The North Notts Loco Group owns the former BR Class 44 locomotive 44008 (D8) “Penyghent” built in Derby in 1960. Currently in green livery.
The Class 44s, commonly known as “Peaks” were widely used in the 1960s on the London St Pancras to Manchester Central main line expresses through the Peak District via Matlock, Bakewell and Peak Forest prior to closure of the line in 1968.
Locomotive History
One of the ten Pilot Scheme Peak class locomotives D8 was delivered to Camden in December 1959 but it was immediately loaned to Derby. During May 1960 it was transferred to Crewe North. During the early part of February 1962 D8 moved to Nottingham, the precursor of the eventual move of the class to Toton for use on heavy freight duties. In May 1962 D8 moved to Toton. In the mid 1970’s the ten class 44 locomotives started to be withdrawn. Surprisingly D8, now numbered 44008 visited Derby Works during November 1979, not for withdrawal but for engine repairs, it would remain under repair at Derby until early July 1980 when it was tested on the 12.07 Derby – St Pancras, (with 45121 as the train engine) and 44008 was removed at Leicester, returning light engine to Derby and re-entered traffic at Toton. Despite its recent Works attention 44008’s reprieve was brief, it was withdrawn along with the two remaining Class 44’s during November 1980 and stored at Toton. In July 1981 the locomotive moved north to Scotland heading for preservation on the Strathspey Railway at Boat of Garten in the Highlands. Following the sale of a very forlorn 44008 to the North Notts Locomotive Group in 1987 the locomotive returned to the East Midlands.
The locomotive is based at our Rowsley South site and can regularly be seen hauling Peak Rail trains during our operating season.
