News

  • Colas Rail Class 67s start test train work for Network Rail

    Colas Rail Class 67s start test train work for Network Rail

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    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…

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  • SHUNTER MAKES PASSENGER DEBUT

    SHUNTER MAKES PASSENGER DEBUT

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    The Great Central Railway gala on March 18-19 featured shunter shuttles on both days between Loughborough Central and Quorn, formed of two coaches ‘top and tailed’ by Nos. 08480+08694 and 08907+08528 (D3690) – seen at Loughborough Central on the first day. No. 08480 was made available by RSS, the shunter being at the line for…

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  • ‘47’ bound for Chinnor after overhaul

    ‘47’ bound for Chinnor after overhaul

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    THE Class 47 Preservation Project’s No. 47771 left the Colne Valley Railway, where it had been located since June 2003, on March 20, moving by road to Southampton Maritime to allow transfer by rail to Eastleigh Works. The loco is to be restored to working order and will, in due course, move to a new base…

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  • Hastings gauge ‘Crompton’ to be based at Spa Valley Railway

    Hastings gauge ‘Crompton’ to be based at Spa Valley Railway

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    AN agreement has been reached for the BRC Workgroup’s No. 33201 to be based at the Spa Valley Railway for the next five years. The ‘Crompton’ is particularly appropriate on the line, as it was one of the 12 members of the class built to the slimmer ‘Hastings’ line loading gauge – and, as such,…

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  • CHARTER GETS ‘WASTED’

    CHARTER GETS ‘WASTED’

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    Another Pathfinder tour, ‘The Waste Train’ on March 11, reached the unlikely location of Knowsley Freight Terminal, which is accessed off the Wigan-Kirkby line on Merseyside. The train is pictured at the bufferstops there behind DB Cargo’s No. 66125, ‘top and tail’ with No. 66002. The tour then went on the visit Bredbury Waste Terminal,…

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  • A partially-risen phoenix

    A partially-risen phoenix

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    Last year saw Europhoenix acquire two Class 37/6s from DRS, the company putting Nos. 37608 and 37611 straight into service in plain blue with only minimal rebranding. Although both have now been repainted into the full grey and red livery, this interim appearance offers something a little different to model, as Roland Turner describes. ANYONE…

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  • NEW PENZANCE DEPOT TAKES SHAPE:

    NEW PENZANCE DEPOT TAKES SHAPE:

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    Steelwork has been erected at Long Rock, Penzance, to expand the existing depot for its new role as the base for Great Western Railway’s sleeper train operations – this view taken on March 31. The coaches and Class 57/6 locos have to move from Old Oak Common in London to make way for a new…

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  • ‘Westerns’ on freight

    ‘Westerns’ on freight

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    THE article ‘Last Days Of The ‘Westerns’’ by David Russell (March issue) brought back some fond memories of this much-liked and followed class. My own first positive sighting of a Class 52 was that of No. D1047 Western Lord (withdrawn February 1976), which I saw standing in Bescot Yard (circa 1974/75) while travelling by train…

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  • Mendip hoppers damaged in East Somerset incident

    Mendip hoppers damaged in East Somerset incident

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    A derailment at Witham Friary required the deployment of two cranes, including the rare use of a Kirow KRC1200UK in a breakdown role. By Gareth Bayer THE 7Z15/17.05 Merehead to Acton loaded Mendip Rail aggregates working derailed at East Somerset Junction (Witham Friary) on March 20, requiring an intensive five-day effort to recover three HOA…

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  • First look at new Anglia fleet

    First look at new Anglia fleet

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    GREATER Anglia has released these images of how its new trains should look when they are delivered from 2019. Swiss firm Stadler is supplying 38 three and four-car bi-mode ‘Flirt’ units for use on regional routes plus twenty 12-car EMU versions for inter-city and Standsted Express services; while Bombardier will supply 89 five-car and 22…

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