Network Rail takes delivery of 57312
By: Web Editor
Where’s your sunglasses? This was the long-awaited sight outside Eastleigh Works at the back end of October when Class 57/3 No. 57312 emerged from the paintshop of Arlington Fleet Services adorned in Network Rail’s house colour of highly visible yellow!
It is the first of six to be so treated, a far cry – livery-wise – from their last role as Virgin Trains’ ‘Thunderbirds’ duties. Since No. 57312 was outshopped, the ‘57/3’ has been on driver training duties. These six machines will highly likely become Network Rail’s most popular traction and be in demand for charters. Will the infrastructure maintainer go a step further and name the six locomotives? Already one wag has suggested the front ends fail to conform to Group Standards as the yellow warning panel is too large (or non-existent)! The new-look locomotive – which will have the model manufacturers in a frenzy – was pictured in Eastleigh East Yard in the company of sister machine No. 57310 on October 26.
Andrew K Forester
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Current Issue: June 2012
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