NEWS ROUND-UP
EASTERN RAIL SERVICES
A BIG surprise has been the arrival of No. 08762 at Great Yarmouth, believed to be the first time an ‘08’ has been based at Yarmouth, as it used to be the home of Norwich based ‘03s’ and ‘04s’ before that.
Transported on June 18 from Heaton Depot (Newcastle), No. 08762 will be based at the new Eastern Railway Services depot in the former carriage sidings at Yarmouth Vauxhall (see last issue).
This is only a short-term move as the shunter will eventually be replaced by classmate No. 08870, which is owned by Eastern Railway Services but currently undergoing repairs at RMS’ workshops at Wolsingham.
LOCOMOTIVE SERVICES
the character in the children’s TV show Rainbow, while No. 08780 has been unofficially named Zippy after another character from the same show.
RAILWAY SUPPORT SERVICES
AS previously reported, RSS has purchased No. 08652 from Mendip
Rail and this was moved to Wishaw (Warwickshire) as the last issue went to press. As the loco is in a poor condition, however, it is most likely to be used to donate spare parts and not be returned to service.
Work continues on getting
No. 08441 ready for a return to Bounds Green, London, whilst No. 08730 remains at the Chasewater Railway – testing there indicating further work is needed before it is ready for use.
The previously suggested move of No. 08480 to Bristol Barton Hill has now taken place, moving there on June 18. This will allow No. 08516 to be moved back to Wishaw for much needed work.
RMS SUMMERTIME BLUE:
Alstom shunter No. 08617, looking immaculate in its BR blue livery, poses in the sun alongside Avanti West Coast ‘Pendolino’
No. 390043 at Oxley depot, near Wolverhampton, on June 11.
RMS has been up for sale as part of the divestment of BARS UK assets by the owning group. It was announced on June 22 that the sale had been completed on June 4, with
Proviso Holdings Limited purchasing the entire share capital of Rail Management Services Limited. A statement said the “board of Proviso Holdings is made up from career railwaymen and commercial specialists with experience in the finance and restructuring sector, and its shareholders include rolling stock leasing and maintenance company Eastern Rail Services”.
WABTEC/LH GROUP
THE rundown and proposed closure of the Kilmarnock Works of Wabtec has resulted in works shunter Andrew Barclay 0-6-0DH No. 482 (of 1963) being made redundant.
It was moved to the Barton-underNeedwood works of LH group, arriving there on June 24. The Kilmarnock site has its origins in the original Andrew Barclay Works opened in 1840, a maker of many industrial steam and diesel locomotives. No. 482 was the last Andrew Barclay loco still in industrial service in Scotland and so a preservation attempt was made, but it looks likely it will continue to work for a living for some time to come.