Operations Track Record
a 32-minute deficit and was terminated at Fareham with the return 20.26 starting there.
There were more troubles for Southern, Gatwick Express and Thameslink earlier in the day when flooding was a concern between Clayton and Patcham Tunnels after the recent rainfall. Some services were terminated or diverted via a reasonable route. The 13.15 Victoria to Littlehampton got diverted to Eastbourne with the 15.13 return working starting from Brighton. The 13.46 Victoria to Littlehampton was diverted via the Arun Valley with the return working running on its booked route. The main line was reopened in time for the evening peak.
On January 20, a points failure at about 12.00, at Wivelsfield, between Brighton and Haywards Heath, had a knock-on effect for services on the West Coastway between Brighton and Southampton Central which extended into the late afternoon. Traffic problems in the Southampton area, partially caused by the effect of the major landslip at Hook, near Basingstoke, also affected trains throughout the area.
Late running of the 10.28 service between Southampton Central and Brighton meant that stopping patterns were changed, with the calls at Goring-by-Sea and West Worthing cancelled. Our correspondent’s intended arrival at Goring-by-Sea at 11.47 was at 12.30, after two changes, at Barnham and Angmering. Later in the day, the 14.30 from Brighton to Southampton Central was delayed by 15 minutes at Worthing, and eventually terminated at Fareham at 16.08. The following 14.51 service from Brighton to Littlehampton was held at Arundel Junction for 15 minutes and further delays continued throughout the afternoon.
The 15.30 service, which left Brighton 27 minutes late, and similar 16.30 service also terminated at Fareham, also 32 minutes late. The Class 377 sets all returned to Brighton from Fareham, roughly as scheduled. Timetabled services through Fareham were resumed about 18.30.
Observed on January 19 were unit Nos. 377142+387223 at Preston Park working the 13.09 ECS move from Brighton to Selhurst.
Class 313 Nos. 313202/11/ 14/17 are at Eastleigh being decommissioned prior to scrapping whilst the rest are still in operation until the May timetable. A draft copy of the new timetable for May shows all the Class 313 diagrams replaced by Class 377/3s for the West Coastway services including services from Littlehampton.
All Class 313s will be scrapped, except for ‘celebrity’ No. 313201, which is to be preserved by the NRM.
The 11.57 Portsmouth to Littlehampton on February 8, formed of Class 313 No. 313216 was taken out of service at Littlehampton on February 8 with a number of faults including door issues, and was replaced by No. 313207 which arrived from Brighton Depot to work the 13.09 service to Bognor Regis. Meanwhile,
No. 313216 was taken to Brighton Depot for attention.
Class 377 No. 377159 was seen on a test run from Brighton Depot to Brighton Depot via West Worthing on February 8.
Movements of the Class 701 units reported included No. 701033 being relocated from Worksop to Derby on January 11 by Class 47 No. 47739. New No. 701051 was delivered to Eastleigh from Derby on January 20, hauled by Class 47 No. 47727 now sporting a new blue livery, seen passing through Market Harborough. The same loco took No. 701052 on the same route on January 24.
The following day, the Class 47 took No. 701019 from Eastleigh TRSMD to MoD Marchwood for secure storage, followed the next day by Nos. 701016 and 701022.
On January 30, Class 47
No. 47739 took No. 701049 to Marchwood and Nos. 701038 and 701045 the next day, with No. 701032 following on February 8. Two further moves from Worksop to Derby saw
No. 701040 hauled by Class 47 No. 47727 on February 2 and
No. 701002 by Nos. 47727+ 47749 on February 6.
On Sunday, January 15, a landslip near Hook, in Hampshire, damaged the down lines from London Waterloo to Basingstoke. No trains were running on the line due to planned engineering work.
Network Rail asked passengers not to travel between
London and south or west of Basingstoke on January 16. Although initially the landslip was expected to have an impact on journeys until the end of service on Sunday, January 22, the problems continued beyond then. On Friday, January 27, a review of services at Hook showed that although there was an approximate hourly service up to Waterloo, no trains were stopping in the down direction.
New SWT unit No. 701018, running as 5Q62, passed Fareham at 10.22 on January 20 on a proving run from Southampton via Eastleigh to Haslemere and Staines. This was possibly the first sighting of one of that class in Fareham.
The scheduled possession between Havant and Guildford on January 21, was cancelled in favour of the major work to repair the landslip at Hook, near Basingstoke.
Class 701 No. 701037, with Arterio branding, was noted from a passing train on Wednesday, January 25, in the carriage siding at Wokingham, the victim of a graffiti attack.
Charter Trains
GBRf Class 56 Nos. 56081+ 56098 top-and-tailed ‘The
Class 56 Farewell’ specials on January 14: 1Z56/07.24 Wembley Central-Leicester via Oakham,1Z57/10.49 LeicesterBarrow Hill, 1Z58/13.36 Barrow Hill-Spring Bank South Junction, 1Z59/15.39 Spring Bank South Junction-Peterborough and 1Z60/19.31 PeterboroughWembley
Central. The following day, the same two Class 56s worked the coaching stock back to base ECS as the 5Z61/12.16 Wembley Yard-Burton-on-Trent Wetmore.
On a day of no WCML passenger services and few freight operations on Wednesday, February 1, WCR’s black liveried LMS ‘Jubilee’ 4-6-0 No. 45699 Galatea (running as No. 45627 Sierra Leone) along with a maroon Mk.1 support coach and Class 47 No. 47802 worked the 5V42/08.27 from Carnforth to Southall.
Scrap metal trains reported between Cardiff Tidal and Sunderland include No. 66144 on January 19; No. 66142 on January 24; No. 66127 on January 31; and No. 66142 on February 2.
Two trains passed an icy
South Greenford station in quick succession on Friday, January 20. First was the 4V27 from Quainton Railhead to Acton Terminal Complex, headed by Class 66
No. 66190, with 66199 at the rear. Less than 20 minutes later, No. 66188, in EWS livery but with large DB logos, followed on the 6O98 from Park Royal Marcon to Angerstein Wharf. The following day, Nos. 66199 and 66087, both in EWS livery, were seen at Drayton Green, top and tailing the 4V27 from Quainton Railhead to Alexandra Dock Junction.
On January 23, the 4O39 from Morris Cowley M.A.T. to
Southampton Eastern Docks was seen passing Tilehurst station behind Class 66
No. 66027.
The ‘Bin-Liner’ train 6C03 from Northolt Sidings to Severnside SITA was observed passing Tilehurst station behind Class 66 No. 66068 on Monday, January 23.
Class 66 Nos. 66097+66129 were seen passing Worthing on January 24 top-and-tailing the 21.21 Eastleigh to Haywards Heath long welded rail train.
On Wednesday, January 25, Class 66 No. 66105 was seen passing platform 13 at Reading station at the head of the 6M78 from Tytherington to Quainton Railhead. Class 66 No. 66415 You Are Never Alone, in orange livery, was seen passing Acton Main Line station, on the up goods line, at the head of the 4L36 from Wentloog to Felixstowe North Freightliner Terminal Intermodal, on Monday, January 9. A Class 66 double-heading with a Class 59 may now be the normal traction for the jumbo trains from Merehead Quarry. On January 9, Class 66 No. 66564, with recruitment poster, and Class 59 No. 59103 Village of Mells, in Hanson livery, were seen in the yard from the platform at Acton Main Line station having arrived on jumbo train 6A09 from Merehead Quarry. On the same day, and still at Acton Main Line, Class 59 No. 59004 Paul A Hammond, in Aggregate Industries livery, was seen pausing on the down goods loop for a crew change when working the 6Z60 from Neasden Charrington to Merehead Quarry. Jumbo train 7A09 from Merehead Quarry to Acton Terminal Complex was seen passing Hanwell station on Friday, January 13, hauled by Class 66 No. 66506 Crewe Regeneration and Class 59 No. 59203, in orange livery. FL orange and black liveried Class 90s Nos. 90011+90016 pulled a set of empty container flats on Tuesday, January 17, on a 4S52/07.44 from Crewe to Coatbridge. On Thursday, January 26, this same working of empty flats was headed by Nos. 90011+90005+90016 although only the leading loco had a raised pantograph. On Monday, January 23, orange liveried Class 66 No. 66605 was seen passing Twyford station working light engine as 0V18 from Allington Hanson Aggregates to Whatley Quarry. Class 66 No. 66603 was seen pausing for a crew change by Reading platform 13 on Monday, January 23, whilst working the 6B11 from Willesden Southwest sidings to East Usk Yard. Class 90 Nos. 90013+90014 were sighted passing through Stockport and not on the Styal Line, working a diverted 4M87 Felixstowe to Trafford Park Freightliner on February 2.
Consecutively numbered Class 90s Nos. 90003+90004 pulled a set of empty container flats on Tuesday, February 7 from Crewe (4S52/07.45) to Coatbridge. When seen passing through Lancaster at 09.30 both locos had raised pantographs.
Class 37 No. 37218 and Class 57 No. 57304 Pride of Cheshire
top-and-tailed a Network Rail yellow liveried coach on January 19, on a 6Z79/12.51 from Derby to Motherwell.
The 4S43/06.24 Daventry to Mossend Tesco morning container service is usually fully loaded but on Tuesday, January 24, this service was only partly loaded being pulled by Class 66 Nos.66423+66427.
A 6K05/12.33 Carlisle to Crewe engineer’s train on Tuesday, January 24 comprised of 14 low sided mineral trucks was pulled by Class 88 No. 88007 Electra.
On a day of very few WCML freight workings on Wednesday, February 1, the 4S43/05.25 Daventry to Mossend Tesco container service passed through Lancaster 67 mins early pulled by consecutively numbered DRS Class 66s Nos. 66122+66123. A few minutes later in the opposite direction the 4M27/05.46 Mossend to Daventry container train pulled by Class 88 No.
88002 Prometheus passed through Lancaster on time at 08.50.
Whilst Friday, February 3 saw limited rail traffic movements, Class 88 No. 88007 Electra pulled TPE Class 68 No. 68021 Tireless
running as 0Z21/09.29, a light engine duo from Carlisle to Crewe.
Class 68s Nos. 68001+68016 pulled a single flask payload on Saturday, February 4, on a 6K73/08.29 from Sellafield via Barrow to Crewe through Lancaster at 10.16. A little later at 10.38, also seen passing through Lancaster, the 4S63/06.46 Daventry to Mossend Tesco container train was pulled by consecutively numbered Class 68s
Nos. 68006+68007.
After the RMT and ASLEF strikes on January 5 and 6, Intermodal freight began to reappear in Harwich Parkeston Quay yard on January 8 and 9 with movements, on notably 4Z28 from Wembley Yard, arriving at roughly 07.30 with No. 66747 Made in Sheffield taking over and moving it round to Felixstowe Port later in the morning. Nos. 66723 Chinook arrived as 0L23 from Whitemoor LDC and No. 66782 on the 0P41 from Ipswich to Harwich PQ yard, taking 6R43 round to Felixstowe while its run mate went round to the Harwich Refinery to create the 6P41 consist of empty condensate tanks to North Walsham. It turned out to be a double-run week with No. 66782 returning from loaded tanks on January 10 and repeated the run on the following two days. On January 13, a rare light engine movement was booked in the schedules under 0Z92 from Willesden Railnet sidings to Harwich International by Class 92 No. 92023. On the day, its normal duty – the overnight Caledonian Sleeper run into Euston turned out to be two hours late – and with numerous enthusiasts along the GEML route to the N.E. Essex port worried that the diagram would be cancelled at the last minute, it was with relief from all that 0Z92 was activated some 90 minutes late and the Caledonian Sleeper-liveried locomotive duly began its booked trip – only the second time the Class has been seen at Harwich – the first being an organised railtour in 2009. Captured en route by many railway photographers, it passed through Manningtree at 12.54 and made Harwich International platform 3 by 13.10, where it spent 30 minutes before returning as a 0Z93 to Willesden Intercity Depot. That weekend, on January 14, the stopover intermodals materialised in Harwich Parkeston Quay yard again and No. 66701 arrived with 4L28 (Doncaster) at a belated 14.20, nearly an hour behind schedule, while No. 66756 Royal Corps of Signals brought 4A03 round from Felixstowe later in the evening, the latter then leaving early on Monday, January 16 as 4S53 bound for Tinsley and the former taking 4R43 round into Felixstowe at 09.30. Two days later on January 18, No. 66715 Valour – In Memory of All Railway Employees Who Gave Their Lives For Their Country was sent over from Peterborough MPD as the usual 0P41 to take charge of 6P41 empty tanks to North Walsham, returning with the loaded set the next day before departing back to Peterborough. If the Harwich Refinery to North Walsham tank run works just once a week, it is normally a Wednesday out and Thursday return but on Thursday, January 26, No. 66718 Sir Peter Hendy CBE arrived at the Refinery gates, seemingly sent over from Felixstowe, and took the 6P41 to the Norfolk repository of the condensate gas from the North Sea oil wells and, with a stopover at North Walsham overnight, returned to the North East Essex refinery on the following day with 6A32. The normal exit route would be 0E06 to Peterborough MPD later that same evening but
unusually the Class 66 remained parked up at the west end of Harwich Parkeston Quay over the weekend and made its exit on Monday, January 30 as a double-header attached to stopover intermodal 4R43 round to Felixstowe with No. 66701.
Another stopover in Harwich Parkeston Quay yard that weekend was a 4Z03, hauled by the white-and-blue liveried No. 66780 The Cemex Express, arriving from Peterborough Virtual Quarry at around 16.30 on January 28, and leaving for Felixstowe as a 4Y66 on
January 30 at 10.45.
Although February 1 was an ASLEF strike day, the cross-country route from Peterborough via Ely and Haughley Junction onto the GEML was operational and
No. 66747 Made in Sheffield, dispatched from Peterborough MPD in the early hours, provided the traction on the empty condensate tanks from the Harwich Refinery to North Walsham as 6P41, returning the next day with the loaded consist and exiting back to Peterborough light engine as 0E06.
February 4/5 saw two weekend stopover intermodals arriving in Harwich Parkeston Quay yard with No. 66780 hauling 4L03 (Doncaster i-Port) at roughly midday and No. 66702 Blue Lightning an hour later with 4L28 also originating from Doncaster i-Port. Both left on February 6 with No. 66702 at 09.30 and
No. 66780 at 11.00, bound on the horseshoe-shaped trip round to Felixstowe port via Ipswich, yet bizarrely both ports are visible to each other over the half-mile stretch of the Stour-Orwell estuary.
On Monday, January 9,
Class 56 No. 56081, looking smart in BR blue livery, was seen pausing on the up goods line at Acton Main Line when heading the 5Z56 from West Ruislip LUL Depot to St Leonards Railway Engineering Ltd. The train consisted of the London Underground 4-TC coaches.
Class 66 No. 66736 ran a rake of empty wagons from Wakefield Kirkgate to Llandudno on January 16, where it was loaded with slate and then returning to Bescot. The following day the consist went forward to Walsall behind
No. 66736 where it was emptied, and the train then went through to Peterborough. The diagram was repeated on January 30/31, worked throughout by
No. 66762.
The second new working into the former Leyland Motors site started on January 18 from Rylstone, taking eight-and-a-half hours and powered by Class 66 No. 66793. It went through Skipton up to Blea Moor to run round then had a one-hour layover at Hellifield. It then waits for an hour at Farington for a path and goes to Springs Branch to run round before coming back north and reversing into the siding about 16.40.
An unusual MoD move on January 18 found Class 66
No. 66742 work from Doncaster IPort to Kineton. The following day it took a consist from Kineton to Bicester then ran light back to Kineton prior to working a consist south to Marchwood. A change of loco followed on January 24 when No. 66705 worked a rake back from Marchwood to Kineton.
Class 66 No. 66730 pulled a short train of high-sided wagons on Tuesday, January 31, on a 6G04/09.01 from Longtown
MoD to Kineton MoD. This train was held in the up loop at Outbeck (south of Lancaster) to allow AWC’s London-bound 1M10/09.36 worked by Class 390 No. 390128 to overtake.
Just after midnight on Saturday, February 4, a 6C01/19.20 to Kineton MoD train of empty container flats, pulled by Class 66 No. 66745 was looped into platform 3 at Lancaster. This was to allow the 1S55/23.32 Warrington to Shieldmiur mail train, worked by two unidentified Class 325 units, to overtake at 00.09 using the down through mainline. On February 3, No. 66745 took a consist north from Kineton to Carlisle, going forward to Glen Douglas and back to Carlisle the following day.
A visit to London Bridge station on a cold Friday,
January 20 found a Snow and Ice Treatment Train at platform 10. This was the 3Y90 from Tonbridge West Yard to Purley Down Siding via Horsham,
West Croydon and Oxted. On departure from London Bridge the train was formed of Class 73 No. 73141 Spa Valley Railway, + YXA 99 70 9594003-4+YXA 99 70 9594 007-5, with No. 73201 Broadlands at the rear.
On Wednesday, January 25, Class 66 No. 66770 was seen passing Staines station at the head of the 6Y48 from Eastleigh East Yard to Hoo Junction Up Yard.
A new flow commenced on January 26, conveying concrete segments between the Isle of Grain and West Ruislip hauled by Class 66 No. 66726. A further consist was reported on January 30 with No. 66301 in charge.
Towards the end of January, it was reported all Class 69 rebuilt locomotives were to be taken out of traffic and be returned to Progress Rail, Longport.
The exact reason this decision has been taken is not clear, some reports indicating the problem was a due to noise and vibration levels in the cab.
A press release, said to have been issued by GBRf read:
“GBRf Class 69 – Following introduction of the Class 69, and learning from the initial service phase of operation as well as build, GBRf and EMD are taking an opportunity of a change in traction requirements following winter operations to carry out a number of reliability, build quality and cab improvements to the Class 69 fleet. These improvements include to the cab environment, new driver’s seat, build quality and arising work. We are working with our supplier EMD to complete this as quickly as possible as a fleet wide program.”
Nos. 69007+69003+ 69001+ 69006 went north from Tonbridge to Peterborough on February 1, to await forwarding to Longport. Two days later
Nos. 69002+69004 ran direct from Tonbridge to Longport.
GB Railfreight has announced a 10-year deal with leasing company Akiem which will see 11 EMD Class 77 and 66 diesel locomotives transferred from Continental Europe to the UK between January 2023 and May 2024. The Class 77 is a European Class 66, which can be assumed to be redesignated as Class 66 once the out of gauge air conditioner is removed from the cab roofs.
Container loading on the daily 4S47/10.44 Hams Hall to Mossend service continues to be light. On Tuesday, January 24 this service, pulled by Class 66 No. 66782, comprised of just four yellow containers. Three days later, on Friday, January 27 this working, pulled again by
No. 66782, conveyed just three containers.
Class 60 No. 60096 was sighted passing through Stockport with 6E24 Liverpool - Drax Aes Loaded Biomass service on February 2.
On Friday, February 3, Class 66 Nos. 66728+66768 top-andtailed two High Speed Milling vehicles on a 6X69/07.54 from Bescot to Carlisle. Two days later, the same locomotives topand-tailed a track maintenance machine from Shap to Bescot.
GBRf has taken over the scrap trains formerly worked by DB Cargo with Class 66 No. 66788 on a Doncaster-AttercliffeLiverpool diagram on February 7 and No. 66773 on a LiverpoolSwindon-Liverpool diagram the following day.
There is a freight working that runs most days, from Shap stone quarry to a stone plant at Ashton, just south of Wigan, not far from Golborne, hauled by a Class 60 or 66. The train was observed on February 9, worked by Class 66 No. 66762. The train runs from Shap to Tuebrook Sidings, next to Edge Hill station, where the train splits, due to siding length at Ashton, and reverses to head back towards Wigan, where it turns south at Ince Moss Junction, using a rarely used freight line, to Bamfurlong Junction on the WCML where it then turns on to the freight line to the quarry. This line used to run through to St Helens back in steam days. The train is then propelled back to the stone terminal where unloading takes place. Once the train gets back to Tuebrook Sidings, the loco brings the other half of the stone train to Ashton to unload. Unloading at the Ashton terminal takes around three hours. Colas Rail Class 56 No, 56094 pulled a train of 12 grey liveried ‘Land Recovery’ trucks from Ravenstruther to Longport 6M38/09.41 on Thursday, January 12. Three days later, on Sunday, January 15, the same loco pulled a similar set of empty wagons on a 4C30/10.33 from Longport north via Stokeon-Trent to Carlisle. Through the following week a set of loaded ‘Land Recovery’ wagons was moved to Longport from Ravenstuther on a 6M38/09.43 pulled by an unidentified Class 70. On Wednesday, January 18, the 6M38 working was pulled by Class 70 No. 70806 which passed through Lancaster 162 mins early at 13.31. On Sunday, January 15, Class 70 No. 70814 pulled five empty log carrying trucks on the 171 mile journey on the 6C02/12.47 from Doncaster to Carlisle via Wakefield, Burnley and Shap. On the following day, and again on January 18 and January 20, the same locomotive pulled the southbound loaded log train the 6J37/13.50 from Carlisle via Shap to Chirk. On the afternoon of Sunday, January 29, Class 70 No. 70810 whilst running light on a 0Z98/09.10 from Grangemouth to Bescot, was held in the up
goods loop at Lancaster. This was to allow AWC’s Glasgow to Euston (1M12/11.35) worked by Class 390 No. 390112 followed by the 9M55/11.55 AWC’s Glasgow to Euston operated by No. 390121, to take the main line ahead of No. 70810 which moved off at 14.08. Meanwhile, at the same time, Class 70
No. 70809 passed heading north to Carlisle from Longport with 14 empty ‘Land Recovery’ mineral wagons.
HNRC’s Class 37 No. 37405, on hire to Colas Rail, was seen passing through Stockport while working 6C96 Crewe Basford
Hall to Bolton Autoballaster wagons for the overnight Network Rail Engineering Works on February 2.
The daytime Ravenstruter (6M38) to Longport southbound loaded mineral train was for much of January hauled by a Colas Class 70 locomotive. However, on Monday,
February 6, this service was pulled by Colas Class 56
No. 56094. On the following day this service reverted to
Class 70 haulage with No. 70814 in charge.
The Chirk to Carlisle (6Z37) empty log wagon train normally runs overnight but on Tuesday, February 7, this northbound working of 20 trucks, pulled by Class 70 No. 70806, ran in daylight to arrive at Carlisle
Colas Yard at 11.50. On January 17, Class 47 Nos. 47826+47832 took six coaches from Carnforth to Assenta Rail at Hamilton for CET (Controlled Emission Toilet) fitting, returning later in the day with three coaches whose conversion had been completed.
The 6M89 Middleton Towers to Ravenhead sand train hauled by Class 56 No. 56091 on February 4 failed at Bryn station, Merseyside at around 17.43 with adhesion problems around five miles off its destination. Faced with a continual climb for 2-3 miles it became obvious the train would not be able to reach its destination. The problem was solved the following day by reversing the train to Ince Moss and then splitting the train in two and taking each half through to Ravenhead.
Locomotive Services Ltd
During the week commencing January 16, Locomotive Services ran a special from Crewe to Carlisle and back with Class 47 No. D1935 (47805) hauling a rake of immaculate Mk.2 coaches, believed to be a driver training turn. However, on Thursday, January 19 this ECS service was top-and-tailed by D1935 along with ScotRail liveried No. 47712 Lady Diana Spencer. On the following day the diagram reverted to being pulled by just No. D1935. LSL Blue Pullman liveried Class 43s Nos. 43047+43059 plus matching coaching stock ran ECS on Thursday, January 26 on a 5Z43/09.32 from Crewe to Carlisle and back. This working also ran again on the next day when the Crewe-bound returning service 5Z43 arrived in Lancaster at 15:36 and was held in the up-loop line. This meant AWC’s 1M14/13.35 from Glasgow Central worked by Class 390 No. 390010 and Northern’s 1U01/14.47 from Barrow-in-Furness to Manchester Airport worked by Class 195 units Nos. 195109
Pride of Cumbria and 195120 could, after calling at platform 4 in Lancaster, take the main line south ahead of the Blue Pullman ECS train.
Class 73 Nos. 73109 Battle of Britain 80th Anniversary and 73213 Rhodalyn in top-and-tail mode visited Littlehampton twice during the afternoon of January 18, working the Tonbridge to Tonbridge via Littlehampton, Bognor Regis and Havant Snow and Ice Treatment Train and not long after leaving Littlehampton after its second trip, an unidentified
GMV arrived working a Horsham to Horsham SITT trip. The
Class 73s appeared again at Littlehampton the following day on a similar working while the GMVs were Nos. DR92958+ DR92908 working a Horsham to Horsham via Littlehampton, Bognor Regis and Havant.
On Monday, January 23,
Class 37 No. 37099 was noted, from a passing train, at the head of a Network Rail test train in Reading Triangle Sidings.
Colas Rail Class 37 No. 37421 plus another unidentified
Colas Class 37 top-and-tailed a rake of three yellow Network Rail overhead line inspection coaches on Tuesday, January 24, on a 1Q18/19.55 from Preston north to Mossend via Larkhall, Newton and Glasgow Central. When seen pausing at signal PN226 south of Lancaster at 20.38 one coach had a raised and illuminated pantograph.
On February 1, an ASLEF drivers’ strike day, the Network Rail Engineers’ train 1Q18
Ferme Park to Clacton-on-Sea still ran with Colas Class 37
No. 37219 Jonty Jarvis and loaned-in HRNC-owned 37612, but because of no hourly passenger services on the Harwich branch line it made an early 20 minute arrival at Harwich Town at 15.20 and instead of the normal 30 minute wait before returning set off back down the branch to Manningtree with a quick fiveminute turnaround.
Our thanks
THE Railway Magazine’s thanks for information go to: Mike Blechley, Gene Collins, Mike Cooper, Christopher Horne, Barry Knock, Sean Morris, Richard Moxon, Roger Phillips, Mark Reynolds, Craig Wellum and Chris West.