Innehållsförteckning för September 2020 från Rail Express

IT is great to see heritage lines and railtour companies finding a way to start operating again, although there is clearly still a long way to go. The problem for both is how to carry passengers again in a safe and viable way. However you approach it, 'safe' means carrying fewer people on board than normal, which ultimately affects the viability. Some lines have looked at the constraints and taken the difficult decision to stay closed for the rest of the year. Those that are reopening are doing so in a very different way to normal - either by offering a straightforward out and back round trip, with trains being cleaned between sets of passengers, or by exclusive use of booked seats for the whole day. The Severn Valley Railway,…

Correct to July 29, 2020 Allocations 37240 BREL-COFS 43044 NL/EMPC-HQ/SBXL 43046 NL/EMPC-HQ/SBXL 43055 NL/EMPC-HQ/SBXL 43083 NL/EMPC-HQ/SBXL 43208 EC/IECP-NL/EMPC 43239 EC/IECP-NL/EMPC 43300 Off registration 50050 BREL-COFS 60079 WQAB-WQBA 66005 WQ/WFMS-TO/WBAE 66066 WQ/WFMS-TO/WBAR 66068 WQ/WFMS-TO/WBAR 66079 TO/WBAR-WQ/WFMS 66096TO/WBAR-WQ/WFMS 66138 WQAB-WQBA 66145 WQAB-WQBA 66156 TO/WBAE-HQ/WQBA 66174 TO/WBAE-HQ/WFMS 66207 TO/WBAE-HQ/WFMS-TO/WBAE 66230 WQAB-WQBA 66502 FD/DHLT-LD/DFIM 66514 FD/DHLT-LD/DFIM 66536 FD/DHLT-LD/DFIM 66562 FD/DHLT-LD/DFIM 66602 FD/DHLT-LD/DFHH 66617 FD/DHLT-LD/DFHH 67003 WQAA-WQBA 67004 WQAA-WQAB 67005 WQ/WFMS-CE/WAAC 67018 WQAA-WQBA 67021 CE/WAAC-WQ/WFMS 67022 WQAA-WQBA 67029 WQAA-WQAB 67030 WQAA-WQBA 70016 FD/DHLT-LD/DFGI 70017 FD/DHLT-LD/DFGI 86612 CG/DFNC-FE/DHLT 86628 CG/DFNC-FE/DHLT 90001 NC/IANA-CD/LSLO 90002 NC/IANA-CD/LSLO 90018 WQAA-WQAB 90019 CE/WEDC-WQ/WFMS-CE/WEDC 90028 CE/WEDC-WQ/WFMS 90029 WQ/WFMS-CE/WEDC 90034 CE/WEDC-WQ/WFMS-CE/WEDC 91102 BN/IECA-HQ/SAXL 91112 BN/IECA-HQ/SAXL 91113 BN/IECA-HQ/SAXL 91116 BN/IECA-HQ/SAXL 91118 BN/IECA-HQ/SAXL 91121 BN/IECA-HQ/SAXL 91126 BN/IECA-HQ/SAXL 91129 BN/IECA-HQ/SAXL 91131 BN/IECA-HQ/SAXL 92032 GBST-GBCT 92044 GBST-GBCT Sold  Locomotive Services Ltd: 43046/55 Returned from France: 66211/47 Stored/stopped…

AS the UK hots up, Network Rail has been testing its snowplough fleet ready for the winter season, borrowing Direct Rail Services' Nos. 66304 and 66305 for power. The loco pair were first sent to the West Country to work a 7Z66/09.42 Fairwater Yard to Fairwater Yard via Weston Super Mare on July 23, the Class 66/4s sandwiched between ZZA independent snowploughs Nos. ADB 965223 and ADB 965235. Five days later on the 28th, the same locomotives were in East Anglia with Norwich-based 'ploughs Nos. ADB 965208 and ADB 965219. They worked a 7Z68/ll.00 Norwich Crown Point to Norwich Crown Point via Lowestoft, giving local enthusiasts the opportunity to sample the sadly now rare sight of diesel locomotives on the Wherry Lines.…

LNER MK.4 UPDATE RECORDEas being out of service with LNER in last month's complete Mk.4 listing, set BN05 is now off lease and left Bounds Green on July 4, being taken to Worksop for storage by No. 66717 Good Old Boy. Also now off lease is set BNlO, which has been reformed with the two former spare cars (DVT No. 82224 and T50E No. 12200) replacing Nos. 82210 and 12209, these latter two becoming the new spare vehicles. The set in its revised formation departed Bounds Green for Worksop behind No. 66713 Forest City on July 11. Sent for scrap from Worksop to Sims Metals at Hull during the week ending July 25 were Nos. 10310, 11328, 12320 and 82217. The DVT is the first of its type to be…

ED MURRAY GECT 6wDE No. 261 was moved from Port Talbot steelworks to Whatley quarry on July 7 to undertake driver training at the latter. HNRC THE Harry Needle Railroad Company owns and operates a mix of ex-BR and industrial locomotives, with many stored at various locations around the country. Following the purchase of the former DB Cargo site at Worksop, members of the HNRC fleet have been slowly brought there from their storage sites. The latest to arrive is HNRC No. 29, a Hunslet 0-6-DH (No. 7017 of 1971) that had been at Flixborough Wharf for several years. Another recent arrival is the original '08' No. D3000, although this is not part of the HNRC fleet but owned by a private individual. LOCOMOTIVE SERVICES LAST month we reported that…

THE London Transport Museum has announced that its depot at Acton is to open for 10 days on August 19-23 and 26-30. Instead of the usual themed open days, these events will be pitched more towards families, with visitors enjoying a directional trail to explore the exhibits at their leisure. Children will also receive a special craft pack, containing activities they can enjoy at home later. The museum at Covent Garden is still closed, although plans for its opening are ongoing. As this issue went to press, the provisional date for reopening is September 7 and visitors will need to wear facemasks. ACTON REDEVELOPMENT Transport for London has announced it is seeking expressions of interest for a "joint venture property development partner" for the two sites adjacent to Acton Town…

BLUEBELL UPGRADE THE Bluebell Railway has taken delivery of a third Mk.3 sleeping car, No. 10526 arriving by road from Long Marston during July. Unlike Nos. 10683/690 that were brought direct from Wembley last year, movement by rail through third-rail territory was not possible as it is fitted with long swing-link bogies. The former Caledonian Sleeper vehicles, along with No. 10605 which is yet to arrive from Long Marston, will be used to upgrade the line's volunteer accommodation. Mk.l SLC No. 2442 has recently been offered for sale. MORE EX-GA MK.3S ENTER PRESERVATION THE Northampton & Lamport Railway has taken delivery of its three Mk.3s SO (Standard Open) vehicles that it acquired from Porterbrook. Nos. 12049/067 /118 join DVT No. 82114 and the lvatt Diesel Recreation Society's No. 10412 at…

■ TRAFFIC AND TRACTIONGM No. 8113 was active on ballast duties on the Belfast to Bangor line between June 28 and July 3. Each day, after end of service, the locomotive and five hopper wagons worked a return trip between Belfast and Bangor topping up ballast at various locations. It was necessary for the locomotive to run round its train at Bangor - a rare move at this location. The ballast was loaded at Poyntzpass and the former parcels bay siding at Belfast Lanyon Place station was used on a regular basis to recess the train. The arrangement each day was that No. 8113 hauled the empty wagons from Lanyon Place at around 09.45 to Poyntzpass. After loading was completed, the train departed there at around 13.30 and returned to…

By S K Baker Published by Crecy Publishing www.crecy.co.uk152 pages, colour maps, hardback. £20 FIRST published in 1977, the Baker Atlas has become a staple part of many rail enthusiasts' bookshelves. This 15th edition updates the changes to lines and stations in the five years since the previous version. The atlas details all passenger and freight lines in Britain and Ireland, including light rail, tram, metro and London Underground lines. It shows single and multiple track locations, stations, junctions, various types of freight terminal, depots, major signalling centres and country borders. New for this issue are much more detailed maps of the Greater London area, which now cover 24 pages on their own. With its comprehensive index of stations and heritage lines, overview map of electrified routes, and proposed routes…

FOLLOWING modifications to the tooling, Cavalex Models has received the latest engineering prototypes (EP) for its forthcoming '00' gauge TEA bogie tank wagons. Two versions will be available which will incorporate changes made during the life of the wagons including end cap pipework and plates fitted to the ends of the solebars At the same time, Cavalex announced that its '00' gauge BBA bogie steel carrying wagon models are on their way from China and expected to arrive by the end of August. A full review of this hotly anticipated model will follow in a future issue of Rail Express Modeller. www.cavalexmodels.com…

WHILST the primary use for the latest materials to be produced by Goodwood Scenics is wagon loads, and the Bachmann SSA alongside 16t MCV mineral wagons would look great loaded with swarf and baled scrap materials, they are also ideal for setting up scrapyard and recycling scenes. Three materials were sent in for review which have authentic colour, particularly the rust shading of the larger scrap corrugated pieces which have a little shine to them in places. A bag of 120 pieces, sufficient for a bay of recycled material or several wagon loads, is priced at £4.95. Finer metallic material in the form of rusted ferrous swarf is also available for finely processed scrap. This has a realistic fresh rust finish which is both dull, matt and yet colourful too.…

TOOLS: ■ Razorsaw. ■ Modelling scalpel and fresh blades. ■ Selection of needle files. ■ Twist drills of 0.3mm to 2mm diameter. ■ Pinvice. ■ Cutting mat. ■ Engineer's square. ■ Fine marker pen. ■ Xuron sprue cutters. ■ 300mm steel rule. ■ Clamps. MATERIALS AND COMPONENTS: ■ Fine grade abrasive paper of grade 240 and 600 grit. ■ 'Plastic Weld' solvent cement. ■ Zap Cyano-acrylate (CA)adhesives. ■ CA accelerator ■ 0.40 and 0.45mm diameter brass wire. ■ MJT cast EMU buffers. ■ MJT scallop roof ventilators. ■ MJT shell roof ventilators. ■ MJT air horns. ■ MJT air brake pipe and jumper cable castings. ■ MJT DEMU roof fan grille. ■ MJT DEMU brake module castings. ■ Bachmann MLV/2EPB drive bogie, motor and block. ■ 0.4mm phosphor bronze wire…

OVER a year has passed since Hornby announced models of the Wabtec life-extended Mk.35D stock including trailers for GWR 'Castle', Cross-Country Trains and ScotRail lnter7City (17Cservices. An initial investigation into the new models, which feature better levels of detail than the former Lima Mk.3 slam-door HST trailers, was presented in last month's issue of Rail Express with an overview of the GWR 'Castle Class' stock. A little more time has been allowed to test and evaluate the ScotRail trailers which have been issued with the correct running numbers for set Nos. HA0l and HA02 together with two spare TSL trailers for making up five-trailer sets. Hornby has previously released its Class 43 power cars in glossy ScotRail I7C livery as a twin-pack including No. 43033 and 43186 in anticipation of…

SPARE C6ras lompair Eireann (CIE) 42ft long intermodal wagons of the No. 30001 to 30218 series were fitted with box modules for use on spent ballast and spoil trains together with other infrastructure materials in recent years. The intermodal wagons, first introduced by CIE in 1971, will have seen use on various revenue freight flows including ISO containers and beer keg traffic as described in last month's issue of Rail Express fvlodeller. Irish Railway Models (IRM) has taken the opportunity to supply its recently released 'OD' gauge model of the 42ft intermodal wagon with spoil modules with running numbers appropriate to the fleet of 24 modified wagons introduced by Irish Rail in the late summer of 2011. They run today, making them attractive to modellers of the more contemporary Irish…

'483s' SEEK NEW HOME WITH the impending arrival of the Vivarail Class 484s, South Western Railway has invited expressions of interest from groups wishing to acquire one of the Class 483 '1938 stock' units which have been used on the Isle of Wight since 1989. Organisations interested in adopting a unit will need to demonstrate the capacity and financial security to remove and look after the train, as well as a suitable long-term physical location for the vehicles. Following the news, the London Transport Traction Group has been formed with the aim of preserving a Class 483 unit and converting it for self-powered operation, potentially at the Epping Ongar Railway. NIR UPGRADES THE station building at Belfast Yorkgate is to be replaced by a larger building. The plans also include…

BESIDES those credited elsewhere, this issue has been made possible by the contributions of the following readers, to whom the editor is most grateful: Alex Ayre, Daniel Bonham, Dean Cornthwaite, Steve Donald, Matt Fisher, Peter Foster, Barry Gill, Stephen Ginn, John Hales, Rowan Harris-JonesRyan Hayward, Brad Joyce, Gordon Kirkby, Stuart Kirkby, Peter Laithwaite, Greg Mape, Marc Nicol, Graham Nuttall, Keith Partlow, Colin Pottle, Karen RichardsonEric Salisbury, Steve Sienkiewicz, Tom Stobbs, Luke Stoppard, Jack Taylor, James Windows, Russell Wykes, and many more.…

Correct to July 29, 2020 Allocations 142005/09/15/21/22/26/31/34/ 37/39/40/42/44/46/48/49/50/ 52-54/57 /62-64/67 /88/92/93 off registration - scrapped 142011/35/36/41/43/45/51/55/61 NH/EDHQ-HQ/SCXH 142013 HT/EDHQ-HQ/SCXH 230006 newly delivered CF/HLHQ 315817 /36 IL/EKHQ-HQ/SAXU 315824/30 EXHQ-EKHQ 321448 IL/EBHQ-HQ/SAXU 321903 HQ/SAXU-IL/EBHQ 322484 HQ/SAXU-IL/EBHQ 331004/23/27 HQ-AN 331031 newly delivered HQ/EDHQ 701004/05 newly delivered HQ/HYHQ 701502 newly delivered HQ/HYHQ 710109/28 HQ-WN 720516/34/37 /38/39 newly delivered HQ/EBHQ 745101/03/04/09 HQ-NC 755403 HQ-NC 769002 HQ/SBXH-CF /HLHQ 777005/06/09 newly delivered HQ/HEHQ 801204/06/08/30 newly delivered HQ/HBHQ 801204/06 HQ-DR Formations 165027:58871+58856 165029:58877+55404+58823 317661:77212+62859+71746+77232 317662:77213+62856+71747+72233 Now in seven-car formation 345063/64 Now in passenger traffic 142004/58/65/68/71/85/87/90 143611/20 153308 321901/02 331004/23/27 507007 /10/11/15 508103/04/08/12/14/20/24/31/36/37/39 710109/28 745101/03/04/09 755403 801204/06 Preserved  K&WVR: 144011 Midland Railway Centre: 142011/13 Telford Steam Railway: 144013 Stored/stopped locations  Ely: 153302/18/68/72/74/82, 317662,317888 Heaton:153373/80 Northampton: 315806/27 Oxford CS: 387131/36/38 Tyseley: 170417 Wimbledon: 455847, 456017, 458533 Worksop: 720509 Disposals  Raxstar…

Correct to July 29, 2020 Allocations 1220 PO/ESHQ-WO/ERSO 5945/55/71/95 ML-KM 6001/08/27 /46/64 ML-KM 6117/22/73 ML-KM 6700/02/03/06 PO/ESHQ-WO/ERSO 9488 ML-KM 9527/39 ML-KM 9800/04/06/07 /09 PO/ESHQ-WO/ERSO 10302/03/07 /08/10/20/23 BN/HBHQ-HQ/SAXH 10317 /19/29 ECHQ-SAHQ 10402 off registration - scrapped 10699 PO/ESHQ-WO/ERSO 10722 off registration - preserved 11277 /78/80/83/98/99 BN/HBHQ-HQ/SAXH 11301-04/07 /11/28 BN/HBHQ-HQ/SAXH 11327 /29/30 ECHQ-SAHQ 11401-04/07 /11 BN/HBHQ-HQ/SAXH 12005/13/16/24/37/40/42/60/62/66/82/89/99 off registration - scrapped 12103/09/20/41/43/53/70 off registration - scrapped 12201-03/07 /18/31/32 BN/HBHQHQ/SAXH 12204/16/27 ECHQ-SAHQ 12301/02/07 /15/20/27 /29 BN/HBHQ-HQ/SAXH 12317 /21/31 ECHQ-SAHQ 12401/02/05/ll/14/15/17/21/36/3 7 /48/50/59/78/80/84/89 BN/HBHQHQ/SAXH 12449/62/71 ECHQ-HAHQ 12518 BN/HBHQ-HQ/SAXH 40805 off registration - scrapped 41062/68 off registration - scrapped 41111/12/54 off registration - scrapped 41126/40 IS/HAHQ-HQ/SCXH 42069/76 IS/HAHQ-HQ/SCXH 42092 off registration - scrapped 42105/08/15/17/23/25/35-37 /63/66/78/94 off registration - scrapped 42118 IS/HAHQ-HQ/SCXH 42225/27 /33/94 off registration - scrapped 42261/63/87 /89 IS/HAHQ-HQ/SCXH 42303/06/08/21/35/39/64/81/83 off registration - scrapped…

REFLECTING the uncertain times, both UK Railtours and Pathfinder Tours are not running any more tours this year. Pathfinder started redating tours when the coronavirus restrictions were eased in July, but the company has now decided to pull the plug on all its charters for the rest of the year. Meanwhile, UK Railtours does not have any tours in the pipeline, with one exception - that of its Scottish weekend tour, the 'West Highland & Royal Deeside', which will now run on April 9-12. A spokesperson for Riviera Trains, which supplies the rolling stock for numerous tour operators, told Rail Express the general public are still reluctant to travel by train and it is this that prompted the decision to curtail activities by Pathfinder and UKR. Liz Morris, boss of…

CLASS 101 CAR BACK IN ACTION A CLASS 101 DTCL (driving trailer composite with lavatory) that spent more than 10 years as an 'Internal User' vehicle at Neville Hill - and subsequently made headlines in the mainstream press when its then owner was forced to move the unit from his garden after pressure from Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council - operated as part of a DMU formation for the first time in over 30 years on July 16. Stopped back in 1989 and now based at the Great Central Railway, DTCL No. 54342 undertook a test run in multiple with Nos. 50203 and 50266 following completion of work on its vacuum system, wiring and some interior restoration. Cosmetic work has still to be completed. SEVERN VALLEY '37' THE last-built member…

ALTHOUGH a number of preserved lines resumed operations during July, albeit in a different manner to which they have previously operated, the majority have, understandably from a family day out point of view, concentrated on providing steam-hauled services. However, several lines are actively advertising diesel-hauled or DMUoperated trains, and in addition to the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, the following have announced plans to use diesel traction: Dean Forest Railway: Class 08 day for No. D6732 (37032) is planned for August 28. North Yorkshire Moors Railway: Diesel working (No. 37264 likely) on the Levisham-Pickering leg of last train of the day. The Severn Valley Railway says that it hopes to resume diesel operation in September. Diesel power has also been used to substitute for steam traction at short notice on more than…

'BADGER' GOES INTERCITY SWALLOW MOVED to Toton for repainting following completion of its restoration to working order, the AC Locomotive Group's No. 89001 has been outshopped in the 'Swallow' style of Intercity livery, leading to speculation that it is to be used by Locomotive Services Ltd. PIONEER '08' ON THE MOVE THE first-built Class 08, No. D3000 (which was delivered as No. 13000 when new in 1952) was moved from Rowsley (Peak Rail) to Harry Needle's Worksop site during July for attention. SULZER TYPE 2 STARTED CURRENTL undergoing bodywork repairs at the Great Central Railway, Class 27 No. D5401 was started up for the first time in over four years on July 29.…

■ COVID-19 CHANGESAn extra service was introduced on and from Sunday, June 21, the 13.00 Heuston to Cork and 17.25 return. The following extra weekday services were introduced on and from June 29: 06.25 Heuston to Portlaoise. 07.15 Westport to Heuston. 07.25 Heuston to Waterford. 08.12 Portlaoise to Heuston. 11.00 Waterford to Heuston. 16.25 Heuston to Limerick (FO). 18.15 Westport to Heuston. 18.15 Heuston to Westport. Extras scheduled to run on July 11 were: 09.45 Westport to Heuston, 15.00 Connolly to Sligo, 15.05 Sligo to Connolly. Extras on the 12th were: as the above Sligo trains plus 17.10 Limerick to Heuston and 18.00 Heuston to Cork. The following extras were scheduled to operate on July 17: 08.10 and 14.00 Heuston to Cork, and 11.25 and 17.25 Cork to Heuston. The…

By Pip Dunn Published by Crecy Publishing www.crecy.co.uk256 pages, colour, hardback£25 ANY BOOK by this author promises a well-researched and comprehensive look at the subject, and this is no exception. It covers the five new classes introduced since Privatisation (66, 67, 68, 70 and 88), as well as the major rebuilds of BR-era locos such as Class 57, MTU Class 43s, Class 73/9 and the current Class 56 to 69 conversion project. There is a chapter for all of these, each essentially a mini-history of the class covering their development, introduction, operators, liveries and more - all supported with a good selection of varied, quality images. It ends with a chapter speculating on possible future locos for the UK, before launching into a data section detailing specifications, numbers, operators, liveries…

FURTHER additions have been made to Accurascale's growing range of accessories, this time new packs of British Gypsum 20ft containers. Popular versions of the PFA wagon with white British Gypsum, red BNFL and Cawoods containers have also been re-run as three-wagon box sets following the rapid sell-out of the first batch of PFA wagons. New containers The addition of two different packs of gypsum containers to the accessory side of the Accurascale range is welcomed and will be perfect for loading wagons other than the Accurascale PFA four-wheel wagons. The first pack has three white containers with the original British Gypsum logo numbered as 15, 36 and 43 and modelled with top loading hatches. They were commonly seen in the first half of the 1990s and eventually became mixed with…

HIGH Speed Trains (HST) are much in the news these days, with the withdrawal of the trains from front line duties on the East Coast main line and Great Western. The Midland power car allocation is in a state of flux whilst the mini-HST revolution has captured the imaginations of many modellers. Hornby saw an opportunity to capitalise on the twilight years of the HST by releasing further power car twin packs for not only the Cross Country and Great Western mini-HSTs but for two of the celebrity Network Rail power cars and the GWR pair which were the last to be operated from London Paddington in May 2019. Network Rail pair Network Rail owns three HST power cars for its New or National Measurement Train (NMT) which were transferred…

THE May 2020 timetable is unlikely to be restored in full if the predicted fall in passenger demand becomes a reality. It is estimated that 85% of services are currently running, but these provide greatly reduced capacity given social distancing rules, and many trains are carrying just a handful of passengers. Social distancing regulations do not look likely to end soon, and may well continue until a vaccine is available. Although trains running in urban areas can be justified for essential travel, cutbacks elsewhere can be predicted to reduce the cost to the Government of running them. It may well be a taste of things to come that timetabled trains, like those being operated by Locomotive Services Limited for an eight-week period from July to September on the Settle and…

LOCOMOTIVES BR green: 08780 Colas: 37057 GBRf: 66790 Great Western Railway green: 43088,43156/60/62 Intercity: 89001 ScotRail branding removed: 68006/07 Transrail: 37240 +Facemask: 43021, 43129/45/81 UNITS Avanti (Driving cars only]: 390008/43/44/45/47/49,390104/l7/21/23/25/28/30/34/37/41/52 LNWR:350101/02/04/23 Northern: 150225, 156461, 158796, 158816/50/59,323233/35 Orion Freight: 769373 SWT: 444017/38 TfW:153303/53,158819 Thank You Key Workers: 802020 COACHES Carmine & Cream: 3045, 10520 Grand Central: 10321/30, 11320/21,12222/24,12323/26,12461/77,82200/27 Intercity: 10416, 82127 Rail Charter Services: 11075/76/77 /91…

SCOTRAIL and Wabtec have taken ownership of a number of redundant 'slam door' HST vehicles that last saw service with Great Western Railway in 2018 or in Scotland in 2019. All previously belonged to Angel Trains. ScotRail has acquired 15 coaches, Nos.41126/140,42069/076/118/261/263/287/289/344/572,44023/ 030/037 and 46010. Three of these (Nos. 42076/263/572) had previously been earmarked for conversion to sliding door vehicles - No. 42263 had, after a spell at Wabtec (Kilmarnock) been disposed of to C F Booth in May, and Nos. 42076/572 followed from Haymarket to Rotherham on July 22. Replacing these three coaches in the refurbishment programme are Nos. 42568/575/581, which are at Wabtec, Doncaster for rebuilding. The other 12 coaches that now belong to ScotRail are from sets HA31-HA33, which were all removed from service in December 2019.…

THE final four CrossCountry coaches to be rebuilt with sliding doors, Nos. 42038/052/053/290, were released on July 23 and formed the 5Z43/09.06 Wabtec Doncaster-Laira with power cars Nos. 43207 /366. Arriving at Doncaster by road on July 24 was Trailer Standard (TS) No. 42056 from Ely. It is due to be rebuilt for ScotRail. On the same day, another six coaches (Nos. 42173/195/217/310/353and 44042) were collected from Long Marston and moved to Wabtec, Doncaster by power car Nos. 43171/172. Their future is unclear. ■ The last two former LNER HST vehicles left at Craigentinny, TS Nos. 42205/210, were hauled to the Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway by No. 66718 Sir Peter Hendy CBE on July 8 for onward movement to their new homes by road. Both are to be used for…

THE Scottish Government is giving £9 million to Edinburgh Trams and the Glasgow Subway to help them cope with the impact on the businesses of Covid-19. This follows the UK Government's decision in May to give £30 million of support to the tram and light rail systems in England. The money will support the metros in Scotland's two largest cities from July to September, which have been struggling with reduced income as fewer passengers have been travelling during the pandemic. Meanwhile City of Edinburgh Council has awarded Siemens Mobility the contract to supply electrification, SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition), telecoms and signalling for the city's three-mile tram route extension to Newhaven. The work will be done in partnership with the main contractor, a joint venture between Sacryr, Farrans and…

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. 'MYSTERY LOCATION- SOLVED! IN reply to Colin Roper's superb photograph (repeated above - Ed) and request for more details - the location is Rock Ferry, Wirral and the tour is The Wirral Railway Circle's 'The Hundred of Wirral' on April 1, 1978. The loco in the pie is No. 25201, and the tour ran from Liverpool Lime Street to various locations, including No. 25294 in parts. Jez Smith Wallasey THE image is taken at…