South Devon Diesel Traction, SDDT


A Short History of D6501 / 33002


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33 specification


D6501 as it was then, was built in late 1959 and delivered new to 73C (Hither Green) on 4/3/60, after type testing (with D6500).


In Mid 1965 it had a fire and had it’s first visit to Eastleigh Works.


It later moved to 70D (Eastleigh) 10/65. On 11/6/67 it piloted West Country Class 4-6-2 34093 SAUNTON on a diverted Waterloo to Bournemouth train over the Alton line (now the Mid-Hants Railway) and on 24/12/68 was noted stabled on Saltley depot (Birmingham).


In Feb 1974 It was renumbered 33 002 in line with the TOPS computerised renumbering scheme. D6502 had been withdrawn due to accident damage in 1964 Therefore D6500 became 33 001, ours became 002 and from 6503 on they followed the logical order, ie 33 003 etc.


On 11/5/87 it came under Network Southeast sector. On 16/5/88 changed to Rail Freight Construction & Aggregates, then 1/10/88 CE SR General Duties. It then changed to CE SR Meldon Quarry on 6/8/90.


It had it’s electric train heat isolated on 23/4/91 and later that year on 6/11 was named SEA KING at Eastleigh. In 1991 it covered 2316 ½ miles on passenger workings.


A slight change to it’s sector on 5/4/92 NSE Meldon Quarry. Spending just over 27 years at Eastleigh it moved back to London on 5/93 SL (Stewarts Lane) and NSE Restricted Use. 3/10/93 it was back to NSE Meldon Quarry.


Then along came privatisation and EWS with it going to Train Load Freight South/Mainline Infrastructure on 20/3/94 then to Restricted Use 21/1/95. The last passenger working for the loco was a rail tour “The Penzance Flyer” from Birmingham to Penzance which it worked out & back from Gloucester with 33019 on 22/6/96 with one of our owner members at the controls from Exeter. Is this why it was stored!


The loco was stored serviceable 19.10 5/9/96 at Stewarts Lane. Between the 12th & 26th it had a bogie swap with 33026 (shifted tyres) and was stored u/s 10.30 26/9/96.


It was later sold to Harry Needle Railroad Co. March 1997 and moved to Crewe Heritage Centre April 1998 then moved by road to Barrow Hill 19/2/2000. It was later re-sold to Direct Rail Services and was on the road again to MOD Smalmstown near Carlisle for safe storage on 19/2/01. Towards the end of 2004 it returned to Harry Needles Railroad Co. ownership and put up for re-sale. After a look over by us (SDDT Ltd) a bid was placed and accepted in December 2004 and it departed MOD Smalmstown 23/1/05.


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33 specification