Innehållsförteckning för February 2020 från Rail Express

THE management and staff at LNER have to be congratulated for organising an outstanding farewell to HST operations on the East Coast route in December, both on the last day of timetabled services and the four-day farewell tour the week after. There was certainly no obligation to do any of it, certainly not for our sake, and yet they did anyway. You could just tell there was a genuine fondness amongst the crew and other staff for these iconic machines that have plied their way north from King’s Cross for more than four decades. The tour set was superbly turned out in original 1970s condition, at considerable expense, just for those four days – again a commendable thing to do. Yes the company gained a great deal of publicity and…

AFTER more than 40 years of East Coast Main Line service, current operator LNER decided to see out its remaining HST fleet in style with four one-day tours taking in most of their former stamping ground. The ‘Let’s Go Round Again’ trips covered Edinburgh-Aberdeen-Inverness (December 18), Inverness-Perth-Edinburgh (December 19), Edinburgh-Doncaster-Leeds (December 20) and Leeds-King’s Cross (December 21). Day one included a run ‘across the top’ from Aberdeen to Inverness – something rarely, if ever, done before by an East Coast set in service, although ScotRail’s ‘Inter7city’ mini-HSTs are now in regular use. Profits from the tour went to the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) and other charities. It is fair to say, however, the train was far from full, especially on the Scottish legs – perhaps due to a combination…

WEST Midlands Metro’s Westside Phase One extension from Grand Central (New Street) to Centenary Square opened to passengers on December 11. Construction work began in June 2017 and took just over 900 days to complete the 1.2-mile (2km) line. There are two new stops at Town Hall (Victoria Square) and Library (Centenary Square). The second part of the £149 million Westside extension will take another two years to reach Hagley Road, just beyond Five Ways. This will include stops at Brindley Place, Five Ways and Edgbaston Village. Manchester Metrolink is to launch a trial in Rochdale to allow passengers arriving by rail to continue into the town centre by tram at no extra cost. The idea, backed by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, is to make the heart of Rochdale…

‘THUMPING’ IN 2020 HASTINGS DIESELS is planning four more railtours in 2020 on top of the January 15 excursion to Faversham. Whilst still in the planning stage only, the itineraries are shaping up to be: Alton and the Mid-Hants Railway (April or September), Cheltenham and/or Gloucester via the Cotswold Line (May), Skegness (June) and Portsmouth (September or April). MORE TRIPS ‘UP NORTH’ MARCH 7 sees Pathfinder's ‘The Hacienda’ tour visit numerous freight lines and terminals in and around the Manchester area. Named after the Manchester nightclub, the tour starts at Swindon with last pick-up at Stafford. A DBC 66 is scheduled with a Freightliner ‘Shed’ helping around Manchester. Then ‘The Galloway Fifties’ on April 18 sets sail from Tame Bridge to Stranraer with two Class 50s in charge. The return…

BARROW Hill Engine Shed Society has purchased Class 02 No. D2868 from Harry Needle Railroad Company. Its acquisition will provide Barrow Hill with its own shunting loco while No. 03066 is stopped for repairs. The ‘02’ is already located at Barrow Hill having been a HNRC resident since its arrival in 2004. One of seven surviving Class 02s, No. D2868 was withdrawn as long ago as December 1969, after just eight years in BR service. It was sold for industrial service to LCP Fuels and operated at Shut End, Pensnett for many years, eventually being acquired by HNRC in 1997. It arrived at Barrow Hill after spells at the South Yorkshire Railway, Lavender Line and Battlefield Line.…

GB RAILFREIGHT CLASS 59 No. 59003, previously in use as a training locomotive with Freightliner, has returned to GBRf – although not before seeing plenty of action in November on the Somerset to London stone workings, for which it was originally purchased. The Class 59/0 was returned to Roberts Road, Doncaster, in early December for an exam before heading south to Eastleigh on the 8th (as 0Z59) to take up duties in the South East. GREATER ANGLIA WITH the first Stadler FLIRT Class 745/0 units expected to enter service in the second week of January, Great Anglia will soon start standing down its Class 90 locomotives ready for a new stage of their lives with LSL and Freightliner. Evidence of the approaching cull came just before Christmas with the debranding…

BESIDES those credited elsewhere, this issue has been made possible by the contributions of the following readers, to whom the editor is most grateful: Stewart Armstrong, Bill Bass, Paul Clark, John Coleman, Alexander Cromarty, Steve Donald, Brad Joyce, Gordon Kirkby, Peter Laithwaite, Graham Nuttall, Keith Partlow, Chris Playfair, Colin Pottle, Karen Richardson, Steve Sienkiewicz, Jamie Squibbs, Tim Squires, Luke Stoppard, Jack Taylor, Paul Thornton, Alan Wallwork, Mat Yardley, and many more.…

Correct to December 16, 2019 Unit numbers allocated for TfW Class 197/0 51 two-car units Class 197/1 26 three-car units Class 231 11 four-car units Class 398 36 three-car units Class 756/0 7 three-car units Class 756/1 17 four-car units Allocations 144022 NL-HT 153306/09/14/22/35 NC/EBHQ-CF/ HLHQ 166201 RG-PM 195006/14/16/17/18/20 newly delivered HQ/EDHQ 315822/25/27/31/33/36/59 EXHQ-EKHQ 319012 HQ/SBXH-NN/EJHQ 331021/22 newly delivered HQ/EDHQ 331103/11/12 HQ-AN 345069/70 newly delivered OC/EXHQ 360201-05 HMHQ-EXHQ 397005/07 HQ/EAHQ-MA/TPEC 710103 HQ-WN 710130 newly delivered HQ/EKHQ 745105 newly delivered HQ/EBHQ 755336 HQ-NC 755423 HQ-NC 800208 HQ-DR 801203/05/07/09 HQ-DR 801217 newly delivered HQ/HBHQ 802211 HQ/EAHQ-DR/TPEA 802219 newly delivered HQ/EAHQ 802302/03 newly delivered HQ/PFHQ Renumbered 319458-769458 450544/52/55/59/64/67/68/70-450044/52/55/59/64/67/68/70 Now in 7-car formation 345051/55/56/59/63/64 Now in passenger traffic 195009 331009/13/16/17331103/11345038/55/56/57/59/64 385044 397003/05/06/07 710103 755336 755411/21/23800208/09/10801203/09/11/13802211/19 802301 Stored/stopped locations  Barrow-in-Furness: 142003/07/28/34/40/46/76 Castle Donington: 769458 Gascoigne…

Correct to December 16, 2019 Allocations 5700 off registration – scrapped 6354/55/58/59 off registration – scrapped 11508 HQ/EAHQ-MA/TPEC 12122 TPEE-EAHQ 12722-24 HQ/EAHQ-MA/TPEC 12808 HQ/EAHQ-MA/TPEC Sold  Bluebell Railway: 10690/93 Great Eastern Rail Services: 6700/03,9800/07 Locomotive Services Ltd: 10504/13/19/20,10648/50/75/83/88 Mid-Norfolk Railway: 10607/66 Telford Steam Railway: 10543 West Coast Railway: 10598, 10610/14, 10703/14/18/19 Formations HA32: 46010+42069+42118+44023 GW08: 48124+48129+48122+49108 LA26: 42563+42105+42580+44081 HA07-11/13 disbanded LA21/24/25/27 disbanded OC38 disbanded Now in passenger traffic 11508, 12722-24, 12808, 15002, 15104/10, 15213/14, 15337 Stored/stopped locations Ely: 40207, 40704/06,41010/87/88/91/92, 41135, 42013, 42104/06/61/71/72/79/80/81/88,42219/79/80, 44004/35/56/58 Gascoigne Wood: 40701/08/35,41039/40/83/95, 41159/85, 42057/58/59,42130/63/89, 42228/37/86,42306/07/22/23/26/30,44019/50/75 Kidderminster: 10504/13/19/20,10648/50/75/83/88 Long Marston: 42092, 42364, 44076 Tyne Yard: 40732, 41062, 41154, 42123/25, 42335, 44073 Wabtec Doncaster: 42250/57, 42574 Wabtec Kilmarnock: 42288 Disposals C.F.Booth, Rotherham: Arrival dates: November 11: 11294; November 14: 12519; November 21: 12464; November 22: 11425; December 4:…

NORTHERN Ireland Railways’ three-car unit No. 4004 was used to work two Belfast area RPSI ‘Santa Specials’ on Saturday, December 14, after the booked steam locomotive No. 131 was failed because of a AWS/TPWS fault. The unit, which NIR provided at short notice, worked between the RPSI’s Whitehead Excursion Station and Belfast Lanyon Place. This was the first time that a member of the 4000 Class had worked a passenger train over RPSI’s tracks. No. 131 worked the two Lisburn-Portadown specials the next day after the AWS/TPWS problem was fixed. Unit No. 4007 had visited the RPSI base on a clearance test run on October 14, 2018. That working was in connection with the visit by a party of members of the International Rail Safety Council (IRSC) to the Whitehead…

CONSTRUCTED during the 1930s, the Southern Railway 2-BIL was intended for use on semi-fast outer suburban and associated routes. Built as two-car sets with side corridors, they were nongangwayed within the set. Construction of the 152 units began in 1935 with the first 10, numbered Nos. 2001-2010, destined for the Eastbourne electrification scheme which was completed at the same time. They were fitted with an earlier control system and different compartment arrangement in the DMBTL compared to later 2-BIL units. Subsequent builds included Nos. 2011-2048 in 1936 for Alton and Portsmouth line stopping services; Nos. 2049-2116 constructed in 1937 for south coast services between Portsmouth and Bognor Regis and 1938 saw Nos. 2117-2152 built for the Reading lines from Waterloo, including associated rural routes. Two Southern Railway workshops were involved…

MODELLERS now have a choice of three different Accurascale ‘OO’ gauge Rawie friction-retarded buffer stop including one with illuminated marker lights. Both buffer and Scharfenburg coupling pocket versions are available, making the models ideal for station bay platforms, terminus station roads, depots, berthing sidings and freight terminals too. It represents a design which came into use in the 1990s and is in widespread use throughout the UK and Ireland. They comprise of the buffer stop itself, which is designed to (reluctantly) slide along a short length of track at the end of a platform, depot or yard road. Friction pads bolted to the rails beyond the buffer stop further retard over-running vehicles to reduce speed before the end of the track is reached, hopefully minimising any imact with adjacent infrstructure.…

Day 1/December 18: 1Z43 Edinburgh 09.46 Inverkeithing 10.09/10.11 Dundee 12.04/12.14 Arbroath 12.30/12.40 Aberdeen 13.35/14.10 Inverurie 14.43/14.47 Elgin 15.50/16.06 Inverness 16.44 Day 2/December 19: 1Z46 Inverness 12.14 Carrbridge 12.50/12.57 Aviemore 13.04/13.10 Perth 14.34/14.57 Stirling 15.29/15.45 Edinburgh 16.39 Day 3/December 20: 1Z48 Edinburgh 09.37 Dunbar 10.03/10.31 Berwick 11.16/11.31 Newcastle 12.30/12.50 Darlington 13.48/13.50 York 14.25/14.52 Doncaster 15.14/15.39 Wakefield W 15.57/16.06 Leeds 16.20 Day 4/December 21: 1Z43 Leeds 11.01 Wakefield W 11.12/11.17 Doncaster 11.41/11.43 Retford 11.55/12.18 Newark NG 12.32/12.46 Grantham 12.56/13.01 Peterborough 13.21/13.40 Finsbury Park 14.49/15.02 King’s Cross 15.09…

GAS turbine technology follows the principles of a jet engine, where compressed air is ignited by a fuel agent. In the case of rail technology, this was oil – but in 1952 the Government decided to experiment with a coal-fired gas turbine locomotive. The North British Locomotive Company was commissioned to undertake a design using a British sourced turbine from Parsons, a Glasgow-based company. The specification was for a C-C configuration that would develop 1800hp with mechanical transmission rather than the electrical type used in the GWR machines. Stationary testing of the turbine revealed an unexpected fault as the blades suffered from erosion caused by ash particles, and the project was abandoned in 1960 before a locomotive was built as no solution could be found.…

Express Mailbag Your letters, emails, feedback and other comments are always welcome. Contact us at Rail Express, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6JR; or email: railexpresseditor@mortons.co.uk. The editor reserves the right to edit all letters, and the views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the magazine. BABCOCK SHUNTER I AM afraid you got it slightly wrong about Babcock’s ex-MOD236 shunter in the January issue. The original 153hp engines were replaced by the MoD at Bicester with Gardner 6L3s rated at 195bhp, probably in the 1950s. YEC’s involvement was to fit three locos with train air braking (Nos. 230/249 for Devonport, 236 for Rosyth), which involved fitting a second compressor (plus relocating the dynamo, which was displaced by it) and installing…

WITH major civil construction works complete, the Northern Line’s Battersea extension from Kennington has entered the latter stages. Below ground, all trackwork has been installed, with the running lines completed from the Kennington Loop to the buffers beyond Battersea station, including crossovers and conductor rails. Meanwhile station platforms and operational rooms are now being fitted out. The platforms and plant rooms are now being installed at the intermediate Nine Elms station, including three escalators and ventilators. Battersea itself is being fitted with seven station escalators, lifts, ventilator shafts and fans. On the station platforms and communal ‘box’ area, cladding is being fitted to the walls and ceilings. More than 37km of cabling has been installed along the 3.22km (two-mile) extension. Much of the station cabling and cable management systems are…

CLASS 26 FAILURE RECENTLY returned from a three-year visit to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, No. 26038 Tom Clift 1954-2012 failed during the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway’s gala on December 28, with a suspected generator flashover. ‘HYMEK’ PROGRESS THE return to service of No. D7076 at the East Lancashire Railway has moved a step closer with the refitting of all cylinder heads on the loco’s power unit in December. HULL & BARNSLEY BRAKE RETURNS TO HULL THE Hull & Barnsley Railway Stock Fund’s Brake Third Lavatory (BTL) No. 58 has left the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and moved to Hull College where it is to be restored by students. In due course, it will return to the NYMR where it will be used for filming work as well as appearing…

‘TRACTOR’ No. 37419, out of use since developing wheelflats on the ‘Autumn Highlander’ tour in late September, has returned to action courtesy of Loram at Derby. The InterCity Mainline-liveried Class 37/4 departed the former RTC on December 21, working to Crewe Gresty Bridge atop colleagues Nos. 37059 and 37259. The same issue sidelined No. 37403 on October 21, whilst leading the 6Z85 Stowmarket-Dereham RHTT with No. 37402 on the rear. The SRPS-owned ‘Tractor’ was sent to Bounds Green for tyre turning on November 7, also returning to Crewe on December 21, working north from London sandwiched between Nos. 57002 and 57003, with No. 68014 tagged on the rear. Finally, No. 37425, stopped at Loram for exam since May last year, has been noted stripped of its Compass vinyls ready for…

TPE MK.5s RELEASED ONE of the Mk.5 sets that had been in storage at Longtown (near Carlisle) for several months have been returned to Crewe. Set TP01 (formed of Nos. 11501, 12701/702/703/801) was collected by No. 70003 on December 17, forming the 5K66/13.35 Longtown-Crewe. Three rakes (sets TP02, TP03 and TP05) remain at Longtown awaiting their call to service. On December 24, set TP07 became the eighth ‘Nova 3’ rake of stock to enter public service. The other rakes that have carried fare-paying passengers are sets TP04, TP06, TP08, TP09, TP11, TP12 and TP13. MK.1 BACK IN ACTION OUT of traffic for several years, Mk.1 TSO No. 5009 has been overhauled and repainted at Arlington, Eastleigh and is now back in service. It has been experimentally fitted with window bars…

■ DB CARGO: Two more HTAs departed DBC’s Stoke-on-Trent workshops during December after running gear attention, Nos. 310328 and 311050 being recorded on the trip to Arpley on the 4th. Two days later (December 6), FCA ‘twin’ Nos. 610025+610026 was on the same working, having been fitted with material carrying cage modules removed from ex-EDU KFA containerised waste flats. Another WIA (UIC code Sefoorss) five-unit car carrier has been overhauled at the former Marcroft Engineering facility, No. 85 70 4971 007-5 arriving in the Potteries on December 11. It spent just nine days on site before returning to service on the 20th. Previously stored at Scunthorpe, rectification work on BQA-B long-welded rail carriers Nos. 81 70 4842 009/011/014 has been completed and they were on the outbound working from Stoke…

■ TIMETABLE: A new timetable was introduced on December 8. Significant alterations include the first weekday Belfast to Dublin service now departing Lanyon Place at 06.50 instead of 06.45, but arrival at Connolly remains at 09.00. There are new Monday to Friday (M-F) 06.51 and 06.57 departures from Bangor to Belfast, Great Victoria Street (GVS) and Lanyon Place respectively. The 06.51 is non-stop between Bangor West and Holywood, and the 06.57 serves all stations. The 07.11 M-F Bangor to Portadown is now non-stop between GVS and Lisburn. Weekday off-peak departures from Bangor are now at xx.25 and xx.55 minutes past the hour instead of xx.27 and xx.57. An extra minute has been added to the schedule between Bangor and Lanyon Place for stopping trains. The 17.37 M-F ex-Bangor now terminates…

ENEMY action saw a number of vehicles from 2-BIL and the later steel-panelled 2-HAL units destroyed during the Second World War, resulting in some reformations and the building of HAL vehicles as replacements for missing 2-BIL vehicles after the war. Units were disbanded for operational reasons too. Collision damage also resulted in the formation of hybrid units which was the fate of two units whose surviving trailers were used to create 2-HIL No. 2611, a temporary formation which lasted nearly 18 months. It is the second prewar-design EMU model listed in the Hornby 2019 catalogue and resulted from a collision between 2-HAL No. 2611 and 2-BIL No. 2113 in late 1959. In true Southern Region style, the undamaged vehicles were coupled together and given the number of the 2HAL (its…

THE Scottish Government has decided to end the present Abellio-run ScotRail franchise in March 2022, three years before the original agreement expires in March 2025. There is a break clause in the contract to allow such a termination, which includes the opportunity to change the level of support payments if the economic circumstances have changed since the franchise began on April 1, 2015. Abellio clearly expected a negotiation for a direct award to take place rather than being required to take part in a new bidding process. The original contract award was controversial because it required more subsidy than the rival National Express Group bid, but was deemed to offer a higher quality service. This was disputed by NEG, which proposed to provide new rolling stock for express services within…

CARDIFF ELECTRICS GREAT Western Railway ran its first electric service from Cardiff on December 5, when No. 800031 formed the 08.50 Cardiff-Paddington – regular journeys following from January 6. Network Rail worked over the Christmas period to finalise the electrification project between St Brides (Newport) and west of Cardiff Central station. At the same time, a significant amount of track, switches and crossings, and platforms edgings were replaced at the east end of Newport station plus some adjustments to the overhead line equipment. Final testing took place in the Cardiff area in the first week of January. WARRINGTON WEST OPENS A NEW £20.5 million station at Warrington West has been officially opened. The station – funded by Warrington Borough Council, the Department for Transport, developer contributions and Cheshire and Warrington…

MOTIVE power departments traditionally kept detailed records of availability and fuel consumption, and these were studied with care by the ‘Big Four’ railway companies and then British Railways, which was later to discard such record keeping as an expensive overhead. But Western Region figures are available for 1951 that say much about the need to move away from steam power. Average annual mileages were recorded as 50,584 for ‘King’ Class locomotives, 48,740 for ‘Castles’ and 40,818 for ‘Stars’. Gas turbine number No. 18000 recorded 40,403. Average weekday availability for traffic were: ‘King’ 180 (58.3% class availability), ‘Castle’ 223 (72.2%), ‘Star’ 245 (79.3%), and No. 18000 171 (55.3%). Running costs per mile in 1951 were: ‘King’ 20.5d (pre-decimal old pence), ‘Castle’ 21.0d, ‘Star’ 22.0d, and No. 18000 27.5d. In 1952 No.…

THE first loco which I ever drove on shed (under supervision) was No. 47973 Derby Evening Telegraph, which for a young trainman just starting out, was areal thrill. It was also quite fitting, as it had been the Derby Evening Telegraph where I had seen Trainman (D) vacancies advertised in late 1989, a vacancy I had applied for and subsequently come to occupy. Class 47s represented a good proportion of our shed work. They would arrive from all over the country, requiring attention after a hard day’s labour. Although I was brought up with the traditional BR blue livery, I thought the new InterCity colours looked particularly smart. To see the wind tunnel (fuel and inspection point) at night occupied exclusively by InterCity ‘47s’ was an impressive sight. I found…

FESTIVE INDUSTRIALS WHILST ‘Santa Specials’ are usually the preserve of steam locomotives and mainline diesels, the odd industrial diesel locomotive does also see use on the festive specials. At the Foxfield Railway, Bagnall 0-6-0 Wolstanton No.3 was in use working ‘top and tail’ with the booked steam locomotive, with the diesel leading to Dilhorne Park. Meanwhile in Somerset, the ex-Port of Bristol Authority 0-6-0 Sentinel No. PBA 39 was in use at the East Somerset Railway, again working ‘top and tail’ with steam. ‘CROMPTON’ REPAINT WEST Somerset Railway resident No. D6575 (33057) is undergoing a repaint at Williton, retaining green livery, for the 2020 season. Sister loco No. D6566 (33048) continues in service, and has recently been used on winter ballast/engineering trains. ‘DELTIC’ ARRIVES AT MARGATE FOLLOWING completion of cosmetic…

THE first major gala of 2020 is the East Lancashire Railway’s Winter Diesel Event, which takes place on February 7/8 (a Friday and Saturday). Featuring locos from the extensive home fleet, it will be the last opportunity to ride behind ‘Warship’ No. D832 Onslaught before it is taken out of traffic for bodywork repairs. The Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway has announced two visitors for its gala in March. No. 33201 has already arrived on the line, and will be joined by No. 55019 Royal Highland Fusilier, the first visit of a ‘Deltic’ to the line. As in previous years, No. 55019 is also attending the Severn Valley Railway gala, where it will also be used on driver experience courses. A main line loco should also take part. Diesel Galas…

COLAS RAIL THE tenth and last Colas Class 56 to return to service, No. 56051, was reported as almost ready to return to service at Nottingham Eastcroft after extensive repairs that began at Boden Rail, Washwood Heath. After the closure of the latter facility, No. 56051 moved to Nottingham in January 2018, externally repainted in Colas livery and almost complete, but clearly with a lot of work still to be undertaken inside. DB CARGO THE 14 Class 66s that formed the WBRT pool allocated to autumnal railhead treatment train (RHTT) duties have been dispersed to either WBAE (Nos. 66018/061/086/098/143/161) or WBAR (Nos. 66040/069/079/085/160/168/181/206) following the end of the leaf fall season. Stored on September 2015, No. 90026 is reported to ready for a main line test run after a full…

LOCOMOTIVES DCR: 60055 Europhoenix: 37510 Freightliner G&W orange: 66503 HST original: 43206, 43312 LNER red: 43238/74 ROG: 57312 ScotRail InterCity: 43126/35 UNITS Avanti West Coast: 390155/56 Heathrow Express: 387131-35/39 LNWR: 350404 Northern: 158786, 323238 South Western Railway: 450036/51 TransPennine Express: 802202/08/16/17 Transport for Wales: 153320, 158824, 175009 White: 390006/08-11/13/16/20/39/ 42/43/46/47,390104/07/12/14/15/17-19/21/23-27/29/30/34-36/41/48 Debranded: 153306/09/14/22/35, 156402, 319362/63/74/76/77/80 COACHES Carmine & Cream: 5366 HST Original: 40720, 41118/70,42242/43, 42363, 44098 ROG blue: 6378/79…

THE Class 142 withdrawal programme was accelerated during December, with a large number of units being stopped before the end of 2019. In addition to Worksop, Gascoigne Wood and Barrow sidings are also being used to store units that have been taken out of traffic. Several ‘142s’ moved directly from Sheffield to Worksop within hours of being removed from service. Arriving at the HNRC site from Sheffield were Nos. 142029 (December 9), 142033 (December 10), 142019 (December 11), 142091 (December 12) 142027 (December 13) and 142017/020/030/084 (December 16). Two of these sets subsequently left Worksop by road – No. 142029 to the Chasewater Railway (see Preservation news) and No. 142033 to a private site in Bridgend for emergency services use. Two convoys of ‘142s’ have moved from Heaton to Gascoigne…

ANDREW BRIDDON ARRIVING at Darley Dale at the same time as RS8 (see last issue) was an unmarked 0-4-0 DH from Alstom Wembley for repair. Built in 1984 by Hunslet (works number 9225), it was rebuilt in 2001 by the Yorkshire Engine Co (works number L173) for Alstom. As well as replacing the power unit (now a Caterpillar 3406) the chassis was narrowed and a brand-new cab was built for it. Based loosely on the Sentinel/ Thomas Hill Steelman cab, it has extra design features that allow the doors to open past 90 degrees so clothing does not catch on them, and front windscreens angled slightly outward to minimise glare and raindrops. When the work is finished the loco will return to Alstom, but will head to Manchester rather than…

DECEMBER 18 saw the movement of the first Mk.4 vehicles for Grand Central’s new Euston-Blackpool service to Wembley. The six coaches – Nos. 82228, 11327, 10319, 12321/471/227 – left Worksop behind No. 66762. The new service is due to start operating in spring 2020. More vehicles have been sent from Worksop to C.F. Booth at Rotherham for scrapping (see Shed Talk for further details). Other coaches departing Worksop, this time bound for Wabtec, were Nos. 10317, 11429/430,12204/317/462/533 and 82231. Their move to Doncaster was undertaken by No. 57305 Northern Princess. The withdrawal of LNER’s HST fleet has led to an off-lease Mk.4 rake, set BN26, being returned to traffic. Moved from Worksop to Wabtec, Doncaster on October 29, it reappeared in service a few weeks later on December 18. It…

LAUNCHED in May 2012 at the Multimodal event in Birmingham, the Ecofret wagon design has proved a popular one, finding use with three different rail operators in the UK – Freightliner (whose wagons are known as ‘Shortliners’), GB Railfreight and DB Schenker, although the latter’s appear to be currently in store. The prototype three-unit set was built by VTG’s Waggonbau Graaff Works in Germany in mid-2011 and it was soon followed by a further 196 FWA-A outer (UIC code Sfgkmmss) and 34 FWA-B inner (UIC code Sfgmmss) wagons supplied in two or three-platform configurations. All production vehicles were assembled by Wabtec, Kilmarnock from kits provided by Greenbrier Europe’s Wagony Swidnica works in Poland between 2012-6. The Ecofret’s main purpose was to minimise empty spaces in container services. With 40ft boxes…

WHEN it was first unveiled in January of last year, the new Hornby Ruston 48DS shunter had an impact far beyond its small size. A year later and the models have reached the shops with four different versions now available, including two in Scottish distillery company liveries. The 48DS locomotive is the product of the Ruston & Hornsby company of Lincoln which was formed from the merger of two Lincolnshire agricultural engineering companies in 1918. It went on to build over 200 of the 48DS model alongside other industrial locomotives for both standard and narrow gauge industrial railways. The 48DS model was afour-wheel drive diesel shunter of 48 horsepower designed to run on standard gauge track. It is documented that the 48DS was one of the more popular designs built…

February 1-2 FebEx 2020 Model Railway Exhibition. Alton Model Railway Group. Eggars School, London Road, Holybourne, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 4EQ. 10.30-17.00 Sat, 10.30-16.00 Sun. Adult £5, accompanied child free. www.altonmrg.co.uk Kilmarnock and District Model Railway Exhibition. The Linthouse Building, Scottish Maritime Museum, Harbour Road, Irvine, Ayrshire, KA2 8QE. 10.00-17.00 Sat, 10.00-16.00 Sun. Adult £5, Concession £4, accompanied child free. www.kilmarnockmrc.com Stafford Model Railway Exhibition. Stafford Railway Circle. Stafford County Showground, Weston Road, Stafford, Staffordshire, ST18 0BD. 10.00-17.00 Sat, 10.00-16.30 Sun. Adult £10, accompanied child free. www.staffordrailwaycircle.org.uk February 8-9 Bournemouth Model Railway Exhibition. THC, Magna Road, Wimborne, Dorset BH21 3AP. 10.00-17.00 Sat, 10.00-16.00 Sun. Adult £6, accompanied child free. www.bmre.org.uk The Festival of British Railway Modelling. Exhibition Centre, The Racecourse, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN2 6BB. 10.00-17.00 Sat, 10.00-16.30 Sun. Adult £9, child…

KPF-ZELLER is known for its innovative support products which are distributed in the UK by Ten Commandment Models. They include track cleaning wagons and rolling roads with saddles and wheel cleaners for ‘N’, ‘OO’ and ‘O’ gauge. Its latest device is a ‘drive-through’ mechanised wheel cleaner designed to be fitted to a layout or test track to reduce handling of delicate models when undertaking this essential maintenance task. It also eliminates the boredom of work bench wheel cleaning by making it a part of model railway operations. It may be used to clean the wheels of rolling stock and multiple units in addition to locomotives. The ‘O’ gauge version is described in this review which is of the same construction and function as the ‘OO’ gauge wheel cleaner. Mechanism It…