Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2023 i Railways Illustrated

Early July saw the announcement of a threeweek consultation into proposals to close hundreds of ticket offices around much of the national rail network. If approved, the proposal from the Rail Delivery Group will see almost 1000 ticket offices closed, with staff moved on to other ‘passenger focused’ roles. This proposal certainly has a modern-day air of ‘Beeching’ about it, with a sledgehammer being taken to crack a nut. I’m as guilty as others in transferring my ticket-buying allegiances online, instead of using a ticket office in person, although my local station is unstaffed and doesn’t have a ticket office I could use even if I wanted to. However, those stations with offices are vital assets for those who purchase their tickets from them or who need advice on…

LOCOMOTIVE SERVICES Group’s second-generation Class 142 Pacer dieselmultipleunit142003leftArlington Fleet Services’ Eastleigh Works for Crewe Diesel Depot on July 18 – marking the first main line movement of a Pacer under its own power since the last of the Class 142s were moved for scrap during 2021, following their withdrawal at the end of 2020. Since moving to Eastleigh in April 2020, 142003 has lost its former Northern Rail purple, blue and white livery in favour of Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive orange and tan, as carried when the unit first entered service with British Rail in 1985. Although what future use LSG has for its two Pacers is currently unknown, 142003 was fitted with toilet retention tanks while at AFS. LSG also owns 142007 and 142014; it is understood that…

A NEW fleet of trains is planned by Chiltern Railways, with a prequalification questionnaire to be launched by the operator imminently. The plan is to replace Chiltern Railways’ fleet of 39 Class 165 diesel multiple units, which are now more than 30 years old. Longer term, the operator would like to reduce its reliance on diesel traction, and it remains the only all-diesel operator to run out of a main London terminus(Marylebone). Speaking to sister title Rail Express on June 15, Chiltern Railways managing director Richard All an said the aim was for an invitation to tender to be issued with in a few months, a head of anorder being placed next year. The first trains would be in traffic in four years’ time, he suggested. It is likely that…

OPERATION OF the Caledonian Sleeper transferred to public sector control under the Scottish Government from June 25, marking the end of Serco’s tenure in charge of the six-nightly Anglo-Scottish overnight train service. It is one of only two dedicated sleeper train operations in the UK – the other being Great Western Railway’s Night Riviera between London Paddington and Penzance – with seven trains operating between Sunday and Friday evening each week, linking London with Scotland. Lowlander services operate between London Euston, Edinburgh and Glasgow, while Highlander services run between London and Inverness, Aberdeen and Fort William. The trains use locomotives provided by GB Railfreight, hauling CAF-built Mk.5 coaches introduced into service in 2019. Since 2015, the Caledonian Sleeper had been operated by Serco Caledonian Sleepers Limited, but it was announced…

AN LNER Class 800 Azuma visited London Liverpool Street for the first time early on July 14 as part of agauging run to allow for future diversions from London King’s Cross during engineering work. 800201 was selected to work 5Z12, the 00.42 Finsbury Park to Liverpool Street, and 5Z13, the 04.21 return. The East Coast Main Line operat or has stated that this is the first of a number of compatibility stages required to support the approvals process for services to be diverted across the proposed contingency route. The Azuma was operated into Liverpool Street using its diesel engines, with an LNER engineering team on board to conduct checks and assessments as part of the verification process. Should these tests prove to be successful, it is possible that LNER services…

A LARGE gathering of invited family, friends and industry colleagues at Gloucester station on June 23 saw GB Railfreight Class 69 locomotive 69006 named Pathfinder Railtours by Pathfinder founder Peter Watts and Great Western Railway managing director Mark Hopwood. The event was organised in secret to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Mr Watts promoting his first charter under the F&W Railtours banner in June 1973. Since that initial tour, F&W Railtours and its successor organisation, the more well-known Pathfinder Railtours, have organised more than 1100 other charters, with Mr Watts gaining a huge amount of respect throughout the rail industry and also from his many repeat charter participants. The naming of 69006 involved much industry collaboration and cooperation. GBRf agreed to the name being carried by one of its recently…

RAILART 2023, the exhibition of work from The Guild of Railway Artists, is taking place at Kidderminster Railway Museum, alongside the Severn Valley Railway’s Kidderminster station, from August 19 until September 24. It is expected that about 60 railway paintings will be on display, most of which are new and have never been on show at previous Railart events. The majority will also be available for sale. The GRA’s membership includes Fellows, John Austin, Philip D Hawkins and Malcolm Root, whose work is expected to be on display, along with work completed by other full and associate members. Admission is free to the exhibition, which opens daily between 10am and 5pm in the upstairs exhibition hall at the museum. Visit www.railart.co.uk for more information.…

Following the movement of former Great Western Railway high speed train Castle Class power car 43170 to store at Ely Papworth sidings on June 8 (Railways Illustrated issue 246), three further former GWR power cars have now also left Laira depot, but unlike 43170, these were heavily stripped and sent for scrap. The three power cars – which had all undergone extensive component recovery following their removal from traffic with GWR – were 43005/041 and 43171. The trio left Laira depot by low-loader for an appointment with the South Wales scrap merchant at Sims Metals, Newport Docks, as the level of component recovery meant that they were unfit to be moved by rail. First to leave Laira was cab-less 43005, which left on July 4, with 43041 following the next…

Castle Mk.3s scrapped The last week of June saw four of the sliding door Castle Mk.3s removed from Laira by road. However, rather than follow 48115, 48125 and 49107 to Ely Papworth for storage, TS 48116, 48134, 48135 and TGS 49113 were taken straight to the Newport yard of Sims Metals for disposal. The quartet had been out of service at Laira for several months, subsequently seeing use as spares donors, so were not deemed worthy of retention. All were scrapped by July 12, having been noted as largely intact six days earlier. TfW Mk.4 expansion The last of the four former Grand Central Mk.4 sets acquired by Transport for Wales finally entered traffic on July 12, the previous week having seen HD07 carry out shakedown runs between Canton and…

More FEAs ordered Astra Rail is to supply a further 240 FEA-G container wagons for use in the UK, these again being formed as twin-sets. Numbers 81 70 4663 201-400 have been registered for GB Railfreight, while 81 70 4663 401-440 have been assigned to Wascosa. Mean while, deliveries of GBRf’s existing order are nearing completion, with 81 70 4663 161-178/181/182 moving from Dollands Moor to Peterborough Yard behind 66721 on July 10. JNA ballast latest The regular employment for 37418 of moving rebuilt JNA-Y ballast wagons away from Derby and returning with MRA side-tippers for conversion fodder has continued. On June 26, the Type 3 had 37901 for company as it took 81 70 5831 120/125/126 to Toton and returned with 501002/063/125-127, while July 3 found the duo still…

THE CLASS 14 D9525 Group has successfully restarted its rebuilt Paxman Ventura 6Y JXL engine on July 8, some 15 months after the group of Ecclesbourne Valley Railway volunteers and supporters bought the locomotive from the Heritage Shunters Trust and moved it to Wirksworth for reactivation. When D9525 was purchased by the group from the HST in March 2022, it was already known that the engine had suffered a serious failure and, as such, following its delivery to Wirksworth, work began immediately on dismantling the engine and removing it from the locomotive for a complete rebuild. Work on the engine rebuild has been carried out at Wirksworth and also at Crewe Diesel Depot, courtesy of Locomotive Services Group. The rebuilt engine was reinstalled inside D9525 on May 10 (Railways Illustrated issue…

THE 125 Group’s record-breaking high speed train power car 43159 Rio Warrior has made its debut on the Midland Railway – Butterley following a repaint into Midland Mainline’s later ocean blue livery, as carried when the Class 43 was part of MML’s Project Rio power car fleet, which originally took place between May 2003 and September 2004. The power car made its first trips along the MRB during a special operating weekend on the MRB on July 1/2. The other power car in use was 43048 TCB Miller and five of the 125 Group’s former East Midlands Railway Mk.3 trailer coaches. The weekend was well-attended, with strong passenger loadings reported throughout. Project Rio was the name given to the train services operated by National Express franchise Midland Mainline between London…

HOT ON the heels of its hugely successful Spring Diesel Festival, the Severn Valley Railway is to host a diesel-hydraulic themed reunion for its annual Autumn Diesel Bash. The event has been expanded to take place over four days – from September 28 to October 1 – and is due to feature SVR-based ex-British Rail Western Region diesel-hydraulic locomotives Class 14 D9551, Class 42 Warship D821 Greyhound and Class 52 Western’s D1015 Western Champion and D1062 Western Courier – all working services along the 16-mile line. Joining the resident fleet, the Bury Hydraulic Group is supplying recently reactivated Class 35 Hymek D7076 and 832Onslaught, while the Diesel & Electric Preservation Society has agreed to send Hymek’s D7017 and D7018 from the West Somerset Railway. It is also planned that…

THE CHOCOLATE and cream-liveried Class 108 diesel multiple unit has moved from the Telford Steam Railway to Peak Rail on a 12-month loan arrangement, with an option between the DMU’s owner and Peak Rail for the two-coach unit to be purchased by the Derbyshire heritage railway next year. The arrival of the Class 108 – formed of driving motor brake standard M51950 and driving motor composite lavatory M52062 – returns a DMU to Peak Rail for the first time in a number of years. The railway’s management hopes it can be used to incentivise local residents to use the line for park-and-ride services from the current northern terminus at Rowsley South, the DMU seen as an economical alternative to locomotive-hauled trains on some services. It also provides scope for additional…

PLANS ANNOUNCED by the Clacton Express Preservation Group in April to preserve a four-coach Class 321 electric multiple unit have been abandoned – after the group’s attempts to find a home for the EMU failed. The CEPG reached agreement with leasing company Eversholt Rail to preserve withdrawn 321440, which has been in store at Harry Needle Railroad Company’s facility at Worksop since in November 2021, having come off-lease with Greater Anglia. CEPG chairman Brad Wright told Railways Illustrated that he had searched extensively for a site to base the Class 321. Initial agreement was reached with two potential homes, but both subsequently fell through. The plan for the unit involved it being cosmetically restored, with parts being used for a community café, events space and a museum display. He said…

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THE RAIL Accident Investigation Branch has released a report into the buffer stop collision at Enfield Town station almost two years ago. The accident happened at 8.21am on October 12, 2021, as an Arriva Rail London service worked by London Overground Class 710 electric multiple unit 710124 hit the buffer stop at a speed of 7.7mph. The collision resulted in the train riding up onto the buffer stop, coming to a rest with its leading wheels about 800mm above the rails. Two of the 75 passengers on board sustained minor injuries. The RAIB investigation found that the train had been travelling at a speed of 10mph when it was 69 metres away from the buffer stop. Despite briefly applying the brakes on the Class 710 EMU, the driver took no…

TRANSPORT FOR London unveiled three of its trains in celebratory pride vinyls in advance of the London Pride celebrations at the beginning of July. The colourful wraps were applied to the entire length of London Overground Class 378 electric multiple unit 378205, while Elizabeth line Class 345 EMU 345055 has also received a similar livery style to the two driving vehicles at either end of the nine-coach train. London Underground engineering department battery locomotive L51 has also been wrapped, as has a London doubledecker bus. It has been funded by Arriva Rail London, MTR Elizabeth line, Hayley Rail, Abellio and Global, in conjunction with TfL. TfL said that the design was shaped by the lived experiences of the LGBTQ+ community, reflecting the diversity of London, and that it will be seen…

TRANSPORT FOR Wales has announced a five-step improvement plan for rail services on the Wrexham to Bidston Borderlands Line, following reliability issues with the recently introduced Class 230 bi-mode trains on the route. The new trains, which went into operation earlier this year, have suffered from poor levels of availability, causing a number of services to be substituted by buses. TfW bought five three-coach Class 230s from now-defunct train builder Vivarail, with the trains converted from redundant former London Underground D-78 Stock. Numbered 230006-230010, they were previously maintained at Chester depot, but maintenance and stabling has now been transferred to Birkenhead, which is closer to the trains’ operating route. Reliability has been a problem, while the trains have also struggled to maintain the timetable. TfW is working with Network Rail…

Class 730/0s built by Alstom will enter traffic on London Northwestern Railway services between London Euston and Milton Keynes Central from the autumn. West Midlands Trains ordered 36 three-car electric multiple units from Alstom – later amended to 48 trains – for use on its cross-city services in Birmingham, which are operated by West Midlands Railway. However, WMT will put the trainsin to traffic initially on its London Northwestern Railway operations to replace seven four-car Class 319s that remain in service. The leases on these EMUs have recently been extended until September, however, WMT engineering director John Doughty told Railways Illustrated that the veteran EMUs would soon require a major overhaul that could not be justified, when speaking at a Class 730 preview event at Milton Keynes Central on June…

The clear-out of Freightliner’s stored Class 86/6s is underway following the removal of 86622 to mainline Europe, with Railways Illustrated sources stating that the fleet is understood to have been sold for further use to a Bulgarian operator. It is understood that all of the remaining stored Class 86/6s have been purchased by Express Services and will be moved across to Bulgaria at a rate of three locomotives a week, with the first example, 86622, beginning its journey on July 7. The 16 locomotives involved are 86604/605/607-610/612-614/622/627/628/632/637-639. It is currently unknown if some of the locomotives are to be reactivated for further use in Bulgaria, or whether they are to be used as spares donors, or a combination of the two. The Freightliner Class 86/6s have been in store at…

CLASS 221 20/6 - 37601 + 221143 7E18 09.50 Central Rivers-Crofton. 22/6 - 37601 + 221142 8Q60 09.56 Worksop-Central Rivers. CLASS 318 3/7 - 37884 + 318260 5Q06 09.11 Kilmarnock Bonnyton-Yoker. 3/7 - 37884 + 318267 5Q08 13.58 Yoker-Kilmarnock Bonnyton, CLASS 319 26-27/6 - 319429 Northampton Kings Heath-Sims, Newport by road. 28-29/6 - 319012 Northampton Kings Heath-Sims, Newport by road. CLASS 321 27/6 - 37884 + 321409 + 321432 5Q76 21.42 Worksop-Sims, Newport. 29/6 - 37884 + 321406 5Q76 21.42 Worksop-Sims, Newport. 13/7 - 37884 + 321424 + 321436 5Q76 21.42 Worksop-Sims, Newport. CLASS 458 Driving motor 67606 from 458506 returned from Kilmarnock Bonnyton to Wimbledon by road in late June after repairs, having been away since February. The unit had been reformed by June 26 and undertook a test…

Arriva Traincare The remains of long-stored 08442 were unexpectedly extracted by road from Eastleigh on July 3, previous indications being that it would only be exiting the Arriva depot in a skip! However, the shunter is part way there, now being no more than a cab and chassis, with all other bodywork and internals removed. Taken to Tyseley, where it was unloaded the next day, its wheelsets and traction motors would seem to be the only thing of value. Beacon Rail Deliveries of the Class 18s are nearing completion following the arrival of 18013 at Wolverton Works on June 13, with 18014 following from the Burton upon Trent workshops of Clayton Equipment on July 12. HNRC The four-year residency of 08877 at Cardiff Tidal came to an end on July…

THE DELTIC Preservation Society is looking forward to the prospect of having all three of its Class 55s back in service over the next few months, with plans also in place to progress the main line recertification of 55019 Royal Highland Fusilier. DPS chairman Murray Brown told Railways Illustrated that the serious failure of main line flagship locomotive 55009 Alycidon while working a charter in March 2019 had cost the society more than £100,000 in lost main line bookings, leading the society’s committee to decide that it needed to look at the recertification of 55019 to provide a second locomotive for resilience should one not be in service. 55019 remains in good operational condition but has not worked on the main line under its own power since 2005. Mr Brown…

WATERMAN RAILWAYS Heritage Trust Class 25 D7659 is spending two months on the Llangollen & Corwen Railway while locomotives from the Llangollen Diesel Group fleet are out of service undergoing repairs. The two-tone green Class 25 is usually based at Rowsley South, on Peak Rail, Derbyshire, but has spent the summer making working visits to the North Norfolk Railway and the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway for their diesel events. It was delivered to Llangollen on July 18 and was expected to remain on the North Wales heritage railway for two calendar months before a scheduled return to Peak Rail on September 18. It is expected that the Class 25 will play a starring role in the L&CR’s autumn diesel event over the weekend of September 16/17. Further details still to…

AHEAD OF its Summer Diesel Gala, the East Lancashire Railway hosted an ‘Echoes of Laira’ evening photographic charter featuring the Diesel Traction Group’s visiting Class 42 Warship D821 Greyhound, which was displayed alongside ELR resident locomotives Class 35 Hymek D7076, Warship 832 Onslaught and Class 52 Western D1041 Western Prince. The Hymek was returned to service in time for the start of the diesel gala, having been out of use undergoing an engine overhaul and other repairs for the past five years, while the visit of the DTG Warship provided the perfect opportunity to pose the four diesel-hydraulics together at the ELR’s Baron Street Locomotive Works on the evening of June 28. The four locomotives all carried matching BR blue colours, reminiscent of the final days of the diesel-hydraulics on…

Have you ever wished you could see some of your favourite black-and white photographs taken many years ago in colour, breathing new life into the original image? Gone are the days when they had to be painstakingly hand-coloured; there are now numerous websites, photo editing software and online tutorials available to produce authentic colourised pictures. As the process is digital, the original image is not affected in any way. I have seen some excellent results produced from a number of different sites, but the one I have used for the last couple of years or so is ColorizePhoto.com In common with other systems, it can automatically produce a colourised image instantly, which is ideal for portraits as it can take the guesswork out of selecting realistic skin tones and the…

It has been six years since Realtrack released its first batch of Class 156 diesel multiple units to considerable acclaim, the model originally debuting in First ScotRail and ScotRail Saltire liveries, which were later followed by Provincial and East Midlands Trains examples. Coinciding nicely with this sixth anniversary is the third batch of releases, this time around encompassing Strathclyde PTE orange/black, Northern Rail purple/blue and Northern white/blue. All three liveries have been patiently awaited and so, to meet demand, there are three different units in the classic PTE colours and two each of the ubiquitous privatisation schemes. Taking the Strathclyde units first, pictured here is 156502, which has Glasgow Central and Stranraer Harbour as destinations on the headcode blinds. This unit is one of the most travelled of the Metro-Cammell-built…

JUSTOVER a month after Great Western Railway opened Reading Green Park station, the operator opened Marsh Barton in Exeter on July 4. Situated on Riverside Valley Park, Exeter’s largest trading estate, the unstaffedtwo-platformstationcost£16 million to build and has been delivered by Devon County Council in collaboration with Network Rail and GWR. It will be served by hourly GWR services between Paignton and Exmouth, with additional services during morning and afternoon peak times, providing improved links between Alphington, Marsh Barton and the Riverside Valley Park. Two accessible step-free platforms, linked by a pedestrian overbridge, feature ticket vending machines, smart ticket readers, waiting shelters, live departure screens and help points. The station was officially opened on July 3 by Transport Secretary Mark Harper and local resident Ben Roberts-Mitchell at a ceremony attendedbythoseinvolvedinitsplanning…

THE FIRST tri-mode Class 93 arrived at Harry Needle Railroad Company’s Worksop depot on July 1. Owned by Rail Operations Assets Ltd, 93001 is the first of an initial batch of 10 Class 93s built by Stadler in Valencia, Spain. Following factory testing, it was moved by ship to Port bury Docks in Bristol, where it arrived on June 28 before being taken by road to the HNRC depot. Industry stakeholders have been visiting the Class 93 while initial training is conducted on the locomotive. The Class 93s are part of the Stadler EuroDual platform. They have a 110mph maximum speed and feature electric, diesel and battery power, weigh 86 tonnes and have a route availability of seven. On electric power they can provide a nominal electric power of 4MW via…

THE FIRST of the Hitachi-built Class 810 bi-mode trains destined for future use with East Midlands Railway was finally released from Newton Aycliffe on July 14, having first appeared outside the assembly plant back in January. GB Railfreight provided 47749 City of Truro and 56081 to top-and-tail the five-car set to Old Dalby to commence full running trials over the test track. A total of 33 sets, to be branded Aurora, are on order for use on the Midland Main Line, where they will ultimately replace the Class 222 Meridians on all inter-city services. Due to the restricted length of platforms at St Pancras International and the desire for 10-car operation, the Class 810s have been redesigned to make each coach more thab 6ft shorter than the Class 800-802 series,…

MORNING AND evening peak-hour train services on London North western Railway’s Marston Vale line will resume this autumn, followed by the reintroduction of a full timetable from January 2024. The Marston Vale line between Bedford and Bletchley has been without a passenger service since December 1 last year, when train building and maintenance company Vivarail entered administration. The Class 230 diesel multiple unit trains in use were immediately withdrawn from service with LNR, as Vivarail was also responsible for maintenance of the trains, with their reinstatement under different maintenance arrangements quickly ruled out. Staff employed by Vivarail at Bletchley depot were made redundant by the administrator. The reliability of the three dedicated trains had also caused problems for the operator due to the number of times engines needed to be…

THE RAIL Accident Investigation Branch has confirmed it is investigating a derailment on the Nottingham Express Transit tram system that caused disruption to services for more than a week afterwards. On June 12, a tram travelling from Hucknall to Toton derailed on a set of facing points on the approach to Bulwell tram stop. The tram struck an overhead line stanchion, which fell and came to a rest leaning against the tram. The NET tram – Alstom Citadis 232 William Ivory – was travelling at about 19mph. About 30 passengers were travelling at the time and two people, including the driver, suffered minor injuries. Repairs to the infrastructure were completed for services to recommence through Bulwell on June 23.…

57004 has become the first Class 57 to be broken up for scrap. The Class 57/0 left Crewe Diesel Depot on July 5 for the Stafford scrapyard of Watsons and Sons, with the stripped bodyshell being dismantled immediately following its delivery to the yard. The locomotive was sold by Direct Rail Services, initially to Locomotive Services Group at Crewe. However, it was subsequently sold to Great Western Railway as a spares donor locomotive to aid its fleet of four Class 57/6 locomotives used for the Night Riviera sleeper services between London Paddington and Penzance. The Class 57/0 was extensively stripped at Crewe by GWR staff several months ago and has been awaiting a movement for scrapping since final spares recovery was completed. 57004 was one of the initial six Class…

Major expansion for TfW 197s The beginning of July brought the passenger debut of the first three car Class 197s, with July 2 seeing 197110 work 1K50, the 08.57 Chester to Crewe, which was then followed by 197112 forming 1D48, the 15.00 Crewe to Chester. This heralded a significant increase in the number of the CAF-built units available for traffic with Transport for Wales, which was set to double the size of the accepted fleet to more than 30 by the end of July. Two-car 197043 made its passenger entry with 1F99, the 14.43 Chester to Liverpool Lime Street on June 30 and on July 3-11, 197001/016/020/042 and 197104/111 had all joined it. ETCS-fitted examples 197030 and 197031 were moved separately from Donnington to Wolverton via an over night stay…

THE FIFTY Fund and the Class 50 Alliance are hosting a special evening with former Laira Depot area fleet manager Geoff Hudson at the Severn Valley Railway on September 9. Mr Hudson has spent more than 50 years in the rail industry and became well-known for his efforts to support Class 50 operations when the locomotives were being run down by British Rail. He is also well-known for the assistance he offered to various Class 50 preservationists in securing locomotives for preservation when they were withdrawn. The talk and presentation by Mr Hudson, titled Fifty Years of Fifties, will feature personal highlights of his career and some previously untold stories. The evening also takes a look at the history of the Class 50s, from their introduction to the final years…

THE THIRD operational preserved short-formed high speed train was officially launched into service on July 8/9, with strong passenger loadings once again showing their popularity. The 125 Preservation HST features former East Midlands Railway and Colas Rail Freight Paxman VP185 engine-fitted power cars 43045 The Grammar School Doncaster AD 1350 and 43060 County of Leicestershire, along with former LNER prototype Mk.3 Trailer Standard coaches 42355 and 42357 (originally 42000 and 41002 respectively) andfirst-builtproduction Trailer Restaurant First Buffet 40904 (originally40001), which was las toperated by Great Western Railway. The train is based on the Nene Valley Railway. The two power cars and TRFB usually based at the RailWorld site at Peterborough when not in use and the two TS coaches are normally stabled at Overton station on the NVR. The five…

THE NORTH Yorkshire Moors Railway diesel fleet has been boosted following the purchase of 31466 from the Dean Forest Diesel Association by NYMR supporter and benefactor Peter Best. Announcing the purchase of the EWS red and gold-liveried Class 31/4 on Facebook on July 3, Mr Best said: “It would appear that inexplicably I have just gone and bought a diesel! So, welcome 31466 to the fleet. It’s a 1959-built Brush Type 2 and will be based on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.” It arrived at the NYMR on loan from the DFDA on June 20, having spent the last two years on loan to the Severn Valley Railway where it was used on engineering duties while 33108 was overhauled. It was originally expected to return to the Dean Forest Railway…

A FORMER Brighton Belle driving coach which spent more than half a century located alongside a Derby shire pub will be restored to its former glory by its new owner. The coach has been bought by Carriages of Cambridge, where it will be used as part of a business that specialises in luxury afternoon and cream tea experiences. It is destined to eventually join three other former railway carriages now in static use at the business in Fen Drayton, Cambridgeshire. It was moved from its long-term resting place in June, and new owner Michael Attle explained to Railways Illustrated that it will be restored on his Bannold Supplies site, with work due to start over the coming months. The coach is in reasonable condition, despite having been out of use…

D2420 – Rowsley: After several years in British Railways green, the sole-surviving Class 06 is being repainted back into BR blue. 09001 – Rowsley: The engine is being stripped down on the Class 09 in order to replace the cylinder liner O-rings. D8568 – Kidderminster: The locomotive suffered a very minor exhaust fire on June 15 while working the 11.15 Kidderminster to Bridgnorth train on the Severn Valley Railway. The locomotive was able to return, albeit slightly late, on the booked 13.25 back to Kidderminster, although running only on one engine. At Highley, the Class 17 was shut down and piloted by stand by locomotive 33108, which then completed the day’s diagram. Repairs were quickly and successfully undertaken, and the Clayton was back in action the following day on the same…

As operations director for Network Rail’s North and East Route, I’m lucky enough to be responsible for some of the most scenic routes in the North of England. One of my particular favourites is the freight-only line that runs from Airedale into Wharfedale. The route connects Skipton with Tarmac’s Swinden Quarry in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Confusingly, the quarry is known as Rylstone Quarry to the railway industry, even though it lies closer to Cracoe village. Clear? No, me neither! The line runs through the lovely landscape made famous in the 2003 film Calendar Girls. It’s single-track, nine miles long and freightonly, running a circuitous route, and was once the branch line to Grassington and Threshfield. Passenger services were withdrawn from Grassington as long ago as September 1930, although…

→ The East Lancashire Railway reopened its first four miles between Bury and Ramsbottom in 1987, extended four more miles north to Rawtenstall in 1991, and then completed its next four miles from Bury to Heywood in 2003. It boasts one of the largest collections of main line diesel locomotives based on a heritage line and our next Preservation Profile takes a look at those locomotives which come under the umbrella of the Bury Diesel Group. → Ian Williams has gained an enviable reputation for his metalwork and fabrication skills, which he has used in the restoration of several heritage diesel locomotives. Andy Coward went to meet him to find out more about the work he does and looks at one of his current projects – the rebuilding of the…