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Our authoritative class-by-class review of newsworthy locomotive workings.
CLASS 20
ON June 1, Type 1s Nos. 20007+20205 ran light from Derby to Romford where they collected the High-Speed Milling Machine No. DR79601 and conveyed it back to the East Midlands as the 6X20/15.13 Romford-Derby RTC, passing Copper Mill Junction at 16.12.
Having resided at Ely Papworth since May 22, No. 20118 along with Nos. 47815 and 37608 (the latter attached to the rear of the two translator vehicles), formed the 5M59/08.56 Ely-Leicester on June 19. A week later, on June 26, Nos. 20118+ 20132 (both GBEE) and 20311+20314 (HNRL) ran light from Barrow Hill to Worksop passing Kiveton Park at 16.00.
Locomotive Services’ Type 1
No. 20096 has been repainted BR green and moved to Barrow Hill.
CLASS 37
RETURNING to their old haunts, albeit quite unexpectedly, Nos. 37407+37401 took a single flask wagon to Anglesey on the 6D43/07.31 Crewe CLS-Valley on June 3. The trip was reported as being partly to give No. 37407 a test run following repair and to keep the 6D43 and 6K41/14.57 return paths open. The last regular Valley flask service ran on September 18, last year.
By June 9 No. 37407 had been paired with No. 37218 to take a test train around the Cumbrian coast, reaching Mossend next day. Thereafter, Nos. 37218 and 37423 were together at Wemyss Bay and Ardrossan Harbour late on June 12.
With ballast regulator DR77905 in tow, No. 37402 took charge of the 6Z37/10.53 West Ealing-Sandiacre on June 12 and then set off from Toton Yard to High Marnham three days later.
The Colas pairing of Nos. 37219 and 37421 traversed part of the
West Highland line on June 21 with the 6K20/10.15 Crianlarich-Millerhill Yard, which was formed of 10 HQAs, while another Colas Type 3 No. 37254 powered the 1Q41/13.16 Derby RTCCrewe CSFL via Buxton, Altrincham, Wrexham, Bidston and Chester on
June 8. The same locomotive took a structure gauging train to High Marnham on June 15 before teaming up with No. 50050 on a light engine move from Toton to Nottingham Eastcroft three days later, the EE Type 3 returning with classmates Nos. 37025+ 37175. Completing a busy week
No. 37254 set off with the 3Z02/10.40 Derby RTC -Dollands Moor on June 19.
CLASS 47
THE removal of various items of rolling stock from store during June hinted at an increase in the number of trains operating over the network from early July. Temporarily stored at Gascoigne Wood, TPE set TP10 was removed and taken back to Manchester on June 1, behind No. 47813, travelling via the Hope Valley. On the last day of June,
No. 47812 was noted at Huddersfield hauling TP02 set to Longsight.
Previously, No. 47812 had rescued ‘Flirt’ electric units on more than one occasion. For instance, it was recorded assisting No. 755411 on June 4 and
No. 755405 (from Bury St Edmunds) three days later, having already hauled No. 755423 from Cambridge to Norwich that afternoon.
Late on June 20, No. 47812 was ‘scrambled’ to rescue No. 755334, hauling it to the depot as the 5S29/22.10 Cromer-Norwich
Crown Point.
June 8 found No. 47815 in charge of six former HST trailers heading for scrap as the 5Q76/07.36 Ely PapworthNewport Docks, the Type 4 repeating the duty two days later with a similar consist having moved five HST coaches to Doncaster on June 5.
No. 47815 was again the motive power for another transfer of stock from Ely to Newport on June 15, noted passing Bristol Parkway at 12.45. Classmate No. 47813 transferred EMU No. 442414 from Bournemouth depot to Wolverton on June 5, before teaming up with No. 57310 to undertake further testing over the electrified Midland main line sections (June 9 and 10) with various items of coaching stock and AC electrics Nos. 90035 and 91128.
No. 47593 worked the 5Z22/11.36 Long Marston-Crewe HS with former East Midlands power car No. 43083 in tow on June 10, and LSL stable companion No. 47712 took No. 43083 and six HST coaches from Crewe to Eastleigh Arlington the following day.
Two weekends of engineering work around Crianlarich in mid-June brought back West Highland Line memories of Class 37 operation and, after arriving there double-headed on the 13th, No. 37116 is captured running round via the up line to ‘top and tail’ the 6K20 with No. 37025 along the Oban line.
A landslip near Scunthorpe in mid-June blocked the direct Doncaster to Wrawby Junction (Barnetby) line and, as a result, freight services were diverted via Brigg or Lincoln. This shot on June 15 shows DB Cargo No. 66013 working the 6H79/18.10 Immingham-Drax biomass over the level crossing at Brigg, where the wooden gates have been replaced with modern barriers.
Out of action since February,
No. 47501 (D1944) began crew familiarisation runs between Crewe and Hellifield on June 22 before being substituted by No. 47805 (D1935) from June 29. Under the Rail Charter Services banner, three return trips each day are planned to operate daily between Skipton and Appleby from July 20 (see railtours).
CLASS 56
‘GRIDS’ Nos. 56094 and 56113 made for a welcome sight on the North
Wales coast on June 8, handling the 6C49/09.47 Basford Hall-Llandudno Junction with ballast for use on the Conwy Valley line. After spending three days in the area, the duo returned past Holywell Junction at 17.30 on June 11.
Nos. 56096 and 56105 were removed from store at Cardiff Canton and hauled to Nottingham Eastcroft by Type 3 No. 37421 on June 12, leaving Nos. 56087/90 in South Wales where they remained at the end of June.
No. 56094 handled the Basford Hall-Longport ballast cleaning trip on June 16, while No. 56113 was seen at Kidsgrove the following day and covered the diagram on five further occasions in June.
Late on June 29, Nos. 56113 and 56105 traversed the Wrexham to Bidston ‘Borderlands’ line ‘top and tailing’ 10 loaded Autoballasters forming the 6C44/21.08 Basford HallNeston, which reversed at Bidston. Occasional double-heading of the 6S31/05.20 Doncaster-Millerhill engineers’ train featured Nos. 56094+ 70813 on June 15 and Nos. 56302+ 66133 on June 24.
DCR example No. 56103 remains active and transferred Chiltern Railways’ Mk.3 coaches between Bristol and Wembley on June 20.
CLASS 57
AN empty stock transfer involving eight Great Western sleeping car vehicles ran as the 5Z79/09.30 Reading TraincarePenzance on June 5 hauled by
No. 57603 Tintagel Castle. The service was delayed by an earlier locomotive failure and eventually reached its Cornish destination well over five hours behind schedule with No. 57605 Totnes Castle atop its stable companion. The same locomotives ‘top and tailed’ the 5Z71/08.30 Penzance-Reading on
June 19 (passing Teignmouth at 11.00) prior to handling the 1C50/23.45
Paddington-Penzance ‘Night Riviera’ upon resumption of the service on
June 25.
Out of action since hauling a portion of the DRS ‘Class 20 Farewell’ tour on January 18, Nos. 57002+57003 ran light from Carlisle to Crewe in the path of the 6K05 working (for which there was no traffic) on June 26. After continuing their journey on to Bescot, the pair hauled the 6K02/02.08 BescotBasford Hall with five empty MRAs early the next day prior to heading back light engine to Carlisle.
The Rail Operations Group’s
No. 57312 had No. 47813 for company when ‘top and tailing’ ‘Aventra’ unit
No. 710116 from Old Dalby to Willesden TMD on June 16. On June 22, the ‘57’ passed Kilwinning hauling ScotRail EMU No. 320302 from Kilmarnock Bonnyton to Yoker and returned during the afternoon with set No. 320304. Three days later, Nos. 57310+57312 moved translator coaches from Derby (Loram) to Old Oak Common.
CLASS 59
WELL away from its normal area of operation, No. 59002 Alan J Day passed Joan Croft Junction on the East Coast Main Line north of Doncaster on June 5 in the process of hauling No. 66551 from Whatley Quarry (Somerset) to Leeds Midland Road. The 59/0 returned south two days later as a 0V68 light engine move back to Somerset with Nos. 66509 and a repaired 66551 for company.
Only No. 59206 of the 14-strong DFHG pool has received Freightliner’s G&W orange and black livery so far.