of the Class can be found on the [[BR Class 52 D1013 Western Ranger|D1013 ''Western Ranger'']] page. D1015 is owned by the [[Diesel Traction Group]] (DTG). Since achieving main line certification in 2002, it has hauled over 60 rail tours as far as Penzance in the south and Kyle of Lochalsh in the north. These are listed on the DTG's [http://www.westernchampion.co.uk/loco-d1015-railtour-archive.php D1015 Western Champion Railtour Archive page] (external link). The locomotive visited the railway on various occasions for diesel galas and for attention by the DTG’s DTG's engineering staff. From 2015 onwards the locomotive has remained at the SVR for extended periods of time, and from since 2017 is has been 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>. Its [[TOPS codes|TOPS number]] is 89416 and it is nicknamed 'The Mule'.

D1015 Western Champion was built at BR’s BR's Swindon works and was outshopped in January 1963 carrying a distinctive one-off 'Golden Ochre' livery with yellow panels not reaching the bottom skirt. It was equipped with vacuum brakes and steam heating as well as the BR(W) ATC system.<ref name=D1015History>[http://www.westernchampion.co.uk/loco-d1015-history-br.php DTG Website, ''D1015 Western Champion British Railways History''] (Retrieved 3 February 2023)</ref> It entered service at Cardiff Canton in January 1963. Other allocations included although within a year it had been reallocated to London 's Old Oak Common, Swansea Landore back to Cardiff and to back to Old Oak Common for a second time. In February 1964 it was allocated to Plymouth Laira, where the locomotive was withdrawn by BR on 13 December 1976 after accumulating 1,296,000 miles in serviceit found a more permanent home until late 1968.<refname=BRDatabase>[http://www.brdatabase.info/locoqry.php?action=locodata&type=D&id=1015&loco=1015 BR Database]</ref>This period was spent working the main lines out of London to Cornwall, West Wales, the Midlands and the North-West. On Saturday 30 January 1965, D1015 hauled the return coaches of Sir Winston Churchill's funeral train from Oxfordshire to the Capital, having taken over duties from 34051 ''Winston Churchill''.<ref name=D1015History/> In November 1965 D1015 was repainted in BR Maroon. Three years later in November 1968, the loco was repainted again into BR Blue livery with full yellow ends. During the 1968 overhaul it was also fitted with air brakes and BR's AWS. As one of the early members of the class to be equipped with air brakes, D1015 was relocated to Landore in Swansea in January 1969 to operate services on the Paddington to Swansea route which had just seen the introduction of new air braked Mark 2 coaches. This duty continued until October 1971, when D1015 made a final move back to Laira.<ref name=D1015History/> Withdrawal of the class had begun in 1973 with the survivors used increasingly on freight work. Following a 'D' exam in November 1976, D1015 was shown on [[TOPS codes|TOPS]] as restricted to freight workings only, limited to 60mph. Its last scheduled passenger working was a Paddington to Birmingham return on Sunday 21 November. On 7 December it failed while working a Westbury to Exeter Central cement empties train. After repairs, D1015 was allocated to another freight service on the following day but was unfortunately derailed in Castle Cary Down Yard, sustaining damage to an air tank, the front valance and the bogie mounted AWS equipment. After rerailing, D1015 returned light engine to Westbury and was hauled back to Laira. On 13 December, fitters at Laira condemned D1015 and removed its B engine on the same day for re-use in classmate D1058. At withdrawal, D1015 had accumulated 1,296,000 miles in service<ref name=D1015History/>.

D1015 was stored at Swindon, where it was put on display on the turntable at the behest of the Works Manager. In 1980 D1015 became 1978 the DTG were asked if they would be interested in carrying out a cosmetic restoration. The DTG undertook the work and even managed to get the third locomotive to be acquired by move under its own power, although at the time they had been informed that the DTG, which already owned SVR residents [[BR Class 42 D821 Greyhound | D821 Greyhound]] and [[BR Class 35 D7029 | Hymek D7029]]locomotive was not for sale.<refname=D1015Preservation>[http://www.westernchampion.co.uk/aboutloco-d1015-history-pres.php westernchampion.co.uk About UsDTG Website, ''D1015 Western Champion: Preservation History''](retrieved 3 February 2023)</ref>

In 2002 mid-1979 an audit highlighted that D1015 had not been disposed of, and 2015 D1015 attended instructions were given for it to be scrapped. The DTG learnt of this and managed to stop the diesel galas scrapping by interceding with a personal appeal to BR Chairman Sir Peter Parker. A price of £6,000 + VAT was agreed, and in 2016 on 25 January 1980 D1015 attended both became the May diesel gala and the August ‘Western Weekend’DTG's third locomotive;<ref name=D1015Preservation/>[http://www.westernchampion.co.uk/loco-d1015-history-pres. By December 2016 the php DTG had entered into a running agreement with the Website, ''D1015 Western Champion: Preservation History''] (retrieved 3 February 2023)</ref> they already owned SVRresidents [[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>

The DTG continued to work on the locomotive experienced at Swindon until it could move under its own power on two engines. It appeared at the September 1985 Old Oak Common open day but suffered a fractured bearing in one engine, requiring an engine issue in 2016change. In January 2017 The locomotive returned to Swindon, where the DTG announced Group decided that a complete rebuild of the engine needed to locomotive should be replaced before undertaken. In December 1990 D1015 could commit was moved to further mainline running and an appeal for £50,000 was launched, which was rapidly filled and a new home in the share offer closed the following monthcarriage shed at Old Oak Common.<ref>[http://www.westernchampion.co.ukname=D1015Preservation/ DTG website announcement] (retrieved 6 January 2017)</ref> The loco operated on one engine while two engines were rebuilt in parallel, one by DTG engineers at Kidderminster and one on their behalf in Germany. In August 2019 the locomotive moved to the [[Diesel Depot]] for a replacement engine to be fitted, and subsequent workings of the SVR 'The Pioneer' excursion trains were with two engines again operating.

==D1015 on Restoration continued over the main line==D1015 achieved main line certification in 2002next 10 years, since which it has hauled over 60 rail tours as far as Penzance interspersed by visits to open days including Laira in 1991. A move into the south Old Oak Common factory enabled the DTC to replace the engine and Kyle of Lochalsh in the northbogies with improved condition components.<ref>[http://wwwThe locomotive was also rewired and fitted with up to date safety systems such as Drivers Vigilance, Speed Sensing equipment and radio telephones.westernchampionIn early 2000 D1015 ran again on two engines.co.uk/loco-d1015-railtour-archive.php D1015 Western Champion Railtour Archive]<ref name=D1015Preservation/ref> Its [[TOPS codes|TOPS number]] is 89416.

Main line running required the completion of 1,000 miles of running in which was carried out on the Severn Valley Railway, usually performing two round trips a day. A main line loaded test run to and from Sheffield was carried out on 28 January 2002, although the B engine failed early in the trip with low oil pressure. D1015 returned light engine too Old Oak Common where the engine was replaced. After another test run on 13 February, D1015 began a mainline programme on 23 February 2002, with six charter trains operated that year to places such as Bristol, Paignton, Swansea, Worcester, Plymouth and Shrewsbury.<ref name=D1015Preservation/> A notable occurrence was the rescue of an HST on 26 October 2002 at Daunsey. The HST had slipped to a stand and Champion took the train to Swindon.

In 2016 After that time D1015 remained based at Old Oak Common from where it operated on the main line, interspersed with occasional visits the SVR for Galas and other purposes. These included the 2002 and 2005 Diesel Galas, although the latter saw the locomotive suffered fail due to an electrical relay burning out compounded by an issue with the B engine during The Canterbury Champion rail tourearth fault.<ref>[http://www.westernchampion.co.uk/loco-d1015-railtour-archive-2013.php#tour060|The Canterbury Champion railtour]SVR News 153</ref> An overhauled MD655 engine was installed In April 2014 D1015, now in early 2021BR Maroon livery, brought D1062 Western Courier back from tyre turning at Tyseley.<ref>[http://www.westernchampion.co.uk/loco-d1015.php DTG] (retrieved 20 September 2021)SVR News 186</ref> In 2015 it attended the October Diesel Gala and in 2016 D1015 took part in the May Diesel Gala as D1058 ''Western Champion returned to the mainline for a test run on 17 September 2021 but unfortunately suffered a seized engineNobleman''.<ref>[http://www.westernchampion.co.uk/index.php DTG] (retrieved 20 September 2021)SVR News 194</ref>and the August 'Western Weekend'. By December 2016 the DTG had entered into a running agreement with the SVR.

<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style=Freight workings==="text-align:left">*On 29 and 30 August 2002 it worked Colas Rail freight China Clay Tanks trains around St Blazey, as part of crew training and attendance at the St Blazey open dayD1015_20160829. *On 14 and 15 October 2009, jpg| D1015 Western Champion worked Colas Rail freight China Clay Tanks trains from Quidhampton to Tavistock Junction.at Bridgnorth in August 2016*Its loaded mainline test on 17 September 2021 included piloting the GBRf Avonmouth Hanson Siding to Penyffordd Cement train as far as Gloucester.</gallery>

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> The picture below shows loco operated on one engine while two engines were rebuilt in parallel, one by DTG engineers at Kidderminster and one on their behalf in Germany. In August 2019 the locomotive still carrying moved to the identity [[Diesel Depot]] for a replacement engine to be fitted, and subsequent workings of D1031 Western Rifleman which the SVR 'The Pioneer' excursion trains were with two engines again operating. The locomotive was used during the 2016 rail touralso repainted from maroon into BR Blue livery. <ref>SVR News 208</ref>

<gallerymode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">File:D1015_as_D1031_20161226.jpg | D1015 returned to the SVR in December 2016

It is nicknamed 'The Mule'An overhauled MD655 engine was installed in early 2021.<ref>[http://www.westernchampion.co.uk/loco-d1015.php DTG] (retrieved 20 September 2021)</ref> Western Champion returned to the mainline for a test run on 17 September 2021 but unfortunately suffered a seized engine<ref>[http://www.westernchampion.co.uk/index.php DTG] (retrieved 20 September 2021)</ref>. ===Freight workings===*On 29 and 30 August 2002 it worked Colas Rail freight China Clay Tanks trains around St Blazey, as part of crew training and attendance at the St Blazey open day. *On 14 and 15 October 2009, Western Champion worked Colas Rail freight China Clay Tanks trains from Quidhampton to Tavistock Junction.*Its loaded mainline test on 17 September 2021 included piloting the GBRf Avonmouth Hanson Siding to Penyffordd Cement train as far as Gloucester.

*[[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]

[[Category:Operational passenger hauling diesel locomotives]] [[Category:Featured articles]]