Innehållsförteckning för September 2025 från Rail Express

THE first two of GB Railfreight’s new fleet of 30 Class 99 locomotives were formally launched by Rail Minister Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on July 17, at GBRf’s Peterborough depot, in front of staff, customers and stakeholders. Representing an investment of £150 million by GBRf, the locos, which have been financed by Beacon Rail, will be the most powerful electric locomotives to operate on the UK mainline, with 8270hp. When away from 25kV wires, the loco has a 2400hp low emission diesel engine which will be powered by HVO renewable fuel. The engine is a V16 QSK50 built by Cummins in the UK, which meets Stage V emissions. Testing of the first two began in July and entry to service is expected later in the year. All 30 are…

AFTER some delay due to the poor condition of the bodywork, unsurprising for a locomotive that has spent longer in store than it ever spent in traffic, No. 56009 has finally been officially renumbered as 69015 and departed Longport, having been on site since moving from Shackerstone on the Battlefield Line in June 2018. Built by Electroputere at Craiova in Romania, it arrived in the UK in October 1976 and was stored two decades later at Cardiff Canton in March 1996. It was later acquired by Brush and moved to Loughborough as an engine testbed, where it was painted blue and wore the mock number 56201. It made its main line debut No. 69015 on July 14, working a 0Z69/0Z70 to Bescot and back with No. 66721 Harry Beck, before…

CLASS 20 With a pair of ballast regulators in tow, Nos. 20302+20311 powered the 6E21 15.03 Harwich Parkeston Quay-Worksop Down Yard on July 1. Based at Bridgeton Yard for several months, the Balfour Beatty drain train in the hands of Nos. 20901 and 20905 travelled south to Penrith on July 8, before moving on to Crewe Gresty Lane the next day and to Welwyn Garden City on July 10. Privately-owned Nos. 20007 and 20205 moved a pair of new Tyne & Wear Metro units Nos. 555018+ 555038 from Dollands Moor to Wembley late on July 9. Next day the Type 1s handled the 6Z21 15.15 Gascoigne Wood-Bletchley with a single KWA wagon. Nos. 20007 and 20205 arrived in Yorkshire with Rail Adventure Nos. 43467+43423 on the 6Q34 06.20 Wembley-York Holgate…

THE Ministry of Defence’s ageing fleet of ‘Warflats’ and ‘Warwell’ wagons has been given its discharge papers and retired with immediate effect. The modern air-braked division was formed in the 1970s and early 1980s, with the construction of two batches of KFA flat wagons, Nos. MODA 95233-71 in 1976 and MODA 95272-97 in 1981, both at BREL Shildon Works, along with the updating of 60 1940s heritage vehicles with the same Gloucester GPS bogies and other running gear, Nos. MODA 95500-48/71-83. Both types were originally TOPS coded PFB and included a vacuum-through pipe for working with the legacy fleet. While heavy tanks have long been out of gauge for the UK, with even armoured and ancillary vehicles getting larger and heavier, more of the Army’s vehicle roster is only suitable…

00 GAUGE 4mm scale 1967-1995 ERA The new models THE FIRST BATCH of the revamped Hornby 4-VEP modelled 1990s face-lifted units which continued in service until 2005. The two models produced with the retooled DTC/DTS vehicles were finished as Stagecoach SWT No. 3455 and Southern No. 3514. This leaves room for Hornby to offer a facelifted unit finished in revised Network SouthEast livery at some point in the future. The second batch of revamped 4-VEPs released this summer covers two units in more or less original condition with the MBSO in as-built or pre-1990s format. The retooled DTC bodyshell has been used together with the tooling for the original DMSO body to create two useful units. One is finished in original BR blue as No.7712 and the other in early Network…

BY the 1980s the Class 37 fleet was starting to show its age, and refurbishment was authorised for many members of the class. The refurbishment program was originally intended to cover 280 locomotives of the 308-strong fleet but financial considerations and the introduction of the Class 60 reduced this to 135. The possibility of a new Mixed-Traffic Type 3 – provisionally termed the Class 38 – is also thought to have been a factor. Three new variants of the Class 37 were produced as part of the refurbishment program:37/4 – for passenger duties, to be fitted with electric train supply (ETS) 37/5 – for standard freight duties, retaining their RA5 availability 37/7 – ballasted Class 37s (with increased weight from 105t to 120t – for heavier freight duties) British Rail…

THE Irish Traction Group (ITG) in partnership with the Downpatrick and County Down Railway (D&CDR) accomplished a notable first for diesel preservation in Ireland on June 28, by carrying out a static multiple working (MW) test featuring three locomotives: Nos. 146, 190 and 124. No. 146 was the locomotive in overall control and by mid-afternoon all three machines were successfully working in unison. The aim of the test was to see if the MW equipment was working, and the positive outcome will hopefully offer some unusual loco combinations in the future at the heritage railway. Also at Downpatrick, work continues on the restoration of former NIR 80 Class Motor Coach No 69. External doors have been repaired and new door posts installed, while window frames, bodywork and roof have received…

50 YEARS AGO… SEPTEMBER 1975 ■ TRAIN CATERING PRICES RISE AN INCREASE in train fares from September 7 also saw the price of Travellers Fare catering rise. The traditional English breakfast increased from £1.60 to £2. The cheapest lunch item was up from £1.95 to £2.50 with the most expensive dinner item costing 70p more at £3.50. There was a 1p increase in the price of a cup of tea (to 10p) and coffee (to 13p). [£1 in 1974 is worth around £7.60 in today’s prices]. ■ SUBURBAN SERVICES UNDER THREAT BRITISH RAIL advised the rail unions on September 8 that it was planning a 2.5% cut in the mileage operated on InterCity routes. Suburban service mileage would be cut by between five and 40%. BR said the changes were…

THE on-off electrification of the Midland Main Line (MML) north from Leicester to Sheffield has been paused indefinitely by the Department for Transport - a decision has led to protests from a number of rail industry bodies. Also paused is further resilience work on the Great Western Main Line at Holcombe, between Dawlish and Teignmouth, along with plans for capacity and performance work at York, and measures at Peckham Rye to ease congestion. With the completion of the MML electrification from Kettering to Wigston South Junction, 95½ miles from London St Pancras, hopes of continuing the project through Leicester to Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield are on the back burner once again due to funding constraints and rising costs. Speaking to the Transport Select Committee in July, Rail Minister Lord Hendy…

LONDON Northwestern Railway has expanded its area of Class 730 operation into Merseyside with the introduction of some workings on the Birmingham to Liverpool circuit. The first service between these two cities to be worked by an ‘Aventra’ was the 1G41 06.33 Liverpool Lime Street-Birmingham New Street on July 21, operated by No. 730234. The ‘730/2’ had earlier formed the 1F40 05.34 Crewe-Liverpool Lime Street and made four round trips before returning to Crewe as booked. Further Class 730 activity on the route was provided by Nos. 730226 (July 22), 730233/234 (July 23, when a second diagram came into effect) and 730226/234 (July 24). Details of the two diagrams appear in the adjacent table; ultimately, eight sets will be needed to cover all the London Northwestern services on the route.…

THE Type One Locomotive Company (T1LC), which became custodians of No. 31210 in early 2024, has announced that it has had to terminate its agreement to complete the restoration of the locomotive. It attributes a reduction in working volunteers as the reason, and in a statement said: “An unexpected decline in the number of volunteers available to undertake the restoration is solely to blame for this decision. The company thanks the owner for his understanding and also thanks our hosts at Ruddington for their kind assistance throughout. We wish the owner all the best in finding a new home for 31210 with a team that can complete the necessary works.” No. 31210 was moved from the Dean Forest Railway to the Great Central Railway (North) in February 2024 with the…

CAVALEX MODELS has done the unthinkable and announced a hi-fidelity model of the Brush Type 4, or Class 47, with plans to produce models covering the complete lifespan of the locomotives (to date) in the first run. Will it be a brilliant Brush? The specification along with the CAD renders suggests it could further add to the excellent reputation that Cavalex Models has for high quality models. The proven technology used in the Class 56 and Class 60 will be applied to the new model range, including both DCC-ready and digital sound options. A comprehensive array of operational and detailing lights will be fitted, controlled through selection switches for analogue version, or through a 21-pin decoder. A fully working set of radiator cooling fans with independent control on DCC are…

00 GAUGE 4mm scale 1979 to present ERA THERE ARE SO MANY features to the new Accurascale Class 50 that it is impossible to list them all in one review. The sample model seen in the adjacent photographs is literally covered in a wealth of small details and the technical features are as sophisticated as any model currently available. Further, research has gone into ensuring that details match given locomotive numbers and liveries. The differences between original and refurbished locomotives are incorporated into the range too. The review model is an excellent facsimile of a refurbished Class 50 which date from 1979 to present day. No. 50017 Royal Oak is finished in the first version of Network SouthEast (NSE) livery, although there were so many variations in the livery applied to Class…

00 GAUGE 4mm scale 1989 to present ERA First impressions REMOVING THE Cavalex Models ‘Tug’ from its ‘Railway Icons’ presentation box and seeing how well the packaging protected its exquisite levels of detail certainly formed good first impressions. The model is fitted to a robust transport cradle with two fixings which screw into the model’s underframe tanks. The cradle ensures that the minimum contact is made between packaging and the model, ensuring that it arrives in optimum condition. Revealed was No. 60098 Charles Francis Brush in Trainload Freight Construction livery modelled in the condition as if just released from Brush in Loughborough. Also enclosed in the box is a replica builder’s plate, an alternative set of bufferbeam assemblies and etched nameplates. In all, it is an impressive package for the Rails…

THERE appears to be emerging competition in the railtour market as tour promoters seek to tempt the passengers back onto their tours. This has to be a positive move, particularly as the railtour business has been suffering a backlash from rising ticket prices which has resulted in a large number of tours being cancelled this year as a result of poor bookings. The latest tour to succumb is Pathfinder Railtours’ three-day ‘Autumn Highlander’ tour which was booked for September 19-21. One proponent of unusual lines and routes is the Branch Line Society, which, for many years, has endeavoured to attract the die-hard ‘line collector’ by gaining permission to traverse crossovers, loops and sidings, certainly not visited by everyday passenger services. Thanks to Network Rail, private companies with sidings, and the…

THE first of East Midlands Railway’s refreshed Class 158 DMUs has been released to traffic, the unit forming one aspect of a £60 million upgrade across EMR’s three regional fleets. Unveiled to the press on July 24, at Nottingham, No. 158847 has been repainted in the operator’s aubergine livery, while inside the unit gains new carpets, new seat moquette, new seat foam, new tables, new vestibule flooring and a deep internal clean. Passenger information systems have been upgraded, there is new CCTV in the passenger saloons, and also forward-facing cameras in the driving cabs have been upgraded, and all the CCTV comes with the ability for footage to be remotely downloaded. Unlike the refreshed Class 170s which gained 240volt 13-amp and USB sockets, the Class 158s will only get USB…

DURING July, several of the Mk.3a vehicles based at Burton Wetmore made their first appearance on the main line since joining the Nemesis Rail fleet, following disposal by Porterbrook in 2021. A fleet of seven coaches (TSO Nos. 12061/079/090/137/146/164/167) saw action on preserved railways in connection with ‘Polar Express’ trains organised by PNP Events soon after their acquisition, but more recently their use has been more restricted. The first main line outing took place on July 9, when TSO Nos. 12079/167 were used as barriers/brake force runners in a move to bring stored RailAdventure power car Nos. 43296/308 from Arlington, Eastleigh to Burton Wetmore. They were taken south from Burton to Eastleigh by power car Nos. 43468/484 in advance of a move, the 7Z47 20.05 Arlington Eastleigh-Burton Wetmore, which ran…

ALL three of the projects to re-engineer a Class 08 were in the news during July but for very different reasons. The staging of the Greatest Gathering at Derby Litchurch Lane between August 1-3 brought the first opportunity for many to see Positive Traction’s radical battery conversion of No. 08308, this being displayed alongside Vanguard Sustainable Transport Solutions’ hydrogen-battery rebuild of No. 08635, which was undertaken in conjunction with the Severn Valley Railway. No. 08308 arrived in Derby on July 2, having spent much of June undergoing tests at Peak Rail following modifications and traction motor repairs. It was initially displayed on a low-loader outside Derby Arena the next day as part of a Rolling Stock Networking exhibition taking place before moving on to Litchurch Lane. Meanwhile, No. 08635 has…

00 GAUGE 4mm scale 1953 to present ERA Review model locomotive HAYMARKET’S No. 08761 was an interesting choice of locomotive for the first run of Bachmann’s brand-new Class 08. It was very much a Scottish Region locomotive when painted in Haymarket’s colourful and complex interpretation of Provincial Sector livery, and it remained in Scotland for the rest of its operational life. The new livery appears to have been applied around July 1988 when the locomotive was repainted from rail blue livery. Although a passenger sector’s colours had been applied to it and sister locomotive No. 08720, neither locomotive was confined to Haymarket. No. 08761 was recorded working the yard at Leith on numerous occasions, along with Millerhill, Thornton, Edinburgh Waverley and the depot at Craigentinny. It was moved to Eastfield and…

CLASS 60 locomotives and the first modern JNA wagons constructed for lease to Mendip Rail were often seen operating together on aggregate traffic from the Mendip quarries. They are a significant gap in the range of bogie box wagons equipped with the then new Powell Duffryn TF25 low track force bogies available in ‘OO’ and ‘N’ gauge. The JNAs were built by Marcroft Engineering, with 90 wagons introduced in 2000 and 2001 in several batches for leasing companies NACCO and CAIB. The wagons notched up several ‘firsts’ including the first application of the Mendip Rail logo on rollingstock and the first fleet use of the TF25 bogie. They appear to have been modified since new to strengthen the corners of the box structure. One of the adjacent pictures shows No.…

THE Greatest Gathering weekend of August 1-3, held at Alstom’s Litchurch Lane Works, Derby, as part of the Railway 200 celebrations, culminated with the largest number of historic and modern rail exhibits ever seen together on a single UK site. The weekend formed a very appropriate tribute to 200 years of passenger railways, the first train being on the Stockton & Darlington Railway on September 27, 1825. Being centrally located and with good rail and road connections, Derby’s historic carriage works, which dates from 1876, was the perfect setting for the Greatest Gathering, which saw around 140 rail vehicles on display, dating from 1825 to 2025. An initial batch of 30,000 tickets for the three-day charity event sold out early in February, in a matter of days, as did a…

Second 24 Tube Stock Train delivered ON JULY 17 a second 24 Tube Stock [TS] train was delivered to Ruislip depot from Siemens Mobility UK’s construction site at Goole. However, it wasn’t the first of the units to be built at its Yorkshire construction site. The train, numerically the fourth to be built, had been transferred from the company’s test track facility at Wildenrath in Germany to Goole, two weeks beforehand. A total of 15 trains are in the process of being constructed at Siemens’ Vienna factory. The remaining 79 are being built at Goole, with the first due to be delivered to Ruislip later this year. At Goole, work is advancing on the first unit to be built there, with the production process ramping up as teams become more…