Class 25 leaves home for first time in almost 29 years

For the first time since it was preserved in February 1986, Class 25 D7535 Mercury (25185) has hauled trains away from its Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway home, when it was used at the South Devon Railway autumn diesel gala on November 7-9.

This is expected to be a once-only visit. It is understood that requests have been made for the ‘25’ since its SDR visit, but these have been rejected.

The locomotive needs maintenance, which is set to be carried out once a replacement has been sourced for the PDSR.