LNER Mk.4 sets down to single figures

Rakes further reduced in number as more coaches are sent for scrap.

THE number of Mk.4 sets in traffic with LNER was reduced to nine in late June. The East Coast Main Line operator revealed earlier this year that it is to retain 10 sets to allow timetable expansion prior to the arrival of additional new rolling stock, so one or more of the rakes currently in store at Worksop could see further use at some point.

Recent arrivals at Worksop have been the five spare vehicles that had been retained from BN28 (Nos. 82217, 11328, 10310, 12320/218) on May 30, brought north from Bounds Green by No. 66717 Good Old Boy . It was followed a week later by set BN01 (see table for formation), which arrived at Worksop behind No. 66749 Christopher Hopcroft MBE and on June 27, set BN07 left Bounds Green behind No. 66767.

HULL SCRAPPINGS

Also during June, 14 vehicles were dispatched by road from Worksop to Sims Metals at Reservoir Road in Hull for disposal. Although Sims is a well known name in the rolling stock disposal business (its Newport scrapyard having dealt with large numbers of Class 142s and Mk.3 coaches already this year), this is the first time one of its Hull sites has been used for rail vehicles.

The vehicles involved were

Nos. 11241/244/290/ 291/419-422, 12400/441/460/ 470/473/476, all of which had been removed from the four sets (BN19-BN22) that were transferred to Grand Central in shortened form for use on its forthcoming Euston-Blackpool services.

The table details the current status of the Mk.4 fleet. In addition to the large number of coaches at Worksop, smaller numbers can be found at Long Marston and Wabtec, Doncaster, while the following have been disposed of at CF Booth (Rotherham) during the past 12 months: Nos. 11237/273/ 292-294/423-425/ 427-429/998, 12403/425/438/ 455-458/464/ 466/519/538.

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