In weak spring sunshine, D5217 approaches Market Bosworth on the Battlefield Line with the 13:00 Shackerstone to Shenton service on 10 March 1996 during the line's Diesel Gala. This loco had been withdrawn from BR service as 25067 as long ago as 1982, but had languished at Bescot and Swindon, before finally entering preservation in 1985.

In gloomy conditions on 5 May 1986, 25109 & 25057 pass Rangeworthy with the F & W Railtours 06:50 Crewe to Onllwyn 'Valley Explorer' railtour. Note the two different Class 25 body types, with 25057 having the original design with grilles scattered all over the bodyside, while 25109 has all the grilles arranged neatly at cantrail level. The most noticeable aspect of this picture is how open the location is, with virtually no lineside vegetation to speak of. However, it wasn't long before those few lineside bushes multiplied considerably!

25205 approaches Bayston Hill with a ballast train for the Crewe station remodeling on 3 July 1985. A few minutes earlier it had passed in the opposite direction, after emerging from Bayston Hill Quarry. After running around it would now pass the quarry again on its way north. 25205 was withdrawn the following year, and after two unsuccessful sales for spares, was finally broken up at M.C. Metal Processing at Springburn in June 1995.

25209 passes Oxford North Junction with the 6V19 06:32 Bescot to Didcot Speedlink on 12 February 1985. A perfect combination of classic traction, interesting mixed freight train, sunshine and snow, what more could you ask for? 25209 was withdrawn in December 1985 and cut up at M. C. Metal Processing at Springburn in March 1992. The line to Bicester, which in 1985 was still purely a freight only route, can be seen diverging to the right in the background. The overgrown area between the stream and the allotments is the site of the former down relief line, which extended from here to Wolvercote Junction. It was the longest of the running loops in the area added during the Second World War, with a capacity of 455 wagons. 

25235 is unusually paired with 47602 as it passes Orleton on 18 June 1984 with an unidentified northbound working (possibly Severn Tunnel Junction Ellesmere Port bitumen empties?). The 47 was not under power, as it would have obviously have needed a separate driver, as Class 25s and 47s cannot work in multiple. Note the surviving steam age telegraph poles on the left.

With 15 March 1987 being rumoured to be the date when all remaining Class 25s would be switched off, a trip was made to the Chester area three days before to try to photograph some of the remaining members. At Hargrave 25278 (unofficially named Castell Harlech / Harlech Castle) duly obliged with this Crewe to Chester engineers train. It was day of very weak spring sunshine, with remnants of snow still visible in the fields. Note the seagulls on the extreme left, who seem to be permanent residents at this location.

Less than two hours after 25278 Castell Harlech / Harlech Castle had passed Hargrave on 12 March 1987 heading towards Chester, it was on its way back to Crewe with a slightly shorter engineers train. Of course in the intervening time the sun had moved round, so that neither picture of it has the sun on the front! 25278 along with several others of the class survived past the official switch off date, but only by one day. On 16 March it ran out of ‘A’ exam hours after working a Bescot to Crewe freight, however happily it has survived in preservation. Waverton church can just be seen through the mist in the background.

25297 heads north from Banbury with the 6T45 Banbury to Fenny Compton Speedlink trip working on 24 April 1984. The loco had earlier worked down from Bescot on the 8T45 05:23 Bescot to Banbury. This view is historic for two reasons, not only are the 25s long gone, but this also shows the uninterrupted view south from the Grimsbury Road bridge, before the opening of the Hennef Way bypass. The start of construction of the new bridge can clearly be seen.

D7659 (formally 25309) passes Woodthorpe with the 15:30 Loughborough to Leicester service during the Great Central Railway's Diesel Gala on 2 April 1995. This loco has visited a number of sites since preservation, and has been seen in all liveries and carrying all of its BR numbers, including 25909 which it carried during its final months in BR service during 1986.

D7672 Tamworth Castle passes Lostock Hall with the Hertfordshire Railtours 'Copy Pit Pullman' railtour on 29 December 1990. The tour had started from Euston, with the 25 taking over at Preston for the run to Leeds. Following its withdrawal in 1989 the erstwhile 25322 (which had been running as 25912 since 1985) was given a repaint into two tone green at Leeds Holbeck depot and officially named Tamworth Castle, a name which it carried unofficially for a number of years.

A miserable day at Awre (between Gloucester and Chepstow) on 3 April 1982. 25327 passes with what appears to be a very late running diverted 6V35 17:26 Ince to Carmarthen UKF fertiliser train. Confirmation anyone? 25327 was the final Class 25 to be delivered (as D7677) in April 1967. It was withdrawn in February 1984, and after being stored at Crewe and Swindon, was moved to Vic Berry's at Leicester in 1987, where it joined numerous classmates in the famous stack, before being broken up in March 1988.