33065
“Sealion”
One of the two Cromptons rescued by the group in 2000 — now awaiting the completion of a major overhaul at Tunbridge Wells West.
From Smethwick to the Spa Valley
Built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company at Smethwick, D6585 entered British Railways traffic on 13th January 1962. Like her sister, she spent her career on the Southern Region and was named 'Sealion' — without ceremony — at Eastleigh Depot on 16th August 1991.
Purchased by the South East Locomotive Group in January 2000 alongside 33063, Sealion returned to life in July 2001 and ran in preservation until August 2008, when she was stood down pending a major overhaul. That overhaul — including bodywork and cab repairs, a bogie lift, rewire and power unit attention — continues in the shed at Tunbridge Wells West.
33065 is sheeted over next to the group's compound at Tunbridge Wells West while attention is focused on completing 33063. Her overhaul — bodywork, cab rebuilds, bogie lift, rewire and power unit — is expected to resume thereafter.
British Rail service record
The locomotive’s working life on the Southern Region, compiled by group members from depot records and observations.
- Hither Green until 09/62
- Eastleigh from 09/62 until 10/67
- Hither Green from 10/67 until 24/11/85
- Stewarts Lane from 24/11/85
- Eastleigh from 02/10/88 until 16/5/93
- Stewarts Lane from 16/5/93
- Snowploughs fitted from 01/95 (centre ploughs only); full set fitted SL 11/95
- ETH isolated, EH 27/6/90
- Headlight and cab telephone fitted, EH 10/91
- Brunswick Green from new
- BR Blue until 03/90
- Departmental Grey, 03/90
- Dutch Yellow and Grey, 9/90
- Red guttering stripe applied, 03/87
- Spitfire plaques carried, 06/91 – 05/94
- SL 73A plates fitted Summer 1987 – 10/88
- 11/5/87 Departmental · 16/5/88 FALS · 2/10/88 DCSA · 05/8/90 DCSM · 05/4/92 NKJM
- 16/5/93 NKJR · 06/2/94 NKJM · 20/3/94 EWDB · 10/9/96 ENXX
- Intermediate Overhaul, Eastleigh (ZG) 8/83
- Power Unit Overhaul, ZG 3/87
- Power Unit / Main Generator, ZG 3/88
- Power Unit Change, ZG 6/89
- Intermediate Overhaul (CEM), ZG 3/90
- Stewarts Lane – 10/9/96, switched off
- Stewarts Lane – 13/2/97
- Initially stored at Stewarts Lane (denamed on 7/10/96) and placed on the EWS tender list in February 1997. Sold for preservation to Mike Biddell, Blue Triangle Buses, in March 1997 and moved by road to Rainham, Essex on 31st July 1997. Partially repainted on one side into Blue Triangle red and cream over the 'Dutch' livery, retaining yellow cab ends.
The SELG years
33065 was purchased by the South East Locomotive Group on 25th January 2000 together with 33063, and worked in preservation until 2008 before entering the queue for major overhaul.