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All Change!

Issue 234 August 2022

Meet the man charged with reviving Peak Rail’s fortunes

Model Spot

PLUS

Accurascale Class 55 Deltics

‘Back to the future’ for LNER’s new-look Class 91s

New for old! Avanti Pendolino refurbishment Southampton Docks in profile DC Rail’s Class 60s return to their birthplace

Competition launched for new Scottish train fleets

Welcome to Railways Illustrated

A time for celebration – not criticism!

T

he country spent the first few days of June celebrating The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, an event none of us are likely to ever see again. Whether you are a supporter of the Royal Family or not, the long weekend was certainly a time to recognise longevity and achievement.

As with the rest of the country, the railway got in on the act of celebrating, with a number of operators applying the official jubilee crests to their fleets, while others went a little further – creating a predictable division between those who approved and those who didn’t.

First up was GB Railfreight, which unveiled its 100th Class 66, the ‘new’ 66734 in royal purple and grey. GBRf is no stranger to applying special paint schemes to its locomotive fleet, and 66734 joins a large number of GBRf’s Class 66s and 69s in carrying unique liveries.

What amazed me – but perhaps shouldn’t have – was some of the vitriolic comments made about the chosen colours carried by the Class 66.

I realise there is nothing more certain to stir up extreme reactions from some social media commentators, but the locomotive has been painted to recognise a significant national event and has been done with the usual GBRf flair for publicity and celebration.

The heritage railway sector is no different.

The Severn Valley Railway has attracted fierce criticism from some quarters for repainting Southern ‘West Country’ steam locomotive 34027 Taw Valley in royal purple, renumbering it 70 and now carrying the name Elizabeth II. However, as well as being a very recognisable symbol of the jubilee celebrations, the repainted locomotive has brought thousands of people to the SVR to travel behind it, many of whom probably wouldn’t have bothered had it not been repainted to recognise the jubilee – and that is a masterstroke from the railway.

For the record, 70 Elizabeth II will return to standard BR lined green as 34027 in a few months’ time.

On the heritage modern traction side, the Western Locomotive Association carried out a rather more subtle move to recognise the jubilee by transforming D1062 Western Courier into the identity of long-scrapped D1040 Western Queen, which also saw the locomotive taking part in the SVR’s Jubilee celebrations.

No bright purple paintwork this time, but an equally recognisable and respectful tribute from the preservation sector.

Another locomotive getting in on the act was the Stratford 47 Group’s 47580 County of Essex, which has been suitably ‘blinged up’ for the jubilee with an eye-catching new look on the Mid-Norfolk Railway. Although the comments received about the transformation of 47580 seemed much more reserved than those

received by 66734 (or indeed the repainting of 34027), there were still a few people who voiced their strong disapproval of the repaint applied to the Class 47. Personally, I thought it looked really good and something that I could well imagine the staff at Stratford Depot doing to one of their locomotives, had the depot still been in everyday use.

As my friend and colleague Richard Clinnick often says in his column, if you don’t like something, then simply scroll on rather than openly criticise the efforts of others. After all, we are never going to see a platinum jubilee again in our lifetimes.

Well worth the wait

Another cause for celebration is the opening of the new Elizabeth line in London. Attending the opening in late May, I got to travel on the whole length of the new route between Paddington and Abbey Wood, having previously been invited to a preview event between Paddington and Liverpool Street during the shadow running phase, as Transport for London prepared the new route for opening.

It is no secret that I have been very impressed by the standard of work done on this new railway. Despite the controversy that has followed the project throughout its planning and construction, what we have now is a world-class railway that will significantly play its part in improving journey times in and around the capital, especially after all the services are fully integrated next year, as well as improving capacity across the city.

At the moment, Elizabeth line trains are operating as three different services, but by this time next year, services will operate from Reading and Heathrow Airport through to Abbey Wood and Shenfield, creating better through services and increased frequencies.

Talking to outgoing Crossrail chief executive Mark Wild at Woolwich on the first morning, it was easy to see just how proud he was to have been in charge of the team that has finally brought the Elizabeth line into operation. The beaming smile on his face said it all.

Probably one of the most challenging construction projects in the UK over the last decade, the pressure to get the line completed and open must have been huge but, as I said last month, the delays to the project will be largely forgotten now that the line is open.

It’s a massive achievement and I think the vast majority of passengers using the new line will be as impressed with it as I was, but Mark Wild was much more interested in acknowledging the work done by others – particularly those who have been involved in the project but who are no longer with us to celebrate the opening – rather than taking plaudits for himself.

Coming up in this issue...

As ever, this issue of Railways Illustrated is packed with news and photos from around the UK national rail network, as well as from our heritage railways.

Following the release of Avanti West Coast’s first refurbished Pendolino, 390125, at the end of April (Railways Illustrated issue 233), a further five Pendolinos are now back in traffic, having received the same internal refurbishment works at Alstom in Widnes.

The scale of the project is huge and the finish of the refreshed interiors of the trains – many of which are now approaching two decades in service on the West Coast Main Line – is impressive.

The first Pendolino to be refurbished took 30 weeks to complete, but Alstom is now turning around a full 11-coach train in just two weeks, which is equally impressive when you consider the scale of work being done. In this issue we look at the internal transformation of these modern workhorses.

Our preservation profile this month features Peak Rail, a line that has often gone about its business away from the spotlight in recent years. We meet the railway’s new general manager, Mark Sealey, to find out what plans he has for developing the Derbyshire heritage route that runs between Matlock and Rowsley South on the former Midland Main Line.

It was clear when we met just how enthusiastic Mark is about helping Peak Rail reach its full potential, and I think it will certainly be a line to keep an eye on over the coming months.

Steve Stubbs takes a look at the network of railways around Southampton Docks, which remains one of our main container terminals and bulk commodities centres. Steve takes a look at the rail traffic carried to and from the docks over the last 25 years, accompanied by a selection of his excellent photographs of trains working in and around the docks.

This month’s 10 Pictures comes from railway signaller Dafydd Whyles, who enjoys taking those images that many other photographers sometimes shy away from, such as those during poor weather, or in rather dramatic lighting conditions. He also likes to study some of the more unusual aspects of the railway, away from the trains themselves – and it makes for another excellent submission.

As ever, I hope you enjoy this issue of Railways Illustrated and if you want to get in touch, please email me at rieditor@mortons.co.uk

Andy Coward Editor

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August 2022 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED

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On Sale Date: First Thursday of the month This Issue On Sale: July 7, 2022 Next Issue On Sale: August 4, 2022 EDITOR: Andy Coward 01507 529566 ART EDITOR: Kelvin Clements PAGE DESIGNERS: Tim Pipes, Charlotte Fairman, Mike Baumber PRODUCTION EDITOR: Lucy Wood PUBLISHER: Tim Hartley PUBLISHING DIRECTOR: Dan Savage EDITORIAL ADDRESS: Railways Illustrated, Mortons Media Ltd, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ WEBSITE: www.railwaysillustrated.com EMAIL: rieditor@mortons.co.uk CONTRIBUTORS: Mark Allatt, Alex Ayre, Andrew Bannister, Phil Barnes, David Barnsdale, Simon Bendall, Paul Biggs, Phil Chilton, Richard Clinnick, Spencer Conquest, Kevin Delaney, Steve Donald, Pip Dunn, Ian Edmondson, Terry Eyres, Robert Falconer, Andy Flowers, Chris Gee, Stuart Graves, Paul Hadfield, Martyn Hilbert, Chris Hopkins, Andrew Jeffery, Brad Joyce, Tom McAtee, Scott Paddington, Bill Pizer, Rob Reedman, Steve Sienkiewicz, Noel Slack, Michael Sly, David Spooner, Steve Stubbs, Henry Thomas, Colin Wallace, Andy Walters, Ben Warren, Andrew Watts, Dafydd Whyles, Tony Winward.

ADVERTISING Advertising representatives Craig Amess 01507 529537 camess@mortons.co.uk Fiona Leak 01507 529573 fleak@mortons.co.uk Group advertising manager Sue Keily skeily@mortons.co.uk

Contents Regulars 3 Welcome

36 From the Front Coach

6 News

40 The Social Side

16 Fleet Review

42 Pictorial

24 Heritage News

78 Book & Product Reviews

32 What’s Happening To …

80 Railwayana

FRONT COVER: Our preservation profile this month features Peak Rail in Derbyshire, which is undergoing a number of changes following the appointment of a new general manager. On October 12, 2021, the Waterman Railways Heritage Trust’s immaculately restored Class 25 D7659 leads Class 44 ‘Peak’ D8 Penyghent, heading south from Darley Dale, working a Matlock to Rowsley South train. This was one of the Class 25s first workings since completion of a major rebuild of the locomotive. Bill Pizer

CUSTOMER SERVICES General Queries and Back Issues 01507 529529 Monday-Friday 8.30am-5pm Answerphone 24H help@classicmagazines.co.uk www.classicmagazine.co.uk MORTONS MEDIA GROUP LTD Sales and Distribution Manager Carl Smith Marketing Manager Charlotte Park Commercial Director Nigel Hole ARCHIVE Enquiries Jane Skayman 01507 529423 jskayman@mortons.co.uk Origination and Printing Printed at Acorn Web Offset Ltd, Normanton, West Yorkshire 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. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the editor, or publisher. ©MORTONS MEDIA GROUP LTD All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

Advertising Deadline: July 14 4 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED August 2022

46 New for old!

52 Peak Rail: All Change

46 New for old!

Avanti West Coast’s fleet of Class 390 Pendolinos are undergoing a major internal refurbishment project to transform the 20-year-old interiors to as-new condition, with the work being carried out by Alstom at Widnes. We take a look at the programme and the level of works being done on the trains.

52 Peak Rail: All change

In our latest preservation profile feature, Andy Coward meets Mark Sealey, the recently-appointed general manager of Peak Rail in Derbyshire, to find out how he intends to improve

60 10 Pictures: Dafydd Whyles

A master of atmospheric and somewhat moody railway photography, our 10 Pictures feature this month comes from the lens of photographer and railway signaller Dafydd Whyles. Dafydd’s chosen images illustrate that you don’t always need trains to produce eye-catching and distinctive railway photography.

The easiest and cheapest way to get your copy of Railways Illustrated each month is to take out a subscription. Full details are on page 58-59. At the moment, a subscription by Direct Debit means you will beat any price rises, you usually receive the magazine earlier than the onsale date, and you won’t miss an issue.

Southampton Docks, located on the south coast of England, is home to a major container terminal and bulk commodities centre. Steve Stubbs takes a look at the rail traffic carried to and from the docks over the past 25 years, illustrated by some of his excellent photography of the area.

72 Model Spot

Simon Bendall examines the new Accurascale Class 55 Deltics. This is the first powered model produced by the company, so we find out how they measure up to Simon’s expert eye.

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66 Southampton Docks

66 Southampton Docks

the fortunes of the heritage railway that runs from Matlock to Rowsley South.

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A subscri ption to offers gre at saving s on the price. Se cover e pages 5 8 and 59 for detail s.

THIS PAGE: Network Rail ERTMS-fitted locomotives 97302 Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways / Rheilffyrdd Ffestiniog ac Eryri and 97303 Dave Berry make an impressive ascent of Talerddig Bank on the Cambrian main line with 6C55, the 15.55 Aberystwyth to Chirk Kronospan log train, on May 18. This was the second trial to evaluate the feasibility of moving timber by rail from the forests of Powys and Ceredigion to the Kronospan works at Chirk, using Aberystwyth as a collection hub. Andrew Bannister

NEWS

London celebrates as the Elizabeth line is opened A WEEK after The Queen visited Paddington’s Elizabeth line to officially mark its completion, Transport for London welcomed the first fare-paying passengers onto the new line between Paddington and Abbey Wood.

Services were launched from each end at 06.30 on May 24, with TfL estimating that about 1000 passengers were waiting to travel on the first service from Paddington, with a further 600 turning up for the first Elizabeth line service from the Abbey Wood end of the new route.

The first morning saw services operating generally well and running to time, with good passenger loadings observed. A fire alarm at Paddington at around 8am saw the new station temporarily evacuated, with trains terminating at Tottenham Court Road for about 20 minutes until the all-clear was given.

The new railway marks a significant moment in the long and sometimes controversial history of the Crossrail project, which has opened more than three years later than had been originally expected and costs to complete it have risen significantly.

Services on the Elizabeth line are currently operating as three separate services, with trains running from Reading and Heathrow to Paddington, then from Paddington to Abbey Wood and a third service from Liverpool Street to Shenfield.

Trains on the Elizabeth line are currently operating Monday to Saturday between 06.30 and 23.00, with no Sunday service (although the new line was in use on the Sunday of the

jubilee celebrations). Sunday services are expected to be introduced later in the year.

From the autumn, services will begin operating between Reading and Heathrow through to Abbey Wood, while services from Shenfield will run through to Paddington, both of these service sharing the new central London section, allowing service frequencies on the new line to be increased.

A fully integrated timetable along the whole route is expected to be launched next May. Services and the 31 existing upgraded stations across the route, which were previously branded as TfL Rail, are now all marketed as the Elizabeth line.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “This is a huge moment, not just for London but the entire country – particularly in this special jubilee year.

“This brand new line is the most significant addition to our transport network in decades.

“It will add billions to our economy and is set to serve up to 200 million passengers each year.

“I’m sure passengers will enjoy the modern trains, beautiful stepfree stations, and the reduced journey times across the capital and the South East.

“The Elizabeth line is much more than just a new railway – it will provide a crucial economic boost to the whole country and help turbo-charge our recovery from the pandemic.”

Rail Industry Association chief executive Darren Caplan said: “The Elizabeth line really is an exceptional

It’s here! Posters along the new route and across many billboards in and around London celebrate its arrival. Andy Coward

achievement for TfL, the Govern- outgoing Crossrail chief executive ment, and the UK railway industry. Mark Wild – who left his position after It is a bold project that will not only the opening – said: “I feel proud and transform how passengers travel quite relieved. It hasn’t been easy across London, but will also boost and it’s certainly been a difficult job economic growth for the capital and at times, but we got there in the end. the country as a whole.

“It’s been a huge project and I’m “Railway businesses from all thinking of the people who have over the UK have played a key role been involved in it but who are sadly in making this landmark project no longer with us to celebrate this happen, whether train manufactur- achievement. ing in Derby, station construction in “This is a truly iconic moment where the East Midlands, signalling exper- we have created a world-class job and tise from Chippenham and Stockport, there is no other railway like this one. or telecoms in London.

“Sometimes these projects are “Furthermore, the scheme has described as being like a baton race supported thousands of skilled rail- – this was more like a Tough Mudder way jobs and significant investment challenge. in other parts of the economy beyond “It is accessible, intuitive, and is rail. beautiful; 75,000 people helped build “With passengers now returning, the Elizabeth line and I am proud of there is a strong long-term future for the whole team who have worked rail and the Elizabeth line will make hard to complete it. that future even brighter.”

“There was a real mix of people Speaking to Railways Illustrated at here for the first trains, some of a media event at Woolwich station, them enthusiasts wanting to be on

Open for business: The spacious entrance to the Elizabeth line station at Paddington on Eastbourne Terrace, just outside the Network Rail station adjacent to Platform 1, welcomed a steady stream of passengers throughout the first morning of the new route. Andy Coward

6 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED August 2022

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan speaks to the media at Woolwich station on May 24 to celebrate the opening of the new Elizabeth line between Abbey Wood and Paddington. Andy Coward

www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk

NEWS IN BRIEF Northern commemorated the fifth anniversary of the Manchester Arena terror attack on May 22, with a minute’s silence at 12.00pm and 10.31pm (the exact time of the attack) at Manchester Victoria. The names of the victims were read out prior to the silence by station announcers, and the station exterior was illuminated yellow in the evening as a mark of respect. The station is situated below the arena where the attack happened in 2017, killing 22 people who had been attending an Ariana Grande concert at the venue.

first – but it was particularly gratifying to see regular commuters strolling down the platforms and boarding the trains as though the line had always been there.”

TfL chief operating officer Andy Lord told Railways Illustrated: “I’m absolutely delighted and immensely proud.

“I was on the first train out of Abbey Wood. More than 600 people boarded that train and the cheer as the train pulled away from the station was fantastic.

“Trial operations of the line did exactly what we needed it to do and threw up a few issues that we were able to sort out before opening.

“It also gave us the confidence to be able to confirm we could operate the railway safely and reliably.

“We had stated that we wanted to begin services before the end of June, so it is pleasing that we have managed to open six weeks ahead of that target.”

TfL reported that more than one million journeys were completed on the Elizabeth line in its first week of operation.

ABOVE: 345046 stands at the new Abbey Wood station on a rather damp first morning of services on the Elizabeth Line, ready to work a service to Paddington.

Andy Coward

LEFT: One of the Elizabeth Line route maps at Woolwich station, showing the route of the line (apart from the Abbey Wood terminus, which is the next station along from Woolwich).

Andy Coward

Delayed Bond Street on schedule for autumn opening Transport for London chief operating officer Andy Lord confirmed to Railways Illustrated that the delayed opening to Bond Street station – the only new station on the Elizabeth line not to have opened alongside the other nine new stations – is expected to take place in the autumn.

Work on the construction of Bond Street was previously running 18

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months behind schedule following problems with the original contractor appointed to work on its construction.

However, intensive work has seen that delay significantly reduced – although not sufficiently to allow it to be handed over to TfL. The station can be used for train evacuations, should it be needed.

Mr Lord said: “Work is progressing

well and a lot has been done to catch up the delays we previously had at Bond Street.

“We are looking at an autumn opening for the station, probably to coincide with the next timetable change we are planning for the line, when services will run directly from Reading and Heathrow through to Abbey Wood, and those from Shenfield will run through to Paddington.”

Passengers travelling to and from Manchester Piccadilly will be offered stress-relief sessions and self-care kits to support mental health. The project, being supported by Avanti West Coast, has been developed by South East Lancashire Community Rail Partnership and aims to build confidence for those people who are less familiar with travelling on the railway, as well as helping to reduce anxiety for those returning to rail following the removal of Covid-19 restrictions.

Staff employed by CrossCountry, Network Rail, East Midlands Railway, and West Midlands Trains held a sponsored walk along the Brampton Valley Way from Market Harborough to Northampton in late April, raising £4000 for Lakelands Day Care Hospice in Northamptonshire. The hospice cared for former railwayman Adam Winkworth, who lost his battle with cancer in 2015.

Friends and members of Adam’s family joined the walk to share memories and support the effort.

Thameslink has opened a new, more secure cycle parking hub at St Albans station. The new facility has space for 415 bikes, monitored by CCTV, and can only be accessed by a fob, available from the ticket office. The cycle hub has been funded by the DfT’s cycle rail fund, managed by sustainable transport charity Sustrans and Hertfordshire County Council.

CrossCountry has appointed two regional directors who will be responsible for the operational and financial performance of their regions.

Ben Simkin is now regional director for North East and Scotland. Huw Margetts has been appointed regional director for Wales and West, and will join the company during the summer.

August 2022 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED 7

NEWS

RMT holds first national rail strike in over 33 years NETWORK RAIL and train operators issued ‘Do not travel unless absolutely necessary’ messages throughout the lead-up to the first of a series of strikes organised by the Rail Maritime and Transport workers union (RMT), which took place in late June as this issue of Railways Illustrated closed for press.

The walk-out – which is the biggest stoppage of rail services since strikes were held on British Rail in 1989 – involved up to 40,000 rail workers who are members of the RMT and employed by Network Rail, and 13 separate train operators. The dispute centres around pay, changes to working conditions, and protecting staff from the threat of redundancy.

The train operators with staff involved in the dispute were Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, c2c, East Midlands Railway, Greater Anglia, Great Western Railway, LNER, Northern, Southeastern, South Western Railway,

TransPennine Express and West Midlands Railway.

The RMT argued that most of the rail staff they represent have not received a pay rise for a number of years, despite the cost of living crisis currently affecting the country. An offer by Network Rail of a 2% increase and a subsequent offer from train operators, understood to be 3%, was rejected in the run-up to the first strike day, June 21.

Demands on Network Rail to cut costs in the wake of the pandemic was also stated as a reason for the action. The union is concerned about the threat of widespread compulsory redundancies in the industry as it seeks to save money.

Additionally, a separate RMT strike saw London Underground staff walk out on June 21 in a dispute over proposed changes to pensions and job cuts.

On the first day of the strike, it appeared that the ‘do not travel’

messages in the media reached commuters, with most major stations only seeing a very small proportion of the usual level of passengers. Many commuters decided to work from home or seeking alternative forms of transport.

However, with a greatly reduced number of trains operating, those services that were running were reported to be busy.

While many of the main inter-city routes were open for a limited level of service during the day, operating over greatly reduced hours, many other regional routes were completely closed, with most parts of Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, and other areas seeing no services operating and only about 50% of the entire rail network was open.

Network Rail said that about 20% of services would run on strike days compared to a normal weekday timetable, with that figure reduced to 10% in Scotland.

Despite Transport for Wales not being involved in the dispute, the majority of services in Wales were also not running.

The dispute did not involve train driving staff – most of whom are represented by ASLEF – or every train operator, but even those companies not involved in the dispute saw their services severely affected due to Network Rail signalling and maintenance staff being involved.

A further two strikes were scheduled for June 23 and June 25, although Network Rail indicated that even on the non-strike days of the week, services would still be restricted with trains starting later in the morning than their usual schedule, and only about 60% of all timetabled trains expected to be running.

As this issue closed for press, further meetings were being arranged to try and reach an agreement with the RMT in an attempt to bring the strike action to an end.

Reston rejoins the national rail network THE SCOTTISH Borders village of Reston in Berwickshire has rejoined the rail network with the opening of a new station on May 23 – providing a regular rail service for the villagers for the first time since the original station was closed in 1964.

The first train to call at the station was the 06.16 TransPennine Express service from Edinburgh Waverley to Newcastle, worked by 802212 (newly named St Abb’s Head), where the train was welcomed by dignitaries and Border Piper Sandy Mutch, who played Scotland The Brave as the Nova 1 arrived.

The station, built as part of a £20 million investment from the Scottish

Government, is located on the East Coast Main Line. The station has two 270-metre long platforms, each capable of accommodating 10-coach trains and linked by a footbridge, with lifts for step-free access.

Reston is also equipped with a 70-space car park for users of the station.

The station is managed by ScotRail, but served by TransPennine Express and LNER. Eight weekday services will call in each direction at Reston, with seven operated by TPE and one run

by LNER. TPE services calling at Reston will operate in each direction seven

The first northbound LNER Azuma, working by 800104, calls at Reston on May 23. The original Reston station was closed in 1964, in the wake of Richard Beeching’s ‘The Reshaping of British Railways’ report of March 1963. LNER

8 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED August 2022

TransPennine Express Hitachi Nova 1 802212 St Abb’s Head, working an Edinburgh Waverley to Newcastle service, becomes the first train to call at the new Reston station at 06.16 on May 23, welcomed by Border Piper Sandy Mutch. The new station, which is managed and operated by ScotRail, will be mainly served by TPE, along with one LNER northbound morning train and an evening LNER southbound service. TransPennine Express

times each day between Edinburgh and Berwick-upon-Tweed, and five times per day between Edinburgh and Newcastle.

LNER has one service in each direction calling at Reston, with a northbound morning service stopping at 07.27, before calling at Dunbar and Edinburgh Waverley.

In the evening, a southbound Aberdeen to Leeds LNER service calls at Reston at 21.41.

Scotland’s Railway managing director Alex Hynes said: “It is part of our commitment, alongside the

Scottish Government, to expand the rail network and open up Scotland’s Railway to new communities.

“The opening of the new station at Reston is an exciting development that has the potential to transform life for local people and the communities it will serve.

“This station will create new social and economic opportunities for people in the village and in the surrounding area, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact that the railway will have in years to come.” www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk

NEWS

Freight operators recognise platinum jubilee TWO LEADING freight operators got in on the spirit of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations with the repainting of two locomotives into special jubilee-inspired royal purple liveries.

First to appear in a celebratory livery was GB Railfreight’s ‘new’ 66734, which emerged from the paint shop at Arlington Fleet Services on June 1, just in time for the special four-day jubilee weekend.

The newly reliveried locomotive becomes GBRf’s 100th Class 66 and is the second locomotive to carry the number 66734, as the original one bearing the number was written off after hitting a landslide and derailing down an embankment at Loch Treig in June 2012, with the Class 66 being broken up on site following component removal due to the difficulties of recovering it from the isolated location.

The latest Class 66 to carry the 66734 identity, which was imported from Germany earlier this year, is now painted in royal purple and grey and features the official jubilee logos, along with a large Union flag on the bodysides. The locomotive also features vinyl Platinum Jubilee nameplates, although it is understood that these are to be replaced with cast nameplates over the coming weeks.

The second repainted locomotive to be unveiled in a platinum jubilee colour scheme was DB Cargo’s 67007, which now also carries a predominantly royal purple livery, with a wide white vertical band on the bodyside breaking up the purple. The locomotive also prominently features

With its purple and grey paintwork freshly applied, GB Railfreight’s 66734 Platinum Jubilee stands at Eastleigh on June 1, shortly after emerging from the paintshop at Arlington Fleet Services. Scott Paddington

the official jubilee logos, along with the wording ‘Celebrating Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee 19522022’ and DB Cargo branding on the bodysides.

The new-look Class 67 was unveiled at a specially organised DB Cargo staff, family, and friends open day at Toton depot in Nottinghamshire on June 18. As this issue of Railways Illustrated closed for press, 67007 had not yet returned to traffic with the operator.

RIGHT: Unveiled at a DB Cargo staff, family, and friends open day event at Toton on June 18, royal purple-liveried 67007 is displayed, awaiting its debut into service carrying its newly applied colours. Alex Ayre

TfW suffers Class 150 DMU shortage after incident TRANSPORT FOR Wales has been left with a shortage of Class 150 DMUs after two of its units were significantly damaged in an incident at Craven Arms late on May 23. 150240, 150279 and 150242 were forming 1V78, the 20.43 Crewe to Cardiff service, with 49 passengers and two crew members on board when 150240 struck a mini-digger that had been abandoned on the line, while the train was travelling at approximately 60mph.

The mini-digger was one of two stolen from the premises of a plant hire company located alongside the line.

With parts of the machine going underneath the ‘Sprinters’, extensive damage was caused to underframe components, including ruptured fuel tanks, with Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service attending to deal with the resulting fire on the DMU. www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk

Damage was also caused to the track but fortunately the train did not derail. 150240 also received cab damage from hitting the digger, and both it and 150279 suffered extensive bodyside scorching.

Matters were compounded a couple of days later when both sets ran away in a siding at Craven Arms during the recovery operation, with 150240 partly demolishing a set of buffer stops.

TfW planning and performance director Colin Lea said: “We’re hugely relieved that the incident at Craven Arms was not more severe. The quick actions of our driver and conductor ensured that the trains were safely evacuated, and many colleagues throughout TfW and Network Rail worked hard to reopen the line as quickly as possible once forensic investigations were complete.

A view of the scorching damage sustained to 150240 and 150279 after they struck a stolen mini-digger that had been abandoned on the tracks. Transport for Wales is now seeking a temporary loan of replacement DMUs while the Class 150s are out of service. Transport for Wales

“The impact of this serious criminal act will, however, continue to be felt for some time. The loss of two trains will make it far more challenging to provide additional capacity for busy services over the next few months, particularly for this

summer’s major events at the Principality Stadium, such as the Stereophonics and Tom Jones concerts in June.”

During June, TfW was negotiating with Northern for the temporary loan of two of its Class 150s.

August 2022 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED 9

NEWS

Back to the Future for the LNER Class 91s and Mk.4s EAST COAST Main Line operator London North Eastern Railway has unveiled the first of its newly repainted Class 91 electric locomotives and Mk.4 coaching stock rakes, in a paint scheme inspired by the livery carried by the fleet when it was originally delivered to British Rail in the late 1980s.

Bearing more than a passing resemblance to the iconic InterCity 225 livery, the new style has a familiar feel to it, while still complying with modern requirements. The main difference between it and the original livery is that the upper bodysides are finished in LNER oxblood rather than dark grey. On the coaches, the doors are finished in grey with white vertical bands next to each door to comply with accessibility requirements for visually impaired passengers. The light brown band at the lower side of the coaches has also been exchanged for light grey, while LNER branding is carried on the Class 91s and Driving Van Trailer vehicles.

Twelve of the locomotives are still in front line service with LNER, with 91101/105-107/109111/114/119/124/127/130 all still active on the ECML. First to be treated to the new look was 91127 and coaching stock rake NL17, completed in mid-June at Wabtec Doncaster.

The fresh livery will be applied to all eight Mk.4 coaching sets leased to the operator and all of the remaining operational LNER Class 91s that still carry the former red and white livery of Virgin Trains East Coast and were rebranded with the LNER identity after the Department for Transport-backed organisation took over the operation of the ECML franchise as Operator of Last Resort from VTEC in 2017.

LEFT: Sparkling in its new InterCity 225-inspired livery, 91127 is the first Class 91 to be completed in the fresh look at Wabtec Doncaster.

The livery features red, white and grey, with the main bodyside completed in oxblood and white LNER branding. LNER/ Charlotte Graham

The work is being done as part of a LNER Mk.4 NL17 Set Formation rolling programme of maintenance Vehicle Description Fleet No. examinations at Wabtec. Once maintenance work and repainting has Class 91 Locomotive Any been completed, the locomotives Coach B Standard Open 12223 and rakes of coaches will undergo test runs, if necessary, before re-enCoach C Standard Open 12444 tering service.

The special vinyl liveries applied Coach D Standard Open 12427 to 91110 Battle of Britain Memorial Coach E Standard Open 12432 Flight, 91111 For the Fallen and 91119 Bounds Green InterCity Depot 1977Coach F Standard Open (Disabled) 12303 2017 (which carries a vinyl wrap of the original InterCity Swallow livery) will Coach H Standard Kitchen Buffet 10324 be retained and these will not receive Coach K First Open 11288 the new livery.

LNER’s director of engineering, John Coach L First Open (Disabled) 11317 Doughty, said: “The new livery is not Coach M First Open 11417 only essential for the upkeep of the fleet, but it also brings it into the LNER DVT Driving Van Trailer 82225 family. It is the first time in many years that the fleet has been fully repainted.

“The livery was inspired in part by they have been restricted to the Still in store at Doncaster Belmont the popularity of the original Inter- 125mph maximum speed limits on yard and awaiting a decision on their City 225 design, and we’ve kept the the ECML. future, with scrapping likely, are sharp lines and red and white stripes However, in recent years, the intro- 91112/115/116/118/121/125/130. famously associated with the trains duction of the new Hitachi Class 91122/128 have been used over the that have a place in the hearts of many 800/802 Azuma fleets onto LNER past couple of years by Rail Operapeople.” services has seen a large number of tions Group in connection with the Thirty-one Class 91s were built for Class 91s being taken off lease and DATS testing and commissioning of the East Coast Main Line electrifica- returned to their owner, Eversholt Rail. the Midland Main Line electrification tion, first entering service in 1989.

To date, a total of eight Class 91s – project.

Although the trains were designed to 91102/103/104/108/113/126/129/132 It has been reported that these operate at speeds of up to 140mph, – have been sent for scrapping. two locomotives are now released for disposal.

Europhoenix also owns 91117/120, which were purchased from Eversholt Rail after they were taken out of service with LNER, and these are currently in store at Barrow Hill, awaiting possible export to Hungary.

Class 91 Fleet Status: June 2022

With fleet number transfers newly applied but awaiting the removal of the backing paper, 91127 nears completion into the new LNER livery scheme which is to be applied to the operator’s Mk.4 coaching sets and all nine Class 91s currently carrying the obsolete red and white livery of former operator Virgin Trains East Coast. LNER/Charlotte Graham

10 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED August 2022

By way of comparison between the old and new colour schemes, LNER has previously applied a vinyl wrap of the original InterCity 225 Swallow livery to 91119 Bounds Green InterCity Depot 1977-2017, which stands at London King’s Cross on September 16, 2021. 91119 will remain in its InterCity colours rather than gaining the new look as LNER has stated this locomotive, 91110 Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and 91111 For the Fallen are all keeping their existing commemorative vinyl wraps. Brad Joyce

LNER: 91101/105/106/107/109/11 0/111/114/119/124/127/130 Europhoenix: 91117/120 Stored: 91112/115/116/118/121/ 122/125/128/130 Scrap: 91102/103/104/108/113/1 26/129/132 www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk

NEWS IN BRIEF Avanti West Coast has set up a scheme at Penrith station where people can donate surplus seeds and plants. It is part of a community initiative to put surplus items to good use, support sustainable gardening, and encourage people to grow their own plants. Items can be donated in the hand cart at the main entrance of the station and gardeners can collect items in return for a small monetary donation towards the Penrith Community Gardeners.

Since Loram UK has taken over the operation of Network Rail’s Hastings gauge Observation Saloon Caroline from Direct Rail Services earlier this year, 37418 An Comunn Gaidhealach has become the mainstay for hauling the saloon around the network.

On June 7, 37418 heads 2Z02 from Carlisle to Crewe, via the Cumbrian Coast and the Little North Western line, and is seen leaving Arnside Viaduct. Ian Edmondson

South Western Railway has repainted 57 of its stations, both internally and externally, as part of a £1.5 million station refreshment programme. A further 40 stations on the SWR network are set to be repainted during the next round of the scheme, which is due to get underway later this year.

Static testing underway on new Avanti West Coast fleet THE FIRST of a fleet of new trains being built by Hitachi for use by Avanti West Coast has begun static testing at Hitachi’s Newton Aycliffe facility in the North East.

The coaches from a Class 805 have been coupled together to mark the start of an extensive testing programme for the new trains. All of the basic functionality, from brakes to engines and doors to toilets, will be tested prior to the start of dynamic testing later in the year, when the train will move under its own power for the first time.

Thirteen five-coach bi-mode Class 805 trains and 10 seven-coach electric Class 807 trains are being built for use by the West Coast Main Line operator at a cost of £350 million. The first of the new trains are expected to enter service with Avanti from 2023.

The Class 807s will be used between London, the West Midlands and Liverpool, with the Class 805s destined for the London to North Wales route, replacing the Super Voyager fleet.

Better facilities

In terms of improved facilities for passengers, the trains will be equipped with better and more reliable free wi-fi, at-seat wireless charging for electronic devices, plug sockets, and USB slots.

There will also be a brand-new catering offer and a real-time passenger information system that will also advise passengers about connecting rail services. www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk

Avanti West Coast managing director Phil Whittingham said: “It’s great to see the new trains taking shape.

“The investment is a key part of our exciting plans to raise the bar for the UK rail industry and our wider commitment to improve customer experience and a more sustainable operation.”

Once the fleet has been delivered and accepted into service, Avanti will be able to return its fleet of Class 221s to its leasing company. The first two – 221142 and 221143 – were returned to owner Beacon Rail in mid-June as they are not needed by the operator for current timetable requirements.

The return of these two Class 221s leaves 18 Super Voyagers in the Avanti fleet, while CrossCountry also operates a fleet of 24 Class 221s on its services.

Avanti West Coast says the introduction of the new trains will lead to a 61% reduction in carbon emissions compared to its current operation.

The company is also currently undertaking a major £117 million internal refurbishment project to improve and modernise its Class 390 Pendolino fleet, in conjunction with Alstom and Angel Trains.

The full internal refurbishment of each 11-coach Class 390/1 train is now being completed in an impressive two-week timescale. Once the 35 11-coach Pendolinos have been completed, attention will turn to the 21 nine-coach Class 390/0s (see pages 48-52).

A driving coach for one of the new Hitachi trains being constructed at Newton Aycliffe for Avanti West Coast. A total of 13 five-coach bi-mode Class 805 trains and 10 seven-coach electric Class 807 trains are being built. Avanti West Coast

Completed bogies for the new Avanti Class 805 and 807s, with bodyshells for the trains in the background at Newton Aycliffe. Avanti West Coast

August 2022 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED 11

NEWS

Competition launched for new Scottish train fleets

APPROVAL HAS been given to hold a procurement process to find new train fleets to replace ScotRail Class 156 diesel multiple units and Class 318 and 320 electric multiple units.

Scottish Government agency Transport Scotland announced the plan while also announcing electrification plans for the Fife region.

The competition will identity a preferred manufacturer and financier for the fleets, which would be used to operate a decarbonised railway on routes covered by East Kilbride, Fife, and the Borders.

The East Kilbride branch is being electrified, and discontinuous electrification plans have been confirmed for across Fife. There is currently no intention to electrify the Borders line, although the Scottish Government is keen to rid the country’s railways of diesel-only trains by 2035.

Scotland’s Railway managing director Alex Hynes said: “We are working hard alongside the Scottish Government to bring the benefits of electrification to communities throughout Scotland.

“The Government has set an ambitious target to decarbonise our railway and projects such as the electrification of the Fife Circle – starting with the line connecting Fife to Edinburgh – will be key to delivering on that commitment.

“We look forward to delivering further investment in Scotland’s Railway and significantly improving the quality of service for the communities it serves.

“This is one of a number of projects that will create an even greener, cleaner, and more reliable railway for Scotland.’’

The morning rush hour at Barrhead station on October 19, 2018, with five ScotRail Class 156s present. From left to right, 156435 tails an unidentified classmate on Platform 1 working the 08.08 Glasgow to Ayr. On Platform 2, 156474 and another Class 156 work a Carlisle to Glasgow service, and in the bay Platform 3, 156502 awaits departure on the 08.30 Barrhead to Glasgow service.

ScotRail is now seeking to replace its 43-strong Class 156 DMU fleet. Chris Hopkins

Sources have suggested that hydrogen-powered Aventra trains announced by Alstom last November could be ordered for Scotland.

At the COP26 event in Glasgow, a battery train built by Vivarail was demonstrated, as was Porterbrook’s Class 799 HydroFLEX, although the latter did not operate using hydrogen power.

A former Class 314 has been reclassified as a Class 614 as part of a trial to use hydrogen. It is therefore likely that alternative power will be used on certain routes.

The Transport Scotland announcement states that 42 ScotRail Class 156s will be replaced, however, ScotRail currently operates 43 of the two-car DMUs, which date from 1987 to 1990, with 42 Class 156s leased from Angel Trains and 156478 leased from Brodie Engineering. The Class 156s are used on suburban services in the Glasgow area and on the West Highland Line, with the fleet based at Corkerhill.

The 21 three-car Class 318s are leased from Eversholt Rail and date from 1985 to 1987. They are operated

on Strathclyde suburban services alongside the Class 320s.

An initial fleet of 22 Class 320/3s were built in 1990 and these have been boosted by the conversion of 12 Class 321/4s, which were added to the fleet (with one vehicle removed) between 2015 and 2019.

There is no mention of plans to remove or cascade ScotRail’s fleet of Class 158s, Class 170s, and the Inter7City HST fleet, although ScotRail has previously confirmed that it is investigating replacements for the Inter7City fleet.

More EMUs for Great Western

Could the Class 387/1s currently operated by Great Northern be heading to GWR? On June 28, 2019, 387115 arrives at London King’s Cross station on a service from King’s Lynn. Chris Hopkins

12 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED August 2022

A TENDER notice has been issued by Great Western Railway for 30 four-car electric multiple units. Published on May 31, the contract is for six years and GWR wants the deal to begin on August 1 this year, through to May 29, 2028.

The deadline for bids was June 30, after this issue of Railways Illustrated went to press.

The notice states that the trains would need to enter service from April 1 next year.

The notice suggests that the EMUs would operate anywhere on the electrified GWR network but would primarily operate between London Paddington and Swindon, with the ability to cover services into Cardiff Central.

It stipulates that the EMUs must be capable and approved for 110mph running, can operate in multiple or up to three trains, and be fitted with through gangways. Maintenance

would be undertaken at Reading. Currently there are no 110mph EMUs off-lease, however, 30 100mph ex-Greater Anglia Class 379s are stored at various locations across Anglia.

One industry source has suggested that the 379s could move to Great Northern, where they would replace the 29 Class 387/1s, which can operate at 110mph but currently do not use that capability on the GN network. Six Class 387/3s will also be available once c2c puts its 12 Class 720/6 EMUs in traffic.

Three 387/3s are already sub-leased to GWR. These operate alongside 33 Class 387/1s on services from London Paddington. A further 12 Class 387/1s are used by Heathrow Express; unlike the rest of the fleet, these are fitted with European Train Control System (ETCS) for the Heathrow Branch. www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk

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