Vic Berry is famous or infamous in the railway community, best known for the disposal of the majority of the Class 25's and 27's. Although many others went under the torch at the site of what had been the former GC Braunstone Gate goods yard, just south of Leicester Central station. The access to the site along the rail line meant it was ideal to transport rolling stock to the site. Opened by Vic Berry in 1973. At first the focus was on redundant carriages and wagons, Locomotives did not arrive until early to mid 1980's. April 1983 to be exact with the arrival of 3 Class 76's. Berry's was used heavily because of the specialising of asbestos removal. The yard of course became famous for the locomotive and rolling stock stacks that were in the yard. The yard suffered a huge fire in 1991, which resulted in the yard being closed down with mounting debts and serious ground contamination of the surrounding area. Nothing now remains what was there, other than the fact of the memories of seeing the stacks and the parts of locomotive's, carriages, DMU's around the yard. As a teenager with my face pressed up against the fence trying to see as much as possible.
Twice I was at the yard, below is a list of what was there on each visit.
The remnants of the infamous stack, with more than three quarters of the locomotive already deposed of.
Wednesday 13th April 1988
03 - 03069
25 - 25095 25176 25249 25313
27 - 27014 27023 27025 27037 27041 27053 27208
45 - 45144
101 - 59524 59552
104 - 53456 54177
122 - 975540
127 - 59626 59647
Saturday 17th October 1987
03 - 03069
25 - 25034 25051 25058 25095 25133 25154 25158 25160 25169 25175 25190 25193 25212 25224 25230 25249 25230 25249 25278 25313 25232 25902
27 - 27010 27014 27023 27025 27037 27041 27049 27053 27066 27208
40 - 40046 40063
There were many more, but it was difficult to see some of them, especially in the stacks, also some were just cabs or parts with numbers. This was one site even in the 1980's that you could not just wander round.
There are plenty of reference sites around with more in depth information about the site and the locomotives and rolling stock that went through the site during its time.
