Rail Express

The first ‘Electrostars’ reach Didcot on training runs. EMU driver training between Reading and Didcot began on March 20, No. 387140 seeing use on the first day and No. 387133 two days later. The ‘Electrostars’ should begin passenger operations on the line later in the year. After a spell at Reading Traincare Depot for training, Nos.…

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The first of the new batch of ‘70s’ for Colas has started work, while two more have arrived at Liverpool Docks and four others are being shipped from the US. DELIVERED in late February, Colas’ latest Class 70 No. 70812 duly departed Liverpool Docks on March 4, running light as the 0K70/14.15 to Basford Hall.…

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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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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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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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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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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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