D1015 was released from Swindon Works on the 21st January 1963 and was used to evaluate the experimental warning panel at A end from new. After these tests were completed the loco returned to shops to have the experimental warning panel removed. On Friday the 25th the loco was handed over to the running department for traffic, remaining on shed over the weekend and working its first service train on the morning of the 28th from Swindon to Paddington.

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Western Champion spent the first few years of its working life ploughing the main lines radiating from the Capital to Cornwall, West Wales, the Midlands and the North-West.

On May 23rd 1963, at just four months old, Western Champion was used as stand-by loco for Royal duties. D1036 Western Emperor was the chosen loco for the main duties whilst Champion stood ready at Old Oak Common (its first Thunderbird duty!). The loco was involved in another Royal working during 1965 when it hauled the empty coaches from Windsor to Oxford, where an EE type '4' took over for the run to Wolverton.

On Saturday 30th January 1965 D1015 hauled the return coaches of Sir Winston Churchill's funeral train, taking over from steam loco 'Winston Churchill' from Oxfordshire to the Capital. From mid-1965 to mid-1968, Champion lost its distinctive Golden Ochre identity and carried Maroon livery, becoming just another 'Thousand'. Few records or pictures of D1015 during this period, if you have any you would like to pass on please get in touch.

In November 1968 the loco was outshopped in BR Blue and became one of the early examples to be fitted with air brakes. The introduction of new air braked Mark 2 coaches on the Paddington to Swansea route saw it relocated to Landore specifically to operate these services, a task which it performed until October 1971. From this date, in keeping with all the other class members, D1015 was transferred West to Laira, remaining there for the rest of its working life.

1976, The last days in service
Stopped for a 'D' exam at 17:00 on the 23rd November, D1015 was shown on TOPS as restricted to freight workings only, limited to 60mph from its release, at 10:15(!) on the 25th November. Champion's last true passenger working being on Sunday 21st November when it worked 1M15, 16:05 Paddington to Birmingham and 1V88, the 20:40 return.

D1015's final Thunderbird duty was on the morning of the 29th November after the loco working 1B89, the 00:55 Paddington to Penzance overnight service, was failed at Par. At nearby St. Blazey the Depot Foreman chose D1015 as the rescue engine and sent it light to Par to haul 1B89 through to Penzance.

The last full day at work began on the 7th December working an engineers train from Westbury. Later that evening D1015 took 6B22 19:05 Westbury to Exeter Central cement empties but failed at Witham with B engine overspeed trips. 47028 took over whilst D1015 returned to Westbury for repair. On the 8th repairs were finished late afternoon and D1015 was allocated to 6B08 Westbury to Yeovil freight. Unfortunately the locomotive was derailed in Castle Cary Down Yard, sustaining damage to an air tank, the front valance and bogie mounted AWS equipment. After rerailing D1015 ran light back to Westbury.

Instructions were issued to haul D1015 Home to Laira for investigation, a task carried out by 47032, along with failed 'Hoover', 50032 on Saturday 11th December. On the 13th Laira fitters robbed D1015's B engine for sister D1058 and condemned Western Champion at 10:00 that same day.

The Western Champion story continues on the Preservation History page

Works Visits
The details recording the repairs carried out on the Diesel Hydraulic locomotives were kept in blue folders and were sold to the public once the class was withdrawn. Whilst folders for several Westerns, Warships and Hymeks have been located and lent to the group for reference purposes, the folder for D1015 is listed as missing. If you know of its whereabouts or have any other DH locomotive maintenance folders you would be prepared to loan to the group for reference purposes, please contact us. Known information for D1015 is listed below:

If you have any information to add or have any of D1015's repair logs we would be very happy to hear from you, please get in touch

The Western Champion story continues on the Preservation History page