31424 stands in the rain at Eastleigh in the early hours of the morning with a short overnight train made up of a Mark I bogie brake (BG), Mark I brake coach (BCK or BSK or BSO) and a four wheeled van, 18th November 1978. 31424 was built at the Brush Falcon works, Loughborough as D5575 and entered traffic in February 1959, allocated to Norwich MPD. Under the 1973 TOPS renumbering scheme it became 31157, however it carried this number for a short period of time. During the first half of the 1970’s twenty four class 31’s were fitted with electric train heating equipment for both secondary passenger duties and empty coaching stock duties between carriage depots and stations. 31157 was fitted in early 1975, renumbered 31424 and released from Doncaster works in February 1975 allocated to Cricklewood for empty coaching stock duties between Cricklewood carriage sidings and St Pancras. With the introduction of HST’s to the Midland Main Line the Cricklewood class 31/4’s were transferred with 31424 moving to Bristol. It remained at Bristol until 1983 when it transferred to March primarily for Birmingham – Norwich cross country duties. With the steady decline of locomotive hauled passenger duties the need for the electric train heating equipment also declined and it was one of a number of class 31/4’s which towards the end of their career found this equipment isolated and was renumbered accordingly as 31524. After over thirty six years service it was withdrawn from Bescot in May 1996 and would lingered for over ten years dumped predominately at Barrow Hill until broken up by Ron Hull, Rotherham in August 2006.

31302 is stabled at Shirebrook MPD, 20th June 1981. 31302 was built by Brush at the Falcon works Loughborough as D5835 in January 1962 but did not enter traffic until April 1962 with the Mirrlees engine up-rated from 1365bhp to 2000bhp. This actually made D5835 a Type 4 although never officially recognised as such. It was allocated to Sheffield Darnal MPD and used on Kings Cross – Hull duties. By October 1962 it had run 30,000 miles without problems but by this time problems were starting to appear in the older Mirrlees engines and D5835 was quickly de-rated to 1365bhp. In 1964 a programme of works commenced to re-engine the fleet with the 1470bhp English Electric 12SVT engines. On the side photographed 31302 still has the enhanced air intake grills (the lower two sets of grills on the right hand end of the locomotive) for the extra filters and ducting for the increased combustion air required when the engine was up-rated to 2000bhp. These additional air intake grills were unique to this locomotive. After thirty seven years service (and over eight years after its last classified repair at Doncaster works in October 1990) it was withdrawn in March 1999. Following withdrawal it was towed to Wigan CRDC and quickly broken up in July 1999.