(Photo by David Russell)

Current Location: DPS depot, Barrow Hill.

Named at Doncaster Works on July 21st 1961 before introduction to traffic, D9009 maintained the 'racehorse' tradition of the LNER by commemorating the winner of the 1949 Ascot Gold Cup. Based at Finsbury Park in North London, Alycidon was one of eight 'racehorse' Deltics stabled there. In May 1981, she moved to York after the closure of Finsbury Park and was one of four Deltics prepared to work a series of farewell railtours during their final six months of operation. Her final outing in BR service was on January 2nd 1982 as standby locomotive for the 'Deltic Scotsman Farewell'.

Purchased by the DPS, Alycidon was towed to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway in August of the same year, entering traffic immediately. The loco remained a regular performer on the line until November 1990, when she left the line for a major overhaul, which was recently completed at I.C.I Wilton. This overhaul is probably the most extensive ever carried out on a preserved diesel locomotive. She emerged in 1998 carrying original 'as built' 1960s two-tone green livery with no yellow ends.

A return to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway took place on August 28th of that year. A return to passenger service took place just over two months later, when two return trips were made between Grosmont and Pickering. Some photos from this day can be found in the galleries section.

At around the same time, the loco was also been used on VSOE driver familiarisation duties for several days. D9009 was moved to Barrow Hill on December 8th 1998, where work took place on returning the loco to main line standards. On May 5th 1999 the loco ran under her own power to Crewe for main line trials, making a test run on May 13th. Unfortunately, the loco suffered some problems on this occasion and returned to Crewe for attention. A week later, with a replacement traction motor fitted, the loco made another test run, performing faultlessly and gaining a main line certificate from RESCO.

D9009's return to passenger service took place two days later on May 22nd 1999, when she worked the 08.03 DPS tour from Kings Cross to York and 11.35 return. From this date, the loco was based at Crewe for VSO-E operations and made numerous outings throughout the remainder of the year, including hauling the British Pullman train on more than one occasion. For most of 1999, the loco performed without any problems, but just before Christmas suffered two failures in one week, one of these resulting in the DPS tour on December 18th 1999 having to be postponed. The loco was moved to Barrow Hill where its good power unit was fitted in 55019 to make one loco fully operational, and the two power units requiring repair sent away to Paxmans. These were returned in June 2001 and refitted to the loco, which left Barrow Hill on July 26th in preparation for a railtour the following month.

D9009 returned light engine to Barrow Hill on August 22nd 2001. Later in the year, it made another main line outing, working a DPS tour to Great Yarmouth on October 20th. In 2002 the loco took a tour of various preserved railways, in addition to a number of main line runs, the highlight being in September of that year when two DPS Deltics, D9009 and 55019, passed at speed on the East Coast Main Line. The loco also made several outings during 2003. Following an appearance at "Railfest 2004", the loco spent a period on display at the National Railway Museum in York before returning to Barrow Hill in November 2005.

Owing to a defective drive shaft in one of its power units, D9009 underwent a power unit swap in early 2007, prior to moving to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway for a running season. It returned to the NYMR for its Diesel Weekend in May 2008 prior to moving to York to attend the "1968 and and all that" event.

D9015 Tulyar

(Photo by Graham Clarke)

Current Location: DPS depot @ Barrow Hill.

D9015 entered service with BR on October 13th 1961, and on the same day was named at Doncaster after the 1952 winner of the Derby, St Ledger and Eclipse stakes. Like Alycidon, she became a member of the legendary Finsbury Park stud of racehorses until that depot's closure. In May 1980, Tulyar represented the class at the Rocket 150 celebrations at Rainhill and plaques to commemorate this honour were subsequently presented to the DPS and are carried on her route indicator panels.

After withdrawal by BR, Tulyar was purchased for preservation by Peter Sansom and moved to the Midland Railway Centre. In 1986, the loco was sold to the DPS, the loco remaining at the MRC. Since this date, Tulyar has toured the country, visiting a host of open days and other preserved railways, including the Severn Valley, North Yorkshire Moors, Mid Hants, Keighley & Worth Valley and Llangollen.

Following her appearance at the DPS '3 Deltics' event at the East Lancs Railway in March 1997, 55015 returned to the Midland Railway Centre and was withdrawn from traffic the following month to enable a major body overhaul to be undertaken. This is now in its final stages, and upon completion of this, the intention is to register the loco for main line operation.

55019 Royal Highland Fusilier

(Photo by Ralph Tilley)

Current Location: DPS depot, Barrow Hill.

D9019 entered service on December 29th 1961, based at Haymarket depot in Edinburgh, and received her Royal Highland Fusilier nameplates at a ceremony in Glasgow in September 1965. Renumbered 55019 in November 1973, the loco was one of only five members of the class to undergo and extensive general overhaul, this being carried out during an eight month visit to Doncaster Works.

55019 was withdrawn on December 31st 1981, after hauling the 16.30 Aberdeen-York between Edinburgh and York - this was the final BR Deltic hauled service train. It was therefore appropriate that the loco should become the first to operate a train in preservation, an event which took place at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway eight months later, on August 22nd 1982. The locomotive remained on the NYMR until 1987, when she moved to the Midland Railway Centre and later the Great Central Railway.

Following a ballot of the society's members, RHF was repainted into original two-tone green livery with no nameplates or yellow warning panels at the beginning of 1994, the first Deltic to carry this colour scheme in preservation. The following year, the loco moved to a new home, the East Lancashire Railway, which has a large collection of preserved diesels.

The loco remained on the ELR until late 1998, where she was used at the railway's diesel galas, as well as on Saturday services approximately every two months. In November 1995, the locomotive's nameplates were refitted, and a rededication ceremony, attended by the Royal Highland Fusiliers took place. July 1998 saw the application of full yellow ends, a livery variation carried by the class in the late 1960s. After a visit to several events and railways, the loco returned to the ELR for a final operating day.

After this, work was concentrated on preparing the loco for main line operation. A large amount of this was undertaken at Barrow Hill depot, where the loco arrived at on December 8th 1998, and the loco appeared at the Midland Railway Centre's Diesel Gala, now carrying BR blue livery and numbered 55019. It then moved to Crewe and gained its main line certificate on May 8th 1999 following a test run to Castleton.

55019 ran from Crewe to Bounds Green with D9009 on May 21st 1999 in readiness for a return to main line passenger duties the following day. Departing Kings Cross at 15.03, the loco worked to York in 2 hours and 4 minutes, before returning to Kings Cross, overtaking another Deltic, D9000, at Doncaster. The loco then saw regular use by VSOE and hauled the Regency and Northern Belle train on many occasions prior to the cessation of these workings. It was even used to rescue a Freightliner on August 11th 1999!

On October 23rd 1999, 55019 suffered a scavenge blower failure, requiring power unit 451 to be sent away for repair. A power unit exchange was carried out at Barrow Hill in January 2000, returning the loco back to fully operational status. The loco was used regularly by VSOE until October 2000 (when EWS took over the operation of Northern Belle), and in January 2001 ran to the National Railway Museum at York for a C Exam. After completion, the loco returned to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway for its Diesel Gala on April 28th/29th before moving to the Nene Valley Railway for the season. The loco departed the NVR on October 20th, being used with D9009 to haul the society's railtour to Great Yarmouth, and then back to Preston. The loco then went to Barrow Hill for the winter, during which the loco was repainted into 1977 style livery in readiness for the society's 'Silver Jubilee' railtour which took place on April 13th 2002. The loco then returned to the Nene Valley Railway for a visit, where it remained until late June 2002 before travelling via the Midland Railway Centre to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. After a main line tour in September, and a visit to the Severn Valley, the loco returned to Barrow Hill in October 2002. Like D9009, it made a number of main line outings during 2003, including a 5-day tour of Scotland with D9009, which received a lot of press coverage. 2004 was a quieter as the society undertook an intermediate body repair during the year - photos of this repair can be found on the galleries section of the website. The loco returned to service in April 2005, becoming the first Deltic to operate on the main line since 2003.

THE CABS

55008 The Green Howards

(Photo by David Russell)

Current Location: DPS depot @ Barrow Hill

With modern technology 55008 will be able to be driven along the ECML again and for the first time with anybody at the controls. No restrictions! It can be driven with you at the controls and be as realistic as it can ever get. The time has come when a standard high spec home computer and some additional software and hardware will make this come true.

Most people are aware of Train Simulators from different companies but there is an odd one which stands out from the crowd which is continually upgraded and has been tried and tested. This is Trainz, the most recent version is called TRS2004.

The ECML project is centred around this superb simulator, and the DPS has a number of developers who are recreating the entire East Coast Main Line, including diversionary route, and branches such as Hull and Cleethorpes.

Further details about the 'Trainz Simulator' project can be found in a separate section of the website - please see the menu (left).

55021 Argyll & Sutherland Highlander

(Photo by David Russell)

Currect Location: Stored at a private site awaiting restoration.

The DPS took custody of the cab of 55021 in August 2006. This cab was owned by DPS member Steve Scott, and kept at his home near Royston for many years. Steve has generously given it to the society.

55021 was scrapped at Doncaster in September 1982, the cab, which was originally purchased by Kevin Cox, moving to a home at Steeton, near Keighley. In 1988, it was sold and moved to a new home adjacent to the Great Western Main Line near Cholsey. A further sale saw it end up at Royston.

Following display at the 'Doncaster Works - a Deltic Tribute' event at Barrow Hill in August 2006, the cab was moved to a private site for storage. In due course, it is intended to restore it and put it on display at the DPS depot. This is, of course, all dependent upon the completion of existing projects and sufficient funds being available.

Last Updated Wednesday, October 01 2008 @ 16:49 PM BST