December 1962 saw the lines west of Salisbury transferred to the Western Region where steam was being phased out much more rapidly than on the Southern. Soon thereafter the Bulleids were replaced on the Waterloo-Exeter trains by the 1960-61 Swindon built diesel hyrdaulics of class 42, the B-B Warships. 2300hp with a maximum speed of 90mph.
By the 1970s, greater standardisation was sought for BR as a whole and hydraulic transmissions were short listed for extinction. By 1974 the warships withdrawn and the service was worked by class 33 and then 50 until they were replaced by 159s in 1992/3.

photograph by Michael Taylor.

D829 Magpie leads a down West of England express through Woking station in June 1970.

photographs by Michael Taylor.

Warship D831 Monarch on the ground in the scrap lines at Swindon in 1974.

photographs by Colin Duff.

Two Warships still survive.

Both pictured around the turntable at Old Oak Common depot during the EWS/Rail Magazine London 2000 event 5/6 (pictures actually taken 6th) August 2000. D821 Greyhound is currently based on the Severn Valley Railway and D832 Onslaught on the East Lancashire Railway.
Class 42s were never allocated to Old Oak Common depot, although they visited there regularly for servicing. However class 43 Warships were allocated to Old Oak Common.