News

Following the reduction in length of coal hopper No. 371051 earlier this year for aggregates traffic, VTG has ordered a further 24 conversions for GB Railfreight. The fallout from the huge downturn in coal traffic on Britain’s railways continues, but this has coincided with a major upturn in demand for aggregates wagons. Network Rail is…

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The final Mk.3a RFMs are about to be eliminated from Greater Anglia use. THE removal of Mk.3a RFM (Restaurant Buffet First Modular) No. 10200 from service in July, for rebuilding as a standard class vehicle with a smaller buffet area, left just two coaches of this type in service with Greater Anglia, both of which…

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WITH fitting of its replacement power unit completed, No. 37403 Isle of Mull was collected from Barrow Hill on July 5, Nos. 57303 and 57310 sandwiching it on the journey to Crewe, which included dropping off No. 57312 at Derby. The 19th brought a morning test run to Chester and back with No. 37716 for…

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Exactly half of the class is now in store as work dries up following the end of the Caledonian Sleeper haulage contract. The end of the contract to hire Class 67s for use on the Highland portions of the Caledonian Sleeper services had a detrimental effect on the fortunes of the General Motors design during…

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AFTER being reunited with its overhauled bogies in May (see last issue), the unique Class 28 No. D5705 was displayed at Bury Bolton Street during the East Lancashire Railway’s diesel gala on July 8-10. The privately-owned loco is being restored by the Class 15 Preservation Society, with the current work focused on the loco’s reverser,…

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A series of technical issues hit UK Railtours’ trip to Paignton, but the Class 73s made it there in the end. Problems with the braking equipment of GBRf electro-diesels Nos. 73962 and 73963 resulted in UK Railtours’ ‘Herd of Wildebeeste’ getting off to a false start on July 16. The fault resulted in the inbound…

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AS part of the annual Amersham Heritage Day event, former BR Class 438 4-TC set No. 428 will be in action between Amersham and Harrow-on-the-Hill on Saturday and Sunday September 10-11. Four journeys are planned to be run by LU and the London Transport Museum. The 4-TC will be used alongside the LT Museum’s restored…

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Farewell tour driving car saved for posterity. The London Transport Museum board has decided to accept the withdrawn ‘C’ Stock driving car No. 5721 into its permanent collection. In the words of a museum representative: “It is a major decision to collect something so big and commit to keep it forever.” The car was saved…

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Hornsey depot’s celebrity shunter has been acquired by the Rushden Transport Museum. Andy West and David Russell report. THE sale of former Hornsey pilot No. 03179 Clive has been concluded, and the loco moved to its new home in preservation at the Rushden Transport Museum in Northamptonshire on July 19. The ‘03’ was the last…

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The first of the 66-strong fleet for the new cross-London Elizabeth Line has started testing at Bombardier’s factory in the Midlands. UNIT No. 345001 was shown off to the press at manufacturer Bombardier’s factory in Derby on July 29. The EMU is the first of 66 that will form the Crossrail, now Elizabeth Line, fleet…

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