Indholdsfortegnelse for April 2024 i Railways Illustrated

In late January I was honoured to be invited to join the Southern Electric Traction Group at its special event at London Waterloo to showcase the work that had been completed on the truly stunning restoration of the Bluebell Railway’s preserved Class 423 4VEP electric multiple unit 3417 Gordon Pettitt, which has been in the care of SETG since 2012. It was certainly a moment of celebration for all of those who have worked so hard on the restoration of this slam-door EMU, with high hopes that before too long the 4VEP can be re-registered for operating over Network Rail infrastructure under its own power and carrying passengers once again. The event brought out some rail industry and preservation big-hitters to join in with the celebrations, with Network Rail chairman…

THE FASTCHARGE Class 230 battery train, developed from former London Underground D78 Stock, has begun testing, in advance of it entering service for Great Western Railway on the Greenford Branch between West Ealing and Greenford. The first half of February saw 230001 Viva Venturer undertake a series of test runs from Long Marston. The unit’s first venture onto Network Rail infrastructure came on February 5 when it worked 5Q11, the 10.24 Long Marston to Moreton-in-Marsh via Evesham, and 5Q12, the 11.49 Moreton-in-Marsh to Honeybourne North Junction, before the set returned to Long Marston. It then reappeared two days later and continued to work locally into the following week. On February 14, GWR said the unit travelled 86 miles on battery power without recharging, exceeding the 84 miles previously recorded by…

LONDON WATERLOO echoed to the sound of slamming Mk.1 doors as the Bluebell Railway’s Class 423 4VEP third-rail electric multiple unit 3417 Gordon Pettitt – which has been undergoing a comprehensive restoration by the Southern Electric Traction Group – returned to the terminus station once again thanks to cross-industry support. The four-coach EMU is named after highly-respected former Southern Region general manager Gordon Pettitt OBE, and the special event on the morning of January 27 was organised to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the set being handed over to the Bluebell Railway from former operator South Western Trains. Out of a total of 194 4VEPs built for British Rail, 3417 is the only surviving complete set, which at one time formed the backbone of commuter services on the South Western…

An engineering study and assessment of former Network Rail 73951/952 will be undertaken by their new owner, Harry Needle Railroad Company, to ascertain the best way to return them to traffic. The extensively rebuilt electro-diesels were bought from Network Rail by HNRC last year and were moved to HNRC’s Worksop facility on January 12, having been stored at the Severn Valley Railway since last May. HNRC has suggested in the past that they could be used as super shunter locomotives once they have been reactivated. Meanwhile, HNRC managing director Harry Needle told Railways Illustrated that work on other members of the company’s fleet continues. At Worksop, 37609 is currently undergoing bodywork and power unit repairs, while 37602 is in the process of receiving new wheelsets at Barrow Hill. Both…

The white, red and black colours of Loram have returned to the network with the outshopping of 37418 from Derby during January. The livery had previously only adorned 08632 and four Mk.2 coaches, with the Class 37 losing its popular Large Logo blue colours as a result. At UK Rail Leasing’s Loughborough Works, 66310 has been released in standard GB Railfreight blue and orange following modification works, becoming the first locomotive to be repainted at the rejuvenated facility. Meanwhile, DB Cargo continue to work through repainting its locomotive fleet, with three more Class 66s having gained the freight operator’s red and grey livery at Toton depot. Six years after the first Class 450 was re-liveried into South Western Railway colours, the process has finally reached a conclusion with the repainting…

THE WESTERN Locomotive Association celebrated the 50th anniversary of its formation with a special event for WLA members at the Steam Museum in Swindon on January 27. One of the longest-established heritage modern traction enthusiast groups, less than three years after being formed, the WLA successfully purchased D1062 Western Courier from British Rail in November 1976, with the locomotive becoming the first Western Region Class 52 diesel-hydraulic to be purchased for preservation. The WLA is now responsible for three of the seven surviving Class 52s, with D1013 Western Ranger and D1048 Western Lady both now also in the ownership of the group, with all three based at Kidderminster on the Severn Valley Railway. While D1062 is currently serviceable on the SVR, work on the long-running overhaul of D1013 is now…

THE ORGANISERS of the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway’s 14s@60 event have confirmed the full line-up of the popular diesel-hydraulic locomotives set to work on the Derbyshire heritage railway. The event, on July 25-28, will feature six preserved Class 14s, with D9504, D9529, D9551 and D9553 joining EVR residents D9525 and D9537 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the first-built example, D9500, emerging from British Railways Swindon Works in July 1964. Although the working lives of the 56-strong fleet on BR was relatively short, many went on to find further careers in industry, with the National Coal Board and British Steel utilising Class 14s until the mid-1980s. Additionally, a small number were exported abroad. Their prolonged use in industry saw just over a third of the overall type enter preservation, with 19…

D9551 – Bridgnorth: December 16 was a busy day for the team working on the Severn Valley Railway-based Class 14. Volunteers began by cutting the connection holes in a new conduit box, along with repairing the corroded two-inch conduit tubes. This work was done after drilling new holes in the brake frame foot, which were measured the previous day. The day was also spent preparing the new floor plate, which is almost ready for fitting. A week later, the locomotive’s engine bonnet was taken off to allow for the removal of the exhaust manifolds, so that the remainder of the bolt holes could be tapped out of compacted debris. Joint faces were then cleaned, and the joints (a Rolls-Royce term for what is otherwise known as gaskets) were checked. There…

Having an idea is easy. Putting it into practice – well, that can be just that little bit harder. Back in the autumn of 2022, I’d had half an idea about arranging a photographic charter with Direct Rail Services’ (DRS) Class 37s at York Holgate Works. I did nothing with it at the time and just filed it away alongside the many other ideas I have that don’t see the light of day. Towards the end of October 2023, as the autumn season was well underway, the same idea popped back into my head. The Class 37s were back on the York-based railhead treatment trains and there remained the possibility that autumn 2023 could well be their last year on these circuits. I also have my own retirement plans…

The former UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) Winfrith site is situated in a relatively rural part of Dorset, between the market towns of Wareham to the east and Dorchester to the west, in an area of heathland. At the height of its operations, it covered 1350 acres, although it is significantly smaller these days. Its principal purpose was to test new reactor designs prior to full-size construction and production at dedicated locations around the UK and to establish best practice of operations. Construction at the Winfrith site began in 1957, with the official opening following in September 1960, which is rapid by today’s construction lead times for nuclear power generation facilities. Throughout its operation as the UK’s atomic energy research facility, nine reactors have been built and commissioned at the…

Almost three decades ago, Class 46 Peak D172 Ixion became the first privately owned heritage diesel locomotive to be recertified for use on the national railway network. As we approach the 30th anniversary of that historic comeback, D172’s owner, Pete Waterman, sat down with Andy Coward to recall his memories of some of the challenges he faced in achieving main line recertification. Time is rapidly running out for the Class 323 electric multiple units in use on the Cross City Line between Lichfield Trent Valley, Redditch, and Bromsgrove, which are due to be replaced by the new Alstom Class 730 EMUs in the spring. Martyn Hilbert pays a pictorial tribute to the Class 323s in the West Midlands. Periodically, some of our UK train operators hold cut-price sales, offering bargain-priced rail…

SIEMENS MOBILITY has announced that its new factory in Yorkshire will now be responsible for producing 80% of the train fleet currently being built for London Underground’s Piccadilly line, an increase from the original assembly plan of 30%. The company is in the final stages of fitting out the facility in Goole, which is due to open in the spring and is part of the wider rail village where up to £200 million is being invested. The factory has assembly and commissioning halls, a train components servicing facility, a materials and logistics warehouse, and houses the Rail Accelerator and Innovation Solutions Hub for Enterprise (RAISE), establishing it as a centre of excellence for rail technology in the UK. Future rolling stock for the UK train market will also be assembled there.…

EAST MIDLANDS Railway has released a video revealing the interiors of its new Hitachi-built bi-mode Class 810 Auroras, which are due to start entering service on the Midland Main Line early next year. The Class 810s are replacing EMR’s existing Class 222 Meridian Intercity fleet, with Hitachi Rail currently constructing 33 five-carriage trains at its Newton Aycliffe facility in County Durham, financed by Rock Rail East Midlands. The seats have been designed in collaboration with Derby-based design firm DGDESIGN. EMR has refined the FISA Lean seat to offer enhanced comfort and support. The seat rework has included enlarging the size of cushions, headrests and armrests and using durable materials throughout, such as wool-rich moquette and leather. The Aurora interiors will also incorporate plug sockets and USB points, improved leg room,…

THE RECENTLY-LAUNCHED advertising campaign featuring LNER’s new mascot, Eleanor, has been celebrated with Hitachi Class 801 Azuma 801225 being named after the puppet and featuring images of the character on its bodysides. The advert sees Eleanor travel onboard an LNER Azuma train, where she showcases the experiences to be had when travelling on LNER’s 956-mile route. LNER managing director David Horne said: “Our latest newly-liveried train is a bit different to the others – featuring Eleanor, the new star of our latest advertising campaign. We are delighted that Eleanor herself was with us for the special occasion to show our customers how they have the freedom to choose how to use their time when they travel with us. “Our other special livery trains capture many people’s attention as they travel our…

MARCH 31 is the closing date for the joint Railway Correspondence and Travel Society/Mortons Media railway photographic competition, so you have just a few days left to send in your entry. You can submit up to two entries in any or all of the four categories, using photographs taken since January 2022. The Overall Competition winner will enjoy a money-cannot-buy main line cab ride courtesy of DB Cargo, most likely taking place some-where in the north of England. The winner of the Modern Traction section will join GBRf for a session on one of its locomotive driver simulators, while the Heritage Railway winner will be entertained at the Nene Valley Railway on a visit that includes a tour of the sheds at Wansford and a cab ride. The People and…

AS REPORTED in issue 252, the order for 21 third-generation CAF Urbos 100 trams for West Midlands Metro was completed in late November with the delivery of tram 52 to Wednesbury. This tram subsequently entered service on WMM in mid-January, with all of the new fleet now accepted by operator Midland Metro Ltd. The 21 Urbos 100 trams, numbered 38-58, were ordered by Transport for the West Midlands to serve the expanded WMM network, with the first delivered to Wednesbury in April 2021. The WMM fleet now totals 42 trams, split equally between 21 CAF Urbos 3s and 21 Urbos 100s. However, due to work currently underway on the expansion of Wednesbury depot, five of the older Urbos 3s have been stored at Harry Needle Railroad Company’s site at Worksop…

As expected, DB Cargo has now withdrawn its final three operational Class 60 locomotives – 60024/062/074 – with work taking place at Toton depot in Notting-hamshire on the planned re-gearing project on 10 of their Class 66s, which will become Class 66/6s. The re-geared locomotives will be used on some of DBC’s heavier trains that were previously worked by the Class 60s. The 10 Class 66s set to be re-geared have been allocated into the WBHT pool and are 66149/156/161/167/171/174/181/183/194 and 66221. All will be renumbered into the Class 66/6 sub-class, with the locomotives expected to be numbered 66651-66660, with 66221 looking likely to become the first to be completed. Freightliner also operates Class 66/6s, with the company originally having 25 of the locomotives in its fleet, although six Freightliner…

West Midlands debut for Class 730 Aventras The long-awaited debut of the Class 730s in their intended West Midlands operating area finally occurred late on February 12 when 730018 formed 2W66, the 22.41 Birmingham New Street-Wolverhampton. This put the set in position to work a full diagram the next day, beginning with 2W03 06.18 Wolverhampton-Birmingham New Street and 2W04 07.11 return. 730018 then spent the rest of the day shuttling back and forth between Wolverhampton and Walsall, concluding its day with 2W67 22.48 Wolverhampton-Birmingham New Street. Other units recorded on the same diagram later in the week were 730006 and 730015. Sets also continue to make their bows on passenger services into London, with 730002 and 730022, both debuting on January 15 on 2B02, the 06.04 Bletchley-Euston. Similar early departures…

Following repair work at Toton depot in Nottinghamshire, GB Railfreight’s 60085 returned to traffic in mid-February, complete with small Snowdon nameplates applied on the bodysides. The nameplates are of a similar style to those previously carried by Class 44 Peak locomotives, with Snowdon being the name once applied to 44009. As already reported in our news pages, LNER has named 801225 Eleanor in recognition of the train operator’s new television advertising campaign, with the train carrying the name in prominent lettering on the driving vehicle of the Azuma, with vinyl images of the puppet character also displayed on the exterior of the train. The naming of 801225 follows similar initiatives carried out by LNER in recent months, which has seen 801226 named Together, 801228 Century, and 800106 You Belong. With…

THE TYPE One Locomotive Company has reached agreement to complete the long-running restoration of 31210, with the privately-owned Class 31 placed into the custodianship of the Great Central Railway-based preservation group. The owner of the Class 31 has been leading a comprehensive overhaul of the locomotive at the Dean Forest Railway for several years, but late last year indicated that he was looking to sell 31210 and spares donor classmate 31235. T1LC chairman Jonathan Dul told Railways Illustrated that the group initially approached the owner in relation to the possibility of acquiring some spares towards the ongoing overhaul of 31463, which the T1LC has been carrying out at Ruddington on the Great Central Railway (Nottingham) in recent months. However, subsequent discussions saw agreement reached for the T1LC to take 31210…

THE DELTIC Preservation Society’s 55009 Alycidon – currently disguised as long-scrapped classmate 55013 The Black Watch – has moved to the Great Central Railway, where it will undergo testing following a series of repairs over the winter at the DPS’s Barrow Hill base. DPS chairman Murray Brown told Railways Illustrated that the BR blue Deltic, which is expected to remain at the GCR for a number of months, will also haul a special DPS members’ train between Loughborough and Quorn & Woodhouse station on March 23, in connection with the DPS annual general meeting, taking place in a marquee alongside the station. The main line-registered locomotive currently has no booked charters; Mr Brown said the DPS wanted to ensure that 55009 was operating reliably before returning it to main line service.…

AFTER HIGHLIGHTING the plight of the unrestored sole-surviving LMS-built Merseyrail Class 503 electric multiple unit last year and seeking interest in other preservationists to take on the restoration of the derelict three-coach EMU (Railways Illustrated issue 246), the Heritage Electric Trains Trust has announced plans to dispose of two coaches from the train, while retaining the driving motor brake standard vehicle for future restoration. The Class 503 – consisting of DMBS 28690, trailer standard 29720 and driving trailer standard 29289 – was secured by HETT following the closure of the Electric Railway Museum in Coventry in 2017. The EMU was moved to Locomotive Services Group’s storage facility in the former Hornby Railways factory at Margate, which LSG is currently transforming into the One:One Collection museum, displaying a wide variety of…

With the withdrawal from passenger service of the last of the Allerton Depot-allocated Northern Class 319s in early January 2024, another chapter has closed on the ever-dwindling former British Rail second-generation electric multiple unit fleet. With a total of 86 four-car units built, the Class 319s were based on the BR Mk.3 body shell and constructed at BREL York in two batches. A total of 60 Class 319/0s, numbered 319001-319060, were delivered to BR in 1987 and 1988, with the trains containing 316 standard class seats and no first class accommodation. A further 26 Class 319/1s (319161-319186) followed in 1990 and these featured a combination of 256 standard class and 16 first class seats. Due to regulations enabling emergency evacuation of the trains in tunnel sections, the Class 319s were…

WEST MIDLANDS Railway launched the first of its 48-strong Alstom Class 730/0 Aventra three-coach electric multiple units into service between Wolverhampton and Walsall on February 13. The operator is preparing for the new trains to replace Class 350s and 323 EMU fleets currently in use on the WMR network, and West Midlands Mayor Andy Street described them as ‘beautiful’ at a preview event a few days ahead of their public launch. The first Class 730/0 to carry passengers in the region was the 22.41 departure from Birmingham New Street to Wolverhampton on February 12, with 730018 being utilised as a positioning move to get the Aventra into place for its use on the Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Walsall route the following morning. Initially, one train will be in use on a…

AS WAS widely expected, Direct Rail Services announced its intention to withdraw and dispose of its final six Class 37 locomotives at the end of January - as the company seeks to modernise its fleet, use more environmentally-friendly traction, and adapt to evolving operational needs. DRS had a large fleet of Class 37s on its books at one time but has gradually reduced its reliance on the versatile Type 3 locomotives, its final six examples being 37407 Black-pool Tower, 37419 Driver Tony Kay 1974-2019, 37422 Victorious, 37424 Avro Vulcan XH558 (cosmetically numbered as 37558), 37425 Sir Robert McAlpine/Concrete Bob and 37716. DRS is part of Nuclear Transport Solutions, a subsidiary of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, which is committed to environmental improvements and meeting net zero targets. The company said the…

A TRAIN unveiling and a partnership with The Proud Trust marked the launch of TransPennine Express’s first ever Week of Inclusion, which ran from January 22-28 to celebrate diversity and embrace individuality. TPE’s Hitachi bi-mode Nova 1 802213 is the first in the UK to feature the most up-to-date Pride Progress Flag, which includes a five-striped chevron to the left side representing LGBTQ+ people of colour and the trans community. A purple circle superimposed over a yellow triangle has been added to the chevron on the left half, in a homage to the popular 2013 intersex flag. The train has also been named Unity, with additional wording beneath stating ‘TransPennine Express celebrates diversity and embraces individuality to unite communities’. The launch of the Week of Inclusion also saw TPE announce…

THE TWO remaining Class 56s operated by GB Railfreight have seen differing futures in recent weeks. Firstly, the initial plan for BR blue 56081 to be withdrawn and sent to Progress Rail at Longport in early January was temporarily postponed due to Colas Rail Freight needing to hire-in classmate 56098 to supplement its Class 56 fleet on a short-term basis. However, the end of 56098’s hire period to Colas ended with the locomotive suffering a failure while working a Carlisle Yard to Chirk log train, along with 56049, on January 12. After undergoing repairs at Leicester, the Large Logo Class 56 has now gone on hire to DC Rail, making its debut for the operator on January 30. In the case of 56081, its spell in use at Network Rail’s…

THE MODEL railway community was taken by surprise in early January with the announcement that Hattons Model Railways was closing after 77 years of trading. The popular Widnes-based retailer, which opened in 1946, said in a statement issued on January 8: “The decision to close was not made lightly and follows a thorough assessment of the current business landscape and retail trends. Despite the company’s best efforts to adapt to changing market conditions, it has become clear that continuing operations is no longer sustainable. As such, the decision has been taken to wind down in an orderly fashion (leaving no outstanding debts). “Hattons Model Railways would like to express its deepest gratitude to its loyal customers, dedicated staff, and the entire model railway community for their unwavering support throughout the…

Another seven high speed train Class 43 power cars and 18 Mk.3 HST trailer coaches have been exported to Mexico to join the three power cars and 11 coaches that initially moved to the country in August last year. The latest export of HST vehicles, which are to be used by Mexican operator Ferroaficion del Sureste Mexicano, were loaded onto general cargo ship Louise Auerbach in early February, with the ship sailing from Great Yarmouth on February 7. This was the third such shipment in recent months, following the export of the initial 14 vehicles to Mexico on board the BBC Arkhangelsk, which sailed on August 11, 2023, and a further load of 11 Class 43s and 11 Mk.3 coaches exported to Nigeria on the Panthera J cargo ship, which…

TfW debuts lengthened Mk.4 sets The first of Transport for Wales’ extended Mk.4 sets entered passenger traffic on January 20, with 67029 and HD01 working 1W57, the 10.52 Cardiff-Crewe; 1V46, the 15.11 Crewe-Cardiff; and 1W65, the 18.55 Cardiff-Crewe. TSO 12454 has been inserted next to the DVT, giving the set five passenger vehicles, which are formed as 12225, 12315, 10325, 11323, 12454 and 82226. Another extended set carried its first passengers on February 6, with 67015 taking charge of 12217, 12324, 10312, 11325, 12446 and 82216, although HD03 has been in this formation since last May to carry out testing of the selective door opening modifications. Next to appear in six-coach formation was the first of the black former Grand Central sets, with HD07 now comprising of 12210, 12316, 10301,…

THE CLASS 58 Locomotive Group has announced that work on the restoration of 58016 has restarted at UK Rail Leasing’s site at Leicester, where the locomotive has been based since moving from its previous home base at Barrow Hill Roundhouse in December 2015. The Class 58 was originally preserved in 2010 and work on its revival began immediately after it was delivered to Barrow Hill. However, for various reasons its restoration stalled and despite the group still being active, work on its reactivation of 58016 has only recently begun again. Initial work has been concentrated on locating, cleaning and refitting components which were removed from the Class 58, while other parts will be overhauled before being refitted to the locomotive. C58LG publicity officer Kieran Fallows is also an employee of…

THE EAST Lancashire Railway kicked off its main 2024 operating season with a Winter Diesel Day on February 10, which attracted more than 800 visitors to the Heywood to Rawtenstall line. ELR finance director David Layland told Railways Illustrated that despite rather dull weather conditions, the event was an outstanding success. All locomotives performed well, services ran to time, and there was a good atmosphere among the travelling enthusiasts. He said the railway was busy but not overcrowded, and that the event was a great start to 2024 operations, having been closed during January for track relaying works between Ramsbottom and Irwell Vale. Class 24 D5054 Phil Southern, 33109 Captain Bill Smith RNR, 37109, 40012 Aureol, 45108, 47765, 50015 Valiant and Pacer 144009 were in operation on the day, running…

THE SCHEME to preserve the pioneer Merseyrail Class 507 electric multiple unit is progressing well, with the Class 507 Preservation Society stating that it has identified a suitable home for the three-coach EMU when it is withdrawn from service later this year. Plans to secure the unit were first announced last autumn, when established preservationist Robert Hampton sought expressions of interest from other enthusiasts in setting up a preservation group to save one of the Class 507 EMUs from scrapping, with 507001 identified as being suitable. An inaugural meeting was held in November, with a committee formed to progress discussions with Merseytravel and Angel Trains, which own the remaining Class 507s, and both organisations are understood to be supportive of the scheme to preserve the first-built unit. The C507PS society…

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Almost 63 years after the first locomotive entered traffic on the East Coast Main Line, Class 47s are still proving their worth to many operators today. The locomotives have many detractors within the enthusiast community, but it cannot be argued that they have been anything other than a railway success story and that they continue to provide a valuable and reliable service to various companies around Britain. The days of a Class 47 turning up on a scheduled passenger train may be long gone, but they are still used to haul charter trains on most weekends, with Locomotive Services Group’s fleet of four operational examples - 47593 Galloway Princess, 47614 (offically numbered 47853 on TOPS), D1935 Roger Hosking MA 1925-2013 (47805) and D1924 Crewe Diesel Depot (47810) - and…

Railway photography, for me, is about two things. A record for capturing a point in time to preserve a memory, and an art form to create a great-looking image. Sometimes, for me, that is to recreate an essence of how things used to be. I’m always on the lookout for a composition that takes me back to when I was young, particularly the early 1980s. I like to challenge myself to capture an image that looks almost like it could have been taken in the past. That’s hard because modern details creep into the scene. It requires a suitable subject, an appropriate backdrop, often some tight composition to exclude modernity and some compromises. It’s rarely going to be a perfect recreation of the past, but it is great fun trying…

To date, the output from Cavalex Models has been focussed on producing high-quality wagon models, delivering such gems as the BBA steel carriers and KFA Warflats in 4mm scale. The company has long harboured ambitions to offer locomotives though, and it has now delivered on this promise with the release of the first batch of Class 56s. Unveiled in the summer of 2021, the model is designed to be the ultimate recreation of the Brush Type 5s, with the many tooling options catering for the host of detail differences found between the different batches. This includes those built in Romania, and Doncaster and Crewe, and caters not only for the variations introduced during construction but also later modifications. The tooling is so flexible that even locomotives rebuilt with different cab…