Why preserve a Western? |
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The Western Locomotive Association was founded in1974, one year after the first Western had been withdrawn. Railway preservation was in its infancy and most enthusiasts were preoccupied with the rescuing of steam locomotives from Barry Scrapyard in South Wales. The suggestion that a diesel locomotive should be preserved was greeted in some quarters with incredulity and derision. The Westerns were regarded amongst enthusiasts and railwaymen as being different from other diesel locomotives and after a successful public appeal, D1062 was successfully purchased for preservation in 1976. Richard Holdsworth initially purchased D1013 in 1977 and they were originally based on the Paignton and Dartmouth Railway at Kingswear. Although this was a route which Westerns had worked trains on, Kingswear was a residential area where the locomotives were exposed to sea air and so it was decided to move both locomotives to the Severn Valley Railway in 1978.
The reception given to the Westerns was mixed. Some ‘die-hard’ steam enthusiasts were openly hostile. However, the Westerns soon proved themselves to be popular and useful locomotives and one or other of them has worked every season since arriving. D1062 was the first preserved Western to travel under its own power on the mainline when it took part in the Liverpool and Manchester Railway celebrations in 1980 at Rainhill. D1013 has appeared in a number of television programmes and commercials including ‘L for Lester’ and advertisements for crunchy nut cornflakes and British Gas!
Both of our locomotives have been modelled by Hornby in OO gauge and Graham Farish in N gauge and D1013 features in the Severn Valley Railway add on to the Microsoft Train Simulator computer programme.
The Western Locomotive Association has successfully operated two of these iconic locomotives for thirty years, twice as long as they were operated by British Railways.
Five other Westerns have been preserved. These are:-
D1010 Western Campaigner preserved by the Diesel and Electric Group on the West Somerset Railway
D1015 Western Champion preserved by the Diesel Traction Group.
D1023 Western Fusilier preserved by the National Railway Museum at York
D1041 Western Prince preserved at the East Lancashire Railway
D1048 Western Lady preserved at the Midland Railway Centre in Derbyshire.
The Western Locomotive Association is committed to the preservation of D1013 and D1062 as working locomotives on the Severn Valley Railway, with mainline running for D1062 kept under active consideration.
Many people enjoy the aesthetically pleasing shape of the Western, which never appears to be dated and the art of good design; the power of the Western is something to be experienced especially when driving with 2,700 bhp and 76,000 lbs of tractive effort available – twice the power of a Castle Class steam engine and then there is the sound – two throaty Maybach V12 engines that can be heard for miles on full power, not dissimilar to the glorious sound of a Spitfire or Lancaster Bomber.
With your help, we certainly intend to be supplying ‘Maybach Music’ for many years to come.
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