Thursday, 26 October 2017

Class 17 D8568, Buckfastleigh, 18th October 2017


My first sighting of a Clayton since the 1960s. As a youngster then, I remember how noisy they were in their BR ScR service. Unfortunately I am yet to be able to see the preserved locomotive working.

D8568 was completed by the Clayton Equipment Company, and allocated to Haymarket 64B from 6th January 1964. Reallocated to Polmadie in September 1968, and withdrawn on 6th October 1971. After working in industrial service at Hemel Hempstead, it is now preserved by the Diesel Traction Group. Currently at the South Devon Railway where it has arrived in advance of their Diesel Gala from 3rd to 5th November.

The locomotive has already seen some trial use on the railway.