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  • CHILTERN REACHES OXFORD

    CHILTERN REACHES OXFORD

    by

    Sam Hewitt

    –

    Chiltern Railways began driver training into Oxford ahead of extending its Marylebone services from Oxford Parkway to the city’s main station from December 12. Its first train over the upgraded line was at 06.58 on November 21 for the first of 126 drivers needing to be passed out on the route. The Oxford to Marylebone…

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  • Chancellor promises more funding for key rail infrastructure projects

    by

    Sam Hewitt

    –

    Government guarantees new funding for the digital railway, East-West works and regional enhancements. Network Rail has been awarded £450 million of additional funding for a range of infrastructure schemes in the Government’s Autumn Statement, which was presented to Parliament on November 23. One project to gain from this is the ‘digital railway’ enhanced cab signalling…

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  • Forgotten prototype

    Forgotten prototype

    by

    Sam Hewitt

    –

    I HAVE just completed Simon Bendall’s excellent article on the HST prototype set (December issue, REM). It brought to mind a visit (perhaps with Dalesrail?) to Crewe Works on July 23, 1972 when we came across the second power car No. 41002 in undercoat and apparently under initial testing. With all the recent publicity surrounding…

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  • Dawn of the diesels

    Dawn of the diesels

    by

    Sam Hewitt

    –

    Sixty years ago in 1957, and after nearly a decade of dithering by those in charge, the first of the new diesel fleets entered traffic as part of the Modernisation Plan for British Railways. Rail Express looks back to those heady days of hit and miss designs in the rush to start replacing steam. THE…

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  • First of the many

    First of the many

    by

    Sam Hewitt

    –

    THIS will be a big year for modern traction, as 2017 is the diamond jubilee of the first main line diesel fleets starting work with British Railways. Yes there had been shunters and prototypes developed by the ‘Big Four’, but it was only after the Second World War that things could really get going –…

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  • c2c takes delivery of its first Class 387/3

    c2c takes delivery of its first Class 387/3

    by

    Sam Hewitt

    –

    The fleet of new ‘Electrostar’ units should be in service with the Essex operator before the end of November. THE first of six Class 387/3 units for c2c was delivered to East Ham depot for training on October 21, when No. 387302 was moved across by No. 66953 as the 7X36/21.06 Bletchley-East Ham following completion…

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  • Colas Rail bolsters its loco fleet

    Colas Rail bolsters its loco fleet

    by

    Sam Hewitt

    –

    Further locomotives were returned to the main line during October, including the reinstatement of another Class 37. LATE October proved to be productive for Colas Rail as more motive power resources became available. The highlight was undoubtedly the reappearance of No. 37099 back on the national network for the first time in over 19 years,…

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  • NYMR buys Class 24 from TJ Thomsons

    NYMR buys Class 24 from TJ Thomsons

    by

    Sam Hewitt

    –

    The veteran Type 2 has been purchased from the scrapman 40 years after being loaned to the railway. FOLLOWING an unexpected offer from the loco’s owner, TJ Thomson & Son Ltd, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway has purchased Class 24 No. D5032 (24032) Helen Turner from the firm. The Stockton-based scrap dealer had originally acquired…

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  • ROG takes ‘Tractors’ on rare outing

    ROG takes ‘Tractors’ on rare outing

    by

    Sam Hewitt

    –

    EUROPHOENIX-liveried Type 3 duo Nos. 37800 and 37884 took centre stage on October 23, when they worked the Rail Operations Group’s round-robin ‘Thrash Bash’ tour from Derby to Worcester Shrub Hill. It was an opportunity for the grey pair to take a break from their usual fodder of moving EMUs and other stock around the country.…

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  • LT Museum sends last surviving prototype 1986 Stock to Coventry

    LT Museum sends last surviving prototype 1986 Stock to Coventry

    by

    Sam Hewitt

    –

    THE London Transport Museum has decided to permanently relocate its unique 1986 Stock vehicle to the Electric Railway Museum, situated a couple of miles outside Coventry. Car No. 16 is unique in that it is the only surviving example of the 16 prototype vehicles constructed during the mid-1980s as the basis for a new fleet…

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