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March 2025 Issue 265

Pioneer projects

How one heritage company supports diesel preservation

Model Spot

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PLUS Tyne & Wear Metro’s new Stadler Class 555s enter service John Whiteley remembers … Class 40s on newspaper vans Railhead Treatment Trains: 2024 operations pictorial review Railfreight red stripe 50149 Defiance: What might have been!

Celebrations as Northumberland Line reopens to passengers

Welcome

T

he reopening of the Northumberland Line between Newcastle and Ashington a couple of weeks before the end of 2024 is certainly a cause for celebration for the communities in and around the line that are now able to enjoy quick and convenient rail travel for the first time in 60 years.

In the time I have occupied the Railways Illustrated editor’s chair, I have seen the Dartmoor Line in South Devon and the Levenmouth Rail Link also reopened to passenger services, with both of these undoubtedly being major success stories for the areas they serve.

The reopening of the previously freight-only Northumberland Line route is still very much a work in progress, with four of the six planned new stations yet to be completed and three of them quite some way from completion. For the reopening from December 15, just Seaton Delaval and Ashington stations were actually ready to welcome passengers, although construction work on the station at Newsham is at a fairly advanced stage and it is slated for opening early in 2025.

I took a trip along the newly reopened 18-mile route to Ashington a couple of days before Christmas and it was pleasing to see just how busy the trains were, particularly with passengers

boarding from the two new stations. While some of these passengers would undoubtedly have been trying the new railway for the novelty factor of its newness or the close proximity to the end of the festive shopping mayhem, the line they were travelling on hasn’t been there for passenger use for more than six decades and it's sure to become a vital travel lifeline for the communities in an area that is clearly undergoing a lot of regeneration.

The reopening of lost railway lines can be transformational for those towns and villages currently without the option of commuting or enjoying leisure travel by train, but it takes many years to achieve and is phenomenally expensive to deliver. However, the Dartmoor, Levenmouth and now, the Northumberland lines show what a difference these reopened routes can make.

Build it and they will come!

Coming up in this issue

This issue we pay a visit to Barrow Hill to view the work being done by Pioneer Diesels on the overhaul of the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway’s 25059, which is undergoing extensive repairs and refurbishment works at the Derbyshire facility.

Pioneer Diesels is the commercial offshoot of the Pioneer Diesel Locomotive Group, and the

Northern 158872 departs from Ashington station on December 23, 2024, working the 10.30 service to Newcastle.

Services on the Northumberland Line started from December 15, bringing the 18-mile route back into passenger use for the first time since its relegation to a freight-only line in 1964 following the Beeching cutbacks. Andy Coward

KEEP IN TOUCH

If you have any comments, photographic contributions, feature suggestions, or constructive feedback, please contact Andy Coward by email at rieditor@mortons. co.uk or via the postal address provided on page 4. activities of the business are fairly unique, in that the work done by the company directly helps fund the ongoing preservation of a small fleet of heritage diesel locomotives consisting of a Class 33, two Class 45s and a Class 47.

Photographer John Whiteley returns with the latest instalment of his nostalgic look back at some classic trains in action from the halcyon BR blue days, with this issue featuring another stunning selection depicting Class 40s at work on the daytime empty Newspaper van trains that used to operate to the long-closed Red Bank Carriage Sidings in Cheetham Hill, Manchester.

Each autumn, the Railways Illustrated inbox receives plenty of photographic submissions from our lineside photographers around the country of the various Railhead Treatment Trains in action.

The water-jetting trains play a vital role in keeping the railway moving each year and protecting other trains from the dangers created by leaf mulch on the rails. We present a pictorial showcase of the 2024 RHTT operating season.

Former Laira depot fitter Mike Woodhouse recalls the story of when 50049 Defiance was chosen to be a trial locomotive to be operated as a regeared Class 50/1 for Railfreight. He also reveals that the project proposed painted the locomotive into Railfreight Red Stripe colours, rather than the Railfreight General colours it subsequently appeared in. Based on the official livery plan and thanks to the efforts of precision artist Stuart Black, we also bring you a visualisation in this issue as to how 50149 could have looked had it been painted into the originally-proposed paint scheme.

10 Pictures this month comes from the lens of Mike Batten, who started watching trains from the window of his grandparents’ home before venturing out as he grew older. Despite a period away from the lineside following the end of the Class 50s in the early 1990s, Mike rediscovered his passion for the railway and photography in the early 2000s, with him presenting his 10 favourite pictures from the digital era later in this issue.

As ever, I hope you enjoy this issue. Welcome aboard.

Andy Coward Editor

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EDITORIAL ADDRESS: Railways Illustrated, Mortons Media Ltd, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs, LN9 6LZ WEBSITE: www.railwaysillustrated.com EMAIL: rieditor@mortons.co.uk CONTRIBUTORS: Paul Aspinall, Alex Ayre, Mike Batten, David Barnsdale, Simon Bendall, Paul Biggs, Stuart Black, Phil Chilton, Spencer Conquest, Kevin Delaney, Ian Dixon, Pip Dunn, Gordon Edgar, Ian Edmondson, Aubrey Evans, Terry Eyres, Chris Gee, Stephen Ginn, Martyn Hilbert, Jon Hird, Geoff Hudson, Brad Joyce, Steve Lee, Tom McAtee, Neil McCannon, Steve Madden, Craig Munday, Keith Partlow, Chris Perkins, Mark Pike, Matthew Plumpton, James Poole, Jim Ramsay, Rob Reedman, Nick Rowe, Steve Sienkiewicz, Jason Smith, James Stearn, Alex Stojanovic, Andy Stoppard, Andrew Triggs, Phil Wallis, Andrew Watts, John Whiteley, Mike Woodhouse.

ADVERTISING Advertising representatives Fiona Leak 01507 529573 fleak@mortons.co.uk Andy Bruce 01507 529537 abruce@mortons.co.uk Group advertising manager Sue Keily skeily@mortons.co.uk

Contents Regulars 3 Welcome

40 Pictorial

6 News

61 Living Life in the Past Lane

18 Fleet Review

72 Model Spot

24 Heritage News

78 Book and product reviews

30 What’s Happening To…

80 Railwayana

36 From the Front Coach

82 Next issue

GOOD NEWS FOR DPS

ON TULYAR ENGINE

FRONT COVER: This issue we take a look at the work of Pioneer Diesels. It is the commercial arm of the Pioneer Diesel Locomotive Group, with the proceeds generated by the business directly supporting the four preserved diesel locomotives owned by the group. The current focus of Pioneer Diesels attention is the overhaul and refurbishment of the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway’s 25059, which has been out of use for the past five years. During an East Midlands Railway Photographic Society organised photo charter on February 25, 2017, 25059 stands at Keighley station at the head of a mixed goods train. Phil Chilton

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March 2025 Issue 265 £5.30

Pioneer projects

How one heritage company supports diesel preservation

Model Spot

PLUS

Heljan O gauge Ruston 48DS

Tyne & Wear Metro’s new Stadler Class 555s enter service John Whiteley remembers … Class 40s on newspaper vans Railhead Treatment Trains: 2024 operations pictorial review Railfreight red stripe 50149 Defiance: What might have been!

Celebrations as Northumberland Line reopens to passengers

March 2025 Issue 265 £5.30

On-sale date: Usually first Thursday of the month This issue on sale: February 6, 2025 Next issue on sale: March 6, 2025 EDITOR: Andy Coward 01507 529566 ART EDITOR: Kelvin Clements PAGE DESIGNERS: Druck Media PRODUCTION EDITOR: Lucy Wood PUBLISHER: Tim Hartley PUBLISHING DIRECTOR: Dan Savage

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Distribution Seymour Distribution Ltd, 2 Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PU Enquiries Line: 0207 429 4000 EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS Contributions to this magazine should be clearly typed and ideally sent by email. Please contact the editor by email with any possible feature ideas before submission. Photographs submitted to Railways Illustrated are accepted on the basis that they are the copyright property of the person submitting them, or after they have received suitable permission from the copyright owner. Please do not submit pictures to Railways Illustrated that have been sent to other publications. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the editor, or publisher.

FEATURE | Heritage Traction

Heritage Traction | FEATURE

Pioneerprojects Pioneer Diesels has gained an enviable reputation for its high-quality restoration work carried out on a wide range of heritage diesel locomotives, with the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway’s 25059 the current main focus of the company’s attention.

Andy Coward headed to Barrow Hill Roundhouse to meet managing director Mike Jacob and view the work being carried out on the Class 25.

nvesting in the maintenance, repairs and heavy overhauls for preserved diesel locomotives is essential for their longterm viability and survival, with many of those locomotives currently in the heritage sector having been preserved for far longer than they were in service with British Rail or the privatised rail companies that succeeded it in the mid-1990s.

With the majority of our heritage railways unable to offer much in the way of covered accommodation for diesel locomotives when not in use, the ravages of time and the dramatically changing UK climate are generally not kind to them. Added to that, maintenance facilities for working on diesel locomotives can often be rather sparse and over time these precious machines deteriorate, with rain, condensation and dust always managing to

I

find their way in, no matter how carefully a locomotive is looked after.

Dotted around the country are diesel locomotives that were laid up with relatively minor faults and have then become sidelined on a much longer term while owners await the time or funds required to repair them, with many deteriorating even further in the meantime. It is often said that buying a locomotive is the easy bit, but very much like owning a house, if you aren’t able to continue to invest in its upkeep, eventually it will end up costing you dearly.

Naturally, this isn’t the case everywhere and some of our heritage lines and diesel locomotive owning groups have invested in proper stabling and maintenance facilities to help to prolong the working lives of these designs for future generations, as well

Supporting preservation

Pioneer Diesels is the commercial arm of the Pioneer Diesel Locomotive Group, preservationists which currently own four heritage diesel locomotives – 33035, 45060 Sherwood Forester, 45105 and 47484 Isambard Kingdom Brunel. However, the unique nature of the business is that the commercial activities of the company directly support the ongoing preservation of the PDLG locomotives.

Established in 2011 initially to manage the support and hire of the PDLG fleet, Pioneer Diesels is run by Mike Jacob, a man with a reputation for the high standards of restoration work carried out by his company, not just on the locomotives that come under his care, but also many others that he and his team have worked on over the past few years.

Although Mike and his two colleagues are often required to travel around the country working on various locomotives, their usual base is at Barrow Hill, where the company rents one of the roads inside the main roundhouse building. Two of the PDLG’s own preserved locomotives, 45060 and 45105, are also based at the heritage centre.

25059 is undergoing an extensive overhaul by the company, having arrived in Derbyshire last March. The Class 25 – a stalwart resident diesel locomotive on the K&WVR – has been in store since its bogies and traction motors were submerged in water that flooded Haworth shed during Storm Ciara back in February 2020.

However, the efforts of Pioneer Diesels means that the BR blue Class 25 is now well on its way to being operational again, with the investment put into the locomotive’s overhaul by its owners hopefully ensuring that the Sulzer Type 2 will provide many more years of reliable service for the K&WVR. The nature of the work is extensive but contracting it out means 25059 can be returned to service in a much shorter timescale than if it was being done as a volunteer-managed project.

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as providing a better working environment for those volunteers who give up their valuable free time to work on the maintenance and restoration of heritage diesel traction.

One business that specialises in maintenance and overhaul services for heritage diesel locomotives is Pioneer Diesels Ltd – which has its roots firmly in the diesel preservation movement – and the company boasts a wealth of experience working on these historic machines, gained over more than four decades. Based at Barrow Hill in Staveley, near Chesterfield, Derbyshire, the company currently consists of a three-strong full time team, busy working on the overhaul of the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway’s resident Class 25, 25059. It has been out of service for the past five years, but is now well on the way to becoming operational once again thanks to the efforts of the small team working hard on the revival of the popular Sulzer Type Two.

FEATURE | Railway Operations

MAIN: 25059 has been part of the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway diesel fleet since the late 1980s and was a consistent and strong performer on the West Yorkshire heritage line prior to it being damaged by flooding caused by Storm Ciara in February 2020. The BR blue Class 25 is now being overhauled and returned to operational condition by Pioneer Diesels at Barrow Hill and is expected to be completed later this year. During an East Midlands Railway Photographic Society charter on February 25, 2017, 25059 stands at Keighley station at the head of a goods train. Phil Chilton

Railway Operations | FEATURE

Clearrouteahead!

Each year Network Rail operates its Railhead Treatment Trains to deal with the problem of leaf mulch build-up creating adhesion issues for trains operating on the railway. The autumn RHTT programme is a mammoth undertaking, and here we present a pictorial look back at the 2024 operating season. or far too many years the railway has been derided in the mainstream media for timetable changes and service cancellations as a result of ‘leaves on the line.’ Despite this innocuous description, the perils brought to the railway by the autumn leaf fall season is nothing to laugh about and presents a huge challenge to Network Rail and those operators which run their trains over the rail network.

Decaying leaves that have fallen from trees settle on the rails and with the passage of trains and the traditional autumnal wet weather, these rotting leaves get ground onto the railhead, forming a slippery mulch, typically resulting in a thin black layer on top of the rail.

This mulch creates hazardous conditions for trains, similar in many ways to the effects of black ice on the roads, creating wheelslip for trains and sometimes making it difficult for them to stop, while also affecting trains trying to accelerate from a standing start when travelling over sections of line that have become contaminated by leaf mulch on the railhead. Even the most skilled and experienced driver can find driving with poor rail adhesion particularly challenging.

The build-up of leaf mulch on the railhead and the resulting sand dropped by trains trying to contend with wheelslip conditions can also cause detection issues for signalling equipment, which is yet another challenge faced by the railway in the autumn.

F

MAIN: Colas Rail Freight’s 56105 deputises on the Lincolnshire RHTT circuit for 66847 on November 11, 2024, as the Class 66 was receiving attention for wheel flats. The Class 56 leads 3S14, the 11:38 Grimsby Town to York RHTT, through Melton Ross with a suitably grimy RHTT and a filthy 66848 on the rear. Steve Madden

Let battle commence

The RHTTs are fitted with high-pressure water jets that blast away built-up contaminants from the railhead to improve adhesion for trains. They also apply an adhesion modifier to the rails, made up from a mixture of suspension gel, sand and steel or iron shot.

Operating from late September until just before Christmas, the trains are also typified

by an increasingly grimy appearance as the operating season progresses. The RHTTs emerge bright blue from Network Rail’s engineering facility at Holgate Works in York, but gradually become encrusted in grime from the dirt thrown up from the tracks, with the locomotives also becoming increasingly filthy, giving an appearance that many enthusiasts refer to as ‘RHTT livery.’

In addition to the 29-strong RHTT wagon fleet, Network Rail also operates 32 Multi-Purpose Vehicles (MPV) which do a similar job during the autumn period but don’t have the capacity or range of the larger RHTTs. The fleet in total is deployed around the country, operating intensively throughout the autumn season to cover as much of the network as possible – the RHTT and MPV circuits collectively cover more than a million miles between September and December each year, with the entire rail network treated more than 50 times throughout the season.

Traction variety

The RHTT circuits are operated using a variety of traction from the freight operating companies, with Colas Rail, DB Cargo, Direct Rail Services, Freightliner and GB Railfreight all providing locomotives to work the trains, operating them in top-and-tail formation.

WiththeClass66beingthemostnumerousof freight locomotives on the UK rail network, it is naturalthattheselocomotivesprovidethebackbone of the traction employed on the RHTT workings, but GB Railfreight has also used its Class 69 and 73 fleets to haul RHTT workings, while Colas has also made use of its Class 37s and 56s in addition to the ubiquitous Class 66s.

DRS has also deployed some of its Class 68s on RHTT workings during the 2024 season.

One area of the country where the RHTT workings have always attracted much attention from railway enthusiasts is the York

circuit, which in recent years has utilised Class 37s from the DRS fleet, with the locomotives employed on this particular circuit due to route clearance restrictions.

However, the 2023 season was the last year in which DRS Class 37s were used on the trains, with the Cumbrian freight operator selling its last remaining Class 37s following the end of that years RHTT operations.

With the veteran Type 3 locomotives still required, the operation of some of the Yorkbased RHTTs has seen Colas operate these services utilising three of its Class 37s – 37116, 37175 and 37254 Cardiff Canton – which have been rotated on the workings throughout the 2024 season, before returning to their maintenance base at Boden Rail Engineering’s Colwick depot facility in Nottinghamshire in mid-December.

In recent times, Network Rail has also been busy working on various next-generation trials and the development of other technology that can be used as an alternative to the high-pressure washing of the railhead.

The current preferred method of treatment uses about 200 million litres of water each year and the company has said that use of alternative technology could help to reduce the need for such a large amount of water, as well as the cost of fuel for transporting it around the country.

A number of innovations have been tested by the infrastructure company as a way of providing additional resilience to help the RHTT fleet, as well as trialling methods which could eventually replace the current leaf-busting fleet, such as the tests of laser and plasma technology which took place on the East Lancashire Railway heritage line in 2023.

Additionally, some train operating companies are now fitting equipment to their train

Work in progress

Based on the K&WVR since being preserved in the late 1980s, 25059 had been a reliable and consistent performer, but the flooding incident meant the overhaul of its traction motors to repair damage sustained to the electrical insulation and roller bearings was required. The opportunity has therefore been taken to give the whole locomotive a thorough overhaul while it is out of traffic.

44 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED March 2025

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44 Pioneer projects

March 2025 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED 45

ABOVE: GB Railfreight employed a number of its Class 73s on the circuits operating out of Tonbridge, in Kent. Early in the 2024 RHTT season, on October 18, 2024, ‘Dutch’ yellow and grey 73119 Paul Taylor leads its train with BR blue 73201 Broadlands on the rear, with the train heading over Riddlesdown Viaduct in Surrey.

By this point, the locomotives and RHTT wagons are still relatively clean.

James Stearn

New innovations

fleets in order to assist with the challenges brought about by poor rail adhesion.

Just ahead of the start of the 2024 season, Northern announced it had equipped its 16 Class 170 diesel multiple units with watertrak technology which sprays water onto the tracks to simulate heavy rain conditions, helping to prevent the wheels on the trains from slipping. The operator’s Class 56 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED March 2025

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150 and Class 156 DMU fleets were also fitted with wheel slide prevention equipment, while its Class 323 electric multiple units now feature double-variable rate sanders which deploy up to three times the quantity of sand at a higher speed than previous versions.

With the 2024 season now complete, the RHTT sets were returned to their base at

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56 Clear route ahead!

York Holgate during December, where they will be maintained, serviced and cleared ready for when they are required again in the autumn.

The RHTTs remain popular with lineside photographers, with plenty of images of the trains received in the Railways Illustrated inbox and a small proportion of those pictures are presented on these pages.

LEFT: With Direct Rail Services disposing of its last Class 37 locomotives after the end of the 2023 leaf fall season, the traction provision for the RHTT circuits around the Yorkshire Wolds was taken on by Colas Rail Freight, with three locomotives – 37116/175 and 37254 – employed on the trains for the 2024 operations.

On October 3, 2024, 37254 Cardiff Canton and 37116 pass through Beverley station working 3J51, the 09.50 York to York RHTT circuit. Ian Dixon

March 2025 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED 57

44 Pioneer projects

50 John Whiteley remembers…

Railway photographer John Whiteley returns with more memories of classic British Rail locomotives at work. For this instalment, John takes a nostalgic look back at the Class 40-hauled daytime empty newspaper van trains to the long-closed Red Bank Carriage Sidings in Manchester.

56 Clear route ahead!

Each autumn, Network Rail operates its Railhead Treatment Trains around the rail network to deal with the adhesion problems for trains during the annual leaf fall season. The RHTT programme is a mammoth

FEATURE | Nostalgia

The trial conversion of 50049 Defiance at Laira depot in September 1987 for British Rail’s Railfreight business could have seen some Class 50s retained for working freight services. Former Laira fitter Mike Woodhouse details the project and how the chosen Class 50 came very close to emerging in a totally different livery to the Railfreight General colours it subsequently carried.

66 10 Pictures: Mike Batten

When the Class 50s were withdrawn

by British Rail, keen enthusiast and photographer Mike Batten stepped away from the lineside for a prolonged period. However, his enthusiasm was renewed in the early 2000s, and he found himself back out photographing trains in the landscape. Mike presents the 10 Pictures which he believes highlight the best from his digital photography era.

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Nostalgia | FEATURE LEFT: The chosen one: With the station clock at Exeter St David’s reading 15.32, 50049 Defiance departs with a Network SouthEast service to London Waterloo on July 25, 1987. Within a short time of this photograph being captured, 50049 was taken out of service for its Railfreight conversion works to be carried out, emerging in the attractive and eyecatching Railfreight General triple grey livery. Martyn Hilbert

Whatmighthavebeen!

The trial conversion of 50049 Defiance at Laira depot in September 1987 for British Rail’s Railfreight business could have seen some Class 50s retained for working freight services. Former Laira fitter Mike Woodhouse recalls his memories from the time and details how the chosen Class 50 came very close to emerging in a different livery to the Railfreight General colours it was subsequently unveiled in. t’s now more than 30 years since the Class 50s were eradicated from British Rail, but a project devised by BR in the mid-1980s as the English Electric Type 4s were facing a far from certain future could have seen a number of them retained and employed on heavy freight workings.

December 1986 brought welcome news regarding a possible development that would have seen some of the Class 50 fleet taken on by BR’s Railfreight sector. This would have potentially meant that the service life of at least 10 of the locomotives would be extended at a time when they would no longer be needed for high-speed passenger workings elsewhere on the network.

A proposal had been put forward to modify one Class 50 as a trial, with the chosen locomotive then set to be dedicated for use by Railfreight, which had already been contributing towards the cost of one of the locomotives from the Class 50 fleet in 1986.

At this stage all 50 locomotives were still in service with BR, but the new year would signal the beginning of withdrawals, with 50011 Centurion becoming the first to be sidelined in February 1987, before it was moved to Crewe Works as a testbed for overhauled Class 50 16 CSVT power units.

I MAIN: What might have been: The original plan for the Railfreight Class 50/1 conversion project would have seen the chosen locomotive outshopped from Laira in Railfreight Red Stripe livery.

Midway through the project, however, the decision was taken to paint the locomotive into the then-new triple grey Railfreight General livery. This mock-up, specially created for Railways Illustrated by precision artist Stuart Black for this feature, shows just how 50149 Defiance could have looked in the original proposed colour scheme, using the official livery diagrams created for the locomotive.

Stuart Black

62 What might have been!

CRIBE AND S B

VE SA

Pioneer Diesels has gained a reputation for the high quality of its restoration work carried out on a wide range of heritage diesels, with 25059 the current focus of the company’s attention. Andy Coward visits Barrow Hill Roundhouse to meet managing director Mike Jacob and view progress on the Class 25.

undertaking, and we present a pictorial look at the 2024 operation.

SU

Features

The works

The conversion project would involve regearing the locomotive, resulting in a reduced top speed of 80mph, with the regearing accomplished by the fitting of a set of Class 37/7 wheelsets and traction motor pinions to the locomotive. As the conversion required a reasonably minimal amount of work, the costs involved would be

62 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED March 2025

moderate, with the option to return the locomotive back to the standard 100mph maximum speed being relatively straightforward should the trial prove unsuccessful.

From December 31, 1986, nine Class 50s – 50001/003/005/010/012/015/022/024/050 – were (on paper) all set to have their costs charged to Railfreight. However, no firm date had been fixed for the conversion work to be carried out on the trial locomotive; February 1987 was initially mentioned as a likely start date, although this slipped back until later in the year. The other main question at the time concerned whether the conversion work would be completed at Doncaster or Crewe Works.

By April 1987, the design work for the Railfreight Class 50/1 project had been completed, although it still remained to be seen whether the sector would actually foot the bill for the conversion and fitting of the Class 37/7 bogies.

Laira couldn’t do it at the time, as the Plymouth depot didn’t have a loadbank available to set up the power unit ratings, as required, and it was looking increasingly likely that the whole project could actually be a non-starter, becoming yet another ‘might have been’ chapter in BR’s long history.

At Laira, the Class 50 F exam programme on the Network SouthEast-allocated Class 50s – carried out under Cost Effective Maintenance (CEM) and which had been introduced on BR from June 1986 – was progressing well and reaching an advanced stage.

A meeting took place in the spring of 1987 which confirmed the director responsible for Railfreight had agreed to provide the finance required for an official experiment to re-gear one of the Class 50 fleet for dedicated freight

use as a regeared Class 50/1. The locomotive selected for the trial would be one that was due to undergo an F exam at Laira depot at that time, scheduled to be in August 1987, although its identity was still unconfirmed at this stage.

A set of overhauled Class 37/7 bogies were ordered from Crewe Works and the chosen locomotive’s engine would also be de-rated by 250bhp (brake horsepower) as part of the Railfreight conversion.

A new look

As part of the preparations for the project, Laira had received a one-off Railfreight livery plan drawing for its trial Class 50/1 locomotive. The chosen livery was to be Railfreight Red Stripe, which featured wrap-round yellow paintwork on the cabs (similar to Large Logo livery), slate grey on the bodysides and a horizontal red lower bodyside band, with Railfreight branding beneath the cab windows and a large white BR doublearrowdecalpositionedtowardsthecentre of the bodyside. This livery style had already been applied to a large number of Railfreight Class 20, 26, 31, 37, 47, 56 and 58 locomotives.

In terms of numbering, the last two digits from the present fleet number would be retained, but the third digit would be changed from 0 to 1.

While the order of the F exams passing through Laira depot was always subject to change – mainly because of major failures among the locomotives, such as a power unit or main generator – the condition of the power unit in terms of hours would also play a part in selecting the order in which the locomotives were chosen, as Network SouthEast had factored in the cost of a newly-overhauled

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power unit for each of the F exams that were being carried out at the time.

The chosen one

In order, 50028/043/050 were all initially identified as potentials for the experimental Railfreight Class 50/1, but the actual identity had still to be settled at this point.

The saga continued into the early summer of 1987, with the choices now narrowed down to either 50043 Eagle or 50049 Defiance. The previously identified 50028 Tiger was awaiting a new power unit from Crewe and 50043 would also require an overhauled power unit as part of its F exam.

The Class 37/7 bogies arrived at Laira in July 1987 and were nearly refitted under 50050, which was stopped at the time with scrap tyre sizes. This Class 50 had been due to receive its F exam but was then switched to the Network SouthEast pool and had jumped ahead of both 50043 and 50049.

However, 50049 had started its F exam with a half-life power unit already installed, which had been fitted at Doncaster Works following

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derailment damage repairs. Could this locomotive actually become 50149?

Laira was working at full stretch, due to the summer holidays in August, but Railfreight wanted to start its trials of the locomotive in September, so 50049 was selected to become the Class 50/1 and work got underway to prepare it for its new role.

Change of plan

During the rubbing-down of the locomotive’s Large Logo blue paintwork, an area of the Class 50s lower bodyside received the red band required for the Railfreight Red Stripe livery. However, no further paintwork from the original proposed livery scheme was applied, as during its initial preparation work a new livery drawing had been received, with the specifications for the revised Railfreight livery that would now be carried by 50149.

The official reason for this change at such a late stage in the conversion project is unknown, but it is suspected that the new triple grey Railfreight livery scheme had been devised since the project was originally proposed. Turning

out 50149 in Railfreight Red Stripe livery would have appeared an unusual step when a new, more modern visual identity for Railfreight had been adopted and was already being applied to other locomotives from the sector.

The new identity was therefore applied to the locomotive, and it emerged carrying the attractive triple grey colours, with red and yellow Railfreight General decals, cast BR arrows on the driver’s cabside and Laira Gallion depot plaques (unique to 50149) on the secondman’s cabside, while the Defiance nameplates’ background colour changed from red to yellow with the lettering painted black.

The Class 50/1 locomotive had received a new and contemporary look that certainly made it stand out from the rest of the fleet.

Having been the 19th Class 50 to undergo an F exam at Laira, the regeared and new-look 50149 returned to traffic on September 20, 1987, ready to start its trials with Railfreight.

Back to Class 50/0

While operating for Railfreight, 50149 spent much of its time working china clay traffic in

March 2025 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED 63

62 What might have been!

THIS PAGE: Could 2025 spell the end for the Great Western Railway short-formed Castle Class HST sets? On December 13, 2024, Legends of the Great Western power car 43093 Berkeley Castle and 43097 Castle Drogo, head through Tywardreath, working a shuttle service between Penzance and Liskeard. Services in the area were amended due to a line block in place between Plymouth and Cornwall. Jon Hird

NEWS

Northern begins procurement process for large scale train fleet replacement

Northern’s 150214 The Bentham Line – A Dementia Friendly Railway calls at Doncaster on January 8, working the 18.26 Adwick to Sheffield service. A procurement process to allow Northern to replace its older diesel fleet has begun; the Class 150s are currently the oldest passenger trains still in service with the train operator. Phil Wallis

PUBLICLY-OWNED TRAIN operating company Northern has invited a number of train builders to begin negotiations for the supply a large number of new trains to operate its services. It is part of a phased fleet replacement programme which could eventually see up to 450 new trains built for the train operator.

The manufacturers approached by Northern in the ‘Invitation to Negotiate’ step in the procurement process are Alstom, CAF, Hitachi, Siemens and Stadler. The train operator said the trains will all be new, rather than cascaded, and will incorporate the latest technologies designed to meet the present-day needs of passengers, as well as delivering higher levels of comfort, reliability and satisfaction.

Delivery timescales have not yet been fully developed, but the operator has set bidders challenging targets for delivery as soon as possible, with the first of the new trains expected to be entering service from 2030.

The company is planning on replacing the oldest units from its existing

fleet, most of which have been in service since the 1980s and 1990s, with approximately two-thirds of the existing fleet targeted for replacement over the next 10 years.

The new trains are expected to be a combination of electric and bi-mode (diesel/electric) designs, while prospective manufacturers have also been asked to include battery-powered trains as part of their proposals.

Any bi-mode units included within the train building order must be capable of later conversion to battery or electric-only operation during their lifetime, in line with the Government’s commitment to deliver a cleaner, greener railway as part of its net-zero objectives, which includes the phasing out of diesel-powered trains.

The operator also hopes to simplify its operations by reducing the number of different types of trains in use on its services, stating that this will assist with staff training and also lower maintenance costs.

The first phase of the project is expected to see the replacement of

the British Rail-built Class 150, 155 and 156 Sprinter designs, which all entered service in the 1980s, with about 130 new trains expected to be required under this particular phase of the project. Eventually, the next oldest train fleets used by the company will also be replaced.

Northern currently has a large and varied train fleet consisting of Class 150, 155, 156, 158, 170 and 195 diesel multiple units, Class 323, 331 and 333 electric multiple units and a small number of Class 769 bi-mode (diesel and electric) trains which were converted from Class 319 EMUs. Managing director Tricia Williams said: “Almost 60% of the trains in our fleet are between 32 and 40 years old and, while they have served the region well, it is important we get the ball rolling on their replacement.

“It’s game-changing for Northern and will transform the look and feel of our fleet for millions of customers – and it also cements electric and battery as the long-term power source of choice for our fleet.

“The new trains will support the Government’s commitment to achieving net-zero operations by 2050, while reflecting the reality that only 25% of the Northern network is currently electrified.”

It is expected the contract will be awarded to the successful bidder or bidders in 2026. Further information about the project can be found at www.northernrailway.co.uk/ about-us/newtrains

Also scheduled for replacement under the first phase of the Northern proposals are the Class 156s, with a large number of the two-coach DMUs currently in service with the train operator. On June 19, 2023, 156401 heads past Coote Lane, to the south of Preston, working a service to Ormskirk. Kevin Delaney

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch to retire from union RMT UNION general secretary Mick Lynch has announced his intention to retire from his role, having served the union in various capacities.

Mr Lynch joined the RMT in 1993 after he began working for Eurostar, building up a strong branch organisation while he was employed there.

Elected general secretary of the union in 2021, he has also previously served two terms as assistant general secretary and two terms on the union’s National Executive Committee.

Prior to joining Eurostar, the qualified electrician had worked for many years in the construction industry but was illegally blacklisted for joining a union. He went on to help establish the Electrical and Plumbing Industries Union in 1988.

“It has been a privilege to serve this union for more 30 years in all capacities, but now it is time for change,” he said.

“This union has been through many struggles in recent years, and I believe

6 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED March 2025

that this has only made it stronger, despite all the odds.

“Therehasneverbeenamoreurgent need for a strong union for all transport and energy workers of all grades, but we can only maintain and build a robust organisation for these workers if there is renewal and change.

“We can all be proud that our union stood up against the wholesale attacks on the rail industry by the previous Tory government and the union defeated them.

“The RMT will always need a new generation of workers to take up the fight for its members and for a fairer society for all and I am immensely proud to have been part of that.”

The RMT National Executive Committee has adopted a timetable for the election of a new general secretary, which is set to be concluded in the first week of May. Mr Lynch will remain in position until the process to appoint his successor is concluded. www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk

NEWS

Historic royal visit plaque donated by IN BRIEF Network Rail to Crewe Heritage Centre

NETWORK RAIL has donated a historic plaque commemorating a royal visit to Crewe Works by King George V and Queen Mary in 1913 to Crewe Heritage Trust following signalling upgrading works on the West Coast Main Line in the area.

Under the £191 million pound Basford Hall Independent Lines digital resignalling project, all train movementsatBasfordHallfreightdepotand the lines which serve it were switched over to the Rail Operating Control centreinManchesterduringtheChristmasperiod,resultingintheclosureand decommissioning of Salop Goods, BasfordHallJunctionandCreweSorting Sidings North signalboxes.

The 1913 visit to the works by the king and queen was a moment of celebration for the town and the brass plaque commemorating the visit had been displayed inside one of the decommissioned signalboxes where former signalman and Mayor of Crewe, Frederick Manning – who welcomed the royal couple and gave an address to them – once worked.

The plaque will now be displayed at Crewe Heritage Centre, which is located on part of the original Crewe Works land. A number of block instruments from the closed signalboxes werealsopresentedtoCreweHeritage Trust by the infrastructure company.

Network Rail programme manager Jamie Morris said: “We are so happy to see the plaque and the block

TransPennine Express has teamed up with Springpod to launch a free virtual work experience course to provide anyone interested in a career in rail the chance to gain a unique behind-the-scenes look at the industry. The programme features eight modules to be completed at the participant’s own pace and includes hands-on-activities and core skills for rail careers and beyond, such as communications, teamwork, and leadership. The course is open to anyone aged 13 and above and runs until May 5.

Attendees will receive a certificate of completion, which can then be used to boost CVs, UCAS statements and other applications.

The historic brass plaque in recognition of the 1913 visit of King George V and Queen Mary has been donated to Crewe Heritage Trust by Network Rail, along with a quantity of block instruments, following the decommissioning of three signalboxes in the town as part of the £191 million Basford Hall Independent Lines digital resignalling project. Network Rail

instruments find a new home at the Crewe Heritage Centre.

“When we removed the old signalboxes, we wanted to preserve some of its history. The plaque is a cherished piece that highlights Crewe’s

pivotal role in the development of the railway industry.

“This move ensures the legacy of Crewe’s railway history continues to be celebrated and remembered by future generations.”

Hastings Diesels ran the ‘Mick Tester Memorial’ charter on January 18 from Hasting to Eastleigh. The eight-coach train utilised all four of Hastings Diesels’ operational Class 201 Driving Motor Brake Standard Open power cars; the train arrives at an overcast Etchingham, led by S60119 from unit 1013. Mr Tester was a long-standing volunteer from the owning group, who died last year. Steve Lee

www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk

Greater Anglia is to install a new cycle hub at the northern entrance to Bury St Edmunds station in a £200,000 project funded with the help of the Department for Transport, Suffolk County Council and West Suffolk District Council.

The hub will be located in the area previously used as a car wash waiting area and will offer 52 cycle spaces in a fully enclosed facility covered by lighting and CCTV, along with space for 16 cycles which can be accessed only via a smart card, which can be purchased for £25 per year. The work is expected to be complete in the spring.

Avanti West Coast’s Feel Good Field Trips scheme has been marked by a special event at the House of Commons, bringing together colleagues, stakeholders, pupils, teachers and Community Rail Partnerships. The initiative, which was supported

by Community Rail Lancashire, provided 215 trips on the West Coast Main Line for a total of 5250 school and college pupils aged four to 18 to 60 destinations. It was first launched in April 2022 to build on AWC’s schools programme, which aspires to connect young people from a range of backgrounds to opportunities on its route.

East Midlands Railway held a recruitment campaign to attract new fleet engineering apprentices at its depots in Nottingham and Derby in mid-January.

The four-year apprenticeship programme is a combination of classroom learning and hands-on experience, offering apprentices a comprehensive introduction to fleet maintenance. As part of its commitment to diversity and inclusion, the train operator was keen to attract candidates from all backgrounds to apply for the roles.

The closing date for applications passed at the end of January.

March 2025 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED 7

NEWS

Railway staff recognised in New Year Honours list THE NEW Year Honours list has seen a number of railway staff recognised for their work.

Heading the list is Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines, who received a knighthood. He was previously one of the youngest leaders of South West Trains and is credited with transforming the franchise, achieving significant improvements in punctuality of SWT services. He joined Network Rail as chief executive in 2018, with the infrastructure company achieving its best ever levels of safety under his leadership.

Sir Andrew said: “I am incredibly honoured to receive this award. It’s not every day a boy from a comprehensive school in Merthyr Tydfil, or indeed anyone from the railway, is recognised in this way, so it is

immensely humbling. It’s a tribute to the work of the many thousands of people in the rail sector.”

Also recognised is GB Railfreight chief executive officer John Smith, who has been awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the rail freight industry.

Mr Smith has led GBRf since the freight operating company was first formed in 1999, with the operator experiencing high levels of growth throughout its 25-year history.

Additionally, he is a trustee of the Settle and Carlisle Railway Trust and has been at the forefront of GBRf raising more than £1 million for charitable causes including Alzheimer’s Society, Prostate Cancer UK, Headway and Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity.

GB Railfreight Class 99 locomotive moves to Velim for commissioning GB RAILFREIGHT announced in mid-January that the first of 30 Class 99 hybrid locomotives has been moved by road from train builder Stadler’s Valencia factory in Spain to the test track facility at Velim in the Czech Republic.

There, 99001 will undergo a rigorous programme of testing and commissioningpriortothelocomotivebeingdeliveredtotheUK,withit expected to arrive in early summer.

The Class 99 is capable of being powered using diesel fuel or overhead electrification and is seen as a possible long-term replacement design for the Class 66, which is the most widely-used locomotive type in use within the UK rail freight industry. They are the first heavyhaul freight locomotive design capable of moving significant

volumes at main line speeds on both electrified and non-electrified sections of the rail network.

The Class 99s are expected to reduce emissions by up to 58% per journeyincomparisonwiththeClass 66s operated by GBRf and are seen asbeinganimportantdevelopment inthedecarbonisationoftheUKrail freight industry.

GBRf showcased 99002 at the InnoTrans international trade fair on September 25 last year and the freight operating company has 30 of the bi-mode locomotives currently on order from Stadler.

The fleet, financed by Beacon Rail, will be maintained by Stadler at UKRL’s Leicester facility and a new shared maintenance shed to be used by the locomotives is currently nearing completion.

The first of GB Railfreight’s new Class 99 bi-mode locomotives, 99001, leaves the Stadler’s factory in Valencia on a low-loader in mid-January, destined for the Velim test track facility in the Czech Republic. It is expected that the locomotive will arrive in the UK in the summer. GB Railfreight

8 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED March 2025

MrSmithsaid:“Iamhugelysurprised, honouredandthrilledtoberecognised in the New Year’s Honours. It’s something I could never have considered when I began my career on the railway. This award is a recognition of the effortsofeveryonewhohasworkedat GBRailfreightoverthelast25years,to whom I am hugely grateful.”

Network Rail’s Southern Region project manager, Kathleen O’Malley, has received a British Empire Medal (BEM) for her work in creating the Routes Out of Homelessness charter for the railway, promoting support and outreach services for homeless people in Birmingham, Manchester and London, helping more than 300 people secure temporary or permanent accommodation.

Network Rail chief security officer Peter Gibbons has been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his leadership in delivering the UK’s £10 million aid programme to Ukrainian Railways.

As project leader, Mr Gibbons coordinated the delivery of vital equipment to ensure the continued operation of Ukraine’s rail network, spending time on the ground in Ukraine to liaise directly with Ukrainian Railways and made sure the project was tailored to its specific needs. He also secured funding from the Foreign Office’s overseas development aid budget and worked

closely with technical engineers to ensure the equipment was suitable for Ukraine’s rail gauge.

Network Rail human resources leader Janet Trowse was also recognised with an MBE for her work around menopause awareness. Recognising a gap in support, Ms Trowse spearheaded the Menopause Awareness Project at Network Rail, creating a UK-wide network of allies and ambassadors, reaching 150,000 employees in the rail industry. She has highlighted awareness and change surrounding menopause, dispelling myths and taboos, making Network Rail and the wider rail industry a more menopause-friendly workplace.

Southeastern employee Lee Woolcott-Ellis has also received a BEM for services to Mental Health in Transport. He established the Railway Mental Health Charter to support colleagues in the railway industry, working with the Rail Safety and Standards Board to produce a framework to help rail companies promote, manage and support mental wellbeing. The charter brings together best practice from across the industry and has been signed by more than 130 companies since 2021.

Also recognised in the honours were Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and former West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, who were both knighted.

Early January saw snow fall across much of the country, providing opportunities for those lineside photographers who braved the elements to capture the railway and landscape in the snow. On January 7, East Midlands Railway 170418 and 170207 work 1L09, the 09.51 Liverpool Lime Street to Norwich service through Edale, on the Hope Valley line in Derbyshire. Tom McAtee

www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk

NEWS

Alstom £25m SWR Class 458 refurbishment is completed ALSTOM HAS completed the £25 million refurbishment and modification of 28 four-coach Class 458 third-rail electric multiple units used

by South Western Railway.

The work, which has been financed by leasing company Porterbrook, took place at the Alstom Transport Technology Centre in Widnes, with each unit taking two weeks to complete. Under the project, the EMU's have had one coach removed to form four-coach trains, with the interior of the trains refurbished and the exteriors repainted into SWR’s dark blue and white livery. They have

also received modified wheelsets to allow them to operate at speeds of up to 100mph, whereas the previous top speed of the trains was 75mph.

The final unit to be completed by Alstom was 458414, which departed Widnes to be returned to SWR following a special event to mark the completion of the project on December 12.

Alstom’s services managing director UK and Ireland, Peter Broadley, said: “This refurbishment demonstrates Alstom’s commitment to delivering smarter, more sustainable and passenger-focused mobility

solutions. The work completed at Widnes and Crewe not only enhances the passenger experience on the Class 458 fleet but also showcases the value of British engineering and our investment in local expertise.

“We are proud to have supported South Western Railway and Porterbrook in this significant programme, ensuring that these trains are ready to provide better journeys for customers across London and the South East of England.”

The Class 458 Juniper EMUs were originally built by Alstom at Washwood Heath between 1998 and 2002 for SWR predecessor South West Trains. The four-car trains are now designated as Class 458/4, while the eight remaining five-car units are Class 458/5s.

Alstom staff at Widnes involved in the £25 million refurbishment project for South Western Railway’s Class 458/4 celebrate the completion of 458414, the final example of 28 trains to have passed through the Cheshire facility. Alstom

£2 coin released for Railway 200 celebrations

THE ROYAL Mint has launched a commemorative £2 coin to mark the national Railway 200 celebrations which will be taking place this year, inspired by the opening of the pioneering Stockton and Darlington Railway on September 27, 1825.

It is part of the Royal Mint’s annual set of five coins that celebrate upcoming national milestones and anniversaries, and will be available to collect later in the year.

Railway 200 is a partner-led programme of activities and events around the UK, supported by the rail industry, the UK Government, Transport Scotland, Transport for Wales, the Northern Ireland Executive, rail and business bodies, civic and community groups and a wide range of other partners, including Visit Britain and the Museums Association.

A full list of events and attractions taking place under the Railway 200 celebrations can be found at https:// railway200.co.uk www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk

The special £2 coin that is being released by the Royal Mint to commemorate Railway 200 and the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in September 1825. Network Rail

IN BRIEF Network Rail has secured funding for a £50,000 trial of remote monitoring cameras and sensors on a bridge that carries the East Coast Main Line over Harlaxton Road in Grantham, which was in the top five most struck bridges nationally last year, costing more than £600,000 in damage and delays. The provision of cameras and sensors will speed up the time in which engineers can check the structure after an incident, with the equipment providing real-time alerts and access to data and video footage. The cameras will provide visual indications if there is a bridge strike, while sensors measure the impact and check the structure and railway tracks.

Govia Thameslink Railway colleagues and stakeholders gathered at the Houses of Parliament in January to celebrate 10 years of the company’s Get Into Railways scheme, developed to help young people break into the industry and run in conjunction with the King’s Trust. The partnership has seen 200-plus candidates benefit from the scheme and there are currently now more than 40 working in various roles. Get Into Railways provides candidates with taster days and hands-on work placements, as well as skills such as CV writing and interview masterclasses to prepare them for applying for jobs.

Network Rail has completed work to replace the 25-metre timber framed glazed gable walls at Stoke-on-Trent station on the West Coast Main Line. The timber frames were replaced due to deterioration and match the original design due to the listed status of the station. The work, carried out in conjunction with engineering contractor Murphy, also included the replacement of 220 panes of glass within the new frames, and was completed just before Christmas. The Railway Heritage Trust contributed £75,000 towards the cost of the project.

Greater Anglia is installing new passenger waiting shelters at Brimsdown and Northumberland Park stations in a £250,000 investment. The metal and glass shelters, which are manufactured by Macemain Amstad, will help protect passengers from the elements while they are waiting for their trains. At Brimsdown station, shelters will be installed on Platforms 1 and 2, while at Northumberland Park, a shelter will be fitted onto Platform 4.

March 2025 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED 9

NEWS

Southeastern announces Electrostar refurbishment

Alstom is refurbishing the Class 376 Electrostar fleet on behalf of Southeastern and Eversholt Rail. Stabled at Grove Park between duties are 376029 and 376002, with Southeastern City Beam 707005 alongside. The operator has also recently announced plans to instal toilets inside the Class 707 trains. Southeastern

SOUTHEASTERN’S FLEET of Class 376 electric multiple units are to be refurbished under a project being conducted in association with Alstom and leasing company Eversholt Rail.

The Class 376 fleet is made up of 36 five-coach EMUs – numbered 376001-376036 – and they were built

by Bombardier under the Electrostar brand and originally introduced into service in 2004.

Southeastern said the midlife refurbishment of the fleet, which will be completed by Alstom, will help enhance the passenger experience of the trains and improve operational efficiency on its busy Metro services.

Work on the exteriors of the Class 376s has already begun at Ashford Maintenance Centre and includes the application of Southeastern’s attractive dark blue livery, as well as the fittingofLEDlightingimprovementsto the Electrostars, with an expectation that the first of the new-look trains will be in service during the spring.

The interior refresh, which will include refurbished seats and a full repaint, will get underway in the summer at Grove Park depot and the first fully refurbished units will enter passenger service before the end of the year.

Southeastern engineering director Mark Johnson said: “I am thrilled that we will be upgrading the Class 376s with our partners at Alstom and Eversholt Rail. The midlife refresh will deliver better journeys for our customers and keep these trains in tip-top condition for years to come.

“This builds on the upgrades across our other fleets, and the newer trains we are bringing in, as well as the ongoing procurement of new trains to replace our older Networkers.

“It all adds up to great news for our passengers in South East London, East Sussex and Kent.”

Alstom’s commercial director UK and Ireland, Peter Broadley, said: “We

are proud to partner with Southeastern and Eversholt Rail on this transformative upgrade. By delivering a refreshed, modernised fleet with enhanced passenger amenities and operationalefficiency,weareensuring these Derby-built trains continue to provide reliable and comfortable journeys for Southeastern’s customers.

“This project is a testament to Alstom’s commitment to innovation andexcellenceinsupportingouroperatorsandimprovingpassengerexperience throughout the UK rail network.”

The Class 376 refurbishment is part of Southeastern’s wider fleet improvementprogramme,whichhasincluded the introduction of 30 Class 707 City Beam trains onto the operator’s Metro network, the interior refurbishment of the operator’s Class 395 Javelin trains, and the provision of an additional 13 Class 377 trains. Southeastern is also currently going through a procurementprocesstoallowthereplacement ofitsClass465andClass466Networker EMUswithaneworupgradedtrainfleet.

Meanwhile, Southeastern has announced plans to install accessible toilets into its 30-strong fleet of Class 707 City Beam EMUs. It said the installation is part of a wider commitment to make it simpler and easier to access public toilets throughout its network.

GBRf awarded four-year contract extension by Aggregate Industries A LONG-ESTABLISHED partnership between GB Railfreight and Aggregate Industries has been further cemented with a fouryear contract extension that will see the freight operating company continue to move aggregate materials between Bardon Hill and the Isle of Grain.

The relationship between GBRf and Aggregate Industries has been inplaceformorethanadecadeand theextendeddealwillseethefreight operator move in excess of five million tonnes of aggregate materials over the lifetime of the contract.

GBRf said that the movement of thesematerialsbyrailhelpstoreduce the carbon footprint of the UK’s supplychains,whilealsohelpingthe Governmenthitits2050net-zeroobligationsanditsambitionstoincrease goodsmovedbyrailfreightby75%by 2050.Theaggregateserviceremoves up to 100 long-distance HGV movements from the roads and reduces emissions by 76%.

10 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED March 2025

GBRf chief executive officer John Smith said: “I am delighted that Aggregate Industries has committed to extending our partnership.

This is a long-standing relationship which we hope will continue for

many years, reducing the carbon footprint of moving construction materials essential for building homes across the country, in addition some of the UK’s biggest infrastructure projects.”

Aggregate Industries and GB Railfreight have signed a new four-year contract extension that will see the freight operating company continue moving aggregate materials between Bardon Hill and the Isle of Grain. GBRf’s Aggregate Industriesliveried 66711 Sense heads a Arcow Quarry to Hunslet stone train near Selside, on the Settle and Carlisle line, with Pen-y-ghent in the background, on July 5, 2021.

Kevin Delaney

www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk

NEWS

LNER names Azuma Darlington in recognition of IN BRIEF S&DR200 and Railway 200 commemorations EAST COAST Main Line operator LNER has unveiled another special livery and name on one of its Hitachi Class 801 Azuma electric multiple unit trains to mark the start of the 2025 Railway 200 and S&DR200 Festival celebrations commemorating the first passenger journey on the Stockton & Darlington Railway.

The Azuma has been named Darlington with the wording ‘Driving innovation for 200 years’ beneath the main name on driving vehicle 829207, with the vehicle also incorporating the S&DR200 and Railway 200 logos on the bodysides. The special vinyls are coloured orange in a nod to the British Railways North Eastern regional colours.

BehindthemainDarlingtonnameisa collageofimagesdepictingthehistory oftheS&DR,includingLocomotionNo. 1, the first locomotive to haul passengersontheS&DR;thefirsteditionofthe Northern Echo, published in DarlingtonandtheUK’sfirstnationalnewspaper;Hopetown,theDarlingtonrailway museum located on the grounds of the former S&DR works; an image of an LNER Azuma; and the design of the new entrance for Darlington station.

The new-look train was unveiled in a special event at Darlington station on January 14, with a performance from Voices of Darlington Choir and Durham singer-songwriter Sam Slatcher, who performed his composition inspired by the Stockton & Darlington Railway. The station,

As part of London North Eastern Railway’s support of the S&DR200 celebrations, Hitachi Class 801 Azuma electric multiple unit 801207 was officially named Darlington in a ceremony at Darlington station on January 14. On the morning of its unveiling, 801207 passes South Otterington working 1G01, the 10.41 from Darlington to York. Alex Ayre

which is managed by LNER, has also been decorated to remind passengers passing through it about the special anniversary taking place this year.

LNER managing director David Horne said: “This is an exciting year for the rail industry as we mark the bicentenary of the mammoth impact from the first passenger journey on the Stockton & Darlington Railway.

“LNER is delighted to play its own part in celebrating this huge milestone by dedicating the livery of one of our Azuma trains to the town of Darlington, its history, and its heritage.

“Two hundred years ago this railway line sparked a worldwide change, and we feel proud and privileged

that today LNER connects millions of customers to Darlington and more than 50 other destinations across the East Coast Main Line and beyond.”

The naming of 801207 is the sixth such initiative carried out by LNER to members of its Hitachi Azuma fleet in recent months, which has also seen 800106 named You Belong, 801204 Our Planet, 801225 Eleanor, 801226 Together, and 801228 Century.

The S&DR200 Festival runs between March and November at various locationsinCountyDurhamandTeesValley and is being delivered by Darlington Borough Council, Durham County CouncilandStockton-on-TeesBorough Council; visit www.sdr200.co.uk

Due to a blockade for trains through Crewe Basford Hall Junction due to resignalling works (see page 7), Caledonian Sleeper services were diverted away from their usual route, instead traversing the railway lines through Chat Moss, Stockport and Macclesfield. On December 30, 2024, GB Railfreight 92028 waits at Stoke-on-Trent in the early hours working 1M16 towards London Euston. Terry Eyres

www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk

Principal East Coast Main Line operator LNER has renewed its partnership with Edinburgh football clubs Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian, which will continue throughout 2025 to support the local community. A programme launched last year between LNER, Heart of Midlothian FC and its Community Coaching and Football Development department supports young players and helps them develop both football and mental health skills, while a group of LNER chefs and hosts visited the Edinburgh derby at Hibernian FC last year to showcase the train operator’s hospitality to fans attending the match. Further initiatives are planned for the partnership this year.

TransPennine Express staff at Hull Paragon station have raised £3600 by auctioning off a quantity of unclaimed lost property luggage.

In the past year, the team – which also manages lost property on behalf of Northern and Hull Trains at the station – logged more than 4000 items found on trains and stations, the most common being mobile phones, rucksacks and luggage. Of the money generated from the auction, £1600 was given to Hull Foodbank, £1000 to Andy’s Man Club and £1000 to Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.

ScotRail staff at Glasgow Queen Street and Aberdeen stations have raised more than £3200 for the operator’s official charity partner, Age Scotland. At Glasgow Queen Street, a series of fundraising activities have been organised by general manager Margaret Hoey, culminating in a raffle for three donated luxury hampers on December 12, with staff efforts raising a total of £1880.

At Aberdeen, a two-day craft fayre held in December raised a further £1358. The funds will support Age Scotland, which aims to combat loneliness, improve well-being, and provide valuable resources for older people in Scotland.

Open access operator Lumo has launched a low-alcohol beer created in partnership with Newcastle’s iconic Donzoko Brewing Company for passengers travelling on its services between London King’s Cross and Edinburgh Waverley. Big Nothing has an overall ABV (alcohol by volume) of 0.5% and the operator says the zesty beer caters for teetotallers, designated drivers and anyone looking for an alternative to sugary soft drinks. The drink’s introduction builds on Lumo’s commitment to providing locally-sourced onboard options as part of its catering offer.

March 2025 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED 11

NEWS

Northumberland Line reopened, but there’s still work to be done

ASREPORTEDinissue264,theNorthumberland Line between Newcastle and Ashington opened to Northern servicesonDecember15,2024,bringing thepreviouslyfreight-onlylinebackinto passengeruseforthefirsttimeinmore than60years.However,onlytwoofthe six stations being built for the 18-mile route were ready to welcome passengers from the reintroduction date.

The £298.5 million Northumberland Line project has been spearheaded

by Northumberland County Council and delivered in conjunction with the Department for Transport, Network Rail and Northern.

For the opening, which took effect from the December timetable change, services were only able to call at the new stations built at Seaton Delaval and Ashington, as construction work on the other four new stations is not yet complete. While it is planned that the station at Newsham – which is at an advanced stage of its construction – will open at some point in early 2025, the remaining three at Bedlington, Blyth Bebside and Northumberland Park will not be brought into use until much later in the year. Existing stations at Manors and Newcastle will also be served by Northumberland Line services.

Northern will operate two daytime services per hour Monday to Saturday, with one train an hour in the evenings and throughout the day on Sundays. The overall journey time along the whole route is currently about 35 minutes.

Traction will usually be provided by Class 158 diesel multiple units, with platforms on the reopened route able to accommodate trains of up

Local schoolchildren from Bishop's Primary School, invited dignitaries and guests joined Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander and North East Mayor Kim McGuinness at Ashington station to mark the completion of the Northumberland Line on December 10, 2024, five days ahead of the resumption of regular timetabled passenger services over the 18-mile route between Newcastle and Ashington. Northern

to four-coaches in length, although it is initially expected that trains will be formed of single two-car DMUs. End-to-end adult peak-time single fares between Newcastle and Ashington are priced £3, with return tickets costing £6, while off-peak fares for the same journey are £2.60 single and £5.20 return. Partnership agreements between Northern, Nexus Tyne & Wear Metro and Northumberland County Council

mean that integrated fares are in place for passengers making multimodal journeys.

A celebratory event prior to the resumption of public services took place on December 10, with Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander and North East Mayor Kim McGuinness travelling on the rejuvenated route as part of a specially-invited group, before taking a tour of the newly-completed station at Ashington.

158872 stands at the new station at Ashington, ready to depart with the 10.30 train to Newcastle on December 23, 2024. The station has been built on a slightly different formation to the original, with the freight lines and surviving platform remains visible on the right. Both newly-opened stations on the line at Ashington and Seaton Delaval feature large, free park-and-ride car parking facilities for rail users. Andy Coward

12 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED March 2025

Undertheproject,NetworkRailengineers have upgraded the freight-only line for passenger use and a modern signallingsystemhasalsobeeninstalled along the route. Test runs and staff familiarisation has been taking place since August last year, with Northern providing training on the route for 53 drivers and 75 conductors. A depot for conductorstaffhasalsobeenprovided atAshington,withsomelocalresidents recruitedtoworkonthereopenedline.

Northern’s 158868 approaches Seaton Delaval station with the 11.30 Ashington to Newcastle Northumberland Line service on December 23, 2024.

Services on the new route operate to a half-hourly frequency during the day Monday to Saturday, with an hourly service in the evenings and on Sundays.

Andy Coward

www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk

NEWS

Tyne & Wear Metro Stadler Class 555s enter service

A PROMISE made by Tyne & Wear Metro operator Nexus that one of its new Stadler-built Class 555 bi-modes would enter service in 2024 was kept when 555021 became the first of the 46-strong five-coach train fleet to work a Metro passenger service on the morning of December 18.

The historic first working saw the new train work the 11.04 service between Pelaw and Monkseaton, operating via Newcastle city centre, heralding the start of a new era for the Metro system and its passengers, with the new trains due to replace the operator’s elderly fleet of original Metropolitan-Cammell-built Metrocars, which have been in service since the Tyne & Wear Metro system first opened in 1980 and are now considered life-expired.

Stadler is responsible for the construction and ongoing maintenance of the new trains, with 13 Class 555s delivered to Metro’s Gosforth depot by the end of December (555001007/013/015/020/021/027/028). A further 25 are expected to arrive in the North East during 2025 and the remainder following in 2026.

It was originally planned that the first of the trains would enter service before the end of 2023, but the amount of testing and commissioning required – involving some 90,000 individual checks, 22,000 standards and clauses to comply with, and 480 staff to train– saw their planned introduction delayed.

Additionally, the 195 Metro drivers employed by Nexus are currently in the process of carrying out

A Southeastern station supervisor at Margate, Dougie Calder, has celebrated his 55th anniversary of working on the railway. Mr Calder, from Broadstairs, was 16 when he joined British Rail in 1969 and has now spent more than five decades working in a range of roles.

He still cycles to and from work for his shifts and regularly works 12-hour early, late and night shifts. A ceremony to commemorate his long service took place on December 6, attended by a number of former and current colleagues, and saw the avid coin collector presented with a coin that was engraved with the date he first joined the railway.

On December 18, 2024, Stadler 555021 stands at Pelaw station, ready to work the inaugural service to be worked by the second-generation Metro train fleet, the 11.04 Pelaw to Monkseaton service via Newcastle city centre. Nexus

conversion training to allow them to operate the Class 555s.

It is planned that the trains will be introduced onto Metro services in a phased manner, initially with them only running on weekdays.

As more of the new trains are introduced, the operator will then be able to accelerate the withdrawal of its original Metrocar fleet, which has struggled with reliability and poor availability in recent months.

The introduction of the new train fleet is part of a £362 million project and represents the biggest single undertaking in the Metro’s history. Although the trains will usually be operated as a conventional electric multiple unit using overhead electrification, they are

Appearing north of York for the first time in more than five years, LNER InterCity 225 set NL17, led by 91127 Neville Hill, worked a test train to Newcastle on December 17, 2024, with the Class 91 in charge of 5G90, the 09.25 Neville Hill Depot to Newcastle. The tests were in connection with the fitting of a high-tech PANDAS-V system, which monitors and identifies defects on pantographs and overhead electrification equipment. Alex Ayre

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IN BRIEF

fitted with traction batteries which will power the trains for a period of about 45 minutes, allowing the trains to be moved under their own power in the event of loss of overhead power to a place of safety or to be returned to Gosforth depot.

From a passenger perspective, the Class 555s feature linear seating along the length of the five-coach trains, charging points and climate control. They also include modern accessibility standards, such as sliding step technology at each door to reduce the space between the trains and platforms, additional spaces for wheelchair users, pushchair users and cyclists, colour lighting at doorways,andadvancedaudioanddigital systems. Each train is equipped with 44digitalCCTVcamerasandanintercomsystemthatallowspassengersto speakdirectlytothedriverifrequired.

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said: “This is an historic day for Metro and a moment I know will come as a relief to passengers, as well as being something to celebrate.

“I pressed Nexus and Stadler to get the first new Metro train out there for passengers as quickly as possible. I know how much hard work has gone into making that happen from many people involved in testing and solving the technical challenges. I look forward to seeing these new trains becoming a common sight next year as they are phased into use.

“We are now witnessing the first steps towards making Metro, once again, a world-class system the whole region can be proud of. I put a convenient, comfortable, and above all reliable Metro at the heart of my vision for the future of public transport in North East England, so that when we bring buses back under control, we can create the good value integrated network people are crying out for.”

LNER’s Customer and Community Investment Fund has financed the purchase of a new van for FareShare Yorkshire, a charity which redistributes surplus food to food banks and community groups.

Every week the charity receives and redistributes enough food to feed up to 42,000 people in the region.

The van will be used by FareShare Yorkshire’s distribution centre in Leeds, adding an extra eight deliveries per day and enabling the charity to provide food to about 40 more organisations, including school breakfast clubs, older people’s lunch clubs, homeless shelters and community cafes in the West Yorkshire area.

ScotRail and Network Rail raised almost £155,000 for the 2024 Scottish Poppy Appeal, organised

by Poppyscotland, an increase of 17% on the previous record that was set in 2023. Fundraising included donations from ScotRail passengers, free travel for Poppyscotland staff while on duty on the ScotRail network, and also providing the charity with access to retail space in stations. Collection tins were placed at ticket offices across the network, while collectors were also hosted at Glasgow Central, Glasgow Queen Street, Edinburgh Waverley and Haymarket stations in the run-up to Armistice Day 2024.

Artwork celebrating 175 years of rail services from Reddish South station was unveiled by Stockport MP, Navendu Mishra, in December.

The work was designed by Susanna Vosper, with additional artwork

by Sophia Taylor, a GCSE student at Reddish Vale High School. The station was built by the London and North Western Railway and originally opened in 1849, located between Stockport and Guide Bridge.

The station is now supported by the ‘Friends of Reddish South Station’ community group, bringing together local residents to look after and maintain the station facilities.

March 2025 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED 13

NEWS

ScotRail begins procurement process for a replacement Intercity train fleet

THE SCOTTISH Government has confirmed that it has instructed ScotRail to procure a replacement fleet of trains for the Inter7City services currently operated on routes between Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness using 25 shortformed High Speed Train sets.

The government’s intention to do so was announced last summer, but few details were released at the time (Railways Illustrated issue 261).

However, in a response to a written question about the plan submitted by Aberdeen Central Scottish National Party MSP Kevin Stewart, Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop MSP confirmed on December 17 that a contract notice had been published on Public Contracts Scotland, with a more detailed delivery timeline expected to be made available at the point the contract is awarded.

The replacement fleet aims to provide a high-quality, reliable, comfortable, accessible and family-friendly experience for passengers travelling on ScotRail’s Intercity routes, with the Scottish Government stating that this will help to encourage more people to choose travel by train, rather than car.

The response explained that ScotRail will run the procurement process for the new fleet in a fair and transparent manner, enabling Scottish suppliers to provide their services to potential bidders. The HSTs will remain in service until the replacement fleet is ready, at which point they will be withdrawn.

Ms Hyslop said: “Resilient, reliable ScotRail services are key to encouraging more people to choose to travel by train for work, leisure and learning.

“More than four million passengers travelled on Intercity trains between our key cities in the last year – we want to encourage even more people to do so. This procurement will enable us to replace the current Intercity fleet with trains which provide improved facilities and accessibility.

“Any replacement fleet is expected to be more energy efficient and thereforewillsignificantlyreduceemissions, reduceoperatingcostsandbemorein line with current passenger expectations, including for accessibility. The procurementprocessensuresScottish supplierswillbeabletooffertoprovide their services to potential bidders.

“This latest milestone in our rolling programme of decarbonisation will ensure the reliability of our Intercity routes for the long term, making Scotland’s railway a more attractive and greener travel choice."

The procurement document states that the replacement trains will come

ScotRail has formally begun the procurement process for a replacement train fleet for the current Inter7City High Speed Train fleet, some of which were originally introduced into service by British Rail from 1976. On August 3, 2022, ScotRail Inter7City power car 43183 heads towards Blackford on August 3, 2022, working an Edinburgh to Inverness service, with 43144 on the rear of the formation. Kevin Delaney

from an existing train fleet of a single type, with proven operational service in the UK, offering reduced emissions on the current HST fleet.

Capable of operating at speeds of up to 100mph, at least 19 trains will be required in service each day and the replacement fleet should ideally be in full service from the December 2026 timetable change. The trains are expected to remain on ScotRail Inter7City services until 2040.

The Inter7City fleet is owned by Angel Trains and leased to ScotRail.

The power cars and Mk.3 HST trailer coaches were previously used on Great Western Railway services and displaced by the introduction of the Intercity Express Trains on the GWR network, with the power cars and coaches refurbished at Wabtec in Doncaster for their introduction into service in Scotland, with a range of modifications carried out on the

trains, including sliding doors and toilet retention tanks.

The overall ScotRail fleet consisted of 52 power cars and 121 Mk.3 HST coaches which were to be formed into a mixture of 26 short-formed four and five-coach sets. However, one of the trains was extensively damaged in the Carmont rail accident in August 2020, leading to the withdrawal of power cars 43030 and 43140 and four-coach HST trailer set HA22.

On December 14, 2024, Network Rail’s 97304 Rheilffordd Talylynn Railway leads Harry Needle Railroad Company’s on-hire 37405 on the approach to Sutton Bridge at Meole Brace, working a Colas Rail Freight Aberystwyth to Chirk log train, which the pair would work as far as Coleham, where 56051 took over to haul the train forward to Chirk. James Poole

14 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED March 2025

www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk

NEWS

LNER opens dedicated family lounge at York IN BRIEF

EASTCOASTMainLineprincipaloperatorLNERopeneditsseconddedicated familyloungeatYorkstationonDecember16,followingthesuccessofasimilar facility at London King’s Cross station which opened last year.

Located on the main concourse at York, the lounge is a welcoming space for families who are travellingwith any train operator that serves the station, not just for LNER passengers.

Itfeaturesachildren’splayareabased onYork’shistoricwalls,hasbeachhuts with tabletop games, wall games, soft flooring and crawl spaces, and murals that focus on York’s landmarks and thecitythroughtheages.Thereisalso space for parents and carers to relax, featuring sofas, wooden benches and coffee tables, as well as a comfortable area for breastfeeding.

TheRailwayHeritageTrustsupported the project through a £20,000 grant towards the repair and installation of heritage-styleskirtingandarchitraves, andtherestorationofahistoricmirror, along with the overhaul of original timber sash windows in the lounge.

The interior of the new family lounge at York station, which provides a welcoming waiting space for families. The facility is the second to be developed by LNER, the first having opened at London King’s Cross last year. LNER

LNER managing director David Horne said: “LNER is leading the way when it comes to making rail travel more attractive and inclusive for families. It is great to see us building on the foundations that we laid after

the opening of our first family lounge at London King’s Cross station.

“Millions of customers start or end their journey at York each year, and we can’t wait for our family travellers to experience and enjoy this new space.”

Euston station improvement plan continues to make good progress NETWORK RAIL held a second rail industry summit on December 18 to give passenger user groups and the Government an update on progress on the five-point plan put in place in October to deliver key improvements to the passenger experience at Euston station in London.

The event saw Rail Minister Lord Hendy and representatives from the DepartmentforTransport,AvantiWest Coast, London Northwestern Railway, TransportforLondon,theOfficeofRail and Road, London TravelWatch and Transport Focus join Network Rail staff for a tour of the station. Senior Network Rail staff also held a round table discussion on the improvements made to the station, as well as

the long-term aspirations to regenerate the Euston site in the future.

The plan was developed in response to passenger feedback and aims to create a smoother, better experience whilepassingthroughoneofLondon’s busiest transport hubs, following a number of concerns about safety and overcrowdinginthestation’sconcourse, particularlyduringtimesofdisruption.

One of the most noticeable developments has been the launch of a trial from December 11, where the huge advertising board in the station concourse has been switched back on, but now displaying live travel information and train departures.

The controversial advertising board had replaced the previous train

Network Rail continues to work on the implementation of its five-point plan to improve the passenger experience at Euston station. The large advertising board that replaced the previous departure screens has been switched back on following a review, but is now being trialled to show live travel information and departures, while the smaller departure screens in the concourse have been retained. Network Rail

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departurescreens,withsmallerreplacement digital screens located within the concourse and outside the station entrance, but the prominent, large advertising board was switched off by NetworkRailfollowingconcernsraised bypreviousTransportSecretaryLouise Haigh (Railways Illustrated issue 262).

A review of concourse signage has been completed, with simplified and clearer signs now on display which aims to make navigating the station easier. Additionally, the trial of earlier boarding of trains operated

by AWC and LNR has helped to reduce congestion in the concourse.

Work is continuing to create more space to assist with passenger flow around the station, with efforts made to free up known pinch points on the concourse, including the removal of a vacant retail space. Staff representing the train operating companies serving Euston are now located in one clearly visible area of the concourse as a focal point for help, information and assistance.

Rail Minister Lord Hendy said: “For too long Euston hasn’t been good enoughforpassengers,andit’sreassuring to see that Network Rail is putting this right by making significant strides onourfive-pointplanforimprovement.

“A more passenger-focused railway is one of the Government’s top priorities, and we will continue to work with Network Rail to improve the station so customers can look forward to travelling by rail.”

Northern has installed dedicated chewing gum bins at 13 railway stations in the North West. The specialist bins – which are themselves made from recycled chewing gum – have been manufactured by Gumdrop Ltd, a UK-based company that has developed a unique recycling solution for this type of waste.

Chewing gum that is deposited into the bins will be transformed into products such as coffee cups, stationery, and soles for trainers.

The dedicated bins have been installed at Barrow-in-Furness, Bolton, Buxton, Deansgate, Lea Green, Manchester Victoria, Newton-le-Willows, Salford Central, Salford Crescent, Ulverston, Warrington Central, Whitehaven and Wigan Wallgate stations.

East Midlands Railway has reported a significant increase in the popularity of its advance purchase tickets. EMR said that journeys made over the past two years using an advance purchase ticket have increased by 34.1%, from 4,407,696 to 5,909,548. The tickets, which offer savings of up to 60% when booked in advance, are available on most routes served by the train operator. They are aimed at passengers who can travel on a specific service, while EMR can manage the demand for its service by promoting discounted fares for travel during quieter times, alleviating pressure on its busier services.

ScotRail has expanded its Travel Safe Team with the establishment of a new nine-strong cohort based at Haymarket station in Edinburgh, joining the previously-established team at Paisley, which consists of 27 members. The teams travel across Scotland and work closely with British Transport Police to support passengers and railway staff on trains and stations.

ScotRail has also invested £1.6 million to triple the number of body-worn cameras worn by staff to tackle anti-social behaviour and now double staff on late-night trains in known problem areas.

The Thameslink station at Brent Cross West saw 575,000 journeys made to and from the station in the first year since it opened on December 10, 2023. Barnet Council led the development of the station to provide a more sustainable travel option for residents and businesses located close to the new station and is part of the wider Brent Cross Town project, a 180-acre development which will see 6700 new homes, an extensive office development, a new high street with retail units, and parks created.

March 2025 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED 15

NEWS

Network Rail consults on Manchester Oxford Road station remodelling plans

NETWORK RAIL has launched a consultation into plans to remodel its station at Manchester Oxford Road, designed to allow the station to accommodate longer trains, while proposed track and signalling alterations will help reduce congestion by removing conflicting train movements.

The Manchester Oxford Road Station Remodelling Scheme proposal includes reconfiguring the platform layout to leave a total of three platforms, but with the two through-platforms lengthened to accommodate eight-coach trains, while a new turn-back platform will be suitable for use by six-coach trains, with each platform increased in capacity by two coach lengths from their current configuration.

This would allow for increased capacity through the station, while thetrackandsignallingimprovements would increase flexibility of train movements and allow an increase in services from 12 to 14 trains per hour. It is also planned that there will be improvements to overhead electrification under the scheme.

However, Network Rail said that the construction work will result in the closure of the station for just over two years,althoughthistimescaleissubject

IN BRIEF TransPennine Express has donated £5000 from its Customer and Community Improvement Fund for a group of volunteers to grow biodiversity and expand floral displays at Malton station in North Yorkshire and around the town.

The volunteer team have installed planters full of flowers at the station and plan to create more green spaces to encourage wildlife and pollinators in the area. The money awarded by TPE will be used to support Malton in Bloom’s projects in the town, as well as at the station.

East Midlands Railway has launched new Accessibility Maps, designed to provide passengers with easy-to-access information about station facilities on its network. Created by EMR’s Accessibility Panel of rail users, the maps outline accessibility features at stations, including step-free access points, accessible toilets, parking facilities and assistance services. Maps are currently available for Nottingham station, the Robin Hood Line between Nottingham and Worksop, and the wider EMR network, with further maps planned during the year.

One of the four train operating companies to serve Manchester Oxford Road is TransPennine Express. On January 15, 185145 calls at the station working a service for Manchester Airport. Network Rail is in the process of consulting on the remodelling of Manchester Oxford Road, which could see the station closed for just over two years. Phil Wallis

tochangeandtheworkwillnotprevent trains from running through Oxford Road.Theinfrastructurecompanysaid itisworkingwithTransportforGreater Manchester, Manchester City Council and station teams to identify the best ways to manage increased passenger flows at neighbouring stations during the closure period.

The remodelling scheme features accessibility improvements including a new footbridge with increased space for passengers and new lifts providing step-free access to all platforms. Wider platforms and improvementstoexistingliftsarealsoplanned.

The design of the footbridge, staircase and canopies takes into consideration the Grade II-listed status of the station building and platform canopies,aswellasneighbouringbuildings on Whitworth Street and Oxford Road.

The first round of the public consultation, focusing on the principles of the scheme and the preferred design currently being developed, runs until

February 28. A drop-in event is due to take place at the Friend’s Meeting HouseinMountStreet,Manchester,on February 17 between 2pm and 7pm for anyone interested in viewing and discussing the plan, while a virtual consultation and feedback form can be found online at https://manchesteroxfordroad.consultation.ai Network Rail senior project lead Pete Winters said: “The Manchester Oxford Road Remodelling Scheme consultation is an opportunity for the public to hear about our exciting plans for the station, which include platform, track and signalling upgrades, alongside improvements to station accessibility.

“We want to bring all station users and the local community with us on the journey of improving this importantstation.Iurgethemtoletusknow theirthoughtssothattheycanbetaken into account as the designs progress.”

The Leader of Manchester City Council, Coun Bev Craig, said: “We

have said for a long time that Oxford Road Station needs a range of improvements from easing the congestion, increasing capacity, improving reliability and ensuring that the station is accessible for all commuters.

“This consultation will be a positive step in achieving those goals and ensuring that the needs of the tens of thousands of people who travel through Oxford Road on a daily basis are being met.

“Any future development will be a long-term project but infrastructure upgrades like these are essential if we are to continue growing Manchester as the leading city of the north.”

A second consultation round is due to take place before the end of 2025, which will focus on environmental and construction information.

Once both consultations have been considered, Network Rail will submit the applications needed to build the scheme in 2026.

With low cloud clinging and swirling across Mallerstang Edge, 56049 Robin of Templecombe rolls through Kirkby Stephen with 6Z32, 11.24 Preston Docks to Eastriggs MOD sidings, on January 20. With the cessation of bitumen traffic between Haverton Hill and Preston Docks, these tank wagons were being moved to store at Eastriggs, with a further movement of the remaining wagons set to take place at the end of February. Chris Gee

16 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED March 2025

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FLEET Review

By Simon Bendall and Andy Coward

Traction News HNRC sold to Swietelsky AG Austrian rail infrastructure construction company Swietelsky AG confirmed it had acquired 100% of the shares of Harry Needle Railroad Company on January 15 for what was described as an ‘eight-figure sum’.

HNRC is a long-established provider of maintenance, repair and rental services for locomotives and rail vehiclesintheUK,operatingoutofastateof-the-art14hectarefacilityinWorksop, Nottinghamshire, with a second dedicated maintenance facility at Barrow Hill,Derbyshire.Thecompanyemploys more than 30 people and Swietelsky said that in the 2023/24 financial year, HNRC generated an operating performance of about nine million euros.

Last June it was announced that up to 26 locomotives belonging to HNRC could be used by Swietelsky after an agreement was signed for the provision of main line locomotives and access to heavy maintenance facilities at HNRC's Worksop depot (Railways Illustrated issue 259).

With the acquisition of HNRC, Swietelsky is expanding its UK portfolio to include key areas such as locomotive

repairs, fleet management and rail vehicle storage.

Chief executive officer Peter Krammer said: “This strategic step not only enables us to expand our market position in the area of operate and maintain contracts for Network Rail, but it is also to significantly increase our capacities for machine overhauls and future innovations such as the conversion of rail vehicles to European train control systems.

“The synergies between our existing business areas and HNRC’s expertise provide an excellent basis for sustainable growth and the development of new business areas.”

While no longer the owner of the business, founder Harry Needle is continuingtoworkforthecompanyas anassetmanager.Thebusinessisnow to be known as HNRC Swietelsky, and the new owner’s branding was starting to be applied to locomotives now controlled by them from mid-January.

HNRC has a number of main line-registered locomotives in its fleet for hire on services both on Network Rail and industrial settings, with

Shortly after it was confirmed that Harry Needle Railroad Company had been purchased by Swietelsky AG, 37607 leads a failed 37057 Barbara Arbon and its Network Rail ultrasonic test train out of York Holgate Sidings, prior to returning the train to Derby on January 15. This was the first working of 37607 after the application of Swietelsky branding to the side of the locomotive. Alex Stojanovic

other locomotives currently undergoing overhauls or in storage awaiting reactivation, including a large number of Class 08s, 20s and 37s.

It is understood that heritage locomotives belonging to Mr Needle are not included in the sale of the wider business.

Another GBRf Class 69 completed by Progress Rail

Another Class 69 has been completed, with the emergence of 69014 from Progress Rail at Longport following the conversion of another donor Class 56 for GB Railfreight. The locomotive undertook its first main line test run on December 13 from Longport to Bescot and back, with 66307 Ipswich Town provided for insurance.

A second main line test took place on December 31, with the newly completed Class 69 working again from Longport to Bescot, with 66724 Drax Power Station accompanying it on this occasion. As with all the Class

69s to be completed so far, it emerged painted in light green undercoat.

69014becamethe14thlocomotiveto beconverted,usingthebodyshelland running gear of a Class 56, with 56104 havingbeenthedonorlocomotive.The Class69sarefittedwithanElectro-MotiveDieselEMD710engineandmodern electroniccontrolsystems,alongwith a host of other modifications.

A number of Class 69s carry special historic railway liveries, with 69002/004/005/007/009/012 all currently carrying special British Rail-inspired livery styles, while

Newly-completed 69014 emerged from Progress Rail at Longport for main line test runs, ahead of its handover to GB Railfreight, on December 13 and December 31.

On the last day of 2024, 69014 heads through Stafford hauling 66724 running from Bescot back to Longport. Spencer Conquest

18 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED March 2025

69001/003/006/008/010/011 are painted in GBRf’s Class 69 version of its corporate orange and dark blue colour scheme, although 69001 also carries British and American flags on its bodysides. It is understood that GBRf is planning further special liveries on at least some of the remaining Class 69s when they emerge from painting following completion.

69013 entered traffic with GBRf last autumn but is also currently still

painted in undercoat, having been used to support the autumn railhead treatment train programme, and it is expected that both 69013 and 69014 will make their way to Arlington Fleet Services at Eastleigh for cosmetic attention in the near future.

There are two more Class 69 conversions remaining to be completed by Progress Rail; it is expected that the finalcompletedlocomotive,69016,will emerge from Longport later this year.

GB Railfreight Class 69 conversions: January 2025 No.

Name

Body Donor

69001

Mayflower

56031

69002 69003 69004 69005 69006 69007 69008 69009 69010 69011 69012 69013 69014 69015 69016

Livery

GB Railfreight with British and American flags Bob Tiller CM&EE 56311 (56057) BR Large Logo blue The Railway Observer 56018 GB Railfreight RIDC Melton 56069 BR Research Department red and blue Eastleigh 56007 BR green Pathfinder Railtours 56128 GB Railfreight Richard Trevithick 56037 BR blue Richard Howe 56038 GB Railfreight Western Consort 56060 BR maroon 56065 GB Railfreight 56032 GB Railfreight Falcon 2 56077 Prototype two-tone green 56312 (56003) Undercoat 56104 Undercoat 56009 Class 69 conversion not yet completed 56097 Class 69 conversion not yet completed

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FLEET Review

Surviving Class 37/4s still proving their worth

The entry into service of Sheaf Engineering Services’ newly-overhauled 37402 Oor Wullie in December is the tenthofthepopularandversatileClass 37/4sub-fleettoreturntothemainline.

Bought from Direct Rail Services at the end of 2023, 37402 has undergone a comprehensive mechanical overhaul and bodywork corrosion repairs, along with a refresh of its Large Logo blue paintwork, before it returned

to action during December, being hired to Colas Rail Freight for use on Network Rail test train workings.

There are 13 Class 37/4s remaining out of the original 31 modified

by British Rail in the mid-1980s and equipped with electric train heat capability. The main operator of the sub-fleet in recent years has been Direct Rail Services, but the company sold its final Class 37s last year.

Of the survivors, five – 37405/419/ 422/424/425 – were purchased from DRS by Harry Needle Railroad Company and 37405/425 have been returned to main line service so far, hired to Colas Rail Freight for use on Network Rail test train workings.

37419/422/424arecurrentlylocated atBarrowHillanditisunderstoodthey have been undergoing attention prior to re-entering service, with 37422 receiving an E-exam by the company.

What effect the change in ownership of HNRC following its purchase by SwietelskyAG(seeseparatestory)has on the company’s locomotive fleet requirements remains to be seen.

Additionally, Locomotive Services Group has two members of the sub-fleet, with 37401 Mary Queen of Scots and 37409 Loch Awe now in service with the Crewe-based charter

operator. Both 37401/409 have been repainted into LSG’s ScotRail livery to matchthecoloursappliedtotheoperatorsMk.2/3push-pullrakeofcoaches and 47712.

AnotheroperatorwithtwoClass37/4s isEurophoenix,whichownsLargeLogo 37407 Blackpool Tower and 37423 Loram UK has use of 37418 An Comunn Gaidhealach, which is owned

by Steve Beniston, while Colas Rail Freight also has 37421 in its Class 37 fleet,withbothlocomotivespreviously operatingwithinthepreservationsector before reactivation to main line use.

Finally,37403IsleofMullisownedby theScottishRailwayPreservationSocietyandbasedontheBo’ness&Kinneil Railway but it is also main line-registered and is used on SRPS charter services, as well as hauling services on the Scottish heritage railway.

Surviving Class 37/4 status: January 2025

Reunited with a set of Oor Wullie nameplates which were previously carried by the locomotive during its BR operating days, Large Logo blue 37402 passes through Tamworth station on the rear of 1Z44, the 06.22 Cardiff Canton Sidings to Derby on January 9. Mark Pike

Class 50s continue on GWR Night Riviera sleeper stock movements The hire of the Class 50 Alliance’s main line-registered 50007 Hercules has continued, with the Large Logo Class 50 employed on regular movements of Great Western Railway Mk.3 Night Riviera sleeper coaches between Reading Depot and Arriva Traincare at Eastleigh, where the coaches are having their GWR paintwork refreshed following a programme of C6 overhauls on the stock.

The moves have been happening on a regular basis, with the

preserved Class 50 usually taking a Mk.3coachfromReadingforrepainting,beforereturninglaterintheday hauling a freshly repainted vehicle.

As this issue of Railways Illustrated was being prepared, 50007's hire came to an end and it was due toreturntoitsbaseatKidderminster on the Severn Valley Railway, with Hanson&HallRailServicesSolutions classmate 50008 Thunderer taking overtheworkingsfollowingaperiod on hire to the Weardale Railway for use on its Polar Express services.

The Class 50 Alliance’s main line-registered 50007 Hercules heads through Didcot station in foggy conditions on January 11, hauling Great Western Railway Mk.3 Sleeper coach 10616 from Reading to Eastleigh for repainting at the Arriva Traincare facility. Spencer Conquest

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No.

Name

Owner

Livery

Status

37401

Mary Queen of Scots

LSG

SCR

Operational

37402

Oor Wullie

SESL

LLB

Operational

37403

Isle of Mull

SRPS

LLB

Operational

HNRC

HNRC

Operational

37405 37407

Blackpool Tower

EPX

LLB

Operational

37409

Loch Awe

LSG

SCR

Operational

37418

An Comunn Gaidhealach

Private

Loram

Operational

37419

HNRC

ICE

Repairs

37421

Colas

Colas

Operational

37422

HNRC

UDRS

Repairs

37423

EPX

UDRS

Operational

37424

HNRC

LLB

Repairs

HNRC

RR

Operational

37425

Sir Robert McAlpine/Concrete Bob

Owner Key: Colas – Colas Rail Freight; EPX – Europhoenix; HNRC – HNRC Swietelsky; LSG – Locomotive Services Group; SESL – Sheaf Engineering Services Ltd; SRPS – Scottish Railway Preservation Society.

Livery Key: Colas – Colas Rail Freight yellow, orange and black; HNRC – HNRC Swietelsky orange; ICE – InterCity Executive; LLB – Large Logo blue; Loram – Loram UK red and white; RR – Regional Railways; SCR – ScotRail; UDRS – Unbranded Direct Rail Services blue.

Now active once again following reactivation work by new owner Freightliner, 90040 leads classmate 90041 Pete Waterman OBE and 66568 through Ipswich working 4M63, the 09.12 Felixstowe North to Trafford Park on December 30, 2024. The former DB Cargo Class 90 still carries the livery of its former owner, but with Freightliner branding applied prominently. 90018 was also purchased by Freightliner from DB Cargo last year and this locomotive is currently undergoing return to service work at Crewe Basford Hall. Keith Partlow

March 2025 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED 19

FLEET Review

By Simon Bendall and Andy Coward

Unit News

Electrostar cascade hits early snags

Despite months of preparation, none of the former Stansted Express Class 379 EMUs were deemed fit enough to enter traffic on Great Northern services from the December timetable change. Their condition has been found to be worse than expected after almost three years out of passenger use and further remedial work is required. Driver training is continuingthough,andonJanuary10 379023 and379029ranfromHornseytoKing’s Lynn, where they will be out-based for several weeks while staff carry out the necessary conversion course.

Despite the lack of Class 379s, the release of Class 387s to Southern has commenced, with 25 of the class now expected to move south of the Thames by the end of this year. This was originally planned to be 387114129, former GWR sets 387172-174 and the ex-c2c units 387301-306, leaving 387101-113 with Great Northern, which would then be fitted with ETCS in-cab signalling. However, while 387172-174 had all transferred to Southern before Christmas, problems reconfiguring their software has seen their reallocation aborted and theyhavereturnedtoHornsey,atleast until the problems can be overcome.

At least 387172 had received Southern logos on its GWR green bodysides before the transfer was reversed and it has since been noted with Great Northern branding applied instead, as has 387173.

Also moved south before Christmas were 387128 and 387129, these arriving at Selhurst from Hornsey on

December 12. Their redeployment went as planned and they debuted withSouthernfourdayslater,working 1J92,the07.02BognorRegistoLondon Bridge.Theywerejoinedby387123and 387126 on December 21 and both of these were in use by January 2.

Completing the cascade are the 13 Southern Class 377s that will join the SoutheasternfleetbyDecember.These have been identified as Class 377/1 sets 377121-133, all of which have the unpopular three plus two partial seatinglayout.377122arrivedatRamsgate on November 30 and had been joined by377121byDecember9,withbothin traffic on Victoria to Ramsgate/Dover services on December 31.

South Western completes Juniper reformations

The programme to reconfigure and repaint 28 of the Class 458 Juniper fleet for continued use with South Western Railway has been completed.

The last two sets were released from Alstom’s Widnes Technology Centre just before the festive period, with 458414 hauled south to Wembley by 57310onDecember16andonwardsto Bournemouth the next day. However, a points failure at Branksome meant the train could not access Bournemouth depot, so it was returned to Eastleigh to stable overnight before a second successful attempt, this time worked by 57303, on December 18.

Lessdramawasencounteredforthe return of 458419 on December 23/24, 57303 again being in charge with an overnight stop in Wembley Yard. By early January, 22 of the reformed four-car fleet had seen passenger use,

the latest to appear being 458405 on December16and458403onJanuary8.

Thisleft458402/404/407/414/417/419 as the six sets still to carry passengers in their new form.

Of the eight sets not included in the programme, 458531 was hauled away from Wimbledon between 37901 and 37510 on December 10, joining 458534 in store at Long Marston.

Also now out of traffic and awaiting the same trip is 458532, which leaves 458529/530/533/535/536 in traffic.

These are expected to remain in use until major exams become due or sufficient Class 701s are available.

LNR ‘Desiros’ stored

With all 48 of the three-car Class 730/0 Aventras now in traffic, London Northwestern has removed further Class 350/2 Desiros from traffic. By the end of 2024, seven of the Porterbrook-owned sets were off-lease and gathered together in Wembley Yard.

First to join the already resident 350244 was 350231, running south from Northampton to Willesden Railnet on December 18, before moving into Wembley Yard four days later.

They were joined by 350236 and 350245 from Camden carriage sidings on December 27, with 350240 and 350253 running south from Rugby the next day, this including a stop at Northampton to collect 350251.

Of the five sets caught in floodwater at Northampton station in late November, a repaired 350242 was recorded back in traffic at the beginning of January but the other four units, 350113/233/254/377, remain out of traffic at either King’s Heath depot or in Northampton Up Sidings.

As a result, 350238 was released from Wolverton on December 18 and was back in traffic 10 days later to provide some degree of cover.

The stored units remain sporadically active to keep them serviceable, with 350245movingfromWembleytoWolverton on January 13, before a nocturnal outing to Crewe three days later that includedavisittoManchesterAirport.

Flex developments

Recent weeks have seen a number of developments with the Class 769 Flex conversions,withPorterbrookstillkeen tofindauseforthehybridformerClass 319s. Of the two former Transport for Wales sets at Brodie Rail’s Kilmarnock workshops, 769002 ventured out on a testruntoDumfriesonDecember10in the company of 769959. Like 769006, this is now finished in plain white and has been stripped of its interior. Both units, 769002 and 769006, appeared together on January 9, running from KilmarnocktoEastriggsfortemporary store.Theirnextstopisexpectedtobe Crewe Electric to have their pantographsrefittedandACtractionsystem recommissioned.

AlreadyattheCheshiredepotundergoing this work is 769421, which was extracted from Long Marston on January 3 by 37884. This former Welsh set is expected to be placed on shortterm lease with Northern to cover upcoming overhauls on its Class 769s. However, the first of Northern’s sets was dispatched for this work to commence on January 14, with 37884 hauling 769431 from Allerton bound for Kilmarnock. However, the working got no further than Oxenholme after issues with both the locomotive and the unit’s brakes, the set being left in the station’s tamper siding pending a recovery attempt on January 20.

Meanwhile, at Wabtec, Doncaster, former GWR sets 769935 and 769949 havebeennotedwithnewsetnumbers applied pending a new role. The duo arenownumbered769535and769549.

On January 7, Europhoenix 37901 Mirrlees Pioneer and 37218 top-and-tail 175103 and accompanying barrier wagons over the River Usk, shortly after departing Newport, working from Landore to Ely Papworth sidings for storage. Matthew Plumpton

20 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED March 2025

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