Diesel shunters allocated to Bescot

The following table lists all the diesel shunt locos that were known to be allocated to Bescot. In British Rail days depot allocations were mostly unambiguous. Shunting loco were always allocated to specific depots, and even when sectorisation kicked in during the late 1980s the shunt loco pools were depot-specific.

Where BR allocations are a little ambiguous is in the area of dates. These would often be reported in weekly periods (e.g. "the four weeks ending") which didn't map to discrete months. As a result it's not usually possible to give a specific date, nor a specific month if the reporting period spans adjacent months. As a result sources may differ about which month a transfer occurred in, although the variance is usually only between adjacent months. The upshot is that dates given here, as elsewhere, may be out by a month either way. Of course activity on the ground didn't necessarily correspond to the paper records in any case, with physical loco moves sometimes occurring before or after the notional transfer dates, or occasionally not at all. Locos which were re-allocated while in works were often examples of this discrepancy.

Things started to change once privatisation kicked-in, and by the early 21st century the concept of depot allocations became rather meaningless. Specific loco pools might still represent the region in which a shunt loco was working, but this wasn't granular enough to map to individual depots. For example the EWS-era WSMD pool, notionally based at Toton, included locos working all over the Midlands. This included locos working in the East Midlands, at locations like Toton itself, Ketton and Peterborough, as well as the remaining West Midlands locations like Bescot, Oxley CS and Wolverhampton Steel Terminal.

08765 at Bloxwich
08765 propels a brakevan into the smelter sidings at Bloxwich on Friday 29th January 1988. It was a Bescot loco for nearly 30 years, the longest spell any diesel shunter spent there.
The last point at which Bescot had a meaningful depot allocation was in early 2001. With locos being moved around by road even the swap of a loco at somewhere like Wolverhampton Steel terminal wouldn't necessarily involve the loco visiting Bescot at all, even in transit. Eventually some customers started to hire their shunting locos from providers other than EWS/DBS/DBC, and these locos would go direct to or from their maintenance base by road.

The way I've dealt with this here is to include all locos that were formally allocated to Bescot, which is fine until 2001. It's possible that this dataset includes a few "paper transfers", i.e. locos that were allocated to Bescot on paper, but never actually made it there. But there will be few if any of these, and in any case those involved might have been allocated to Bescot at an earlier or late date.

For the post-2001 period I've included only locos that are known to have worked at Bescot itself. This will include any that were shipped-in for maintenance purposes as most of these will probably have been used around the shed when fixed, even if they didn't subsequently work in the yard. These are shown in yellow. Locos moved to Bescot solely for storage or disposal aren't normally included here, but otherwise any significant periods out-of-use after 2001 are shown in red.

There are some significant dates in the list below, dates when a large group of locos either were transferred-in or out at the same time. The main ones are 04/66, when the whole Bescot allocation went to Ryecroft pending the construction of the diesel depot; 04/67 when the Ryecroft locos moved back to Bescot, along with the allocations of several neighbouring sheds (see also 03/67); 11/88 when the Tyseley allocation moved en-bloc to Bescot; and finally 03/01 when Bescot lost its remaining allocation to Toton.

The list shows both old and new numbers for locos that carried more than one number during their lives. Numbers that weren't carried while the loco was at Bescot are shown in grey.

A number of these locos also passed through Bescot in transit while they were allocated to other depots, but that's another story.


Diesel shunters allocated to Bescot
BR numberLMS/TOPS numberAllocated to Bescot (mm/yy)
 
Class 04
D2220 03/67 to 02/68
 
Class 03
D2384 02/68 to 03/68
D23860338603/67 to 04/68
D2387 03/67 to 04/68
D2395 03/67 to 04/68
D2396 03/67 to 12/67
 
Class D3/7 (jackshaft)
120047081 (built 1939)11/60 to 04/66
120127089 (built 1939)11/60 to 06/64, 04/65 to 02/66
120137090 (built 1940)11/60 to 02/66
120307117 (built 1942)11/60 to 08/64
 
Class 11
12056 03/62 to 04/66, 04/67 to 10/71
Bescot's last Class 11.
12065 08/67 to 05/68
12071 04/67 to 01/69
12077 10/65 to 04/66
12087 03/62 to 04/66, 04/67 to 07/71
12090 07/51 to 09/51
12091 07/51 to 08/51, 10/51 to 09/64, 04/65 to 04/66
12092 08/51 to 11/60, 04/67 to 06/67
12093 04/65 to 04/66
12094 04/67 to 10/67
12095 12/61 to 10/64
12112 08/67 to 11/68
 
Class D3/11
15101 04/67 to 08/67
15102 04/67 to 07/67
15103 04/67 to 08/67
15104 04/67 to 07/67
15105 04/67 to 08/67
15106 04/67 to 08/67
 
Class 08
D30090800512/76 to 10/78
D30210801404/67 to 06/68
D30230801608/67 to 05/68
D3024(08017)07/67 to 05/68
D30250801804/67 to 06/68
D30270801904/67 to 10/67, 10/76 to 03/81
D30290802104/67 to 07/68
D30330802510/76 to 02/77
D3034 04/67 to 06/68
D30360802604/67 to 07/68
D3037 04/67 to 07/68
D3038 04/67 to 10/68
D30390802704/67 to 10/67
D30540804112/76 to 10/78
D30880807309/64 to 04/66, 04/67 to 12/73
D30890807404/67 to 05/68
D30900807504/65 to 04/66, 04/67 to 07/70
D30910807604/67 to 05/72
D31060808109/69 to 01/73
D31080808309/69 to 03/81
D31110808603/66 to 04/66, 04/67 to 01/76
D31120808703/66 to 04/66, 04/67 to 09/69
D31150809010/64 to 04/66, 04/67 to 01/76
D31160809110/64 to 04/66, 04/67 to 03/75
D31910812404/67 to 09/69, 11/69 to 02/76
D31920812504/67 to 07/69, 12/74 to 08/75
D320008132Circa 1985
On loan from Crewe Diesel.
D32450817710/76 to 03/81
D33640829403/68 to 11/80
D33970832703/68 to 02/83
D34260835601/74 to 09/79
D35080839308/09 to 02/10
D35120839708/99 to 03/01
Believed to have never visited Bescot during this period, paper transfer only.
D35330841805/00 to 03/01, xx/03 to 02/04, 02/04 to 08/10
D35380842310/69 to 10/71
D354308428xx/90 to 07/96, 07/11 to 01/12
D35630844805/90 to 01/94
D35810846607/76 to 05/92
D35890847407/76 to 12/82
D36550850005/03 to xx/03
D36790851708/87 to 03/92
D36810851911/95 to 08/96
First noted 05/96, withdrawn on arrival.
D36900852807/05 to 07/10
Had been working in Washwood Heath area, but believed stored on arrival at Bescot.
D36990853511/88 to 03/94, 06/98 to 10/00
D37010853709/90 to 05/92
Stored unserviceable 11/91
D37020853802/04 to 04/04, 05/08 to 02/09
Mainly at Bescot for repairs
D370408540xx/xx to 03/01, 04/01 to 02/03
D37060854202/97 to 04/00
D37070854309/90 to 03/01, 02/04 to 07/10
D37280856103/04 to 07/04
Mainly at Bescot for repairs.
D37340856708/95 to 03/01
D37450857806/04 to 04/06
D37470858008/98 to 03/01
D37520858504/67 to 10/81
D37550858804/67 to 07/82
D37570859004/67 to 07/82
D37680860111/88 to 08/98
D37700860302/84 to xx/93
D37710860411/88 to 11/92
D37720860512/10 to 07/11
D37770861011/88 to 11/94
D37800861304/67 to 12/82
D37810861404/67 to 04/82
D37830861611/88 to 03/94
D37900862303/94 to 03/01, 05/13 to 03/14, 12/15 to 02/16, 02/16 to 08/17
The last diesel shunter of the BR/EWS/DB era at Bescot (departed 31/08/17). There were no shunting locos at Bescot between 31st August 2017 and 28th March 2019.
D37920862511/95 to 03/97
D37950862811/95 to 08/99
D37990863202/09 to 09/09, 03/14 to 06/14, 10/19 to 06/20
Replaced 08927 from 30/10/2019, this was the first loco swap of the GBRf/RSS era.
D38000863308/10 to 12/10
D38140864702/75 to 05/75
D38200865305/07 to 06/08, 01/09 to 08/09, 04/10 to 07/10
D38230865605/81 to 01/84
First noted at Bescot 09/81
D38370867003/19 onwards
One of the first two diesel shunters of the GBRf era, along with 08927. An RSS loco on-hire to GBRf (arrived 28/03/2019).
D38390867204/67 to 09/92
D38400867304/67 to 07/82
D38410867410/60 to 11/60, 04/67 to 07/81
Bescot's first Class 08, albeit a brief stay or paper transfer in 1960.
D38500868308/95 to 03/97, 02/00 to 03/01
D38590869211/88 to 06/90
D38620869508/99 to 03/01
D38650869802/98 to 03/01, 03/01 to xx/01
D38670870004/65 to 04/66, 04/67 to 12/92
D38700870310/79 to 08/80, 11/80 to 11/81, 08/16 to 01/17
The last operational diesel shunter of the pre-GBRf era at Bescot.
D38710870406/64 to 02/66, 04/67 to 05/74
D38730870609/06 to 07/07
D38760870903/05 to 08/07
D39020873404/91 to 07/96
D39140874604/72 to 10/72, 07/89 to 09/97
D39190875104/91 to 03/94
D39200875208/16 to 01/17
D39250875701/72 to 08/76
D39270875905/87 to 11/92
D39330876504/72 to 03/01, xx/02 to 06/03
The longest Bescot diesel shunter allocation, just under 30 years.
D39510878305/75 to 07/82
D39560878801/76 to 12/82
D395808790xx/xx to xx/xx
On-loan from Tyseley.
D39700880202/83 to 01/84, 08/99 to 03/01
D39730880511/88 to 03/94
D39750880711/95 to 11/97
D39770880904/67 to 07/84
D39780881004/67 to 03/75
D39790881104/67 to 09/76
D39800881204/67 to 02/75
D39810881304/67 to 05/72
D39820881404/67 to 10/76
D39930882507/22 onwards
The fourth loco of the GBRf/RSS era, this loco is in Network South East (NSE) livery.
D39950882704/67 to 10/76
D39960882804/67 to 12/67, 11/02 to 01/04
D39970882904/67 to 12/67
D40000883209/79 to 07/92
D40090884103/75 to 06/90
D40100884212/06 to 05/07
D40120884408/07 to 07/09
D40330886502/08 to 05/08, 01/12 to 05/13
D40340886608/99 to 03/01
Believed to have never visited Bescot during this period, paper transfer only.
D40460887804/91 to xx/93
D40980888411/97 to 03/01, xx/02 to xx/02, 09/03 to 01/04, 01/04 to 08/10
D41160888602/09 to 08/10
D41180888803/98 to 03/01, 03/01 to 10/01, 03/15 to 02/16
D41230889311/88 to 01/94
D41310890109/71 to 10/93
D41350890506/98 to 03/01, 01/05 to 10/11
First noted at Bescot 09/97
D41370890708/99 to 03/01, 09/08 to 08/09, 07/13 to 11/16
D41390890910/97 to 01/99
D41440891403/94 to 04/97
D41500892011/88 to 03/01, 03/01 to 05/01, 01/02 to 06/02, 04/04 to 08/10
D41540892406/90 to 01/92
D41570892711/95 to 01/98, 03/19 to 10/19, 07/20 to 07/22
One of the first two diesel shunters of the GBRf era, along with 08670. An RSS loco on-hire to GBRf (arrived 28/03/2019). This loco was in BR green livery and numbered D4157 when delivered to Bescot in March 2019. It was still in this livery when it returned at the beginning of July 2020. It subsequently left in late July 2022, after a long period without being used.
D41580892803/75 to 01/76, 11/88 to 02/93
D41690893908/99 to 03/01, 03/04 to 07/05, 07/05 to 09/05, 09/05 to 10/05
D41760894606/98 to 03/01
First noted at Bescot 10/99.
D3577 084620899406/08 to 09/08
 
Class 09
D40990901107/00 to 03/01, 03/01 to 05/01
D41090902106/98 to 03/01, 06/01 to xx/02
D41100902205/06 to 02/07, 05/08 to 08/09
D3934 087660910306/00 to 03/01
Unclear whether the loco visited Bescot during this allocation. Mostly at Rugby.
D3917 087490910403/94 to 01/98
The first Class 09 allocated to Bescot.
Number of locos listed above
TypeFormally allocatedPost 03/2001 onlyPost 03/2019 only (GBRf era)
Class 035  
Class 041  
Class 08111172
Class 0941 
Class 1111  
Class D3/74  
Class D3/116  
Total142182