26038 - Tom Clift

The Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company built 20 diesels, using the same power unit as BR's class 24s in 1958 as part of the 1955 Modernisation scheme. They were initially allocated to Hornsey shed on the Eastern Region, for trial. Almost before the first examples had arrived, it had been decided to build a further 47 of these locos. After a brief spell on the Eastern, the class 26s (as they became under TOPS numbering) all gravitated north to Edinburgh and Inverness.

D5338 was built in 1959, as part of the second batch, and spent virtually all of her time in Scotland working from Inverness shed. She would have regularly worked passenger and freight trains to Wick, Thurso and Kyle of Lochalsh for the next 33 years.

Withdrawn by BR in 1992, the loco was bought by lifelong railwayman Tom Clift who was, at the time, the Managing Director of Valley Lines in Cardiff. The loco was moved from Scotland to Wales, where work was carried out to restore her to working order. Tom was involved in 6LDA, a group which owned two other class 26s, based at the Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway and in 2012 the group was asked to look after his loco also. Sadly Tom was not able to enjoy much thrash from his loco in Scotland as he passed away later that year.

In 2013, 26038 visited the NYMR twice, but didn't work any trains! She was in the consist of locos heading from Bo'ness to Keighley which was calling at Grosmont to collect D7629 & 37264 for the KWVR diesel gala. At this gala 6LDA honoured Tom's family by naming the loco after him.

Coming to the NYMR in time for the 2016 diesel gala, agreement was reached for 26038 to remain here for an extended period, at least until D5032 is returned to traffic.