UNITS
David Russell
JOB DONE: European Railway Traffic Management System testbed No. 313121 is now in store at Eastleigh Works, the unit running as the
5Z31/11.06 from Ferme Park (North London) on May 28. The ‘313’ had been used to test various ERTMS technologies on the Hertford Loop line between Hertford and Stevenage. It is pictured running to Eastleigh along the South Coast line on the approach to Farlington Junction, between Havant and Cosham, in Hampshire – pantograph-fitted units being very rare in this part of the country. George Browning
DMU CLASS 150 ‘SPRINTER’ HYBRID set No. 150209, which is made up of cars Nos. 57209 and 57212 (their original partners having been written off in accidents in the late 1980s) has joined the Northern fleet and ran from St Philip’s Marsh (Bristol) to Newton Heath (Manchester) on May 20. Heading the opposite way in exchange was No. 150207, which formed the 5Z50/14.05 Newton Heath-St Philip’s Marsh on May 22. CLASS 153 ‘SUPER SPRINTER’ THREE of Great Western Railway’s Class 153s have been handed back to Angel Trains and transferred to Northern. Nos. 153305/373 ran their last service with GWR on May 11 (the 2M67/18.52 Paignton-Bristol TM), with No. 153380 being added at Exeter. Three days later they ran to Neville Hill (Leeds), with No. 153380 continuing to Heaton. CLASS 156 ‘SUPER SPRINTER’ AWAY at Wolverton since January 29, No. 156452 returned to Allerton on May 7 following refurbishment and application of Northern colours. ScotRail’s No. 156439 was released from refurbishment on May 12, forming the 5D56/09.34
Glasgow Works-Corkerhill. No. 156437 arrived at Glasgow Works later that day. CLASS 165 ‘TURBO’ ON May 2, No. 165129 ran from Reading to St Philip’s Marsh for C4 overhaul. Seven days later, No. 165132 (which is the only ‘165’ to have received ride height modifications to date) was sent to Wolverton for its C6, with No. 165126 moving the opposite way as the 5V65/05.11 Wolverton-Reading. CLASS 166 ‘TURBO’ MAY 4 saw No. 166204 undertake a gauging run (5Z44/20.53 St Philip’s Marsh-Fareham and 5Z45/00.38 Fareham-St Philip’s Marsh the next morning), covering various lines/ platforms around the Southampton and Eastleigh areas. CLASS 170 ‘TURBOSTAR’ GREATER Anglia’s No. 170272 formed the 5K70/09/00 Norwich Crown PointCrewe CS on May 14, with No. 170271 returning to Norwich from Crewe after refurbishment later that day. CLASS 180 ‘ADELANTE’ NEWLY-refurbished for Grand Central, No. 180104 emerged on May 3 and formed the 5Q80/10.14 Arriva Eastleigh-Bounds Green. It had been out of action since December 2017. Moving in the opposite direction later that day
as the 5Q81/14.13 Bounds GreenArriva Eastleigh was No. 180103. Services on the East Coast Main Line were disrupted on May 10, when No. 180110 suffered a fire while working the 1A93/10.30 Hull-King’s Cross. A broken fuel line is believed to have been the cause. The unit was subsequently moved to Welwyn sidings.
EMU CLASS 319 THE last of Northern’s white Class 319s, No. 319368, ran from Allerton to Wolverton for attention on April 23. Following application of Northern’s new colours, it returned to its home depot (as the 5N36/10.10 Wolverton-Allerton) on May 19. Other units returned to Allerton after repainting in the preceding weeks had been Nos. 319367 (April 28) and 319377 (May 12). Still carrying TSGN livery, No. 319446, which had been brought out of Long Marston in April, was moved from Wolverton to Allerton by No. 37884 on May 17. Earlier the same day, the ‘37’ had been used to move No. 319372 from Long Marston to Wolverton. Two other sets, Nos. 319002/008, emerged from Long Marston on May 4 and were moved to Wolverton by No. 57301 for re-activation. It is expected that they
will add to the London Northwestern fleet, joining No. 319220 which emerged from Wolverton, still in TSGN colours, in mid-April. CLASS 321 THE 16th unit to emerge after ‘Renatus’ treatment, No. 321310, was released from Wabtec on May 3, when it formed the 5L50/09.46 Doncaster West YardIlford. No. 321320 was sent away to Doncaster for attention the same day. CLASS 323 FOLLOWING the opening of a new station in 2016 and electrification of the Lickey incline, Nos. 323206/222 became the first EMUs to reach Bromsgrove, when, on May 20, they formed the 5T78/19.09 SohoBromsgrove, after which they made several trips to Birmingham New Street. The introduction of passenger services is not expected to take place until July 29. CLASS 345 ‘AVENTRA’ NEW units which have emerged from Bombardier, Derby in recent weeks and taken to Old Dalby for testing have been Nos. 345037 (hauled by No. 37601 Perseus) on April 25, followed by No. 345039 on May 2 and No. 345040 on May 3, both moved by the same loco. No. 37800 took No. 345038 to Old Dalby on May 8, and No. 345041 on
July 2018 RAIL EXPRESS 91