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Help please identifying this Warship class related badge

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Czesziafan

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This is a brass badge that I recently acquired, and I would like some help in finding out more about it please. It clearly relates to Class 42 no 824 but I have not been able to find any background information on it.

My own thoughts are:
  • the rear fixing is the same as that on BR badges for staff on ER titled trains issued in the early seventies.
  • It is not a preservation group production because 824 was never a candidate for preservation
  • My own theory (not supported by any evidence) is that it may be a local depot production, made from metal salvaged when the loco was withdrawn, perhaps sold for charitable fundraising or as a souvenir of a visit.

Can anyone throw any light on this baffling but interesting item?

Warship class badge.jpeg
 
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Bungle158

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Laira based loco. Entirely possible that the badge was a local production. It's many years since D824 was withdrawn and the last HMS Highflyer was retired in 1921. Although the name was subsequently used by a Sri Lanka based shore establishment, it is unlikely that there was a RN connection.

An enquiry to Laira may bear fruit. Someone may know something/someone.
 

Taunton

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Not a very accurate commemoration. The loco name was one word.
 

Bevan Price

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84A only became the depot code for Laira during 1963; previously (from the start of B.R.), the code was 83D.
Looks like some cheapish unofficial "souvenir", possibly for sale at some open day or other event?
 

Czesziafan

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84A only became the depot code for Laira during 1963; previously (from the start of B.R.), the code was 83D.
Looks like some cheapish unofficial "souvenir", possibly for sale at some open day or other event?

Yes that's quite possible. But why this loco? It was never of any note, was never a candidate for preservation, withdrawn in December 1972 and unceremoniously scrapped. Interest in diesels when it was made (IMO) early / mid 70's was very low. Why would anyone produce a badge for that history?

Genuine railwayana from the Warships is quite scarce - it took me many years to acquire brass bogie plates from the BR and NBL members of the class.
 

randyrippley

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It was of note in breaking down on Waterloo - Exeter runs several times
but then I guess most of the Warships did that
 

Bevan Price

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Yes that's quite possible. But why this loco? It was never of any note, was never a candidate for preservation, withdrawn in December 1972 and unceremoniously scrapped. Interest in diesels when it was made (IMO) early / mid 70's was very low. Why would anyone produce a badge for that history?

Genuine railwayana from the Warships is quite scarce - it took me many years to acquire brass bogie plates from the BR and NBL members of the class.

Maybe it was somebody's favourite / "pet" loco? Or maybe they did badges for the whole class, but no-one here has seen any others.
 

Bungle158

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Perhaps a privately cast plaque, or series of. Made from panels from the original loco post scrapping. Possibly a commercial venture.
 

delt1c

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I remember back in early 70's adverts for casts made from the warships scrap , could this be one of them
 

Czesziafan

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I remember back in early 70's adverts for casts made from the warships scrap , could this be one of them

Those casts are larger and made of alloy, produced by BREL Swindon in 1973 and I still have mine complete with its BR certificate. I am inclined to agree with Bungle158 that the badge is a similar idea but on a smaller scale, a private venture.
 

6Gman

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Possibly a local fundraiser? Perhaps connected to an Open Day or similar?

The railway has a long history of mutual support - insurance schemes, "helping hand" committee, railway orphanages and such-like. If there was an event, such as an Open Day, they may have thought "let's have some badges made for sale".

Just an idea.
 

Czesziafan

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Possibly a local fundraiser? Perhaps connected to an Open Day or similar?

The railway has a long history of mutual support - insurance schemes, "helping hand" committee, railway orphanages and such-like. If there was an event, such as an Open Day, they may have thought "let's have some badges made for sale".

Just an idea.

This is quite true. The Southern Railway Servants' Orphanage for example produced a series of enamel badges made by Millers featuring locomotives in the 1940's - 50's, as did the one at Derby.

D824 was withdrawn in December 1972, arrived at Swindon a year later, and was scrapped in June 1975. It is quite plausible that badges made from metal recovered from the loco were made for a charitable or open day function some time between 1973-5. The style of pin fixing on the back would be consistent with a product of that date.
 
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