Innehållsförteckning för January 2021 från Rail Express

MANY readers will have visited the Isle of Wight sometime over the last 30 years to sample the veteran Class 483 units rattling up and down the eight-mile route between Ryde Pier Head and Shanklin. These quirky units were converted from ex-London Underground 1938 Stock, making them by far the oldest trains in regular use on the national network. But now their time is almost up, and from January 4 they will be taken out of traffic when the line is closed for three months while it is upgraded for their replacement Vivarail Class 484s – themselves based on former LU Stock, although this time heavily re-engineered and upgraded. The island has relied on former LU Stock since the end of steam there in the mid-1960s. Back then, the floor…

NEVILLE HILL COLLISION THE Rail Accident Investigation Branch has released its report into the collision on November 13, 2019 when an empty LNER Intercity Express Train caught up and collided with the rear of a HST approaching Neville Hill depot in Leeds. No one was injured in the accident, but part of the IET was derailed. The collision occurred as the driver of the IET focused on reinstating an onboard system he had recently isolated because he had been unable to correctly set up the train management system. RAIB said this was because ambiguous documentation from train manufacturer Hitachi had led to LNER misunderstanding the required process for setting up the train management system when developing the content of its driver training programme. The derailment occurred because the design of…

A NEW tranche of projects under the Government’s reversing Beeching initiative was announced on November 25. Eight rail schemes and four station proposals were awarded up to £50,000 to accelerate plans that could restore lines and stations to communities as part of the wider £500 million Restoring Your Railway fund to develop proposals to level up transport links across the country. The list includes the long overdue reinstatement of the route between Stratford-upon-Avon and Honeybourne. Other lines are between Bolton, Ratcliffe, Bury in Greater Manchester; reopening to Cirencester; restoring a link with Consett; and bringing back passenger services from Gainsborough to Barton. Interestingly, a national network service will also be funded using the Swanage heritage line to Wareham. Station reopenings are planned at Beeston Castle and Tarporley (Cheshire), St Anne’s…

Reopened lines and new passenger services ■ Melton Mowbray to Nottingham ■ Alfreton to Ashfield (Maid Marian Line) ■ Stratford-upon-Avon to Honeybourne/Worcester/Oxford ■ Consett to Newcastle Bolton to Radcliffe, Bolton to Bury ■ Kemble to Cirencester ■ Wareham to Swanage ■ Gainsborough to Barton New stations ■ Ferryhill (Ferryhill to Stockton-on-Tees) ■ Beeston Castle and Tarporley (Crewe to Chester) ■ St Anne’s Park (Bristol Temple Meads to Bath Spa) ■ Langport and Somerton (Castle Cary to Taunton)…

■ DB CARGO: WI (UIC code Sefoorss) five-unit car carrier No. 85 70 4791 038-0 was at DBC’s Stoke-on-Trent wagon works for the usual two weeks from October 23, it returning to Warrington and back into service on the Arpley ‘tripper’ on November 6. However, it returned to Stoke just one week later on the 13th, sneaking back mixed in with a rake of BLA/BYA steel coil carriers from store in South Wales. Apparently this was an error, so it doubled back on itself the following week, swapping places with No. 85 70 4791 042-2 on the 20th. This was on site for just one week, however, when it too was replaced by No. 85 70 4791 030-7 on the 27th. ■ NETWORK RAIL: Matisa D75 High Output Track Renewal…

GB Railfreight’s ‘This Time It’s Personal’ charity railtour, postponed from 2020, is now booked to run from Thursday April 15 to Sunday April 18, with all monies raised being be donated to Prostate Cancer UK. The organisers advise they have some surprises ‘up their sleeves’ for participants, so expect one or more unexpected traction moves. However, the tour looks likely to be the first time one of the re-engined and rebuilt Class 56 machines, which are being fitted with a EMD 710 12-cylinder power plant and designated Class 69, will be used on apublic service following initial testing on the Severn Valley Railway. The four-day itinerary is due to be: April 15: Class 66 London Victoria-London Gateway Intermodal Terminal; 2 x Class 73/9 London Gateway Intermodal Terminal-Harwich-Cambridge-Wembley; Class 66 Wembley-London…

HAWKSWORTH SALOON RETURNS TO GCR ON loan to the North Norfolk Railway since 2017, Hawksworth Inspection Saloon No. DW80970 returned to the Great Central Railway in early November. Another Saloon on the move is DB999508, which arrived at Rowden Mill station from the West Somerset Railway in October. It is to be used as a Camping Coach. ELR MK.2 DEPARTURES FIVE resident Mk.2 coaches at the East Lancashire Railway, all of which were either unrestored or been out of traffic for many years, departed for West Coast Railways’ Carnforth depot on November 6. Nos. 5238/54, 5333/96 and 9431 were ‘top and tailed’ by Nos. 57001 and 57006.…

COMPLETION of the €120 million Dublin City Centre Resignalling Scheme has seen the replacement of life expired signalling and associated equipment between Sandymount and Malahide/ Howth. Relay-based systems have been replaced by Solid State Interlocking, and the distinctive Westinghouse colour light signals – once a feature of the railway in the Greater Dublin area – have also been replaced. Another objective of the scheme was to increase capacity between Grand Canal Dock and Malahide/ Howth from 12 trains per hour in each direction to 20. The work also included future-proofing for the planned extension of the Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART) electrified network, while the Centralised Traffic Control (CTC) based at Connolly is to be replaced by a new National Train Control Centre at Heuston. The City Centre Resignalling project…

■ TRAFFIC AND TRACTION: The 09.45 Heuston-Galway and 14.35 Galway-Heuston on October 23 were cancelled because of ‘operational issues’. The 14.35 was described by Irish Rail as a ‘seasonal service’. Also on the 23rd, GM No. 072 hauled classmate No. 075 from North Wall to Inchicore. Poor railhead conditions continued to cause problems during the period under review. An ad hoc shuttle service was operated on the Clonsilla-M3 Parkway branch between October 26 and 30 because the problem made it difficult to adhere to the timetable. The Nenagh branch service was suspended from October 27 to November 15 to facilitate infrastructure work. However, buses were provided to cover for the 07.45 M-F Nenagh-Limerick and 16.55 Limerick-Nenagh. Services on the Heuston-Cork mainline were disrupted on October 29 after a bridge at…

NORTHERN Ireland Infrastructure Minister Nicola Mallon has announced funding for Phase 3 of the Coleraine to Londonderry infrastructure upgrade, while a feasibility study has been commissioned to look at increasing the weekday service between Belfast and Londonderry from hourly to half-hourly. Also to be investigated is the possible opening of new stations with park and ride facilities in the Londonderry to Bellarena section at Strathfoyle, Eglinton/City of Derry Airport and Ballykelly. It is possible that Phase 3 will include the reinstatement of crossing loops, or providing them at other locations, should these initiatives come to fruition. Minister Mallon added she was concerned that public transport in the North West of the province, of which Londonderry city is the main transport hub, was unsatisfactory. Improving connectivity and providing sustainable public transport…

RIDING Sunbeams, which describes itself as a solar rail pioneer, has been awarded £2.5 million from the South East Local Enterprise Partnership’s £85 million share of the Government’s Getting Building Fund. The money will be used to build what is claimed to be the world’s first megawatt-scale renewable solar energy plant to directly power the railways in East Sussex. The 3.75MW Cuckmere Community Solar Farm that will be financed by the grant is in Berwick, north of the Eastbourne to London mainline railway, which will be powered by the energy it generates using a ‘private-wire’ direct connection. The farm is expected to be supplying power to the local railway network by March 2022.…

TRANSPORT for London and the Government have agreed additional funding to complete the final phase of the Crossrail project. The Elizabeth Line links east and west London and beyond to Shenfield and Reading, and was originally due to open in late 2018 but has been delayed by technical and signalling issues with the tunnel section under central London. The deal sees £825m of additional borrowing made available to the Greater London Authority (GLA) by the Department for Transport, and passed to TfL as a grant to the Crossrail project once TfL’s £750m loan facility, agreed as part of the previous £2.15bn financing package, is exhausted. The central section is now expected to open during the first half of 2022, although this is still not guaranteed.…

UNCERTAIN FUTURE FOR ELSECAR RAILWAY THE Elsecar Heritage Railway, near Barnsley, faces an uncertain future after its operators decided to surrender their lease. The line runs along a mile-long stretch of track that once served the ironworks and collieries of the industrial village. Barnsley council bought the trackbed in 1994 and restored the line as a visitor attraction, handing over its running to the Elsecar Heritage Railway Trust in 2006. The trustees have now confirmed they have had to hand back the lease to the council, who will explore options over its future viability. It is not clear whether the closure of Elsecar’s visitor attractions for prolonged periods during 2020 has been a factor in the decision. KEIRON THOROGOOD RAIL Express has been saddened to learn of the death of…

Correct to November 23, 2020 Allocations 20118 GBEE-HNRL 20132 GBEE-HNRL 20301 XHSS-XHHP 20302 XHSS-XHHP 20303 XHSS-XHHP 20305 XHSS-XHHP 20901 PG/GBEE-BH/HNRL 20905 PG/GBEE-BH/HNRL 43045 NL/EMPC-HQ/SBXL 43058 NL/IECP-HQ/SBXL 43059 NL/EMPC-HQ/SBXL 57303 KM/XHSS-LR/GROG 66030 WBRT-WBAR 66098 WBAE-WBRT 66734 HQ/SBXL Newly registered 66790 HQ/MBDL-PG/GBBT 66791 HQ/MBDL-PG/GBBT 66792 HQ/MBDL-PG/GBBT 67008 WACC-WAWC 67010 WAAC-WAWC 67014 WACC-WAWC 67015 WAAC-WAWC 67016 CE/WAAC-WQ/WQAA 67017 WACC-WAWC 67025 WACC-WAWC 68019 TPCF-TPEX 68022 TPEX-TPCF 68026 TPEX-TPCF 68031 TPCF-TPEX 70006 FD/DHLT-LD/DFGI 70011 FD/DHLT-LD/DFGI 70014 FD/DHLT-LD/DFGI 70019 FD/DHLT-LD/DFGI 86401 LM/GBCH-CS/MBEL 86622 CG/DFNC-FE/DHLT Sold  Hanson & Hall 31106 Stored/stopped locations Basford Hall: 86622 Caledonian Railway, Brechin: 20016 Crewe ETD: 67016 Haymarket: 43185 Leicester: 43048 Nemesis Rail, Burton-upon-Trent: 43277/90 Operational 43066, 57303, 66791, 70006/11/14/19 Liveries  BR green: 20096 GWR green: 43009/27 Loram red/white: 08632 Named 08483 Bungle 37418 An Comunn Gaidhealach…

BR blue No. 47853, running as No. 47614 – and of special interest to this magazine as the first locomotive to carry the Rail Express nameplates – has returned to action after 12-and-a-half months out of action at Eastleigh Works undergoing a major overhaul, which included an engine swap. It had moved to the Hampshire facility on October 30, 2019 with No. D1935 (47805) on a 5Z47 stock move, and departed on November 11 in charge of another carriage transfer, conveying three repainted InterCity Swallow Mk.3s north as a 5Z37/15.55 to Crewe. Class 20 No. D8096 (20096) is now also back in service after returning from Barrow Hill in September. Its first run was sandwiching Mk.2d BFK No. 17159 with No. D8107 (20107) as the 5Z20 Crewe-Bristol East move on…

Correct to November 23, 2020 Allocations 144001/02/05/08/09/12/13/15/18/ 21 HT/EDHQ-HQ/SBXH 144004/14/16/19/20/23 HT/EDHQHQ/MBCS 170418 HA/HAHQ-DY/EMHQ 195133 newly delivered HQ/EDHQ 196005 newly delivered HQ/EJHQ 196105/06 newly delivered HQ/EJHQ 230009 newly delivered HQ/MBCS 315802/07/24/30 IL/EKHQ-HQ/SAXU317655/57/65/67/72 IL/EBHQ-HQ/SCEC 317656/61 IL/EBHQ-HQ/SCXH 317709/10 HQ/SCXH-IL/EBHQ 319009/10/11 HQ/SBXH-HQ/ORIO 319377/80 HQ/SBXH-HQ/ORIO 321437 IL/EBHQ-HQ/SAXU 484001 newly delivered RY/HZHQ 701013 newly delivered HQ/HYHQ 710106/19 HQ-WN 710278 newly delivered HQ/EKHQ 720521 newly delivered HQ/EBHQ 730001/02 newly delivered HQ/EJHQ 745102 HQ-NC 769943 HQ/SBXH-RG/EFHQ 801212 HQ-DR Renumbered 170633-170533 50633-50533 79633-79533 Formations 170533: 50533+79533 Now in passenger traffic 710106/19 745102 769002/03 801212 Sold  Kirk Merrington Primary School: 142045 Stored/stopped locations Bristol Barton Hill: 56633 British Steel, Lackenby: 71990, 78130, 78279 (321448) Cardiff Canton: 153372/82 Crewe: 720522/47 Eastleigh Works: 319377/80 Edge Hill: 63131, 78157, 78306 (321437) Ely: 317665/67 Gascoigne Wood: 144014/19/23 Ilford: 317655/64, 317709/10 Old Dalby: 710274/75/78, 720545…

ELECTRIC Traction Ltd has purchased more coaches from the former Greater Anglia fleet, bringing the number of Mk.3s in its ownership to eight. The latest acquisitions from Porterbrook are Trailer Standard Open Buffet (TSOB) No. 10406 and First Open (FO) Nos. 11093/101. The two FO vehicles are set to go on hire to Rail Operations Group along with Nos. 11092/099, these latter two having been at Loram, Derby receiving attention since October 26. As part of a rounding up of the Electric Traction/Rail Operations Group fleets, the latest three ETL additions plus Standard Open (SO) Nos. 12125/154 (which were acquired by ETL earlier this year) were collected from Long Marston by No. 37510 on November 17. The five coaches were initially taken to Cardiff Canton, from where former Arriva Trains…

RMS LOCOTEC NOVEMBER 25 saw No. 08754 depart Wolsingham (Weardale Railway) to take up a new duty at Wolverton works for Gemini Rail. With RSS’ No. 08752 already on site at the works, this now has two different operators supporting the Gemini Rail operation. INDUSTRIAL FOLLOWING completion of planned work, Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0DH No. D1396/1967 left the Pete Briddon workshops at Darley Dale (Peak Rail) at the end of October returning home to Dagenham. PRESERVATION RUSTON 48DS No. 207103/1941 Imp has new owners, and November saw it moved from Mangapps Railway Museum to a new home at Rocks by Rail, Cottesmore (Rutland). The little 48DS was originally preserved at the Gwili Railway in 1979, moving straight there from National Benzol’s Bedwas Coke Ovens where it used to work, a complete…

ALYCIDON PROGRESS THE first stage in the repair of the Deltic Preservation Society’s No. D9009 (55009) Alycidon, following its serious failure in March 2019, is now progressing – that of rebuilding the bogies with the six repaired traction motors. These motors alone have cost £180,000, and the DPS invites well-wishers to send a donation to help speed up the return of this ‘Deltic’ to operational railtour use. See www.thedps.co.uk for more details. STATESMAN FEATURED A NEW television series on Channel 5 called The world’s most scenic rail journeys is due to air in spring 2021 but, as a taster, a Christmas special featuring a run on ‘The Statesman’ on a journey to Devon and Cornwall was due to be broadcast on December 11. The commentator is actor, Bill Nighy.…

‘GOYLE’ ACTION PLANNED AT EPPING ONGAR THE Epping Ongar Railway has announced that it plans to use No. 31438 and 37029 on services between December 27 and 30. Two round trips will take place, with the locos assisting each other on the North Weald to Epping Forest section. While the majority of lines have, understandably, yet to confirm details of any galas in 2021, the Mid-Hants Railway has announced it plans to hold a diesel gala on June 26/27. HANSON CLASS 50 MOVES TO EASTLEIGH STOPPED since January 23, Hanson & Hall’s No. 50008 Thunderer arrived at Eastleigh Works for attention on November 12. Its move from Leicester on November 11 was not without incident, however, as the ‘Tug’ that was a hauling it (No. 60055) failed near Milton Keynes.…

THREE preserved Class 117 units were transferred to new homes in unrelated moves during November. The first to arrive at a new base was twin set Nos. 51352+51376, which left Long Marston for the South Devon Railway. Initially preserved at the West Somerset Railway (having been purchased by the Territorial Army), the pair had been at Long Marston since 2007. During its time there, No. 51352 was painted in a yellow colour not dissimilar to the BT advertising livery applied to Class 118 set P460 that operated in the West Country in the mid-1980s. The set needs some work to return it to service. Advertised for sale by Grinsty Rail earlier this year, Nos. 51339+51382 have been purchased by Pressed Steel Heritage, which already owns and operates two Class 121…

ACCURASCALE continues to storm ahead with new model development and as the ‘OO’ gauge PTA wagons hit the quayside in November, it added a traditional BR wagon design to its portfolio in keeping with its new ‘Powering Britain’ plan of model development (which may see models of the HAA family announced too). The MDO/MDV 21t mineral wagon was built in large numbers on 12-foot wheelbase underframes by numerous manufacturers including BR workshops. Two types are planned for release including the unfitted Diagram 1/107 (MDO) of which 2500 were built with welded bodies and unfitted long link braked RCH underframes from 1950. They are different to Diagram 1/110 which has riveted bodies instead of the welded design. The second model is a Diagram 1/120 wagon of which 3950 were constructed between…

■ Bachmann or Replica B1 bogies. ■ Thin clear glazing material. ■ 0.3mm diameter nickel-silver wire. ■ 0.4mm brass wire. ■ 8BA countersink and cheese head screws. ■ Spacing washers (optional). ■ 20-, 30- and 40-thou styrene card. ■ 20-thou square styrene strip. ■ MJT Components shell ventilators (small). ■ Coupling hooks. ■ Vacuum brake hoses. ■ BR blue coaching stock transfers ■ Plastic Weld solvent cement. ■ Cyanoacrylate adhesive. ■ BR blue paint. ■ BR roof blue/grey paint ■ Matt black acrylic paint by Railmatch. ■ Matt BR blue acrylic paint.…

SPEED restrictions and other lineside signs are bread-and-butter features of the modern railway, making the useful sheet of ‘OO’ gauge signs by Scale Model Scenery particularly welcome. Accurately printed on a thin vinyl-like sheet, it includes a range of speed signs in two sizes together with direction arrows for diverging route speeds at junctions. Some instruction boards are also included on the sheet which is printed with a grey colour on the reverse. Poles are supplied in the form of 1mm diameter grey plastic rod which is cut to the desired length. The signs are pre-cut, held on the sheet with tiny tabs which are easily cut with the tip of a sharp modelling knife. The orientation of the sign has to be carefully worked out when it is face…

BECAUSE not all nameplates are available as etched products - especially for multiple units, which are rarely as popular naming subjects as locomotives - Railtec Transfers offers a 3D nameplate printing service. REM's recent articles featuring Hastings DEMU No. 1001 (see August-October issues) needed bespoke nameplates for the DMBS vehicles to complete the model externally, and Railtec Transfers was contacted and supplied with high quality photographs and dimensions of the nameplates and crests to see if it could help. After some time while artwork was prepared, the nameplates arrived for both HDL No. 1001 DMBS No. S60000 Hastings and No. S60118 Tunbridge Wells, together with a set of nameplates for a Class 207, No. 207202 Brighton Royal Pavilion. The nameplates are pre-cut and supplied on typical waterslide transfer blue backing…

A NUMBER of useful locomotive models were released by Hornby in recent weeks, including two Class 60s in DB livery together with one in the bright Colas Rail scheme. Whilst Colas has sold its 10 Class 60s to GBRf, some continue to run in Colas colours with logos and Colas lettering removed. The model offered by Hornby is No. 60021, which has since been repainted in GBRf colours, whilst the two DB red models are No. 60062 Stainless Pioneer and No. 60100 Midland Railway – Butterley. The models are equipped with wire connections between the running light circuit boards and the main board, replacing the original contacts. Provision is also made for the installation of a speaker for digital sound, whilst an eight-pin DCC socket remains. Performance of the models…

THE Heritage Railway Association, the trade association for preserved and tourist railways, has announced the nominees for its 2021 Awards. New categories are included this year to reflect the extraordinary circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on heritage rail. Also new this year is an award for Diesel Locomotion, with nominees the Mid Suffolk Light Railway for its Shredded Wheat locomotive (also nominated for the Morgan Award for Preservation); the Severn Valley Railway Class 50 Alliance for 30 years of Class 50 preservation, and the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway for its Skeggy Simplex (also in the running for the Coiley Locomotive Engineering Award). MODERN TRACTION WINNER The winner of the Rail Express- sponsored modern traction award is already known, with the 2021 trophy going to the engineering team…

BESIDES those credited elsewhere, this issue has been made possible by the contributions of the following readers, to whom the editor is most grateful: Chris Addoo, John Coleman, Steve Donald, Jamie Dyke, Martin Elsey, Peter Foster, Stephen Ginn, John Hales, Ryan Hayward, Jason Hickling, Brad Joyce, Gordon Kirkby, Peter Laithwaite, Greg Mape, Graham Nuttall, Keith Partlow, Kevin Payne, Chris Playfair, Colin Pottle, Jack Prentice, CJ Rich, Karen Richardson, Steve Sienkiewicz, John Stretton, Martin Turner, Jack Taylor, Neil Walkling, and many more.…

ONE of Locomotive Services Ltd’s seven HST coaches stored on the Severn Valley Railway at Kidderminster, TF (Trailer First) No. 41187, was moved to Crewe on November 9 with steam locos Nos. 34046 Braunton and 46100 Royal Scot from the LSL fleet being provided as traction. Released from overhaul at Loram, and now carrying Pullman colours for use as a support coach in the Statesman Rail rake, Mk.3a Sleeper No. 10688 was collected by No. 37521, which formed the 5Z20/15.12 Derby RTC-Crewe. New arrivals at Eastleigh Works have been Nos. 3107/40 (from Rowsley) plus Nos. 10224 and 17013 (from Crewe). The four coaches, which were initially delivered to Eastleigh Civil Engineer’s Yard, were tripped to the Works on October 28. Leaving Eastleigh Works for Crewe behind No. 47614 on November…

GB Railfreight’s Whitemoor Yard at March normally has three shunters outstationed there, with Nos. 08925, 08934 and 09002 being the latest to fulfil the role. Both Nos. 08925 and 09002 were due major exams in November, and both left the site during the period in review. No. 09002 left first on October 30 for tyre turning at Freightliner’s Leeds Midland Road depot, although this was not undertaken as the tyres were found to be too thin, so it was shipped to the HNRC workshops at Worksop for the exam to be undertaken. No. 08925 followed a few days later, but was transported directly to Worksop, HNRC having the contract for its maintenance. This left Whitemoor Yard somewhat under-resourced, with only No. 08934 assisted by a GBRf ‘66’ to do the…

ENGINE WORK PROGRESS ON ‘37S’ THE Scottish Thirty-Seven Group’s No. 37261 has undergone further engine work at Bo’ness to return it to working order, with the installation of several refurbished pistons. Meanwhile at the Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway, No. 37023 has had its roof removed to enable its power unit to be lifted out for attention. ‘GOYLE’ RETURNS OUT of action since 2016 and having undergone a major overhaul, the Midland & Great Northern Joint Society’s No. D5631 (31207) undertook a test run along the full length of the line at the North Norfolk Railway on November 13. ‘DELTIC’ LATEST AT Locomotive Services’ Crewe depot, No. 55022 Royal Scots Grey has had its roof sections removed in advance of the return of overhauled power units, which have been away at…

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. DOES THE ‘PEAK ARMY’ LIVE ON IN DAWLISH? ON holiday in Dawlish earlier this year, I took a walk along the sea wall west of the station – mainly to have a look at the somewhat ugly new concrete defences now protecting the line – but at Kennaway Tunnel I was surprised to see this graffiti on the portal wall. I well remember the numbers of various locos being scrawled there by the ‘Peak…

THREE liveries have been revealed by Cavalex Models for its forthcoming ‘OO’ gauge Diagram JG010B PHA/JGA bogie aggregate wagon of the BHQ17130-151 number series. Conclusion of the CAD process has allowed the cost of tooling and production to be assessed, enabling the company to open the pre-order book for the model which is priced at £45. The original green and yellow livery is the first of three to be offered, representing the wagons from introduction in the 1990s to around the early 2000s, when it was superseded by the white and blue Aggregate Industries scheme which was current until around 2015. The last of the three liveries is the patched scheme with a broad band along the sides, finished in weathered condition. The wagons are a common sight working from…

HELJAN has initiated design work for a ‘OO’ gauge model of afrequently requested first generation DMU: The BRCW Class 104 of which 302 vehicles were built for allocation to the Midland and Eastern Regions. Six different types of vehicle made up the 302 vehicles making it an interesting, if tooling-heavy class of DMU to produce, which might be one reason why a ‘OO’ gauge model has not been forthcoming until now. The Heljan model will span the history of the class from its first appearance in 1957 until the final examples of the type were withdrawn from service in 1993. They are best known for operations in the north west, with Manchester to Buxton and Blackpool being common haunts, although they ranged further afield. Surviving units ventured to Scotland to…

Runner packs of five wagons SOLD in runner packs of five wagons, the Accurascale PTA, JTA and JUA models are essentially the same design of Dorman Long-built bogie box iron ore tipplers with different liveries applied to them. Designed for block train working, the BSC regional fleets were composed of a mix of ‘inner’ wagons with knuckle couplings, one of which was fitted to a rotary mechanism to allow wagons to be tipped without uncoupling from the train, and a smaller number of ‘outer’ wagons fitted with conventional draw gear and side buffers at one end. All but the VTG-livery wagons are sold as two different box sets that allow the assembly of trains of 10 wagons with the correct ‘outer’ wagons available for the ends. One box set in…

Refurbished locos HEAVY general repairs undertaken to Class 31s during the 1980s and early 1990s not only extended the life of the Class 31 to see use on the business sector railway, but well into the privatisation era too. It changed their appearance, prompting Bachmann to develop new toolings for the late condition (refurbished) version of the Graham Farish Class 31 model. The mid-height body side beading is not present, the headcode panels plated over and fitted with two marker lights alongside the fitting of cab to shore radio aerial pods. Roof fittings relating to train steam heating are modelled as plated over or removed. Overhauls saw changes to the cooling area of the locomotive with vertical radiator grilles replacing the original format on many locomotives, a feature replicated on…