News

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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TRAIN builder Siemens has begun testing the first Class 707 EMUs at the test track in Wildenrath, Germany. Thirty five-car sets are being built for use by South West Trains on the route from Waterloo to Windsor, allowing Class 458/5s to concentrate on the Reading line and thus freeing up Class 450s to strengthen services…

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By David Russell Class 142 and 144 units due to be handed back from September 2018. The planned hand-back dates for Northern’s fleet of Class 142 and 144 ‘Pacers’ have been revealed. The Class 144 units will be eliminated first, with the two-car sets being removed from service by January 5, 2019, and the 10…

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STAFF training has begun on Great Western Railway’s Class 387 EMUs after the first two units arrived on July 28. Europhoenix Type 3 No. 37800 brought Nos. 387130 and 387131 from Bletchley to North Pole depot, West London, and No. 387130 made its first appearance at Paddington in the early hours of the next day.…

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Major changes are needed to accommodate longer and more frequent services – including extra platforms, tracks and a new tunnel at Edinburgh Waverley – as the number of passenger journeys continues to rise. Network Rail has developed plans to cope with rising passenger growth in Scotland, where the number of journeys has doubled over the last…

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The Class 800 IEP worked between Reading and Didcot on July 16 and 17, 2016, under its own power for the first time. A new electric train has been successfully tested on the Great Western Railway, in a major milestone for the electrification project. A new Class 800 Intercity Express Train, built by Hitachi Rail,…

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The latest Malcom-liveried locomotive takes to the rails as DB Cargo UK commemorates its partnership with the well known logistics group. A stunning scene of the Scottish Highlands adorns DB Cargo UK’s locomotive 90024 to celebrate the company’s successful and ongoing partnership with Malcolm Logistics. DB Cargo UK, the country’s leading rail freight operator, has…

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It’s not British, but it’s certainly impressive. Freightliner Poland has taken delivery of its first six-axle electric ‘Dragon’ locomotive with last mile diesel engine from Newag S.A. During a ceremony held at Warszawa Wschodnia railway station on June 9, 2016, Newag S.A. officially handed over the first of five ‘Dragon’ locomotives to Freightliner PL. These…

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