Rail Express - November 2015 - preview

40 PAGES OF MODELLING

■ Heljan Met electrics ■ MGR coal train guide ■ Prototype HST in ‘N’ News, inspiration and reviews ■ LMS ‘twins’ in ‘00’

INSIDE THE MMT Onboard Network Rail’s new track maintenance unit

Essential reading for today’s rail enthusiast

‘CLAYTON’ATSTARS SVR GALA

Network Rail ‘unpauses’ TPE and MML electrification www.railexpress.co.uk

RAIL EXPRESS No. 234 NOVEMBER 2015 £4.30

UNIQUE SURVIVOR DRAWS THE CROWDS

NRM 40 YEARS 1 RAILCELEBRATES EXPRESS XXXXX 20XX

VT East Coast power car named and reliveried

0-60: WE HAVE A NEW LEADER LONDON OVERGROUND FOCUS Siemens Class 380 ‘Desiro’ makes it look easy

The past and future of this unique operation

2 RAIL EXPRESS November 2015

CONTENTS

Issue No. 234 November 2015

‘47’ LEAVES FOR HUNGARY: The former No. 47375 is pictured leaving Nemesis Rail in Burton-on-Trent on October 5, bound for a new life in Hungary with Continental Rail Solution. CRS provides freight and passenger services in the Eastern European country, and the ‘47’ – now numbered No. 047-375 – will join ex-pat ‘56s’ and ‘86s’ already in use over there with open access operator Floyd. By October 6, the loco was already noted in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Rob Reedman

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HEADLINE NEWS

Network Rail releases three route studies for southern England; TPE and MML electrification ‘unpaused’; West Coast Class 37 starts Cambrian ERTMS trials; details of next East Anglia franchise announced; NRM celebrates 40 years; Virgin combines East and West Coast routes.

‘CLAYTON’ STARS AT SVR GALA

A rare visit allowed the unique Class 17 to stretch its legs at the Severn Valley Railway.

A WORKSHOP ON WHEELS

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29 30 71

DERBY TRAINMAN & REVIEWS

Part 9 finds Tim Helme in the relative safety of the cab for once when things go wrong.

EXPRESS MAILBAG TIME TRAVELLER

News from November over the past 50 years.

75

PRESERVATION

80

POWER BY THE HOUR

82

POWERSCENE

90

UNITARY AUTHORITY

93

SHUNTER SPOT

94

COACH COMPARTMENT

95

WAGONS ROLL

96

IRISH ANGLE

FIVE DECADES APART AT HELLIFIELD

Two views at the Yorkshire junction showing how seemingly little has changed in 50 years.

MODELLING With MGR coal trains introduced 50 years ago, we profile the iconic HAA hopper wagon.

New launches include the prototype HST in ‘N’ gauge and Class 71/74 in ‘OO’; while we review Rails’ LMS ‘twins’, Hornby’s Sentinel shunter, and Heljan’s Met electrics.

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Introducing District Line ‘S’ Stock; Hellfire Corner

FOCUS ON LONDON OVERGROUND

0-60: CLASS 380

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LU WORLD

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The Siemens ‘Desiros’ in Scotland blow away the competition when it comes to fast starts.

£21.50

1960s Old Oak; copping ‘DELTIC’; North Berwick

A look inside the first of Network Rail’s new Mobile Maintenance Trains, which are set to revolutionise track maintenance work.

This unique operation has lines all around the capital, and more will be added soon.

FROM ONLY

RAILTOURS

Tweedbank tour cancelled at last minute due to lack of timings; GBRf ‘47s’ in the spotlight;

Tulyar prepares for main line; another ‘37/4’ leaves preservation; two more locos for Sharpness.

Caledonian ‘ED’ debuts; Colas takes over NR test train contract; DB Schenker Class 58s up for sale.

Our class-by-class round up of notable workings.

Class 321s leave LM; ‘170’ becomes ‘168’.

DB Schenker puts 10 more shunters up for sale.

Blue Pullman Mk.2 back in action for rugby specials.

Long-stored china clay CDAs go for scrap.

Government looks at expanding Dublin services.

The Diesel Traction Group’s unique Class 17 ‘Clayton’ No. D8568 pulls into Bewdley on October 2, to form the 11.53 shuttle to Kidderminster. The loco was a star performer at the SVR’s autumn gala – see pages 14/15 for more details. Paul Bickerdyke

Editor’s Comment PRINT & DISTRIBUTION Newstrade & distribution COMAG, Tavistock Road,

Paul Bickerdyke

West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE. 01895 433600 Printed by William Gibbons and Sons, Wolverhampton Published Third Thursday of every month

Rail Express Editor

This issue October 15, 2015 Next issue November 19, 2015

Northern electrification back on the cards

T

he end of September brought the welcome news that electrification of the trans-Pennine route between Manchester and York and the Midland Main Line north of Bedford are to go ahead after all, albeit with a delayed timetable.

Both schemes were shelved in June in the face of rising costs and a crackdown on spending now that Network Rail’s debt is on the Government’s books. But Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said on September 30 that both could now proceed.

Cynics point out the announcement was just a week before the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, where traditionally they do not receive the warmest of welcomes. But the key thing now is that electrification of these lines does actually happen, because cities like Sheffield, Manchester and Leeds are crying out for extra rail investment. The trans-Pennine route in particular is desperate for more capacity and faster journey times, something that is a key link in the Government’s often cited desire for a ‘Northern Powerhouse’.

The downside is that the timings have slipped.

Electrification will only reach Corby in the current Control Period, which ends in 2019. Sheffield and the trans-Pennine route will have to wait until the early 2020s. All of which means there is still plenty of time for the schemes to slip back yet again.

The NRM at 40

On a brighter note, the National Railway Museum has just clocked up 40 years in York, during which

time it has gone from strength to strength.

Now three times larger than when it was opened, plus with the Locomotion outstation in Shildon, it houses an important collection of exhibits reflecting the role that railways have played in our country’s past.

Ignoring the vast amounts of money that have been put into returning steam loco No. 4472 Flying Scotsman to working order, some of which could arguably have been spent better on other projects, the museum now has a fine collection of modern traction exhibits, including locos and units that would otherwise have been lost forever. Indeed its latest acquisition just a couple of months ago brings it right up to date in the form of a Eurostar Class 373 power car.

But it would be nice to see more of the modern traction collection working again rather than just being static exhibits. How about pioneer Class 40 No. D200 for its 60th anniversary in 2018? That would be nice, but sadly not very likely.

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Rail Express is pleased to consider contributions for publication Please do not send images that have already been sent to other publications. Prints & slides are sent at the owner’s risk and must be accompanied by a SAE for return. Digital images can be sent by email, but please bear in mind we may not be able to reply to every one, as we receive hundreds of images each week. Although care will be taken with submissions, Rail Express assumes no responsibility for loss/damage, however caused. Submitted material may also be used in connection with other Mortons Media Group projects or as content on the internet. Payment for material used will be made promptly. Please send digital submissions to RailExpressEditor@mortons.co.uk or via CD or DVD to the editorial address. IMPORTANT: Images should be

‘Clayton’ success

Speaking of preserved diesels, the Diesel Traction Group and Severn Valley Railway are to be commended for giving the sole surviving Class 17 a run out at the SVR gala early in October.

Despite the type’s reputation, the loco was in fine form and crowds flocked for the rare chance of a decent length run behind it. See pages 14/15 for more details.

Paul Bickerdyke

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REDCAR STEEL WORKS BLOW: Thailand-based multinational SSI said in

September that production at its plant at Redcar on Teesside was to be paused, before later announcing that it would actually be closed with the loss of 1700 direct jobs and a huge blow to the local economy. October brought a glimmer of hope, as at least one potential buyer was in talks with the receiver about taking over the plant after the Government refused to get involved. A question mark also hangs over the small eet of ten Di 8 shunters specially imported by GBRf from Norway in 2011 after it won the contract to operate the internal railway, which carries molten steel in torpedo wagons between the furnaces and casters. This is a view of Di 8 No. 8.703 at SSI Redcar on September 28, 2013. Duncan McEvoy

HEADLINE NEWS

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Network Rail releases three route studies for the south of England

More capacity will be needed on the main lines and commuter routes to Paddington, Waterloo and Victoria.

By ‘Industry Witness’ ROUTE Studies produced by Network Rail have set out a number of options for the development of train services operating on Great Western, Wessex and Sussex lines.

The biggest changes will be on Great Western, where the 30 year timescale anticipates the opening of the Old Oak Common HS2 hub station in 2026, with connections to the wider network. It is also anticipated that extension of the Heathrow Airport branch to reach the South Western main line will take place in this timescale.

In addition there will be improved connectivity with London Overground services, with the opening of adjacent stations at Hythe Road on the West London Line, scheduled for 2021, and Old Oak Common Lane on the North London Line planned for 2026.

Judgments are to be made about the originating points of future services, and NR has put forward the option of through services from locations such as Southampton and Brighton. The former would see trains routed via the new connection to Heathrow Airport with a possible extension to Paddington.

Access from the Brighton main line looks more problematic, as it

would involve movements via the West London Line, which is not possible with the current layout at Clapham Junction and would add to the demand for paths in the area.

CROSSRAIL 2 A NECESSITY

There are many capacity constraints elsewhere, including the continuing growth in passenger numbers at Thames Valley stations. Electrification and Crossrail will bring significant improvement, but if no further changes are made, it is anticipated that within a decade passengers may have to stand in peak periods from destinations as far away as Oxford and Newbury.

The expansion of London’s population will bring a necessity for Crossrail 2. This will divert many passengers currently using main line stations and the London Underground to reach employment and retail centres.

The new route is mainly in tunnels and will link Wimbledon with the Great Northern line at New Southgate and the West Anglia line at Tottenham Hale. Network stations served would include Clapham Junction, Victoria, Euston/St Pancras and Dalston Junction, with intermediate stops at Tooting Broadway, King’s Road Chelsea, Tottenham Court Road, Angel, Seven Sisters, Turnpike Lane, and Alexandra Palace.

THAMES VALLEY AND BEYOND

The Western route study identifies that while there are many positive benefits from the initial Crossrail line currently being built, it has brought the operating problem of confining longer distance Thames Valley services to the main line infrastructure.

Therefore extra capacity will be needed in the future to cater for 24 trains per hour between Paddington and Reading, with all services including the IEP Class 800 trains running as 12-car formations at 125mph. This will require substantial modification to the track layout approaching the terminus, with the prospect of a flyover at Ladbroke Grove.

The scale of operations in London and the volume of passengers make it is easy to crowd out essential needs to serve other population centres and communities, but this is addressed by the study.

In Devon, there is the provision for re-opening the line from Plymouth beyond Bere Alston to Tavistock and improvements to Exeter feeder services.

The existing pattern of through operation between Barnstaple and Exmouth will change, with the Barnstaple trains operating to Honiton or Axminster at a frequency of two per hour. Exmouth will be served instead by through working from Paignton,

again with two trains per hour.

The growth in commuting in the Bristol area is also reflected in future plans, with the development of the Cheltenham Spa to Bristol Parkway/ Temple Meads and Taunton corridor with added frequency.

MORE THIRD RAIL CAPACITY

Both the Wessex and Sussex studies reflect the ever growing demand for travel into Central London during the morning peak. Current plans envisage that by 2023, no fewer than 64 trains per hour will run on six tracks into and out of Waterloo. Of these, 26 will be operated on the fast, 20 on the Windsor and 18 on the slow lines.

There is also the retrograde suggestion that rolling stock provided for longer distance Wessex services will need to be configured with 3+2 seating. This ignores research that has shown that many passengers prefer comfortable standing space rather than cramped seating.

The core route covered by the Sussex study is the Brighton line. Here major works are proposed at East Croydon to provide grade separation for trains running to London Bridge and Victoria. Paths for an additional four trains per hour are to be created combined with the use of ETCS (European Train Control System) digital signalling. E

FGW BECOMES GWR: With the start of a three-and-a-half year franchise extension on September 20, First Great Western changed its name to Great Western Railway, reflecting the history of the lines from Paddington to the West. The franchise was due to be re-let in April 2013, but in January that year the Government suspended the competition and later awarded First Group an extension through to March 2019. This will cover the period of electrification to the Thames Valley, Bristol and Swansea, as well as the introduction of new Hitachi Class 800 and 801 ‘Super Express Trains’. To coincide with the rebrand, a number of locos, units and stock have received the new GWR green livery, including No. 57605 – seen passing Bolitho, Cornwall, on September 26 with the 15.40 Penzance-Laira empty sleeper stock – and HST power car No. 43188 – seen at Cardiff on September 22.

Ron Westwater / Leigh Canterbury

8 RAIL EXPRESS November 2015

HEADLINE NEWS

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IN BRIEF BR BLUE FOR ALYCIDON The Deltic Preservation Society’s main lineregistered Class 55 No. D9009 Alycidon is to be repainted in BR blue over the winter.

The work will be done at RVEL in Derby, and has been made possible by DPS member Neil Mewes of Avocet Travel Management sponsoring the bulk of the cost. The repainting will involve two-pack application for durability.

The locomotive will carry its TOPS number No. 55009 and should be completed in time for the society’s AGM at the NRM in York next March, when it is planned to have it on the turntable for exhibition.

The loco has carried BR two-tone green since 1998 after the extensive body overhaul at ICI, Wilton, on Teesside.

BURY EMU FACES SCRAP SLEEPER ‘73’ HEADS TO SCOTLAND: The first of GBRf’s re-engineered Class 73/9s, intended to displace Class 67s on Caledonian Sleeper services north of Edinburgh, ran north from Loughborough to Craigentinny (Edinburgh) on October 6. The loco, No. 73966, ran with Type 5 No. 66732 for company and marked a very rare, if not unprecedented, visit of a ‘73’ on the East Coast Main Line through Newcastle. The move is pictured at Browney, south of Durham. Steve Porrett

Trans-Pennine and Midland Main Line electrification set to be ‘unpaused’

Electrification of lines in the Midlands and North will now go ahead, but will not be completed until the next financial Control Period beyond 2020.

By ‘Industry Witness’ NETWORK Rail has completed an initial review of the electrification projects that were paused in June and has confirmed that the Midland Main Line and trans-Pennine projects will go ahead.

There will be considerable delay compared to the original timescale, however, with only the Midland section between Bedford and Kettering/ Corby being completed by 2019.

Infrastructure enhancement to provide four tracks between Bedford and Kettering will also take place. The extension of wiring to Sheffield and Nottingham will not be commissioned until 2023, pushing the investment into the next regulatory control period.

Similarly trans-Pennine route wiring between Manchester and York/Selby will not be completed before 2022.

This is a key part of the Government’s

SWANSEA IEP DEPOT NEARS COMPLETION: Work to build the

servicing and maintenance facilities for the new fleet of Hitachi Class 800 and 801 trains that will be used on the Great Western routes is nearing completion. Two new depots are being built at Swansea Maliphant and Bristol Stoke Gifford, while at the London end the former Eurostar depot at North Pole is being repurposed.

This is the view of the Swansea facility on September 24, which already has masts for the overhead wires. It is due to be completed next year and become operational the year after. Martin Turner

Northern Powerhouse initiative that will eventually see the full route between Liverpool and Newcastle electrified.

EAST-WEST RAIL SLIPS

No decision has yet been made on timing to complete the East-West reopening between Oxford and Bletchley and the associated ‘Electric Spine’ project. This is intended to provide overhead catenary from Southampton to Oxford to link with the East-West to Bletchley and Bedford, which will be similarly equipped and engineered to convey 9ft 6in high containers on standard height container flat wagons. The conversion of the third-rail power to overhead lines between Southampton and Basingstoke is also part of the project.

The Department for Transport has confirmed a direct award to Stagecoach to extend the current Midland Main Line franchise. A new

contract will commence on October 18 through to March 4, 2018 with the option of continuing for a further year.

Premium payments of £150 million have been agreed, with a commitment to £13 million investment in Wifi, better train catering on the Norwich to Liverpool route, and improved passenger assistance arrangements.

Weekend services are to be enhanced between Nottingham and Newark Castle with improved journey times between Nottingham and Lincoln.

There will also be a need to provide electric rolling stock, given the decision to extend overhead wiring to Kettering and Corby by 2019.

Stagecoach is also one of the short listed bidders for the next TransPennine Express franchise, along with First Group and a Keolis/Go-Ahead joint venture. The TPE franchise is due to commence in April 2016.

THE East Lancashire Railway is considering scrapping the only remaining Class 504 EMU after failing to find anyone with an active interest in the vehicles. The unit has been left unrestored at the ELR’s Buckley Wells Yard for more than 12 years, and the railway now needs the siding space for other projects.

The ‘504s’ were third-rail units unique to the Bury-Manchester line, but were withdrawn when the line was converted to tram use in the 1990s. Vehicles Nos. 65451 (Driving Motor Open Brake Second) and 77172 (Driving Trailer Second) are all that remain of the once 26-strong fleet of two-car sets that operated the services for 32 years.

FIRST TRAIN VENTURES ONTO BICESTER CHORD SEPTEMBER 28 saw the first train traverse the Bicester Chord, which allows trains from Marylebone to reach Oxford. The first train passed at 06.58 formed of an eightcar Chiltern DMU, which marked the start of a month of driver training ahead of the reintroduction of passenger services from October 26. The idea for the new link was first conceived in 2002.

DIVE-UNDER FOR WERRINGTON NETWORK Rail has decided to progress a dive-under rather than a flyover at Werrington Junction, three miles north of Peterborough on the ECML where the Spalding line diverges.

The down slow line would dive under the remaining tracks and travel in a cutting before going under the A15 dual carriageway and rising to join the Spalding line. This is to avoid the conflicting movements for services accessing the GN&GE Joint line to Doncaster and so improve reliability for ECML services.

NR will apply to the government to progress the scheme, which it would like completed in 2020.

BORDERS RAILWAY IS A RUN-AWAY SUCCESS DEMAND to use the Borders Railway since it opened on September 5 has been a huge success, with ScotRail reporting 23,500 journeys in the first week and 125,000 in the first month.

The TOC has had to find additional units to strengthen services, notably the 16.24 Edinburgh-Tweedbank. Such is the intensity of service provided that charter operators have to give 18 weeks’ notice to ScotRail so that arrangements can be made to cancel timetabled services to make a path.

November 2015 RAIL EXPRESS 9

HEADLINE NEWS IN BRIEF STIRLING AND SUNDERLAND SET TO HAVE VIRGIN SERVICES STARTING on December 14, Virgin is introducing an extra through service from Stirling to King’s Cross. Leaving at 05.26, it arrives in London at 10.52 and will be formed of a HST. The return leaves at 15.00 to arrive in Stirling at 20.16.

Meanwhile, also starting on December 14, is a Virgin service from Sunderland to King’s Cross, competing with Grand Central.

It departs at 05.40 and arrives in London at 09.08; the return leaving at 20.00 with a Sunderland arrival at 23.22.

The trains run via Newcastle, whereas Grand Central’s rival service runs via Stockton and Northallerton.

CANARY WHARF CROSSRAIL STATION FITTED OUT THE Canary Wharf Group has completed construction of Crossrail’s Canary Wharf station four months ahead of schedule, and has handed over the ticket hall and platform levels to Crossrail for fitting out with signalling, tunnel ventilation, platform screen doors, overhead line equipment and communications equipment.

The station, retail and park areas are six storeys high and 256 metres long. It will provide a new link between Canary Wharf and Poplar, and includes links to the Canary Wharf Estate, via Adams Place and the Jubilee line and DLR stations.

SCOTRAIL SEEKS DRIVERS

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West Coast Railways ‘37’ starts Welsh ERTMS trials

No. 37668 became the first non-Network Rail loco to operate west of Shrewsbury in trials of new ERTMS signalling equipment.

IN the early hours of September 10, West Coast Railways’ Type 3 No. 37668 became the first non-Network Rail loco to work over the ERTMS-fitted Cambrian lines when it ran light engine from Machynlleth to test out its newly installed signalling equipment, writes Richard Jones.

The loco had worked light engine from Tyseley to Shrewsbury Coleham the evening before, and was dragged from there to Machynlleth by NR Type 3 No. 97304.

After the last service train from

Aberystwyth arrived and went on shed, so dropping off the ERTMS, No. 37668 moved into Platform 1 and at 01.09 it set off towards Tywyn for the first night of tests – although it did not get far as it came to a stop on the pointwork at the west end of Machynlleth station.

Night-time tests continued until September 21 when No. 37668 worked back to Welshpool and from there it was assumed dragged back to Shrewsbury Coleham two days later.

The West Coast loco has been

fitted with a new underframe fuel tank at its No. 2 end that leaves room for the ERTMS balise-reading equipment. It is also reportedly equipped with Hitachi production ERTMS equipment, unlike the Hitachi prototype equipment in No. 97301.

If successful, the trials could open the door to allow further locos to work between Shrewsbury and Aberystwyth/Pwllheli, such as on charters, which at the moment have to be hauled by one of Network Rail’s yellow Class 37s No. 97301-97304. E

Right: WCRC’s No. 37668 stands at Machynlleth in the early hours of September 10, waiting to start its ERTMS testing.

Richard Jones Below: A shot of the underframe showing how the fuel tank has been adapted to fit the balisereading equipment.

Richard Jones

AS part of an expansion of planned services, ScotRail is seeking up to 100 new drivers. The TOC is looking to hear from “enthusiastic, reliable candidates with excellent attention spans, experience of safety-critical roles and a passion for customer service”.

Trainee drivers will be paid £24,559 during their first year of intensive training, gradually increasing to £43,212 following a probationary period.

NETWORK RAIL FACES REVIEW SINCE Network Rail’s finances were placed under Government control last September, thus preventing NR from using the private sector to borrow funds, the brakes have been applied to major projects whilst a review is conducted. The Midland and Trans-Pennine electrification projects were paused until recently (see page 8).

Nicola Shaw, who runs the HS1 route, has been asked by the Government to conduct a structure and financing review, which could entail complete privatisation options. This review is expected next spring.

Network Rail’s new chairman Sir Peter Hendy is also looking at what it can afford to upgrade and how long it will take.

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Details of next East Anglia franchise announced Bidders will need to run more services into Liverpool Street, introduce new stock and run at least one daily return service from Norwich to London in 90 minutes.

By ‘Industry Witness’ THE invitation to tender for the East Anglia franchise due to commence in October 2016 has been published, with bidders required to submit proposals

by December 17 for a contract that will continue until 2025.

There are a number of changes required to the timetable, and rush hour capacity on Liverpool Street services must be increased from 23,400 to 25,950 seats by 2019. This is part of a requirement to run an additional 180 weekly services, which include frequency improvements at weekends and providing services on Boxing Day. The future timetable from May 2019 at the latest must provide three trains

per hour between Norwich and Liverpool Street, four trains per hour between London and Southend Victoria, three trains per hour serving Hertford East, and a new hourly operation between Norwich and Stansted Airport. Through services between Lowestoft and London are also to be restored.

Bidders who are able to introduce these train service enhancements before May 2019 will receive additional quality scores in the franchise appraisal process.

The aspiration to achieve a 90 minute journey time between Norwich and London, and a 60 minute schedule from Ipswich, is confined to a single daily return working. Even this will be difficult to achieve given a largely two-track route and a high level of capacity utilisation.

Modernisation of level crossings will also be required, which is not currently part of Network Rail’s investment plans.

Rolling stock to be used is a matter of choice for the three bidders, who are First Group, National Express, and the current operator Abellio making a joint submission with Stagecoach.

It can be expected that the Class 90-hauled Mk.3 formations will be replaced during the period of the future franchise.

Whether new trains, such as from Hitachi’s AT series, or cascaded Class 91+Mk.4 sets displaced from the East Coast Main Line will be used will depend on each bidder’s preference. But rolling stock must be equipped with ETCS equipment to allow in-cab train control.

November 2015 RAIL EXPRESS 11

HEADLINE NEWS IN BRIEF ELECTRIFICATION GO-AHEAD FOR GOSPEL OAK-BARKING AFTER years of campaigning, the Gospel Oak-Barking line is to be electrified. The contract valued at £57 million to energise the 13-mile line has been awarded to J Murphy & Sons Ltd. The work, due to start next year, will take one year to complete.

The present service is operated by eight two-car Class 172 DMUs. It will also allow freight haulage to go over to electric traction. Since privatisation (previously Network SouthEast), franchise holders have been North London Railways, National Express (operated under the Silverlink name), and since 2005 Transport for London (operated under the London Overground name).

See also the London Overground focus article on p18.

SEA STOPS ‘VOYAGER’ THE 1V65 17.07 CrossCountry service from Manchester to Plymouth fell victim to sea water ingress whilst passing Dawlish at approximately 22.00 on the evening of September 13. A wave of sea water covered the unit’s roof and shorted out electrical equipment.

After considerable delay, the 36 passengers and three crew were transferred to the following 1V68 13.49 Glasgow-Plymouth, arriving at Plymouth three hours late. The recalcitrant ‘Voyager’ was rescued at 07.20 the following morning.

The same evening saw torrential rain which flooded four properties in Brunswick Place, Dawlish to a depth of about 12 inches (30cm), necessitating assistance from Fire & Rescue.

MERSEYTRAVEL PLANS £400M UPGRADE A NEW fleet of EMUs to replace the ageing Class 507 and 508 units is the centrepiece of a planned £400 million upgrade. The investment programme also includes track improvements, power supplies and a new repair depot.

Merseytravel wants to buy the new units – as yet not chosen – rather than lease them, this being the most cost effective way of renewing the fleets. The units will be dual voltage and these new trains will be maintained by the builder.

The units will be driver-only, with no guards, and some 200 staff will be displaced, but there will be 70 new customer-facing staff.

RUGBY CASUALTY AT TWICKENHAM STATION SOUTH West Trains services were disrupted by two-and-a-half hours at Twickenham after the Rugby World Cup opening match on September 18, when a 56-year-old fan from Crewe fell from Platform 3 in front of an approaching EMU at about 23.00.

He suffered head and leg injuries and was treated at the scene and later taken to St George’s hospital.

London Ambulance service said the man was thought not to be critically injured. Thousands of fans were returning by train after England defeated Fiji 35-11 in the opening match.

12 RAIL EXPRESS November 2015

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NRM celebrates 40 years York museum milestone marked with HST naming.

THE National Railway Museum notched up 40 years in York at the end of September, and the milestone was marked with the naming and new-look livery of a VTEC HST power car.

The NRM, which is part of the British Science Museum Group and home to the National Collection of railway vehicles, first opened its doors on September 27, 1975. It now owns more than 100 locomotives and nearly 300 items of rolling stock, representing the history and development of Britain’s railways.

The museum first opened in the rebuilt former steam shed north of the station, combining the collections previously housed in a smaller building south of the station and those on display at the museum in Clapham, South London. Since then, the museum has expanded to include the former diesel depot alongside and the former goods depot on the other side of Leeman Road.

The roof of the original Great Hall building was replaced in 1990-92, when the secondary turntable was also removed. The main turntable survives, however, and is still regularly used for public demonstrations and for shunting locos in and out of the Great Hall.

Although originally mainly steambased, there is now a mixed collection with modern traction exhibits. The museum also boasts a specialist library and research centre, called Search Engine, while shuttle rides are sometimes offered in the South Yard as well as on the recently extended miniature railway.

The power car naming took place at York station on September 23 by Virgin Trains East Coast managing director David Horne and the director of the NRM Paul Kirkman, with help from museum volunteers David Eastoe, Peter Brumby and Rob Tibbits who have been there since day one. E

The striking new livery of East Coast power car No. 43238 at York on September 23, about to be named ahead of working the 12.03 to King’s Cross.

Inset: No. 43238’s new nameplate. Both pictures: Paul Bickerdyke

1975: How the museum looked when it opened. There were then only steam locos

around the turntable, while the old steam shed roof and some of the former shed’s smoke exhausts were still in place.

2015: A similar view shows there is now more of a mixture of traction on display, including diesel and electric locos and EMUs. The roof was replaced in 1992.

Virgin combines East and West Coast routes VIRGIN Trains, which has a virtual monopoly on through trains between London and Scotland, has decided to combine its marketing efforts for both the West Coast and East Coast main lines.

Under the strap line of ‘Be bound for glory’, the company aims to show that whatever journey is made, passengers will receive the same customer service, comfort and speed.

These are bold claims given that on the West Coast route, meal options on ‘Pendolino’-operated services are quite different to those worked by ‘Voyagers’, which have a reduced catering capability.

Meanwhile on the East Coast, the different formations provided by Class

91+Mk.4 sets and HSTs again bring a lack of consistency, and meal types offered can range from a fully cooked offering to sandwiches dependent on the time of day.

Integration will also touch on the thorny issue of fares, as research has shown that operating in a monopoly environment on the West Coast without the presence of open access operators has historically led to higher fares than those charged for comparative journeys on the East Coast, where both Grand Central and Hull Trains serve a number of the same markets.

■ VIRGIN LAUNCHES AUTOMATIC COMPENSATION: VT has announced it will now automatically refund

passengers if their journey is delayed on the West Coast Main Line. The scheme only applies to tickets booked through the company’s app or website, and is intended to short-cut the delay claiming procedure. The Government has since urged other train operators to follow suit.

The idea follows the announcement in summer that all delayed passengers now have the right to compensation in cash rather than vouchers. VT will repay the appropriate amount based on the length of delay, which kicks in after 30 minutes, back onto the card used to buy the tickets. The scheme may extended to Virgin’s East Coast service at a later date, and the usual compensation application scheme can still be used.

November 2015 RAIL EXPRESS 13

HEADLINE NEWS

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‘Clayton’ stars at SVR gala

The Diesel Traction Group's unique Class 17 No. 8568 was the star attraction at this year’s Severn Valley Railway diesel gala, the loco making a rare visit away from its home at the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway.

The secondman prepares to swap tokens with the signalman at Highley on October 2 as No. D8568 arrives with the 16.06 Bridgnorth to Kidderminster, which was loaded with a healthy seven coaches. All pictures by Paul Bickerdyke unless stated

By Paul Bickerdyke THE Diesel Traction Group’s Type 1 ‘Clayton’ No. 8568 made a rare visit away from its home base on the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway at the end of September to attend the Severn Valley Railway diesel gala on October 1-3.

The loco has been based at Chinnor since 1992 and has only left once since then, and that was to attend the SVR gala in 1998. It is a unique survivor of

a once 117-strong class (see panel on opposite page), although the locos were one of the least-successful ever to run on British Railways.

The three-day gala attracted crowds hoping for a testing run behind the ‘Clayton’ along the full length of the SVR, and the loco did not disappoint, it managing to survive the whole gala without major incident.

The ‘17’ has been running on a single engine for a long time at Chinnor, but the DTG made sure both engines

Below: A view inside the spacious cab of No. 8568 while the loco was still at Chinnor, showing the excellent forward views over the low bonnet. Phil Marsh

were in action for the SVR gala.

The event also featured four other visiting locos, plus a number from the home fleet. There was an intensive timetable on all days, with five rakes of stock out, plus a short set and a Class 108 DMU doing shuttles between Kidderminster and Bewdley.

The other visitors were ‘Teddy Bear’ Class 14 No. D9531 and ‘Hymek’ No. D7076 from the East Lancashire Railway, the Deltic Preservation Society’s No. 55019 Royal Highland

Fusilier, and the Diesel Traction Group’s ‘Western’ No. D1015 Western Champion.

Representing the home fleet were Class 20 No. D8059 (20059), Class 50s Nos. 50035 Ark Royal and newly repaired 50049 Defiance, plus ‘Western’ No. D1062 Western Courier. Class 08 and 11 shunters Nos. D3201 and 12099 also made an appearance each day on the Bewdley shuttles.

A highlight on the final day of the gala was the pairing of the ‘Clayton’ first with the Class 20 on a Bewdley shuttle and then with the Class 14 on a full return trip. It is thought that the Class 14+17 pairing has only happened once before when the ‘Clayton’ was based at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

The SVR event was the last major diesel gala of the year, although lines such as the Spa Valley Railway, East Lancashire Railway and South Devon Railway are holding diesel-themed events before the end of the year (see Preservation news, page 75). E Left: The ‘Clayton’ doubleheads with Class 20 No. D8059 at Bewdley on October 3 preparing to work the 11.53 to Kidderminster. Martyn Tattam

14 RAIL EXPRESS November 2015

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Other visiting locos included Class 14 No. D9531 from the East Lancashire Railway, seen between workings at Kidderminster on October 2.

‘Hymek’ No. D7076 was also visiting from the ELR, pictured at Bridgnorth with the 14.30 to Kidderminster on October 1. Mike Hemming

The DTG also supplied ‘Western’ No. D1015, seen on October 1. John Pearson

DPS ‘Deltic’ No 55019 at Kidderminster with the 19.35 to Bridgnorth on October 2.

A UNIQUE SURVIVOR CLASS 17s were a bold experiment that, on paper at least, should have been the ideal small, mixed-traffic diesel loco.

The central cab provided excellent all-round vision, avoiding the need for the driver to change ends when changing direction, while the twin engines provided redundancy in the case of failure, such that it could always limp home.

Sadly, the reality failed to live up to the promise, and they ended up as one of the most unreliable and least successful designs ordered by British Railways.

The 117 locos in the fleet were built by the Clayton Equipment Company

in Derby (Nos. D8500-8587) and its subcontractor Beyer Peacock in Manchester (Nos. D8588-8616).

Other single-cabbed locos such as the Class 15 and 16 offered poor driver visibility in both directions, while Class 20s had problems running nose first.

To get round the visibility issue, the ‘17s’ were designed with a low bonnet either side of the central cab, which was made possible by using two 450 horsepower Paxman 6ZHXL six-cylinder horizontal engines, each one driving their own bogie.

They were the only main line locos to have this type of engine, but their

No. D8568 in BR days, wearing its green livery alongside blue classmate No. 8545 plus Nos. 8554 and 8567 at Polmadie on March 1, 1969. DC Collection

unreliability was ultimately to be the locos’ downfall.

The locos were introduced from 1962 to Scotland and the North Eastern Region, although by the time the last one was built in 1965, the entire fleet was based at Polmadie in Glasgow and Haymarket in Edinburgh, with a few at Carlisle Kingmoor. Increasing unreliability led to early withdrawals beginning in 1968 and ending in 1971.

No. 8568 escaped the cull by being sold into industrial use with cement company Hemelite, near Harpenden, in 1972, and from there going to Ribble Cement, Clitheroe, in 1977.

Following a decline in traffic, Ribble sold the loco to the Diesel Traction Group in 1983, and it was originally based at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway – staying there until 1991, during which time it was repainted into BR green livery.

Since then the loco has been based at the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway, where the DTG has steadily restored it full working order.

The groups says that preventative maintenance has made it a reliable loco, something that British Railways could have adopted to make the type far less troublesome.

The loco in industrial use with Ribble Cement at Clitheroe in June 1982, when it was wearing the company’s white livery and logos. DC Collection

November 2015 RAIL EXPRESS 15

ON TRACK PLANT

A workshop on wheels The first of a fleet of mobile track maintenance trains has been commissioned – a self-contained unit that carries all staff, equipment and materials to site then provides a safe working environment within the train itself.

N

ETWORK Rail has commissioned its first Mobile Maintenance Train (MMT), one of eight such three-car sets planned to be introduced to selected areas over the next couple of years. Each MMT provides everything for track maintenance work, including a safe track working environment within the train itself.

The three-car set carries staff, equipment and materials directly to worksites within a possession. In time it will allow adjacent open line working, but for now is restricted to use within total possessions.

The three cars comprise a Traction and Supply Unit (TSU),

Intermediate Car (IC), and Mobile Maintenance Unit (MMU). The TSU houses staffroom facilities, including a kitchen, washroom and toilet, as well as the main traction engines and an auxiliary engine for onboard power. The IC has a large storage area for tools and materials, while the MMU has expandable walls that create a safe track working area up to 16 x 3 metres.

Traction power comes from two 670 horsepower (500kW) Deutz engines, which supply all four axles in the TSU and give a top speed of 60mph. The auxiliary engine provides 190 horsepower (140kW) to drive all electrical, pneumatic and

hydraulic equipment, and no other petrol or diesel powered equipment is allowed on board.

The IC provides ample storage for equipment and materials, including up to six 45-feet rails stored under the floor. There are also two side lifts for loading and unloading heavy items to rail level, while two overhead hoists run on beams from the IC through to the MMU. These can carry loads up to two tonnes each and are used together for loads over 20-feet.

The MMU is the most interesting vehicle as it provides an enclosed workspace for working on the track while protecting workers from the

weather and adjacent trains.

All lighting and power is provided by the MMT itself, while a ‘creep’ mode allows the train to move along at less than walking pace (1.2mph) to suit rolling jobs such as rail pad replacement. Laser beams protect the working space in creep mode, stopping the train before it can hit anyone in the open space.

The side walls can be extended out in 100mm increments up to 600mm each side, giving ample room to do most jobs. Although it is designed for maintenance rather than track renewal work, the MMT does allow rail sections up to 45-feet to be replaced, making it a flexible tool.

Above: An external view of the MMU with the walls fully extended to position six – which equates to 600mm either side.

Right: A view through the Intermediate Car, with the right-hand lift gate open.

Tools and equipment are stored on both sides, while the hoist runs overhead through to the MMU.

16 RAIL EXPRESS November 2015

Once on site, the driver hands over control to the MMT supervisor, which is run from this desk in the MMU. This is interlocked with the cab so only the driver or MMT supervisor is in control at any one time.

ON TRACK PLANT

Inside the cab at the MMU end. Note the driver sits on the right, while the train has a route availability of seven and a top speed of 60mph.

The TSU contains a staff room and kitchen facilities behind the cab. The corridor leads through the engine compartments to the Intermediate Car. A view of Network Rail’s first three-car Mobile Maintenance Train at its Darlington base. Nearest the camera is Traction & Supply Unit No. DR 97501, then Intermediate Car No. DR 97601 and Mobile Maintenance Unit No. DR 97801.

All pictures taken on September 9 by Paul Bickerdyke.

MMT IN USE

Benefits of the MMT include being able to take all staff, materials and equipment to site in one go, thus avoiding separate trips to set up lighting or take waste items away. It also provides a safe and sheltered environment for workers, while having all tools and equipment to hand no matter where the jobsite is located. In time it will allow fewer total line possessions once approved for adjacent open line working, which Network Rail is currently working towards.

In use, the MMT is driven to a worksite by Network Rail’s operator Colas, then control is handed over

to the train’s supervisor. Interlocking between the two control desks mean that only the driver or supervisor can be in charge at any one time.

The units are manufactured

by Robel in Germany, and similar vehicles are already in use in other countries, although NR’s fleet will be the largest. The first unit – formed of TSU No. DR 97501, IC No. DR 97601 and MMU No, DR 97801 – is based at Darlington. The second should arrive in October and will go to Paddock Wood in Kent, the third in December for Derby, and the remaining five following on to Woking, Retford, Romford, Peterborough and Horsham. E

A view inside the Mobile Maintenance Unit with the side walls partially extended. This provides a protected and sheltered working environment for track workers. The pair of overhead hoists can carry up to two tonnes each or 45-feet rails together.

Up to six 45-feet rails can be stored under the floor of the IC.

The main traction engines are under the floor of the Traction & Supply Unit.

These hydraulic hand tampers are part of the standard onboard equipment.

The lift gates lower to track level for loading and unloading plant and materials.

Power to supply the onboard equipment comes from an above-floor auxiliary engine in the TSU.

November 2015 RAIL EXPRESS 17

OPERATIONS FOCUS

Overground rejuvenates the

London suburbs

London Overground is a unique operation that takes in routes to the north, south, east and west of the capital, all joined by an outer circle line. Rail Express examines the history and future of its growing network.

L

ONDON Overground was born in 2007 when Transport for London took over the former Silverlink Metro routes in North and West London from Richmond and Clapham Junction to Willesden, Stratford and Barking, as well as the DC Line between Euston and Watford Junction.

It was launched by the then Mayor of London Ken Livingstone in a somewhat low-key ceremony at Hampstead Heath station, when he unveiled the new orange-coloured roundels in the same style as London Underground’s classic design.

Despite the understated start, the first full year of operation saw London Overground carry 33 million passengers and record a passenger satisfaction rating of 80%. Growth since then has been spectacular, reaching 53.3 million journeys in 2010-11, then 102.6 million, 124.6 million, 135.7 million and most recently140.1 million in 2014-15.

Punctuality measured over each quarter during the last five years has also been above average, ranging from 93.4% to 97.4% using the measure of trains running within five minutes of scheduled time, and cancellations in the most recent 12-month period were 1.8% out of 373,559 planned services.

There was some decline in the overall journey satisfaction measured in the National Passenger Survey this spring. This found that 87% of users were satisfied with their use of services,

The Overground network was launched by the then Mayor of London Ken Livingstone at Hampstead Heath, on the North London Line, on November 12, 2007.

a fall from 92% the previous year.

This was probably a reflection of the increased demand and the expectations of new passengers with, for example, the provision of car parking being heavily criticised as just 26% regarded the ability to park as satisfactory. It is a differentiator about the perception of rail travel that passengers expect to be able to park even to undertake local journeys, which is not the case for bus users.

There was also clearly an expectation that trains and stations should have toilets, as just 14% of passengers were satisfied with current policy.

Despite these findings, London

“740hp Class 501s replaced 1120hp LNWR units”

One of the LNWR units introduced to the Watford DC lines in 1922, this one pictured at Harrow & Wealdstone on March 11, 1956. Neil Clifton Broad Street station, next to Liverpool Street, closed in June 1986 – but in 1983 the station was already in a rundown state as BR blue-liveried Class 501 No. 501170 prepares to depart for Richmond via Dalston and the North London Line. DC Collection

18 RAIL EXPRESS November 2015

Overground compares well with comparable commuter railway operations, where the average level of passenger satisfaction is 78%.

There are now six service routes making up the LO network, spread evenly around the capital and connected by an outer circle line. Each service has a minimum frequency of four trains per hour, which means that up to 12 trains per hour are operated on core sections, with a total of 16 trains per hour through the Thames Tunnel between Wapping and Rotherhithe following the addition of South London services to Clapham Junction.

Service transformation has been achieved by identifying the potential of

routes that had largely dropped off the radar during the nationalised British Rail period. What were once important innercity rail links declined in importance as the development of alternative London Underground and bus routes caused the diversion of many passengers to other transport modes.

As passenger numbers fell away, rail services declined, leading to poorly maintained stations and rolling stock.

At one time the complete withdrawal of passenger services over the North London line was mooted after the closure of the terminus at Broad Street, adjacent to Liverpool Street, in 1986.

There had once been a thriving network of local services from Broad Street that provided access to London’s docks. At its peak, a throughput of close