1501

1501 was built entered service in July 1949 at old Oak common having been completed at Swindon Works that month. In November 1950 it moved to Southall where it remained until withdrawn from service in January 1961. It had been taken out of service in June 1960 and placed in store at Swindon.

In June 1961 the three locomotives (1501, 1502 and 1509) were towed from Swindon to Bagnalls at Stafford and then on to Barclays works at Kilmarnock for repairs. These engines had been sold to the National Coal Board for use at the Coventry Colliery at Keresley where they arrived by road later in 1961. As well as working at the colliery they were used on the two mile branch to Three Spires Junction on the Coventry to Nuneaton line.

In the summer of 1969 two diesel locomotives replaced the three steam locomotives and the last one (1501) was withdrawn from service in September 1969.

All three of the 1500 class engines had been reserved for preservation by the Warwickshire Railway Society and Severn Valley Railway members. After consultations with the NCB it was decided to purchase all thee locomotives (1501, 1502 and 1509) with 1501 going to Bridgnorth and the other two providing spares.

In July 1970 1501 was moved by rail to Tyseley where it had its tyres turned at the BR diesel facility. In October 1970 the locomotive was moved by rail to Bewdley. Also in October the remains of 1502 and 1509 were sold for scrap and subsequently cut up at Great Bridge.

1510 was hauled by 43106 to Bridgnorth in early November 1970 where some restoration work was undertaken before the locomotive was returned to Bewdley.

After much work the restored locomotive was returned to steam on the Severn Valley Railway in May 1997 and apart from being taken out of service in for re-tyring remained operational until its ten year boiler certificate expired at the end of 2006. It was then put on static display in the newley opened Engine House at Highley before being taken to Bridgnorth to be overhauled.

1501 was steamed again at Bridgnorth in August 2012. 

The boiler certificate was due to expire in February 2022 but was extended until January 2023 2023 when the locomotive was taken out of service on the Severn Valley Railway..

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Severn Valley RailwayAwaiting overhaul1501 Pannier Tank Association
1501 at Swindon Works – March 1960
1501 at Coventry colliery – March 1967
1501 at an NCB Coventry colliery – March 1967
1501 at Coventry Colliery – 1969
1501 at Worcester whilst being moved to the Severn Valley Railway – October 1970
1501 at Bridgnorth on the Severn Valley Railway – November 1970
1501 undergoing restoration at Bridgnorth on the Severn Valley Railway. The locomotive next to it is 80079 – 1970
1501 at Bewdley on the Severn Valley Railway – September 2012
1501 at Rawtenstall on the East Lancs Railway. Fixing the chain back on the cog – note the ladder brought to fix this. – October 2013
1501 with 58926 at Highley on the Severn Valley Railway – March 2015
1501 at Bewdley on the Severn Valley Railway – March 2016
1501 at Bewdley on the Severn valley Railway – September 2017
1501 on the Mid Hants Railway – February 2018
1501 at Bewdley on the Severn Valley Railway – August 2019
1501 at Bury on the East Lancs Railway – February 2022

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