Sam Hewitt

The Lisburn/Lurgan Ballast Rehabilitation Project (see last issue) continued during the period under review, the six-week project between Lisburn and Moira running from February 14 to March 25. The used ballast, which was removed using the hired-in 13-wagon Irish Rail spoil train, has been unloaded by an excavator at a site adjacent to the closed…

Continue reading »

Another NIR DEMU vehicle has succumbed to the cutter’s torch. THE number of DEMU vehicles on Northern Ireland Railways’ books has once again been reduced, with the scrapping of Motor Coach No. 8094 on March 11. The yellow-liveried Sandite vehicle had been stored unserviceable at York Road, Belfast, after proving to be problematic during the…

Continue reading »

Pre-Grouping coaches leave the North East for a new life in Kent. THREE Pullman coaches that have been a feature of the seafront at Seaburn, near Sunderland, have been moved after more than 30 years. Padua, Rosalind and Sapphire arrived in Seaburn in 1988 to form part of the Puffin’ Billy Hotel & Restaurant, which…

Continue reading »

For the third month running, it is Railway Support Services that is providing the pick of shunter developments. OF the various shunter hire operations, Railway Support Services has been by far the most proactive in picking up the pieces left by the demise of the DB Cargo shunter fleet. March continued the trend seen over…

Continue reading »

The first ‘Electrostars’ reach Didcot on training runs. EMU driver training between Reading and Didcot began on March 20, No. 387140 seeing use on the first day and No. 387133 two days later. The ‘Electrostars’ should begin passenger operations on the line later in the year. After a spell at Reading Traincare Depot for training, Nos.…

Continue reading »

The first of the new batch of ‘70s’ for Colas has started work, while two more have arrived at Liverpool Docks and four others are being shipped from the US. DELIVERED in late February, Colas’ latest Class 70 No. 70812 duly departed Liverpool Docks on March 4, running light as the 0K70/14.15 to Basford Hall.…

Continue reading »

The newly-acquired and reliveried General Motors duo are quickly put to work touring the country. WITH preparations completed, Colas Rail’s newly-acquired Class 67s were released from Toton on March 7, Nos. 67023 and 67027 running light to Derby RTC. Next day, they undertook a test run with Network Rail stock, the 5Z67/10.13 Derby RTC-Peterborough and…

Continue reading »