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Vic Berry Scrap Yard - part 2
In the late 1980s the piles of locomotive and coach bodies in the Vic Berry scrapyard had become famous in railway circles and beyond. Eventually these were to lead to the downfall of the scrapyard.
London Underground ‘Standard Stock’ withdrawn from British Railways service on the Isle of Wight in graffiti livery, in 1991. From memory these were standing on an extension of the scrapyard that was on the other side of the footpath that cut through the side of the scrapyard from Western Road to Western Boulevard. It is interesting to see on the far left the vestiges of the coal yard still in operation next to the ex-GCR goods shed.
This is a coach which was apparently in the process of being resprayed. Special facilities were built in Vic Berry’s scrapyard to safely remove asbestos from rail vehicles. Most of the treated vehicles were subsequently cut up here, but some had been sent just for asbestos removal and were then returned to the network after refurbishment here. This appears to be one of those lucky vehicles and may be one of two Royal Saloons acquired by Vic Berry for refurbishment.
The famous stack of bodies of Class 25 and 27 locomotives, in 1988. Vehicles were coming into the yard at a faster rate than they were being cut up so the bodies were stockpiled.
Class 25 locomotive no. 25265 seen in the scrapyard in July 1988 with prominent address labels attached. This locomotive was fortunate and escaped the scrapyard, as shown below.
As well as locomotives and coaches, other obsolete rolling stock arrived in Vic Berry’s for scrapping. This vehicle, no. ADE 321071, is marked “TRAIN PRE HEATING BOILER VAN. DIVISIONAL MANAGER, NORWICH” and was photographed in the yard in May 1988 . These had provided steam heating to coaches before a locomotive was coupled to them, and became redundant when steam-heated coaches were replaced by electrically heated ones.
Here some Class 45 locomotive body shells have joined the Class 25 and 27 body shells in this stack.
March 1989 found a steam locomotive in the scrapyard. This is Hawthorn-Leslie 0-6-0ST works no. 3827 built for Stewart & Lloyds Minerals Ltd. as their no. 14 to work at Corby Iron & Steel Works[1]. In 1971, after withdrawal, it was moved to West Glebe Park in Corby, which explains the extra guards fitted to the sides and the gaudy paintwork. It was in the yard to have asbestos removed.
Sometimes locomotives were seen in the scrapyard but it was not certain whether they were there for scrapping, asbestos removal, had shunted vehicles in, or had come to take something out. Here Class 31 no. 31209 in Railfreight livery is in the yard in 1989. It is not reported as being withdrawn and scrapped until 2003, so was just a visitor.
Later in the year the same locomotive can be seen, with saddle tank removed, after having been in the oven used to burn off the interior of the coaches here for scrapping. This appears to have been done as part of the process to remove asbestos. The locomotive is now at East Carlton Countryside Park & Steel Heritage Centre at Corby[2]. The ‘Sprinter’ on the right is 52212, from set 150212, which is reported to have been written off after colliding with a civil engineer’s crane at Seamer in December 1987.
Diesel-mechanical shunter no. 03069 appears to have been a very reliable workhorse and was often seen moving stock around the scrapyard. It is reported to have arrived here in 1984 and was sold into preservation to the Gloucestershire & Warwickshire Railway in 1991. Here in 1989 it is pushing a coach into the scrapyard from the exchange sidings and, as usual, is trailing a match truck. The locomotive is crossing one of the bridges over the Old River Soar while in the background is Upperton Road bridge from where there was a good view over the yard.
Among interesting vehicles which arrived were these pair marked ‘OVERHEAD MAINTENANCE TRAIN. BLETCHLEY D.E.D.’, seen in 1989.
Probably the most modern class of locomotives scrapped at Vic Berry’s was the Class 50, built in 1967-68. Here in 1989 is the sad sight of an example with the engine compartment gutted.
Locomotives were not always completely scrapped; some parts were returned for reuse. This may have been what was happening to this locomotive bogey.
Interesting arrivals were these 4-wheel and 6-wheel milk tank wagons, seen in December 1989. As shown at the bottom of this page, one was restored and repainted here.
A very distinctive red London Underground carriage was added to the top of a stack of coaches at the edge of the scrapyard next to the Great Central Way footpath and became a bit of a landmark, seen in December 1989.
Other colourful arrivals were these Class 303 electric multiple units in Greater Manchester PTE livery, December 1989.
These electric multiple units seen in the exchange sidings under Upperton Road bridge appear to have had the doors removed before delivery, perhaps for use as spairs. This is a Southern Region Class 415 (4EPB) 750v DC unit.
During the winter of 1989/1990 this 0-6-0 diesel shunter appeared in the exchange sidings with British Rail markings painted over and the number TS 002 painted on, so it had perhaps been in industrial use. Note that the coupling rods have been removed for easier movement dead in a train on the main line. The history of this locomotive was a bit of a puzzle but it is reported that it was previously numbered D3367, then 08297, before it was withdrawn and was then used at Tyseley Traction Maintenance Depot.
More sad reflections. 08716, 31127 and 31322 line up in front of a couple of Class 20 bodies. Winter 1989/1990.
There was always something of interest in Vic Berry’s yard. I wondered what this pair of industrial shunters, which appear to be in excellent external condition, were doing here in winter 1989/1990. As well as scrapping railway rolling stock Vic Berry also offered other services such as asbestos removal from vehicles and painting of vehicles before they were returned to service. It has subsequently been reported that these are English Electric built 0-6-0 diesel-hydraulic locomotives, works numbers D1127 and D1128, built in 1967. They had arrived here from CEGB Hams Hall Power Station in April 1989 and were sold to the dealer RFS Industries Ltd. in Kilnhurst in August 1991.
With its 6-wheel bogies this looks like one of two Royal Saloons that it was reported that Vic Berry had acquired with a view to refurbishing and using on steam-hauled trains[3]. It appears to be coach no. 2910 of the Royal Train[4]. Winter 1989/1990.
Coach bogies being cut in the middle of the yard, while surrounded by stacks of coaches, in March 1990.
Diesel engines removed from locomotives. These appear to be English-Electric V-12 engines. March 1990.
The body of the same coach was seen again a year later, raised up and with generator exposed. Was it being refurbished or was it about to be scrapped?
Several diesel multiple units having been delivered have been left on the chord down from the ex-Midland Railway Leicester to Burton line, April 1990. On the left the piles of wood are in Gimson’s timber yard, on the site of Leicester Central locomotive shed.
By March 1990 the superstructure of 08716 had been removed to reveal the naked diesel engine and generator.
Reflections on a sad scene. Two Class 40 locomotives and a Class 47 wait in line for their fate in Summer 1988.
A great surprise was the arrival in the scrapyard of several distinctive liveried locomotives of Córas Iompair Éireann 201 Class all of the way from Eire. Being of 5 ft 3 in gauge they must have been delivered all the way on lorries. Here no. 225 is standing on loose rails turned on their sides in May 1990.
More 201 Class locomotives from Eire. No. 222 stands next to no. 215.
Vic Berry was apparently going very technical with this traverser being installed to allow rolling stock to be delivered to each entrance of these new buildings, early 1991. Again, this appears to have been a new extension to the scrapyard and is partly alongside the ex-GCR goods shed in the left background.
By 1991 the stacks of coaches awaiting cutting up in Vic Berry’s scrapyard were becoming quite impressive, as seen here from Upperton Road bridge, but would be the source of the scrapyard’s downfall.
Disaster occurred in the early hours of Sunday 10 March 1991 when a serious fire broke out in the large stack of coaches next to the Great Central Way footpath. Locals were warned to keep windows closed due to the possibility of asbestos in the air. The cause of the fire was never determined and the Vic Berry Company ceased trading shortly afterwards in June 1991. In fact Leicester City Council had been pressurising the company for some time to vacate the site so that it could be redeveloped and Vic Berry was proposing to move the company to a site next to the railway near Desford[1].
The view of the coaches, badly distorted by heat, from the Great Central Way footpath shortly after the fire.
Several stacks of coaches were affected by the inferno.
An interesting find while photographing the fire-distorted coaches was this old steam locomotive tender. It is marked “SNOW PLOUGH”, so in modern parlance had been up-cycled after being made redundant from its use with a steam locomotive.
Vic Berry’s scrapyard left a legacy beyond many photographs of stacks of locomotives and coaches. Like Barry scrapyard with its steam locomotives, a number of diesel locomotives and other rolling stock left Vic Berry’s scrapyard, after asbestos was removed, when sold into preservation. Here are a couple of examples:
Class 25 25265 left the scrapyard for preservation on the Peak Rail at Darley Dale, seen here in 1990.
This locomotive carried this plate about its stay in Vic Berry’s scrapyard.
Milk tank wagon at the National Railway Museum, York, in about 1990. This wagon is a bit of a puzzle since I have not been able to find much information about it. Apparently it was added to the NRM collection in 1990 but was removed in 2003 on grounds of duplication and may have been disposed of[5].
This wagon carried the plate:
RESTORED & REPAINTED BY
THE VIC BERRY Co
LEICESTER
References:
- “Preserved British Steam Locomotives - Hawthorn Leslie, Works No 3827, Corby Iron & Steel Works No 14 0-6-0ST”, https://preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/hawthorn-leslie-works-no-3827-corby-iron-steel-works-no-14-0-6-0st/
- “The little Stewarts & Lloyds locomotive loved by generations in Corby - and the fight to restore it”, https://www.northantstelegraph.co.uk/news/people/the-little-stewarts-lloyds-locomotive-loved-by-generations-in-corby-and-the-fight-to-restore-it-3619667
- Stretton, John, “This is...Vic Berry”, Rail, No. 118, March 22 - April 4, 1990, pp24-30.
- “Royal Train 1970-1985”, https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/71901-royal-train-1970-1985/page/2/
- “NRM milk tanker on lorry hits bridge”, https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/nrm-milk-tanker-on-lorry-hits-bridge.649768/