6th September 1982 and here is the unfortunate 25151 on shed having just been recovered from Hillhouse
sidings near Huddersfield.
On September 3rd 1982, 25151 was working the loaded 8E08 TFO Oakleigh - Barnby Dun soda ash train which
was being delivered from the ICI plant to Rockware Glass. The fully fitted train was operating under a Class 6
designation with disc brake fitted Covhops, known as 'Girlings' after the brake manufacturer. A hopper wagon was
provided next to the brakevan, this allowed the guard to observe the operation of the brake blocks during the
brake test, something not easily checked on the disc braked vehicles. The train was normally diagrammed for a
Type 4 locomotive, but on September 3rd the load was within the limits for a Type 2.
On the east side of the Pennines somewhere in the vicinity of Slaithwaite, control of the train was lost. The
signalman at Hillhouse took action to remove the train from the main running lines by diverting it into Hillhouse
Yard.
Much damage was caused when the locomotive struck a ferry van, the crew having leapt to safety prior to the
impact.
With the train reported as running away near Slaithwaite perhaps one of the major issues facing the driver would
have been the navigation through Huddersfield station, at that time the routes available included the lines through
platform 4 & 8 or alternatively using the through slow or the goods line. Access to both platform 8 and the goods
line involved 15mph speed restrictions, presumably the driver had been popping the horn - a distress signal which
hopefully the Huddersfield signalman would have heard. Platform 4 or the through road would be the preferred
choices, providing they were not already occupied. The soda ash train was able to navigate safely through the
station and it was left for the Hillhouse signalman to take the train off the mainline by diverting it into Hillhouses
yard, perhaps to the relief of the driver. Otherwise the downhill journey could have continued to Heckmondwyke
Junction / Bradley Wood, then the line begins to climb again. Depending on the speed of the train, it might have
reached Mirfield.
The accident was reported in the Huddersfield Daily Examiner dated September 4th 1982, and October 2005 issue
of Back Track magazine (issue 174) which features on the cover possibly a view of 25151's last working as it
passed Diggle. (Info courtesy of Chris Jones-Bridger. Thanks Chris).
25151 was moved to Healey Mills on September 6th 1982 and then withdrawn three days later. It remained stored
at Healey Mills until January 1983 when it was moved to Toton. Here it was used for re-railing exercises until at
least June 1987. It would eventually be broken up at Toton by Vic Berry staff between Dec 15th 1987 and Jan
20th 1988.
As a direct result of the accident described here. The Rule Book part 6, white pages were amended to incorporate
trains running with piped vehicles as it was discovered that 8E08 had several piped and swingers resulting in
insufficient brake force for the intended route. The TOPS produced train lists showed these anomalies up very
clearly after TOPS was updated to show this.
