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47 Articles

A sobering thought

IT is not very often I reference the letters page in this column. Which is not to dismiss that section of the magazine in any way – it is a valuable and often enlightening part of our make-up, and we very much enjoy reading all the comments, feedback and observations from The RM’s extremely knowledgeable readership. This month, however, there is one letter that goes beyond all that to make one very important point – one that we should all try and take heed of. Paul Chancellor, whom many will know as the owner of Colour-Rail, one of the most important and extensive railway image libraries, writes in response to last month’s article by Chris Milner about how we should best preserve the photographic past to ensure those images are…

A sobering thought

Journeys rise but revenue stalls

RAIL’S recovery from the Covid pandemic continues, with 1,610 million journeys recorded in the year to March 31, which is a 16% rise on the previous 12 months. The figures have been released by the Office of Rail and Road, and the rise comes despite ongoing industrial action. However, the number of journeys is still short of the post-Second World War record of 1,750 million journeys recorded five years ago. Demand fell during the nationalised British Rail era due to road competition, reaching a low of 761 million passengers at Privatisation in 1996. Prior to the pandemic, passenger numbers were forecast to grow by 2.5% annually, which allowed planning for capacity enhancements. Such works included lengthening South Western suburban platforms from eight to 10 vehicles, and the dive-under at Werrington…

Journeys rise but revenue stalls

Scottish society signs deal with LSL Group for locomotives and stock

A NEW long-term partnership has been formed between the Scottish Railway Preservation Society (SRPS) and the Royal Scot Locomotive & General Trust. The agreement with the trust, part of the Locomotive Services Group (LSL), will be mutually beneficial, allowing LSL to stable locomotives and rolling stock on the Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway, while visiting locomotives will feature on B&KR services. LSL will also provide locomotives and support services for SRPS’s own day excursion railtours around Scotland. Basing LSL trains at Bo’ness, mid-way between Glasgow and Edinburgh, should prove beneficial operationally. Some SPRS Mk.1 carriages recently moved to Barrow Hill for overhaul and other work including, it is believed, fitting of central door locking. The first carriages are expected to return to the SRPS base at Bo’ness in July, and RSL>…

More action needed if targets are to be met

AS PART of initiatives to reach a net-zero target for emissions, a range of agencies, including Network Rail, have published growth targets for carrying more freight by rail that range from a 75-200% by 2050. But the most recent annual traffic survey published by the Office for Rail and Road on June 6 suggests policy initiatives will need to be accelerated if these aspirations are to be achieved. It was always going to be a difficult period for rail freight haulage following the end of significant coal traffic to supply power stations. Maritime intermodal traffic has countered this reduction, but this sector has stagnated in the past year and volumes have levelled out. This is partly due to external forces that have disrupted shipping, such as the war in Ukraine…

More action needed if targets are to be met

‘Surprise and pride’ as passenger services begin on Levenmouth Line

TIMETABLED passenger trains have returned to a Scottish coastal town after a 50-year absence following the formal opening of the Levenmouth Line. Passenger services to Leven ceased in 1969, after which the five-mile branch to the Levenmouth conurbation remained freight-only to serve the Cameronbridge distillery, Kirkland yard and Methil power station. Goods trains lasted until it was mothballed in 2001, although a mile was revived between 2012 and 2015 to serve a loading point for the opencast coal mine at Earlseat. The £116 million Levenmouth Rail Link, which was funded by the Scottish Government and delivered by Network Rail and ScotRail, reconnects Leven and Cameron Bridge to Scotland’s railway network. On May 29, 300 guests from the local community and those involved in the project joined First Minister John Swinney…

‘Surprise and pride’ as passenger services begin on Levenmouth Line

Low-key launch for Avanti’s ‘Evero’

THE first three units from Avanti West Coast’s new £350 million‘Evero’fleet entered revenue-earning service without any prior publicity on June 2, departing Crewe almost simultaneously on workings to London Euston and Holyhead. Class 805 No. 805009 left for Euston at 10.37 with 1A16 (which would usually start at Chester), while Nos. 805001/004 formed 1D83, the 10.36 Walesbound train. The fleet of 23‘Everos’ comprises 13 Class 805s (five-car diesel and electric bi-mode sets) and 10 Class 807 (seven-car electric units). Built by Hitachi at Newton Aycliffe in County Durham, they will gradually replace Class 221‘Super Voyager’ DMUs on services between Euston and Holyhead/Wrexham, Wolverhampton, Liverpool Lime Street and Blackpool North during this year and next. Over half of the 20 Class 221s inherited by Avanti when it took over the West…

Low-key launch for Avanti’s ‘Evero’

Brief return for CrossCountry shops

THE transfer of the first ex-Avanti West Coast Class 221‘Super Voyager’units to CrossCountry has brought with them the return of on board shops to XC services, but only until they are removed during refurbishment. CrossCountry will take on a total of 12 former Avanti sets to strengthen its existing Class 220 and Class 221 fleet, which the operator says will increase the number of seats on north-south services by 36,000 per week from May next year. Nos. 221114/115/116 are the first of the new arrivals (the latter being the first to enter service at the start of the summer timetable on June 2). Between them, they are expected to boost capacity in time for the summer holiday period by around 12,000 seats a week – although, in anticipation of overcrowding,…

Steam powered ‘Tug’ for freight trains?

A CLASS 60 diesel is set to be converted to steam power using the latest engineering advancements as part of a project to find alternative fuels for the rail freight sector. Steamology Motion Limited, a green technology start-up company in Hampshire, has secured a contract with Arup and Eversholt Rail to support the evaluation of‘green steam’to reduce freight train emissions. The company has developed a patented technology to generate high pressure steam without carbon emissions, by burning hydrogen in oxygen inside small modular steam generators. This zero-carbon ‘green’steam can be created at a mega-watt scale, and the‘New Dawn’project will apply this innovation to rail by converting a Class 60 locomotive to a full powered prototype – potentially heralding a return to steam for main line commercial use after a break…

Class 47 reaches Ukraine border

HEADLINE NEWS THE only ex- British Rail Class 47 to be exported from the UK, No. 47375, worked a two-day railtour around Hungary on June 8/9 reaching the border with neighbouring Ukraine and Slovakia in the process. The tour was organised by the Brush Type 4 Fund (B4F) to raise funds for its two‘47s’ based at the Gloucestershire-Warwickshire Railway, Nos. 47105 and 47376. As well as the ‘47’, no less than four‘M62’type locomotives built in Ukraine in Soviet days hauled the train over the weekend. No. 47375 was exported to Hungary in 2016. Originally owned by Continental Railway Solution (CRS), which planned to use it for a new land cruise train using former German TEE coaches (which never started operation), it is now owned by open access operator Komplex Rail…

Class 47 reaches Ukraine border

First vehicles for Eastriggs storage site

JUNE 19 saw the first two vehicles arrive for secure storage by Rail Sidings Ltd (RSL) at Eastriggs in Dumfries and Galloway, writes Graeme Pickering. Network Rail Winter Development Vehicle (WDV) No. 7095940141 and its support coach No. ADB977896 are pictured following arrival at the site, having been hauled by Colas Rail Class 56 No. 56113 from the Direct Rail Services depot at Motherwell. Routed via the West Coast Main Line, with a planned maximum speed of 27mph and a reversal at Carlisle to join the Glasgow & South Western route, the consist took four hours to complete the journey. The WDV (equipped with hot air blowers and steam lances to remove snow and ice from points) and the former Mk.2 coach are understood to be the first rail deliveries…

First vehicles for Eastriggs storage site

RVLR AT THE GCR:

HEADLINE NEWS The Revolution Very Light Rail (RVLR) demonstration vehicle has been undergoing testing at the Great Central Railway. It is pictured at Loughborough shed alongside NCB Hunslet‘Austerity’No. 18 on June 9, two days after arriving by road at Quorn. Unveiled in 2021, and usually based at the former Ironbridge Power Station site in Shropshire, the vehicle has been designed as an alternative to conventional‘heavy rail’units, potentially lowering the cost of introducing or improving low-density local train services. The GCR trials were part of development work for three new single-car‘pre-series’RVLR units, ordered last year from Transport Design International by rolling stock leasing company Eversholt Rail for passenger trials. Eversholt says the demonstrator will be involved in further testing at Ironbridge as the construction programme of the new units progresses.…

RVLR AT THE GCR:

All’s still not right on the Isle of Wight

HEADLINE NEWS IT was September 2019 when the £50 million Island Line upgrade was announced, to include new trains, track upgrades and a reinstated passing loop at Brading. On the face of it, it should have been a straightforward project, the 8.5-mile route from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin being isolated from the mainland network, and mostly single track. A 12-week closure was planned for 2020, which became 11 months after a range of delivery problems, only some of which could be attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, problems persist today with the trains, infrastructure and timetable. The renovation of Ryde Pier has taken far longer than planned. Responsibility was split between South Western Railway (SWR), which operates Island Line and is responsible for the track, and Network Rail (NR)…

All’s still not right on the Isle of Wight

Andania digs in for a great cause

A CLASS 40-hauled charity tour to Scarborough on June 5 raised more than £40,000 for its organiser the Railway Benefit Fund (RBF). Locomotive Services operated the‘Bucket & Spade’ special on behalf on the Crewe-based RBF. No. D213 (40013) Andania hauled the train (formed of eight Mk.3s, a Mk.2 support coach, a Mk.1 Restaurant Buffet and Class 47 No. 47828) from Crewe to Manchester Victoria via Warrington Bank Quay. It then traversed the freight-only line from Philips Park to Ashburys before heading to the Pennines by way of Guide Bridge and Stalybridge. On the Yorkshire side, the tour ran via Wakefield Kirkgate and Castleford for a short photo stop in York before travelling on to the coast.The loco performed well throughout and, when given a clear run, touched just shy of…

Andania digs in for a great cause

Railways in Parliament

Virgin comeback LIFE peer Lord Blencathra asked the Government what consideration it had given to expediting the application by Virgin Trains to run a service on the West Coast Main Line. Transport Minister Lord Davies of Gower said:“We note with interest the reports in the media about the application from Virgin Trains, and welcome open access applications where they provide improved connectivity and choice for passengers and do not disproportionately impact taxpayers. “Access to the network, however, is ultimately a decision for the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) in its role as independent regulator for the rail industry. The Department therefore awaits further engagement from the ORR and Network Rail on Virgin’s proposals and will provide its views as part of the relevant industry consultation, as is standard process…

Work on Thame Valley Viaduct building passes halfway point

CONSTRUCTION work on the 880 metre (962 yard) Thame Valley Viaduct near Aylesbury, one of the longest structures on the HS2 project, passed the halfway point during May. The majority of it – including beams for the spans, deck slabs and all but two of its piers – is being manufactured at Pacadar UK’s Isle of Grain concrete factory in Kent, before being moved to Buckinghamshire. Assembly began on site in June 2023 and since then 44 of the 72 precast beams (which are secured end-to-end without concrete needing to be poured during construction) and 66 of the 70 piers have been put in place. Work is well underway on the deck. HS2 Ltd says its simple design, inspired by bridges on the Spanish high speed network, means its carbon…

Work on Thame Valley Viaduct building passes halfway point

Former London Underground and Crossrail boss to lead HS2 Ltd

NEW HS2 Ltd chief executive Mark Wild has said he looks forward to leading the organisation as it shifts focus from overseeing construction of the high-speed route to preparing for it to become operational. Mr Wild will join HS2 Ltd from SGN (formerly known as Scotia Gas Networks) where he became chief executive after stepping down as CEO of Crossrail in 2022. Prior to that, he served as London Underground’s managing director. The appointment of Mr Wild, whose starting date in the role has yet to be confirmed, followed a selection process led by HS2 Ltd’s executive chairman Sir Jon Thompson, and backed by Transport Secretary Mark Harper. It was announced six days before Parliament was dissolved in preparation for the General Election. Sir Jon will continue in his current…

Golden anniversary gala

THE Kent & East Sussex Railway (K&ESR) celebrated its half-century in style on June 1/2, with a 50th anniversary gala encompassing the Rother Valley Railway (RVR), which is reconstructing the route’s missing link between Robertsbridge and Bodiam. The day prior to the gala (May 31), a VIP event was held at Robertsbridge for the ceremonial naming of GB Railfreight Class 73 No. 73128 Kent & East Sussex Railway (see page 89), the dedication of the turntable, and the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the K&ESR and the RVR. The ‘ED’ had arrived at Robertsbridge via the RVR’s main line connection, along with GBRf Class 66 No. 66718. Another main line visitor was BR ‘7MT’ No. 70000 Britannia, part of the Crewe-based Locomotive Services Ltd fleet. Public shuttle trains…

Golden
anniversary gala

Zulu Forty Eight

PRACTICE AND PERFORMANCEGuinness World Record: Longest-running railway series, established in 1901 “No. 7029’s 2024 run commemorated three anniversaries: 120 years since City of Truro’s exploit, 60 years since its own 97mph run, and 10 years since No. 5043’s record” THERE are few sights more evocative of British steam traction’s ‘Golden Age’ than a Great Western-designed ‘Castle’ glinting in spring sunlight as it glides along the Dawlish sea wall hauling a rake of chocolate and cream coaches. Thanks to the valiant efforts of Vintage Trains, that is precisely the scene presented during a round trip from Birmingham Snow Hill over the two days of May 10 and 11. ‘The Great Western’ title of the railtour had arguably been stretched a little, as the motive power was 4-6-0 No. 7029 Clun Castle,…

Zulu
Forty Eight

Farewell shed, hello works

AFTER being largely disused for more than a decade from 2007-2018, Bletchley depot is now going through a £72 million upgrade to turn it into a works-style engineering facility for both diesel and electric units. Bletchley was an early railway crossroads, with the London and Birmingham Railway reaching there in 1838 followed by the Bedford Railway in 1846 and the Buckinghamshire Railway (towards Oxford) in 1850. This made Bletchley an important railway junction until passenger services over the Oxford to Cambridge ‘Varsity Line’ were cut back to the Bletchley to Bedford (‘Marston Vale’) section in 1967, while the town’s railway status was reduced further when Milton Keynes station opened a few miles to the north in 1982. Before the cutbacks began, however, a modern traction depot was built at Bletchley…

Farewell shed,
hello works

The ‘Liberation’ Locomotives

“The ‘Liberations’ are occasionally confused with the smaller and better known USATC S160 2-8-0s, or believed to be a modified version of the British WD ‘Austerity’ 2-8-0. They were neither” TO say that ‘Liberation’ locos are a forgotten type would be a serious overstatement. With just a couple of articles in the technical press at the time of their construction, plus a few brief references in later books and articles, these fine locomotives rarely impinge upon the minds of British enthusiasts. This is hardly surprising, perhaps, as their sole appearance in this country was the short journey by road from the manufacturer to the docks, with all except 10 of the 120 built being delivered to Iron Curtain countries and withdrawn at the height of the Cold War. The only…

The
‘Liberation’
Locomotives

‘Trubble at t’Tunnel’

IT was nearly midnight at Huddersfield on August 12, 1866 as the Normanton to Bangor mail train approached the station, its chief stopping point in the West Riding of Yorkshire. This train normally loaded to just three vehicles: a post office sorting van, a passenger coach and a brake. It was an important train – light and fast, at least by the standards of the era and route. On this night though, it was struggling. It had incurred a 44-minute late start waiting for a tardy North Eastern Railway connection and marshalling the train for extra traffic, as a military event resulted in the need for no less than 13 extra coaches, plus two horse boxes. The authorities were clearly concerned about the train’s potential lack of progress up the…

‘Trubble
at t’Tunnel’

Readers’ Platform

NB. Publication of a letter does not imply that the Editor or staff of The Railway Magazine necessarily agree with its contents. Preserving the photographic past CHRIS Milner’s article on ‘Preserving the Past’(June issue) highlights the problem of photographic collections ending up at the tip and, perhaps with more recent images, being consigned to the computer ‘recycle bin’. Colour-Rail has for many years given talks to railway societies around the country and has always highlighted the need to either find a good home for images whilst the photographer is still alive, or make provision in a will to ensure their survival. Understandably, many people just cannot bring themselves to part with, in many cases, a slide box full of memories. The majority of us also seem to have the unshakeable…

Readers’ Platform

THURSDAY, JULY 4 Great Central Railway Society (Sheffield branch). Meet at CTL Seal, Butterthwaite Lane, Ecclesfield, Sheffield S35 9WA for a short walk at 18.30 and a visit at 19.30. Donations towards 72010 Hengist welcome. RCTS (Milton Keynes branch) & Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Network Rail – The Quadrant: MK, Elder Gate, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK9 1EN. 19.30.‘Railways at a Junction’: Fraser Pithie. FRIDAY, JULY 5 Slough & Windsor Railway Society (SWRS). The Manor, Slough station. 19.30.‘Duke of Gloucester Trust’: Steve Wakeland. MONDAY, JULY 8 Lincoln Railway Society. St Hugh’s Church, Harewood Crescent, North Hykeham, Lincoln LN6 8JG. 19.30.‘The Royal Train’: Geoff Griffiths. Southern Electric Group (Sussex Branch). Deall Room, Southwick Community Centre, Southwick BN42 4TE. 19.30. ‘Narrow gauge miscellany on film’: Keith Carter. Watercress Line Heritage RailwayTrust (Woking and Guildford…

Delivering a safe, efficient and sustainable railway…

From the archive

100 YEARS AGO JUNE 1924 Northern Line modernisation WORK is now in hand on the Morden extension of the City & South London Railway, and it is hoped that electric trains will be running between Clapham Common and Morden by December 1925. Work is also in hand on the Kennington Loop, scheduled to be completed by October 1925. Kennington will become an important junction with four platforms. Waterloo is also to be reconstructed. The extension from Hendon to Edgware is expected to be opened in July next. Escalators will be provided at Oval and Clapham Road [now called Clapham North], while entirely new stations equipped with escalators are being provided at Clapham Common and Stockwell. 50 YEARS AGO JUNE 1974 Stations renamed WITH effect from the introduction on May 6…

From the archive

The RCTS: then and now

LOCATED in a sparsely populated area of Gwynedd, formerly Meirionnydd, the small country town of Bala enjoyed the benefit of being on the through route from Ruabon to the Cambrian Coast at Barmouth. The first trains arrived in 1868, after an agreement had been reached between the Corwen and Bala and Bala and Dolgelly railways. Dolgelly (now Dolgellau) had already been reached by the Cambrian Railway. The two minor companies became part of the Great Western Railway in 1877. From 1882, the Bala and Festiniog Railway opened, running northwards through Trawsfynydd to Blaenau Ffestiniog. Its line ran from Bala Junction and included a new station in Bala itself. This enterprise always had the backing of the GWR and was formally incorporated in 1910. Both routes to the Cambrian Coast were…

The RCTS: then and now

West Somerset is putting the ‘torrid times’ behind it

THE West Somerset Railway (WSR) has been turned around and it is now on a more sound footing after a lot of hard work, according to one of line’s senior figures. “The railway is ahead of budget this year,”WSR plc chairman Jonathan Jones-Pratt told The RM. “The WSR is heading towards the best time it has had in the last 10 years. In September I will have been in the role of plc chairman for six years. I said it would take five years to turn around the WSR, so we’re pretty much on target. I love being around the railway and I’m proud of what’s been achieved. We’ve executed the plan. “Things have settled down. The torrid times of battling are thankfully behind us. We’ve dealt with a lot…

West Somerset is putting the ‘torrid times’ behind it

‘Strictly’ stars attract the crowds for Bulleid gala

AN historic gala gathering featuring eight impressive 1940s Bulleid Pacifics captured the imagination of enthusiasts and attracted more than 4,700 passengers to a huge Swanage Railway special event. The Strictly Bulleid II gala took place between Friday, June 7 and Sunday, June 9 – with a preview day on June 6 marking the 80th anniversary of the crucial D-Day Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. The celebration of the anniversary of the end of steam trains in southern England in July 1967 saw the largest gathering of working Bulleid Pacifics since that date. These locomotives hauled trains from London to Corfe Castle and Swanage between the late 1940s and 1966. Roster Performers included:‘Merchant Navy’No. 35006 Peninsular & Oriental S. N. Co. courtesy of the 35006 Locomotive Company and the Gloucestershire Warwickshire…

‘Strictly’ stars attract the crowds for Bulleid gala

Toddington’s ‘long forgotten’ BR Standard gets welcome attention

SIGNIFICANT progress is being made on the restoration of BR‘4MT’2-6-0 No. 76077 from Barry scrapyard condition for service on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR). Toddington Standard Locomotive Ltd (TSLL) acquired the locomotive from previous owner Chris Hinton in 2018. The locomotive had arrived at the GWSR in 1987 and was dismantled, but work faltered and the major components were stored on wagons at Toddington for the next 30 years. In May this year, TSLL placed a contract with Leaky Finders of Cullompton, Devon for the overhaul of the boiler. The planned work, which is scheduled to begin in December this year, includes replacement of the front tube plate and front parallel section of the barrel. “While repairable, it has been decided to replace them in order to‘future-proof’the boiler,” explained…

Toddington’s ‘long forgotten’ BR Standard gets welcome attention

Automatic brake milestone hit

NENE Valley Railway (NVR) Wagon Group volunteers have enjoyed the fruits of their labours following a considerable amount of hard work in reinstating vacuum brakes on their operational fleet of goods vehicles. As previously reported, since the group’s inception in 2012, the eventual aim has been to demonstrate an express rake of wagons. However, it was hoped that once 10 standard vans were restored, the group would retro fit the vacuum braking equipment, much of which was non-existent. Late last year the group had become victims of its own success, having restored too many wagons to safely run as an unfitted rake behind much of the home fleet and stop within the required distance. It was therefore decided to vacuum fit as many wagons as possible over the winter, in…

Automatic brake milestone hit

Jessie the ‘Green Goddess’ unveiled

A SOUTH Wales heavy industry veteran was the star of the Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway’s May 26/27 Pit to Port Coal Train event. The Bank Holiday Sunday and Monday gala saw the debut of Hunslet 18in 0-6-0ST Jessie (1837/1937) in a new livery. Volunteers at the heritage line felt that a livery change should take place after learning of the original livery specification when the locomotive was delivered to Guest, Keen & Nettlefold’s East Moors Works in Cardiff back in 1937. This specification read “Great Western Green with 3/8in yellow lining, black frames and smokebox, green dome, red bufferbeams and side rods.” The photo of sister locomotive No. 16 showed that the green was in the form of a panel on the sides of the tank with black borders and…

Jessie the ‘Green Goddess’ unveiled

Five steam beside the seaside

FAIRBOURNE Railway’s May 25-27 annual steam gala featured two interesting guest steam locomotives, one being a first-time visitor and the other returning to the line where it spent much of its working life in its 100th anniversary year. On the 12.25in gauge main line to Barmouth Ferry, the Ruislip Lido Railway’s oil-fired 2-4-0STT Mad Bess was visiting Fairbourne for the first time. The loco was built between 1986-1998 by The Ruislip Lido Railway Society to run on the 12in gauge Ruislip Lido line, it’s outline being inspired by the Ffestiniog Railway’s 2-4-0STTs Blanche and Linda. Although originally constructed with the capability of being regauged to 15in gauge, changes made during its last overhaul mean this is no longer possible. While technically 0.25ins under gauge, Mad Bess’s back-to-back measurement is compatible…

Five steam beside the seaside

Lappa Valley loco Victoria converted to battery power

THE main locomotive on the Lappa Valley Railway’s (LVR) 7.25in gauge line is expected to be able to complete two days of summer running with a five-coach train from a single charge of its batteries, following conversion from diesel power. Original build Originally constructed by Martin Redfearn and Brian Briggs in 2009, Victoria entered service at the LVR in 2020. The 0-4-4-0 was rebuilt by the Lynch Motor Company at Honiton in Devon over a three-month period and its Kippor diesel generator, previously used to power two electric motors, was replaced by an exclusively battery-operated system. “Finding a battery-electric locomotive in such a small gauge capable of doing what we require is nearly impossible, so to make it happen we had to work closely with the Lynch Motor Company to…

Lappa Valley loco Victoria converted to battery power

Work still to be done before No. 10 can return to duty

A REVIEW of mechanical work still outstanding as part of the overhaul of Gateshead No. 10 at Beamish Museum has revealed areas which will need to be addressed. Paul Jarman, the museum’s director of development for transport, industry and design, said that there were things that “really want attending to, in the spirit of addressing everything that we possibly can in order to give the tram as long an interval between overhauls as possible”. The museum has decided to modify No. 10’s bogie arrangement so that the spring pockets stay level and in turn evenly distribute the weight onto the central buckle of the leaf spring. As originally designed, this could lead to a situation where leaf springs were rotated slightly away from their resting position. The work will be…

Work still to be done before No. 10 can return to duty

Permanent new homes for CEPG’s Class 309 vehicles

CLACTON Express Preservation Group (CEPG) chairman Brad Wright has told The RM that the transfer of the three surviving cars from Class 309 No. 309624 to permanent new homes marks“a very positive new chapter”for the vehicles and the organisation. In mid-May, Battery Driving Trailer Composite (BDTC) No. 75965 and Motor Brake Standard (MBS) No. 61928 were moved from the Lavender Line in East Sussex to the East Anglian Railway Museum at Chappel & Wakes Colne in Essex, bringing them back to the county for the first time in almost two decades. Due to limited space, it looked as if Driving Trailer Standard (DTS) No. 75972 would have to be placed in short term storage, but a few days later, a new base was confirmed for it at the Rushden, Higham…

Permanent new homes for CEPG’s Class 309 vehicles

Return of the ‘Melton Pieman’

AN excursion from the West Midlands to the popular market town of Melton Mowbray – with the added attraction of steam over Harringworth Viaduct – is being reprised by Vintage Trains on September 14. Under its popular‘Melton Pieman’title, either No. 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe or No. 7029 Clun Castle will haul the train which starts at Birmingham New Street (08.15), calling only at Coleshill Parkway and Nuneaton. On arrival at Melton Mowbray (around 10.50), passengers have the option of spending the rest of the day in the town famous for its pork pies. Alternatively, they can book tickets for either the lunchtime or afternoon trips over the 82-arch Harringworth Viaduct to Corby – or a combination of both. Fares for the‘Pieman’start at £79 in tourist class (child £49), first class…

Return of the ‘Melton Pieman’

Outline masterplan submitted for Bow Goods Yard scheme

PLANNING approval is being sought for the redevelopment of 30 acres of brownfield land at Bow Goods Yard in East London, which would include construction of the capital’s largest integrated rail freight logistics hub. Network Rail Property (NRP) has submitted an outline masterplan for the scheme, which is described as a“future model for rail freight site generation”. It says the hub would cater for construction industry traffic and offer warehousing for the last mile distribution of goods arriving by rail. The site has been in railway use since the 19th century and its railhead is regarded as vital to the local materials chains, being used to supply over a million tonnes of concrete a year. Road benefits It was at the centre of construction work for the 2012 Olympics and…

Outline masterplan submitted for Bow Goods Yard scheme

Nexus puts software ‘fix’ in place for Class 555 Tyne & Wear issue

TYNE &Wear Metro operator Nexus has told The RM that a software modification has been made following the discovery of a traction problem during testing of its new Class 555 units on the system. Nexus revealed details earlier this year, explaining that the anomaly surfaced when rail adhesion conditions were “unexpectedly poor”. It and manufacturer Stadler, which is building 46 of the five-car trains to replace the system’s current Class 599 fleet, have been involved in further trials, which were not part of the initial programme, in order to resolve the issue. “We have worked closely with Stadler to complete the further tests required to ensure that the new trains perform to a high standard,”said Nexus head of fleet and depot replacement Michael Richardson. Daylight movements Following the successful conclusion…

Nexus puts software ‘fix’ in place for Class 555 Tyne & Wear issue

Work delays pushing back Northumberland services

ALTHOUGH it had been anticipated that services on the Northumberland Line from Newcastle to Bedlington and Ashington would begin in June, delays in the work are pushing the opening date back. Some of the delays on the Government’s Restore Your Railways project are due to poor ground conditions on land in the former coal mining area, with work to build two of the line’s stations at Bedlington and also at nearby Blyth Bebside slipping behind schedule. Since early spring there has been considerable efforts to complete level crossing work and major signalling, connecting the 18-mile line to the Tyneside Integrated Electronic Control Centre. Signalling between Bedlington and Ashington has gone live, and new level crossings have been installed at Bedlington North, Green Lane, North Seaton and Marcheys House. Currently, Northumberland…

Work delays pushing back Northumberland services

Testing underway of Class 802 fitted with high-energy battery

TRANSPENNINE Express Class 802 ‘Nova 1’ unit No. 802207 is undergoing testing after being fitted with a high-energy battery in place of one of its three diesel engines at Hitachi Rail’s factory at Newton Aycliffe in County Durham. The collaboration between Hitachi, battery manufacturer Turntide Technologies, TPE and Angel Trains, which owns the Class 802/2 sets, will provide data for a business case for an entirely battery and electric-powered intercity train capable of covering up 60 miles of the railway network running in battery mode. Hitachi says the battery can store sufficient energy to power 75 homes for a day and it is capable of the same acceleration and performance as the diesel engine it replaces. It also has the same power output as and is no heavier than the…

Testing underway of Class 802 fitted with high-energy battery

MIDWAY through the year, an overview of the wagon fleet shows that Ealnos type box wagons and intermodal flats dominate wagon orders. In turn, the supply of new stock comes largely from the Eastern European factories of USA-owned Greenbrier Europe. Continental builders contribute more specialist types, such as cement hoppers, with recent deliveries from Arbel in France and Feldbinder in Germany. Network Rail also favours Kirow for infrastructure wagons and cranes. Domestic production of new stock is now solely down to WH Davis at Langwith Junction, although overhauls and refurbishments are undertaken by Arlington Fleet Services at Eastleigh and Wabtec at Doncaster. A new entrant has been Loram UK at Derby, which continues with the conversion of JNA-Y‘Hawk’gondola opens for Network Rail. Of the freight operators, only DB Cargo UK…

POOL CODES EPRL Europhoenix Rail Leasing LOCOMOTIVES Allocations 37250 re-registered HQ/MBDL37407 EPUK-EPRL37424 KM/XSDP-BH/HNRL37425 KM/XSDP-BH/HNRL43050 SBXL-LSLO43054 MBDL-LSLO45118 LSLS-LSLO66224 WBAI-WBAT66591 LD/DFIN-FD/DHLT69012 LR/UKRS-RR/GBRG Renumbered 56077 – 69012 Liveries DB Cargo red: 66133 FL orange: 59104 GBRf: 66313, 69010 Network South East: 73128 TPE vinyls removed: 68019/20/21/22/25/26/31 Named 59201 Westbury PSB 1984-202466309 Charley Wallace66653 Barry Needham73128 Kent & East Sussex Railway50 Years of Heritage 1974-202473970 W S Sellar Name reapplied37407 Blackpool Tower Names removed60091 Barry Needham68019 Brutus68024 Centaur68025 Superb68026 Enterprise68027 Splendid68029 Courageous68030 Black Douglas68031 Felix68032 Destroyer SoldHNRC: 37424/25 Wensleydale Railway: 47714 Operational 66224 Stored/stopped locations Barrow Hill: 37419/22 Radway Green, Alsager: 60032/48/78/93 Worksop: 37716 MULTIPLE UNITS Allocations 156420/23 NH-HT197003/24/33/37 newly delivered HQ/HLHQ197114 newly delivered HQ/ HLHQ197114 HQ-CH221107/10-18 HFHQ-EHHQ317501 sent for disposal323203/07/08/13/17/19/41/42/43 SO/ EJHQ-AN/EDHQ398017 newly delivered HQ/ HLHQ555002/21 newly delivered GF/ PXGG720142 HQ-IL730036/38/45 HQ-BY730207/13/18/22/24 newlydelivered HQ/EJHQ777021/34/45/51…

The network’s notable moves

Avanti West Coast Once again, heavy rain into the early hours of Thursday, May 23 caused flooding on the WCML north of Carlisle. This caused major disruption to the AWC’s Anglo-Scottish services with many trains being cancelled between Preston and Glasgow. That day’s first direct arrival from London Euston at Glasgow Central was at 18.29 when Class 390 No. 390122 arrived with 1S69 which had left Euston at 13.30. The new Class 805 units entered service on June 2 with seven in traffic. Nos. 805001+805004 were on 1D83/10.36 Crewe to Holyhead, later No. 805004 joined with No. 805008 to work 1A42/12.48 Holyhead to Euston and 1J32/17.01 Euston to Wrexham General. No. 805005 was on 1B38/11.15 Wolverhampton to Euston and 9G29/15.15 Euston to Birmingham New Street followed by 1B55/17.21 Birmingham New…

The network’s notable moves

Cork improvements progress

THE delivery of eight new stations, electrification and a new depot for the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme moved a step closer on May 24, following an announcement by IrishTransport Minister, Éamon Ryan TD. It was confirmed that consultants TYPSA and Roughan O’Donovan were awarded a €50 million contract by Iarnród Éireann (IÉ) as multi-disciplinary consultants for the design, planning and construction of the next phase. Funded by the National Transport Authority under Project Ireland 2040, it will see eight new stations – three between Cork and Mallow at the former station at Kilbarry (near Blackpool), at Monard (which is earmarked for a new town), and a park-and-ride Station at Blarney (with three platforms and a turnback siding) to support major residential growth at Stoneview. East of Cork stations will…

Cork improvements progress

Visit to Vietnam’s veteran diesels Tourists experience modern traction thanks to UK tour operator. A GROUP of enthusiasts recently enjoyed the chance to see and hear an eclectic mix of modern traction in South East Asia as part of a visit arranged by a British company. In April, operator PTG Tours ran its first enthusiast trip to northern Vietnam which featured a variety of diesel locos. The tour took‘Alco’design, Indian built, Class DE13E locos to the border with China on the lines to Đong Đăng and Lào Cai, as well as the line to Haiphong for the first – and probably the last – time. The Vietnamese Class DE13E is an export version of the Indian YDM4 Class; 25 locos were built by Indian Railways DLW (Diesel Locomotive Works) at…

The Isle of Man 1963 The Ivo Peters Collection Volume Fourteen FILMS shot by the late Ivo Peters, which were originally made available in video tape form, have in more recent years been progressively remastered and issued as DVDs. This 48 minute programme is devoted to footage shot during six days of filming in the summer of 1963 of the Isle of Man steam lines. Opening with a map locating the stations on the routes from Douglas to Port Erin and Douglas to Ramsey, the action begins with a number of locomotives, all carrying Indian red livery at this time, shunting around the yard at Douglas. Perhaps a highlight is seeing the powerful one-off 2-4-0T Mannin in steam. Ivo was there just in time, this locomotive last ran in the…

CROSSWORD & NEXT MONTH

The crossword winner and two runners-up can choose books worth £50 and £25 respectively from the extensive Nostalgia Collection. Visit us at www.mortonsbooks.co.uk £100 worth of Nostalgia Collection books to be won Across 1 GWR No. 5082, formerly Powis Castle, and modern codename for a ballast box wagon (9) 8 and 9 New-build No. 6880 (6,6) 12 ___ Road, former London Underground power station (4) 13 and 14 Chilly sounding West London junction, and former Eurostar depot (5,4) 17 ‘Warship’No. D810 (7) 18 Midland Main Line station south of St Albans (7) 19 Class 60 No. 60015 (3,4) 22 City that had General and Northgate stations (7) 24 Surname of the author of ‘Red for Danger’(4) 25 and 5 down The ___, formerly preserved Class 33 No. 33056 (5,4) 26…

CROSSWORD & NEXT MONTH

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