News

VIVARAIL has reliveried its first Class 230 ‘D-Train’ unit following repairs after the engine fire it experienced on test near Kenilworth, Warwickshire, at the end of 2016. No. 230001 was shown off at the company’s base at Long Marston at the end of March. The middle car has also been fitted out with a mixture…

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Prometheus has become the first of the 10 Stadler-built dual-mode locomotives to operate test runs over Network Rail metals. By Simon Bendall WITH static tests largely completed at Carlisle Kingmoor, No. 88002 Prometheus became the first Class 88 to venture onto the main line on March 20. The rather low-key outing was undertaken without a proper…

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IN THE MAY 2017 ISSUE Incredibly, BR-built Class 442s are set to return while new Siemens-built Class 707s will be displaced. By ‘Industry Witness’ FIRST-MTR has been awarded the next South West Trains franchise to operate services from Waterloo, starting on August 20 for a period of seven years. The consortium ownership has a holding…

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THE first of four Loram Corrective Rail Grinder (CRG) trains for Network Rail has returned to Derby RTC after testing at the High Marnham Test Track in Nottinghamshire. Based at Tuxford since early January, CRG(01) departed for Loram’s base at Derby RTC and the attention of the wheel lathe on February 22 behind DCR No.…

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THE rigours of the Celsa contract continued to prove taxing for GBRf and HNRC during February, with more swaps taking place at Cardiff Tidal. Fresh from derailment repairs, No. 08389 was returned to South Wales from Barrow Hill on February 10, but No. 08924 was removed the same day. In need of traction motor attention, it spent…

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After an absence of many years, the university city has a shunter presence once again at Coldhams Lane TMD as RSS gains another new contract. IN a surprise development, a Class 08 has returned to Cambridge for the first time in many years following the award of a new contract to Railway Support Services (RSS). Although…

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Further training and testing from Ilford has been taking place using No. 345002. During the early part of February, the unit operated in the early hours between Shenfield and Stratford. February 15 saw it venture out in the daytime for the first time, working the 3Z20/10.05 Ilford-Liverpool Street, thus making its first appearance at the…

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FEBRUARY saw DB Cargo complete work on returning Nos. 67023 and 67027 to operational status ready for their new life with Colas Rail. While No. 67027 was already at Toton, it was joined by its classmate on February 6, No. 66127 hauling it across from Crewe Electric along with Nos. 66056, 67007 and stored No.…

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The Class 40 Preservation Society’s split-box Type 4 No. 40135 was returned from Derby to its base at the East Lancashire Railway on February 17 after being repainted into BR blue livery at Loram. The loco was hauled by centre-headcode classmate No. 40145, pictured en route at Chevin near Belper in Derbyshire. No. 40135 was…

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