Celebrating the Home Fleet! Teddy Bear Takes Centre Stage | Class 14 D9551 – SVR Autumn Diesel Bash

BR Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9551 | Severn Valley Railway Autumn Diesel Bash

This video is dedicated entirely to BR Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9551, one of the resident diesel locomotives of the Severn Valley Railway.

During the recent SVR Autumn Diesel Bash, we were given a fantastic opportunity to see the railway’s home diesel fleet in full flow. Diesel galas on the Severn Valley Railway are often dominated by visiting locomotives, which understandably attract plenty of attention, but this event provided a brilliant opportunity to step back and appreciate the SVR for all of its own diesel power.

For this video, however, the spotlight belongs firmly to D9551.

Built at Swindon Works in 1965, D9551 is one of the distinctive British Railways Class 14 diesel-hydraulic locomotives affectionately known by enthusiasts as “Teddy Bears.”

D9551 entered British Railways service at Cardiff Canton in September 1965, before moving to Hull Dairycoates in January 1967. Its career with BR was remarkably short, with the locomotive being withdrawn in April 1968 after less than three years in service.

Fortunately, that was far from the end of D9551’s story. It subsequently entered industrial service, working for the British Steel Corporation at Gretton Brook and Corby, before eventually entering preservation.

D9551 was acquired for the Severn Valley Railway and arrived at Bridgnorth on 25 November 2013. An extensive overhaul followed, and on 30 April 2016 D9551 undertook its first test run on the SVR between Bridgnorth and Kidderminster. Further testing followed before the locomotive made its debut at the Spring Diesel Festival in May 2017.

D9551 initially appeared on the SVR in a distinctive golden ochre livery, inspired by the experimental colour once carried by Class 52 D1015 Western Champion. In June 2023, D9551 was repainted into its original BR green livery, the condition in which we see this wonderful locomotive today.

Now owned and maintained by the SVR Class 14 Company Limited, D9551 has become a much-loved and useful member of the Severn Valley Railway’s home fleet, undertaking everything from gala appearances to rescue and tail-locomotive duties.

This film celebrates D9551 during the Autumn Diesel Bash and a locomotive which, despite having such a short career on British Railways, has gone on to enjoy a considerably longer and very successful life in preservation.

A huge amount of credit goes to the volunteers and supporters of the SVR Class 14 Company Limited, whose continued hard work helps keep these historic locomotives operational and available for future generations to enjoy.

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For the latest news, photographs and updates on D9551 and fellow Bridgnorth-based locomotive Class 07 D2996, follow the team on Facebook:

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Locomotive: BR Class 14 D9551 ‘Teddy Bear’
Built: Swindon Works, 1965
Based: Bridgnorth
Railway: Severn Valley Railway
Owner: SVR Class 14 Company Limited
Event: Autumn Diesel Bash

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