Railway Magazine October 2016 preview

Z

TAKING CONTROL: FOOTPLATE EXPERIENCE COURSES

BRITAIN’S BEST-SELLING RAIL TITLE October 2016

Eurostar sets to be

SCRAPPED DB Cargo g to sell more

CLASS 60s BORDERS RAILWAY: One year on

TUXFORD: Railway town recalled

DUALVOLTAGE Pioneers

■ TYSELEY’S TRIPLE ‘CASTLE’ DREAM REALITY

Contents

October 2016. No. 1,387. Vol 162. A journal of record since 1897.

Headline News

On the cover

MAIN IMAGE: Colas Rail Class 60 No. 60096 brings track panels from Bescot to Bathampton for relaying.

It is seen near Bath on August 12, 2015 with No. 70807 at the rear.

Photo taken with full permission during a possession.

JOHN STRETTON

GB Railfreight launches 'Maritime' Class 66 – p11.

First Eurostar Class 373s poised for scrapping; two injured after Watford derailment; Brush (Wabtec) to build new locos for Hong Kong; Romney loco derailed after level crossing collision; first Class 385 arrives in the UK; review ordered into Borders Railway; double-deck concept unveiled for UK market; Southern faces 14 more days of strikes; Class 313 derails at Welwyn.

INSET 1: Class 158 No. 158704 at Stow see p46. CHRIS M ILNER INSET 2: LNER 'C1' Atlantic RD DEAS at Tuxford North - p34. RICHARD INSET 3: Celebrating 40 years in service, dual-voltage No. 313056 leaves Hertford North for Moorgate back in 1988 see p37. BRIAN MORRISON

Track Record The Railway Magazine’s monthly news digest 62 Steam & Heritage Tyseley plans for Defiant's comeback; steam returns to Birmingham's Curzon Street; Bluebell's 'Q' leaves the Southern for the first time; '4MT' re-creates Somerset & Dorset heyday; crimson 'Crab' for Severn Valley finale.

68 Industrial Steam 71 Steam Portfolio 72 Network Calls increase for second Brighton main line; Government's £20million station fund.

74 Narrow Gauge

Easter opening for South Tynedale extension; Gartell unveils new loco; Hudswell guests at Leighton Buzzard.

76 Irish News 77 Railtours 80 Railtours Portfolio 82 Metro 84 Freight 86 Classic Traction

Hood rededicated at Severn Valley; Peak Rail becomes home to LMS 10000 project; Colne Valley '03' returns.

90 World 94 Traction & Stock

DRS Class 88 on display in Berlin; 1,400 more seats as GWR Class 387s enter services; DBC dumps its Class 08s.

97 Traction Portfolio 98 Operations

Our round-up of news from the train and freight operating companies.

Left: DRS Class 88 at Berlin rail showcase - p94.

Regulars 12 Railways in Parliament 20 Readers’ Platform Your thoughts on the topics that matter to you.

Details of railway society meetings near you.

54 Subscription Offer Subscribe today and receive your monthly copies of The Railway Magazine for 22% off the cover price!

The Railway Magazine’s audited circulation of 37,291 copies per month makes it by far the

UK’S TOPSELLING RAIL TITLE!

12 Multiple Aspects

40 Meetings

The imminent scrapping of a number of the original Eurostar e300 (Class 373) sets makes this scene captured at North Pole depot on Christmas Day, 1994 highly topical. After more than 20 years in traffic, 17 sets are to be cut up, having been usurped by the newer Eurostar e320s (Class 374s). PETER ZABEK

Panorama – p56.

60 From The RM Archives

What The RM was reporting 20, 50 and 100 years ago.

104 Heritage Diary

56 Panorama

Full details of when heritage railway, steam centres and museums are open.

Our monthly gallery of the best railway photography.

114 Prize Crossword and Where Is It?

Subscribe today and save money on every issue.

Call 01507 529529 or see page 54 for our latest offers

Features 14 Taking Control

Nicola Fox takes a look at the growing appeal of the often financially lucrative 'Driver Experience Course', exploring the popularity of the sessions with participants and the many types being offered by preserved lines across the UK.

22 Western Pathfinder

30 Growth and Decline of Tuxford

Robin Stewart-Smith investigates the rise and fall of a forgotten railway town that once boasted three stations and a locomotive works.

36 Dual-Voltage Pioneers

The Class 313 EMUs are now 40 years old.

Quentin Williamson tells their story.

46 Borders Railway: One Year On

A year after it opened amid great hype and publicity, Chris Milner talks to Borders Railway campaigner Allan McLean about the highs and lows experienced during the first 12 months, whether it met with expectation, and examines the route's future potential.

50 The Other BR

For this month's Practice & Performance John Heaton looks back at a non-stop sprint by Western Campaigner 50 years ago, and travels on an anniversary railtour that set out to emulate that run.

42 Steel for Paris

Nick Brodrick goes in search of 'real' steam in Germany as this year's 'Plandampf' includes a 900-ton steel train heading to the French capital.

It has been almost 65 years since the General Motors 'B12' diesels entered service with the East Bengal Railway. Still at work with Bangladesh Railways, Richard Gennis takes a closer look at these veteran locomotives.

NONSTOP 'WESTERN': Practice & Performance – p22

GERMAN PLANDAMPF: Three days of 'real' steam – p42

ONE YEAR ON: Borders Railway focus – p46

October 2016 • The Railway Magazine • 5

What could be better than driving a train through picturesque Snowdonia? The Ffestiniog Railway’s double Fairlie No. 10 Merddin Emrys heads south from Hafod-y-Llyn with a rake of vintage carriages on March 1, 2011. In the distance is Snowdon. ROBIN STEWARTSMITH

TAKING CONTROL Your hand on the regulator Driver experience courses are big business for heritage railways, and it provides the opportunity for men and women of all ages to drive steam or diesel locomotives in controlled conditions. Nicola Fox takes a look at the type of courses available as well as other railway experiences that might lead to someone becoming a volunteer.

A

Driver Dai Price explains how the cylinders work on a GWR ‘Manor’ to Ashley Jordan at the start of the day.

NICOLA FOX

14 • The Railway Magazine • October 2016

s children we are often asked what we want to be when we grow up; to a whole generation the answer to that question was “engine driver”, and the UK’s heritage railways offer people the chance to do just that. Well, for a day at least!

Railways have been offering driver experiences now for in excess of 20 years and in the case of some developing railways, this part of the business has grown so much that it can now generate up to 40% of a railway’s income. Even on the larger, more commercial railways, a day of ‘footplate experience’ packages can draw in the same amount of income as a fully loaded day of service trains.

It’s safe to say that experience days have turned into a thriving part of the heritage industry. However, the line is not just drawn at steam-driver experiences; diesel-driver experiences, footplate rides, signaller for the day, guarding experiences and many more are now available at railways all up and down the UK, ranging from engines as small as the

10¼in-gauge Ernest Henry Upton, on the Eastleigh Lakeside Railway, to a Class 37 at the Mid Norfolk Railway, and mainline engines, such as ‘A1’ Tornado, on its preserved railway visits.

The majority of railways have no upper age limit for taking part in an experience day; instead, stipulations are made regarding fitness, with most railways citing ‘as long as they can safely climb on and off the engine, then they can take part’. The lower age limit varies from railway to railway, usually around the 16-18 mark, although the Vale of Rheidol proves a notable exception to this in peak season – more details on that later.

Disability also need not be a barrier; the Severn Valley has welcomed both blind and deaf participants. Once again, as long as they can safely climb into the cab then they can take part.

Even language does not form a barrier, with foreign participants sent all safety documents ahead of schedule in their relevant language.

So, who is taking advantage of these experience courses? Is it solely men who

FORGOTTEN RAILWAY TOWNS

The growth and decline of a

RAILWAY CENTRE

In its heyday, Tuxford boasted three stations and a locomotive works. In the first of a two-part feature, Robin Stewart-Smith charts the rise and fall of this forgotten railway town.

T

HE north Nottinghamshire village of Tuxford lies on the East Coast Main Line between Newark-on-Trent and Retford.

Historically, it was a small market town in an area notable for hops and fruit growing.

Strawberries, apples, pears and especially Victoria Plums were all important local crops that used the railway to access their markets after the Great Northern Railway arrived.

Tuxford was an important coaching stop astride the Great North Road from London to York and Berwick-upon-Tweed. It was also the junction for the main road to Lincoln. After 1726 the Great North Road was turnpiked from Grantham to Drayton (north of Tuxford) and the journey time from Newark to Doncaster was cut from a whole day to four hours.

Before the building of the Great Northern Railway the Great North Road (later A1) generated significant employment in the

village, however after the arrival of the railway this declined. In recent times the modern A1 bypassed the village to the east of St Nicholas parish church and the importance of the Great North Road traffic for Tuxford declined still further.

The settlement grew up on a ridge on the west slope of the Trent Valley with Mansfield and Lincoln to the west and east, respectively.

The surrounding district is mainly agricultural, lying between the woodland and great estates of The Dukeries and Sherwood Forest and the fertile soils of the Trent Valley. On a clear day Lincoln Cathedral can be seen in the east beyond the River Trent. Tuxford is close to the once very important Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire coalfield.

The Great Northern Railway arrives amid big celebrations

The Great Northern Railway (GNR) cut the first sod for the railway in Tuxford on

August 5, 1850, to the accompaniment of music and enthusiastic celebrations. Two years later the station was completed in time for the opening of the King’s Cross to Doncaster line between Retford and Newark. By February 24, 1852 the line was sufficiently complete for GNR directors to travel by train from Retford to Grantham – however they had to be ferried over the River Trent at Newark as the rail bridge was unfinished. Tuxford station, located on Sludge Gate – later renamed Station Street – finally opened for goods on July 15, 1852 and for passengers on August 1.

North of the station were the signalbox and adjacent level crossing for the main road to Lincoln. To the north there were sidings and a loop on the west side of the GNR main line. Marnham Road lay south of the station and a deep cutting had to be excavated, requiring the removal of 40,000 cubic yards of spoil. Marnham Road Bridge was built by the GNR to carry the road over this cutting.

Above: Tuxford and Dukeries Junction in relation to other lines.

Left: A 1920 20-inch-to-the-mile Ordnance Survey map showing the track layout, works and engine shed at Tuxford.

NATIONAL LIBRARY FOR SCOTLAND

30 • The Railway Magazine • October 2016

SPOTLIGHT ON BRITAIN’S NEWEST LINE

THE BORDERS RAILWAY

ONE YEAR ON On September 6, 2015 the £300million Borders Railway opened to much acclaim. Since then the line has seldom been out of the headlines. A year on, Chris Milner talks to Campaign for Borders Rail (CBR) chairman Allan McLean – a former Virgin Trains press officer – to see if the first year’s expectations have matched the hype, find out what’s gone wrong, and hear about the next steps for the line.

W

HEN you look at every line that has reopened in Scotland, the success has far exceeded the experts’ predictions.

The Borders Railway is no exception.

Fervent campaigning by those who believed the line should never have closed in 1969 finally led to the Scottish Parliament agreeing to rebuild part of the line.

Although I never managed to travel over the line in its heyday, countless photographs of trains working hard in a rolling landscape and a Peter Handford recording of the staccato beat of ‘V2’ No. 60927 on an early morning climb from Steele Road to Whitrope summit paint a wonderfully vivid picture for me.

Despite living 300 miles away (yes, I’m a Sassenach) it’s a line I have always felt a great affinity for – a line full of character.

While it may be a totally different line for so many reasons today than it was pre-1969, its re-emergence is a reaction to the phenomenal growth in passengers the rail industry has experienced since Privatisation.

As I alluded to in my comment last month, and again this month, the line has suffered many well-documented problems, which in

Tweedbank station car park which is full to capacity daily. Extra space has been rented, but it's still insufficient to cope with the numbers wanting to travel by rail. IONA BUTLIN

reality should not have occurred, and to some extent have soured the overall success, so the news that Scotland transport minister Humza Yousaf has ordered a full operational review into the line’s problems is a welcome step.

The new line has brought in thousands of tourists and day trippers, and it has encouraged house moves to the area; the

spin-off being a benefit to shops, pubs, restaurants and other amenities.

Rebuilding just over 30 miles of line from Newcraighall to Tweedbank has been well reported in The RM, books and DVDs. Passenger figures have far exceeded expectations, but are there things that could have been done better or differently?

Industrial Steam Track Record Bon-Accord leaves Scotland COMPILED BY

GARY BOYD-HOPE

Call: 01507 529589

email: gboyd-hope @mortons.co.uk

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for the first time as Beamish beckons

SIDELINES Mid-Suffolk 1604 on its wheels

A HUGE milestone in the restoration of Hudswell, Clarke 0-6-0ST No. 1604 occurred on August 31 when the loco’s frames were reunited with its wheels at the Mid-Suffolk Light railway. Work on the ex-Bardney Sugar Factory engine will now concentrate on the completion of the motion before attention turns to finishing the boiler overhaul.

Katie joins fleet at Churnet Valley

ANDREW Barclay 0-4-0ST Katie (2226/1946) has been moved to the Churnet Valley Railway’s Cheddleton headquarters after spending years on static display at Brookside Garden Centre, Poynton. It is proposed to return the former ICI Huddersfield locomotive to steam in due course; it was initially preserved at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway in 1967.

Earl David moves from Bitton to Sharpness ANDREW Goodman’s Andrew Barclay-built‘Austerity’ 0-6-0ST Earl David (Wemyss Private Railway No. 15) was moved to the Vale of Berkeley Railway’s base at Sharpness in mid-August with a view to returning it to steam. The loco (2183/1945) had previously been on long-term hire to the Avon Valley Railway at Bitton, but is now in need of a re-tube.

Welsh Guardsman returns at Gwili

ROBERT Stephens & Hawthorns‘Austerity’0-6-0ST Welsh Guardsman (7170/1944) has re-entered traffic at the Gwili Railway. The ex-NCB South Wales Division loco had undergone firebox repairs at the Llangollen Railway, but underwent light engine trials on August 11. A full return to service took place on August 15, the loco having worked a private charter two days previously.

With its ‘skirts’ down, Bon-Accord lines up with Sir Cecil A Cochrane and Agecroft No. 1 at the close of Locomotion’s four-coupled themed gala on September 18. ANTHONY COULLS

ROYAL Deeside Railway-based Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST Bon-Accord (807/1897) left its native Scotland for the first time in its 119-year existence on September 11, transferring by road to Locomotion in Shildon to take part in the museum’s autumn steam gala.

The ex-Aberdeen Gas Works locomotive, which returned to traffic in June following extensive repairs, was appearing at the September 17-18 event prior to moving on to Beamish Museum, where it is expected to remain for the rest of the year.

Over the course of the two days Bon-Accord ran in its full tramway guise with side plates (skirts) down, only the third and fourth time it has done so in preservation.

From the might of Gresley Pacifics at its Shildon Shed Bash event in July, Locomotion had turned its attention to the humble four-coupled locomotive for the gala weekend. Joining Bon-Accord were the Museum of Science & Industry’s Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns 0-4-0ST Agecroft

Peckett centenary celebration

ONE hundred years of the Appleby Frodingham Railway Preservation Society’s Peckett ‘W5’0-4-0ST (1438/1916) was to be celebrated at the society’s Scunthorpe Steelworks base on October 1.The one-time Nechells No. 1 was expected to work a double-headed tour around the steelworks complex for invited guests with Avonside 0-6-0ST Cranford.

68 • The Railway Magazine • October 2016

Wearing their matching Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns works liveries, MOSI’s Agecroft No. 1 (7416/1948) and the Tanfield Railway’s Sir Cecil A Cochrane (7409/1948) make an attractive pairing in the afternoon sun. RICHARD PEARSON

No. 1 (7416/1948), which had been brought across from its Manchester home, and fellow RSH 0-4-0ST Sir Cecil A Cochrane (7409/1948) from the Tanfield Railway.

The two RSH machines had met previously when Tanfield hosted Agecroft No. 1 back in 2011, but Shildon provided a first opportunity to see both

in their smart RSH works livery as ‘No. 1’ had not been fully painted during their last meeting. All three locomotives took their turn on brakevan duties over the length of Locomotion’s running line during the weekend, while some of the larger exhibits from within the museum had been brought out onto the front

apron for display.

■ Upon reaching Beamish, Bon-Accord is expected to take up duties on the museum’s colliery railway. However, investigations are underway into the feasibility of getting the locomotive onto the site’s electric tramway in order to re-create its street-running days in Aberdeen. Watch this space!

Fare-paying passenger first at Oswestry

ANDREW Barclay 0-4-0ST ‘Fife Flyer’ No. 6 (2261/1949), formerly based at the Ribble Steam Railway, worked the first day of services over the Cambrian Heritage Railway’s quarter-mile to Millennium Green on August 26.

The occasion marked the first time since the 1960s that fare-

paying passengers had been carried south of the Middleton Road Bridge, and marked a major milestone for the team working on the Oswestry revival scheme.

The ‘Fife Flyer’ is expected to remain at Oswestry until this time next year at the very least.

ALISTAIR GRIEVE

Railtours Portfolio Track Record

‘Lizzie’ goes west: LMS Pacific No. 6201 Princess Elizabeth – running half an hour early – leans into the curve at Teignmouth along the Dawlish sea wall with the return ‘Cathedrals Express’. PAUL BLOWFIELD

80 • The Railway Magazine • October 2016

Standard ‘4MT’ 2-6-0 No. 76084 leaves the well-preserved Hellifield station on September 20 during its loaded main line test run.

JOHN COOPERSMITH

Classic Traction Track Record COMPILED BY

PETER NICHOLSON Call: 01507 529589

SVR Class 50 Hood rededicated

email: classic.traction @btopenworld.com

Your reports and pictures are most welcome.

Highly competitive rates are paid, especially if exclusive to The RM.

SIDELINES Heavy shunter ‘prototype’ preserved

ED MURRAY & Sons Ltd, transport contractors of Teesside, have a fleet of 750hp 6wDEs from Lackenby Steelworks for commercial re-use. However, the prototype – No. 251 (Walter Urwin) (GEC Traction 5414 of 1976) – now at the Chasewater Railway, is regarded as ‘preserved’.

Nene Valley October gala guests confirmed

VISITING locos for the Nene Valley Railway’s October 14-16 gala are‘Deltic’No. 55022, running as No. 55007 Pinza, Class 50 No. 50008 Thunderer, Class 26s Nos. 26007 and 26038 Tom Clift 1954-2012, ‘Peak No. 45041 Royal Tank Regiment, Class 47 No. 47765, and, subject to main line commitments, Class 20s No. 20189 and 20205.

CLASS 50 No. 50031 Hood worked its first passenger train on the Severn Valley Railway following overhaul and repaint into InterCity livery on August 20.

It is seen arriving at

Kidderminster with the 15.40 from Bridgnorth, and now carrying its number and InterCity titling and swallow logo.

It was still lacking nameplates

at this time as they were to be unveiled at a rededication ceremony at Kidderminster station on September 17.

This was performed with the HMS Hood Association marking

100 years since the ship’s keel was laid down, and the 75th anniversary of her sinking during the Second World War (RM August, p87).

Picture: STEVE WIDDOWSON

LMS 10000 ‘Project Icon’ launched

Isle of Wight gala visitor revealed

THE identity of the loco visiting the Isle of Wight Steam Railway’s first diesel gala on October 1-2 – dualbraked Class 03 No. 03197, from the Mangapps Railway, Essex – only became known shortly before the event.

East Kent takes in EMU car

FOLLOWING eviction of various EMU vehicles (RM September, p86), the East Kent Railway is acquiring DTSL No. 76875 of Class 423 4-VEP set No. 3545 from storage at the National Railway Museum, York. It will be used as loco-hauled stock.

■ Our thanks to contributors: Phil Budd (Gwili Railway); Stuart Chapman (Derby Lightweight Preservation Group); Paul Lemon (CVR); Andy Marrison; Vince Middlebrough (owner No. D9523); Peter Murray; Stuart Smith (IDRS); Steve Widdowson; and John Zabernik (125 Group) ■ Email address error An email address (RM September, p86) in the Tanat Valley article was incorrectly printed. The correct address is: admin@tvlr.co.uk

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Class 58 No. 58022 at Rowsley South on June 23, newly arrived from DB Cargo, Crewe. This loco will be dismantled with its frame to be used as the basis for a reconstruction of LMS No. 10000. Correct-style bogies and power plant have already been acquired for use in this ambitious project. STUART GRAVES

DERBYSHIRE Dales MP Sir Patrick McLoughlin has officially unveiled ground-breaking plans to bring the country’s long-lost pioneering main line diesel locomotive LMS No. 10000 back to life.

The former Secretary of State for Transport joined guests at Peak Rail’s Rowsley South station on September 3 to launch‘Project Icon’. The ambitious plan is set to reconstruct No. 10000, which was built at nearby Derby Works by

the London, Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS) just after the Second World War. Both of the art deco-style locos of this class – Nos. 10000 and 10001, designed by H G Ivatt and renowned for their cutting-edge technology – were broken up in the 1960s.

It has only been in recent decades that the railway preservation movement has realised the magnitude of what

Colne Valley 03 returns to use BR CLASS 03 No. D2041 re-entered traffic on the Colne Valley Railway (CVR) on August 24, having been out of service for six years.

A small, dedicated team overhauled the loco, and the group will now turn its attention to former Southend coal yard shunter No. D2184.

Despite being the hottest day of the year to date, No. D2041 performed well, pleasing visitors who had come from as

86 • The Railway Magazine • October 2016

far afield as Plymouth and the Lake District for haulage behind the loco.

No. D2041 was built by BR at Swindon Works in 1959 and was allocated to Ipswich. Following stints at Norwood Junction, Guildford and Eastleigh, it was withdrawn on February 1, 1970.

The loco was bought by the Central Electricity Generating Board, arriving at the CVR for preservation on January 5, 1981.

Picture: STUART CHAPMAN

Derbyshire Dales MP Sir Patrick McLoughlin (second from right) at Rowsley South on September 3 with members of the Ivatt Diesel Recreation Society and the 7¼in-gauge working scale model of No. 10000, a Co-CoBE built by Derek Payne in 2011.

COURTESY: IVATT DIESEL RECREATION SOCIETY

had been lost. Now, the Staffordrequired for the new-build. based Ivatt Diesel Recreation Stuart Smith, of the IDRS, said: Society (IDRS) has teamed up with “Exhaustive global research has Peak Rail and key survivors that already tracked down key, original built the original locomotives to components and we aim to use as reconstruct the most accurate many of these as possible.” reproduction as is possible.

Jackie Statham, Peak Rail The public was invited to attend spokesperson, added:“It’s great the official launch of the project to be able to accommodate such and see a 7¼in-gauge scale an exciting undertaking as Project model of No. 10000, together with Icon. We are very much looking Class 58 No. 58022. This loco will forward to a mutually beneficial provide many of the components partnership.”

Operations Track Record COMPILED BY

ASHLEY BUTLIN

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ON FRIDAY, August 5 the 1D09 10.03 King’s Cross-Leeds activated the Hot Box detection equipment at Great Wymondley. The train went forward at reduced speed to Peterborough, arriving there at 11.21, where it was terminated.

After examination by technical staff the train departed, running as 5D09, heading to Neville Hill depot for further attention to the problematic wheel set.

HST power car No. 43295 was observed on August 6, heading the diverted 07.03 King’s CrossLeeds service off the Selby line at Micklefield Junction, due to engineering work between Wakefield and Leeds. No. 43061, in East Midland Trains livery, was also noted on August 6, heading the diverted 08.03 King’s CrossLeeds service past Norden Farm crossing, between South Milford and Micklefield Junction.

A BUS reportedly broke down on August 16 while on the level crossing at Cleghorn, three miles north of Carstairs. This caused the 09.43 from Euston to arrive 40 minutes late at Glasgow Central.

The 14.40 from Central was held for 30 minutes, just north of the crossing. Subsequent delays made it 36 minutes late into Carlisle and 50 minutes late at Euston. An additional stop was made at Crewe for passengers with connections in the Midlands.

DELIVERIES of new Class 387 units found No. 387134 brought south from Litchurch Lane to Bletchley

by FL Class 66 No. 66511 on August 17. This was followed on August 24 when No. 387136 was delivered by Class 66 No. 66539.

Next was No. 387135 on September 1, which was moved behind No. 66520. Testing of the units on the WCML prior to moving to Reading is a regular occurrence, with No. 387134+ 387136 at Stafford on August 26.

ONE of our correspondents at Swindon on August 19 reports

Above: Night time testing at King’s Cross for Class 800 ‘Azuma’ No. 800101 on September 7, working the 5X50 Old Dalby to Peterborough via King’s Cross.

JOHN WADDINGTON.

Right: GWR IEP Hitachi Class 800 Nos. 800001/ 002 stand at Reading during a short stop, forming the 5X16 20.53 North Pole IEP Depot-Bristol Temple Meads test run on September 15.

CHRIS WILSON

that mixed livery HSTs don’t look good! Green No. 43041 was at the end of a blue set, while blue No. 43189 was on a green set.

REPAINTED Class 165 No. 165101 returned to Reading from Wolverton on August 20.

AN EXTREMELY short-formed HST operated on August 25 as power cars Nos. 43135 and 43185 top-and-tailed a single coach from St Phillips Marsh to Laira.

ON THE evening of August 30 two IEP sets – Nos. 800004, in GWR green, and 800002, in plain grey with Hitachi branding – undertook a trial run from North Pole depot to Bristol Temple Meads and return.

ON SEPTEMBER 1, the 16.55 HST from Cardiff to London was delayed by 10 minutes at Swindon when the driver had to run back to the rear power car to isolate the horn, which had been sounding intermittently.

MAKING a surprise appearance at Worthing on September 5 the 09.00 Brighton-Great Malvern was formed of a Class 150/9

98 • The Railway Magazine • October 2016

No. 150925 instead of the more usual Class 158.

NEW Class 387 units entered traffic on September 5.

Nos. 387130+387133 worked the 07.15 Paddington-Hayes and Nos. 387131+387132 were on the 07.18 Hayes-Paddington.

DMUS Nos. 158740+156434 were seen on August 17 passing through Partick e.c.s. from Glasgow Queen Street to Eastfield HS via Glasgow Queen Street (Low Level)

OBSERVATIONS of the Caledonian sleeper north of Aviemore in August found Class 66 No. 66739+Class 73 No. 73969 on the service on August 2-7; Nos. 66737+73970 on August 8, 9, and 11; and Nos. 66737+73966 on August 12.

CALEDONIAN Sleeper-liveried Class 92 No. 92038 was observed passing Thankerton in charge of 6M49 the 08.22 Mossend Down Yard-Carlisle New Yard, conveying 15 empty ballast hopper wagons, on Monday, August 8.

SERVICES were affected by two incidents in the West Midlands on August 30. The first was when a broken down train between Birmingham New Street and Coventry caused the 06.15 1M22 Southampton Central-Manchester Piccadilly service to be diverted via the Solihull line. This appeared to be the only CrossCountry service to be re-routed. The second incident was caused by a Chiltern Trains occupying platform 3 at Leamington Spa. This necessitated the 06.37 1O06 Nottingham-Bournemouth service, formed by Class 220 No. 220017, passing through non-stop on the Up main through road. The following CrossCountry service – 1O82 06.16 LeedsSouthampton Central, formed by No. 220011 – also passed through on the Up main, but then reversed

into platform 2 to perform its station call before continuing southwards 15 minutes late.

A HORSE on the track at Mills Hill (between Manchester and Rochdale) on July 29 caused early morning delays on the Manchester to Leeds line. The attempts of two train drivers to return the animal to the nearby urban farm were unsuccessful and expert assistance was summoned.

From Hebden Bridge there were no trains to Bradford and Leeds between 07.34 (the Blackpool to York service, which ran normally) and 08.25, when the heavily delayed 07.17 left and ran non-stop to Leeds via Dewsbury instead of Bradford, arriving at 08.55. The 07.50 from Hebden Bridge was cancelled and the 08.11 ran 33 minutes late.

SEVERAL Class 142‘Pacers’ have been noted on Sheffield to Cleethorpes services, with No. 142052 on the 08.03 via Brigg and 11.14 return on August 6 and No. 142032 on the same service on August 13.