Railway Herald
Attending the Crewe Basford Hall Yard open day on Sunday 27th August 1995 was the only surviving Class 15 No. D8233. New to Stratford MPD North London in August 1960 she would remain in active service for less than 9 years before withdrawl during February 1969. The short service life was due to several reasons. The Class 15's were unreliable, freight trip working for which they had been ordered was being lost to road transport and unlike the similar Class 20's the locos needed a 2 man crew due to the limited visibility from the cab. No. D8233 was one of 4 Class 15's subsequently converted for static carriage heating duties being renumbered with the Departmental number DB968001. These duties ended during 1982 and the loco was stored in Healey Mills Yard until 1984 when it was purchased for preservation initially at the South Yorkshire Railway in Sheffield. Further moves over the years took No. D8233 to the East Lancashire Railway, Mangapps Farm, Crewe Railway Age and finally back to the East Lancashire Railway in 2006. Restoration to working order is still ongoing at Bury but hopefully one day No. D8233 will return to active service on the East Lancs Railway.
Bob Woolnough
