Through out the 1960’s and the first half of the 1970’s Derby had an allocation of around six class 03’s. What they did is a mystery to me as despite my many frequent visits to Derby in this period I can not remember ever seeing one at work. By the end of 1976 the allocation was down to two, 03397 and 03399 and they can be seen here on the stops on one of the stabling roads at Derby Etches Park depot, 18th November 1976. 03397 was built at Doncaster works as D2397 and entered traffic in September 1961, allocated to Norwood Junction MPD. It quickly transferred to Weymouth in 1962 followed by a transfer to Bournemouth in 1967. By 1969 it had been fitted with dual brake equipment and waist high brake connections to allow coupling with Southern Region electric multiple units. 03399 was the last class 03 and was also built at Doncaster works, entering traffic in October 1961, allocated to Hither Green MPD before transferring to Ashford where it would remain for the majority of the 1960’s. It also had by 1969 acquired dual brake equipment and waist high brake connections. At the beginning of 1971 the Derby class 03 fleet consisted of 2130, 2381/83/86/87/88 and the first to be condemned was 2383 (April 1971) followed by 2381 (June 1972), 2388 (July 1972), 2130 (August 1972) and 2388 (December 1972). This was balanced by the transfer of 2397/99 to Derby so that by 1973 the fleet stabilised at three, 2386/97/99. This continued until March 1976 when 03386 was condemned, to be followed by the transfer in 1977 of 03397 and 03399 to Norwich and Colchester respectively. By July 1987 both were allocated to Norwich and both were condemned in that month with 03397 being broken up by Vic Berry, Leicester in January 1991. 03399 is still in existence having been sold for preservation and is currently (February 2010) located at the Mangapps Farm Railway Museum.