Back in 2013, DB Cargo (UK) were still operating a small fleet of Class 08 and 09 shunters, having ran down the fleet in previous years. Several attempts had been made to replace the 'Gronks' with mainline locomotives (Class 66's and in some cases Class 60's) but had never managed to stick. So it came as a surprise in October 2013 when 08907 was turned out at Bescot in DB red livery. The livery consisting of DB red with the DB logo on the bonnet side doors, grey bonnet roof, grey solebar, red cab roof, black bufferbeams and yellow con rods. Wasp stripes were retained on both the radiator and cab end of the locomotive. Numbers were white and positioned on the main tank. In 08907's case, a Bescot emblem was applied in the usual position for numbers on both cabsides, just above the data panels, again with white lettering and lining. 08907 remained at Bescot for the remainder of it's DB career. It was laid up with reported engine issues and dumped in Bescot yard for some time. It did however make a reappearance with occasional use before being sold in to preservation at the GCR where it remains today.
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| 08907 sits at Bescot on 02/05/2016. The loco had been seeing use again after being laid up and dumped in the sidings during 2015. At this point, the loco was only a few months away from being sold and ultimately preserved at the GCR. Photo: Chris McCann. |
08623's repaint followed around a month later than 08907's, again outshopped at Bescot, running for a short period with no numbers or decals. The only major difference from 08907 being the lack of a Bescot decal being applied. It's first assignment away from Bescot being at Hoo Jn, so a BS emblem probably not the most appropriate! It also served at Warrington Arpley for a period, initially arriving for a C exam before being put in to use as it's pilot. It returned to Hoo Jcn for an approx 6 month stint before being returned to Bescot where it was ultimately dumped and eventually sold to HNRC.
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| 08623 at Warrington Arpley on 12/01/2015. The loco had arrived from Hoo Jn for a C exam and eventually moved back to Hoo Jn. Photo: Chris McCann. |
08632 was also treated at Bescot, commencing in May 2014. This was done in stages with the loco seeing use as the work was being done! As such, it was sighted in use in the yards in it's EWS livery with a grey bonnet roof, red cab roof and red cab doors. Upon completion it's repaint was pretty much as per 08623's. This one survived until the bitter end, it's last operational duty being at Mossend and was the last Mossend pilot with all shunting being performed by Class 66's these days. The loco was purchased by RSS and has seen use on a number of different contracts since.
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| 08632 at Bescot on 08/06/2014 prior to being moved to Mossend where it would serve for the remainder of it's DB career. Photo: Martin Harrison/MJM Photography. |
09106 was surprisngly painted at Warrington Arpley in the fall of 2013. Not a location necessarily known for repaints due to it's basic facilities, the repaint was probably the tattiest of the 5 loco's to be treated with the numbers being retained from it's EWS paint job and painted over white. EWS data panels were also retained on the cab sides. This loco again followed the others with a grey bonnet roof, red cab roof, grey sole bar and yellow con rods. 09106 however never received DB logos, running unbranded for the remainder of it's DB career which ended at Knottingley when DB finally pulled the plug on the class. Under the right light you could see/make out it's EWS lettering underneath the DB red on the bonnet doors. This one was picked up by HNRC following disposal by DB and subsequently saw use at on hire to GBRf at Cardiff, being painted in the attractive HNRC orange livery. It has since been sold in to private ownership and is based at the Dean Forest Railway and carries Railfreight livery.
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| 09106 at Warrington Arpley on 12/01/2015. Photo: Chris McCann. |
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| A close up of some of the details of 09106. EWS data panel is seen on the cabside. The cab handrails were left unpainted and you can see the EWS numbers were simply painted over white. Photo: Chris McCann. |
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| As well as depot pilot duties at Knottingley, the shunter was used for trip workings between the depot and Milford sidings. This was to run repaired wagons back to Milford and crippled wagons back for maintenance. On 27/06/2016 09106 had not long arrived from Knottingley on headcode 8K77 and was seen paused prior to shunting the return rake back. Photo: Chris McCann. |
08605, which was officially stored but was being used as the Wigan Springs Branch pilot, became the last Gronk to receive the livery between Dec 2015/Jan 2016. The application again followed the same basic principles of the others but like 09106, retained EWS data panels on the cab sides and did not receive DB logos. It also never had it's number reapplied, instead having 'WIGAN 2' stencilled on to it's battery box covers whilst in DB ownership. This was remained at Wigan until it was sold, when it headed to Knottingley to assist with shunting Riviera Trains coaching stock. It continued to carry the DB red livery, albeit it with the 'WIGAN 2' lettering removed. It was repainted in to Intercity livery and now appears to be part of the RSS fleet and is currently stored at Wishaw pending developments.
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| Showing the 'WIGAN 2' to good effect, 08605 sits outside Springs Branch TMD on 25/05/2016. The loco was used as depot pilot with the depot still undertaking mainly wagon repairs as well as being the base for Network Rails MPV's in the North West. Photo: Chris McCann. |
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| 08605 seen in action shuffling some wagons in to the shed for maintenance on 01/02/2016. Photo: Chris McCann. |
In summary, the repainting of the above locos in to DB livery for me will always signal the end. Whilst it was a very smart paint job and suited the loco's well, I don't think anyone ever expected any of the class to receive the livery. EWS had tried for years to elimate the veteran machines always without success and DB again had dabbled with it before making several u-turns. The end did come in 2016 with all loco's stood down and ultimately offered for sale. 09106 was believed to be the last one to see use, perhaps unsurprisingly with it's role at Knottingley.
Below is the current state of play of the 5 loco's to receive the livery. All still exist and 4 of the 5 have operated since sale by DB, with 08623 being the only one not to work whilst also being the only one to still carry the livery.
Unsurprisingly a number of the loco's have been produced by model manufacturers with Bachmann turning out 08907 in it's original tooling and more recently 09106 on the updated tooling. 09106 being a strange decision in my opinion as the paint job on the model is probably better than that on the real thing. It's been modelled with a few inaccuracies unfortunately with white cab handrails, pristinely applied numbers and buffers smaller than those actually fitted to 09106. There was also on the cabsides a small painted vertical yellow strip behind the radiator before the first bonnet door that was on the real thing but didnt make it to the researchers desk at Barwell. All fixable, but with an RRP over £200 do you really want to? I must admit I am tempted however to purchase as a modelling project...
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