POWERSCENE

Our authoritative class-by-class review of newsworthy locomotive workings.

Class by class notable workings.

CLASS 20

HEADING south through Lincoln on

July 1, EE ‘Type 1s' Nos. 20901+20118 were on their way from Worksop to Willesden ready to undertake local shunting work. A different pair, Nos. 20227+20205 were turned out six days later to haul New Measurement Train power car No. 43014 as the 0Z43/09.10 Derby RTC-Neville Hill where the Class 43 was to receive attention. The ‘20s' retraced their steps to Derby (Loram). Nos. 20901+20118+50008 and ‘Rail Adventure' barrier vehicles formed the 6Z50/12.00 Willesden-Leicester on

July 28 which traversed the Bletchley to Bedford line, while Nos. 20189+47773 ran light from Butterley (Midland Railway Centre) to Tyseley that same day, before covering a private charter from Birmingham Moor Street the next day.

CLASS 33

AWAY from the main line since being part of a Victoria to Folkestone charter in December 2019, No. 33025 returned to use on July 24 when on empty stock duty between Southall and London Paddington for a Paddington to Minehead steam-hauled special. Next day the ‘Crompton' departed from London Marylebone with a 5Z22/14.23 filming trip bound for Banbury (see below) and ‘tailed' by No. 47772, before accompanying LNER B1 4-6-0 No. 61306 on the Victoria to Windsor and Chertsey ‘steam jaunts' on July 27.

CLASS 37

‘GROWLER' No. 37422 was noted at the head of a train of long welded rail forming the 6Z22/18.20 Scunthorpe Trent Yard-Doncaster Up Decoy on July 2, before teaming up with DRS classmate No. 37423 on the BLS ‘Sinfin Syphon' tour next day. Starting from York, the pair took the special to East Midlands Gateway, Stanton Gate and back to York via Mansfield Woodhouse and Maltby, prior to leaving York for Rose Hill next day via Barnsley and Penistone, later heading for Crewe (also see Class 70). On July 18, Nos. 37884, ‘top and tailing' with Nos. 57312+37608, handled the 1Z89/10.35 Lichfield City-Buxton tour which took in Great Rocks and Topley Pike on its return journey.

The weekly Scarborough jaunts operated by West Coast Railways have their share of EE ‘Type 3' haulage and on July 8 Nos. 37685+37668 were seen at Copy Pit summit with the 1Z24/06.00 Carnforth-Scarborough which the pair took as far as Holgate Sidings, York as they did once more on July 15. No. 37706 accompanied

No. 47237 on the 1Z62/08.25 YorkCarlisle (July 22) as far as Hellifield, where Bulleid Pacific No. 35018 took over. Two days later both diesels set

off from Derby with the 1Z64/05.50 to Carlisle with the ‘Type 3' coming off at Doncaster in favour of Gresley A3

No. 60103 Flying Scotsman. No. 37706 was then paired with No. 37668 on the return 1Z54/15.24 Carlisle-Lancaster from Hellifield on July 27 as the steam locomotive was required to run forward to York. Both ‘Type 3s' also powered the ‘Scarborough Spa Express' on July 29 and then ran light to the Wensleydale Railway to collect a Mk.1 coach.

With so many test train and stock workings involving Class 37, the occasional freight jobs might go unnoticed. Nos. 37402 and 37425 covered an overnight engineer's duty between Whitemoor and Eccles Road late on July 3 heading back next morning with the 6P02/09.00 BrandonWhitemoor, while Nos. 37069+37424 did the 6G06/19.39 Basford Hall-Bescot on July 16. No. 37716 was in sole charge of the 6G94/12.22 Basford Hall-Bescot and 6D95/14.41 Bescot-Toton on July 23. Network Rail examples Nos. 97303 and 97304 reached Skegness during the early afternoon of July 8 with a test train from Derby RTC while late that same night Nos. 37175 and 37254 reached Fishguard Harbour with the 3Q35/21.35 from Landore later going on to visit Pembroke Dock. Rail Operations Group locomotives Nos. 37608 and 37611 moved new West Midlands CAF Civity DMU No. 196103 from Tyseley to Donnington RFD on July 12.

CLASS 40

GREEN-LIVERIED No. 40013 (D213) made a fine sight on the morning of

July 1 when heading along the North Wales coastal route in charge of the 1Z40/07.40 Bangor-Bristol Temple Meads. At Crewe the venerable English Electric ‘Type 4' (it was new as far back as the summer of 1959 and withdrawn from regular service by British Rail in January 1985) handed over to a pair of steam locomotives for the trip to Bristol and back. D213 then handled the return journey to Bangor prior to taking the empty coaches back to Crewe.

CLASS 43

HST power cars are rapidly becoming the most newsworthy traction at present (see page 11). Now sporting the attractive Rail Charter Services livery of green and silver, Nos. 43058 and 43059 (with five trailer cars) left Eastleigh Arlington bound for Crewe on July 12 (for more details, see Power by the Hour, pages 28/29).

Stock transfers involved Nos. 43045/60/73/5 hauled from Burton Wetmore to Long Marston behind

No. 57312 on July 2, followed four days later by Nos. 43043/64/81/2 in the care of ‘Type 3' No. 37611, while Nos. 43061/71/79 all arrived at Long Marston on July 13 behind No. 37608.

CLASS 47

BOTH Nos. 47270 and 47828 made a welcome return to main line work during July, though the former only briefly. Having last worked a charter on April 22, 2017, and following a test run with No. 57601 on July 6, No. 47270 ‘tailed' No. 47237 on the 1Z54/15.20 Carlisle-Chester on July 13, taking over from a steam locomotive at Carnforth, before returning to home base later for cosmetic attention.

InterCity-liveried No. 47828 moved from Carnforth to Crewe last year and on July 10 accompanied No. 47853 on a Statesman tour from St Albans to Scarborough. Subsequently the pair worked from Potters Bar to Scarborough (July 17) via Cambridge and March, prior to covering the 1Z45/06.00 ChesterWeymouth on July 31. In between No. 47828 was partnered by No. 47805 on a Carnforth-Kidderminster trip (July 21) the former coming off at Crewe in favour of Stanier ‘Black 5' No. 45231, while the two 47s ‘top and tailed' a Hereford to Ravenglass Statesman duty on July 28.

Having spent most of the year on stand-by in Scotland, No. 47854 returned south with No. 47813 on the 1Z63/07.58 Linlithgow-York on July

20, before collecting No. 57316 and heading to Carnforth. Ten days later No. 47854 ‘tailed' the ‘Northern Belle' from Coventry to Carlisle with No. 57601 ‘up front' to Carnforth and Pacific No. 60163 Tornado forward.

The former Rail Operations Group ‘Type 4' No. 47813 has proved a reliable performer this summer and retains plain blue livery thus far. On July 11 it handled the 1Z31/08.46 Slough-Par as far as Taunton and then set off for Cornwall to haul the 17.38 return which No. 60163 powered between Plymouth and Taunton.

Another of the former ROG 47s at Carnforth, No. 47815, has been repainted into two-tone green livery. Among several other duties, No. 47245 was part of the ‘Bournemouth Express' from London Victoria to Weymouth on July 3, the tour hauled by former SR ‘Merchant Navy' Pacific No. 35018 British India Line. It should not be forgotten, however, that No. 47245 in its original guise as D1922 was allocated to Eastleigh (70D) between 1966 and 1968 for use on the ‘Bournemouth Belle' during the ‘Wessex' changeover from steam to electric traction. For example, on July 7, 1967, D1922 covered three journeys on the Bournemouth-Waterloo line.

⟨ CLASS 50

WITH the Belmond British Pullman coaches in tow Nos. 50007+50049 left London on July 3 with the 1Z95/09.04 Victoria-Worcester Shrub Hill. Celebrating 30 years of Class 50 preservation the train was routed via Oxford on the outward journey and back via Kemble, with No. 50007 running in the guise of No. 50034 Furious.

On July 9, No. 50049 left Kidderminster to head for the Dean Forest Railway where it collected the immaculate EWS-liveried Brush ‘Type 2' No. 31466 before taking it to the Severn Valley Railway as the 0Z51/13.30 from Lydney passing Gloucester at 12.55. On July 20 the two GBRf-liveried 50s took Aventra

EMU No. 701504 on a turning move from Derby Litchurch Lane via Spondon, Toton, Chesterfield (reverse) and back to Derby by way of Ambergate Junction. The next morning found the duo in charge of EMU No. 701017 on the 5Q13/10.50 Litchurch Lane-Worksop returning with sets Nos. 701508/9.

There was an occasional outing for No. 50050 (COFS) on July 19 when used to collect Nos. 56051+56113 from Barnetby Sidings for transfer to Nottingham Eastcroft. On July 26 Nos. 50050+37219 left the depot bound for Toton, the Class 50 returning with another ‘Type 3' in the form of

No. 37099. Following its move from Eastleigh to Leicester, No. 50008 Thunderer (HVAC pool) was expected to power the ‘Thanet Thunderer' tour on July 31 but was unable to do so. Instead, Nos. 50007+50049 stepped in to cover the 1Z32/06.05 East Midlands Parkway-Margate running via Woburn Sands, Sevenoaks and Minster.

CLASS 56

LOOKING forward to another lease of active life No. 56051 was paired with Colas Railfreight classmate No. 56049 on the 6M32/03.13 Lindsey OR-CR Ribble (Preston) tanks and the 10.05 return on July 5. Following two further trips on July 7 and 12, No. 56051 was allowed out on its own from July 26 when it worked four trains on the Basford Hall-Longport circuit, the second of which, the 6K38/10.18 from Longport was routed via Yarnfield Junction to Stafford instead of heading via Alsager. Standing in for the usual Class 66, No. 56081 ‘topped' a pair of Electro-Diesels and a Class 442

EMU on the 5Q85/12.24 WolvertonBournemouth T&RSMD on July 5.

CLASS 57

WEST Coast Railways' Class 57s generally cover ‘Northern Belle' workings and Nos. 57313 and 57314 took charge of the 1Z86/06.33 Nottingham-Carlisle on July 3, although the former was replaced by ex-LMS Pacific No. 6201 Princess Elizabeth at Carnforth. A trip from Birmingham International to Crewe and back to Northampton followed next day for the two 57s before No. 57313 left London at the rear of the 1Z63/08.45 Victoria-Bournemouth hauled by

Pacific No. 60163 Tornado on July 5, celebrating the 90th anniversary of the ‘Bournemouth Belle'. No. 57601 had No. 47802 for company on several trips from July 10 when the duo worked from Cardiff to Weymouth, returning to the Dorset resort next day from Coventry. Further ‘Belle' work saw the same locomotives handle the 1Z55/06.42 Darlington-Dundee and 17.09 return on July 14 and the 1Z42/11.31 Glasgow Central-Perth next day. By July 17, however, No. 57601 was paired with

No. 57316 on the 1Z60/07.33 HullWinchester before the latter was found to have suffered a damaged fuel tank on the return journey. The following morning No. 57601 set off from York bound for Llandudno Junction stopping at Chester to attach No. 47813. The ‘Northern Belle' passengers enjoyed steam haulage on July 24 when A1 Pacific No. 60163 replaced No. 57601 at Carnforth on the 1Z86/07.39 Telford Central-Carlisle, after the diesel, along with No. 57313, had brought the train north via Chester and Warrington.

CLASS 60

FOLLOWING several weeks on various light engine runs, DC Rail's No. 60046 left Chaddesden on July 7 for Crewe where it collected Railvac No. 3 to form the 6X60/13.00 Basford Hall-Leeds Midland Road via Lichfield, Derby and Mexborough. Two days later the same locomotive worked 6Z17/10.44 Chaddesden-King's Lynn prior to heading to Middleton Towers on July 10 to form the 6Z18/08.33 to Ravenhead Junction (St Helens). Later that day, DB Cargo example No. 60040 passed Beighton Junction hauling seven Class 66 locomotives including Nos. 66032, 66073 and 66205, the three most recently repatriated examples that had travelled from Dollands Moor to Scunthorpe the previous day. Its repaint into GBRf livery complete, No. 60087 returned to traffic on July 18 hauling the 6M51/12.03 Doncaster Down Decoy-Liverpool Terminal biomass hoppers and later took charge of the 6E34/21.43 Liverpool-Drax.

CLASS 66

DB Cargo locos Nos. 66053 and 66044 reached Carlisle on July 2 with the first leg of the ambitious Branch Line Society weekend tour running as the 1Z36/08.59 from Edinburgh via Shotts and the G&SWR main line. The tour went forward with Nos. 37419+37423 at the head of No. 66053 (No. 66044

at the rear of the train) although No. 37419 had to be removed after failing at Culgaith. On July 4 Nos. 66066 and 66041 ‘top and tailed' the tour running as the 1Z44/08.57 York-Hartlepool via Harrogate and later the 1Z45/14.14 Hartlepool-Falkirk Grahamston via Norton Junction, Durham and the Tyne Valley to Carlisle, where No. 66066 was removed in favour of No. 66137 for the final leg via Glasgow Central and Cumbernauld. DB Cargo's No. 66004 has undergone a repaint at Toton, as has GBRf example No. 66769 at Eastleigh. Sporting light green ‘Climate Hero' livery, No. 66004 emerged on July 30 to haul the 4L38/10.57 East Midlands Gateway-Felixstowe containers.

Following a break from ‘Royal Scotsman' duties, both Nos. 66743 and 66746 have been noted on the Caledonian sleepers and freight traffic. Nos. 66746+73966 handled the 1M16/20.45 Inverness-Euston sleepers to Edinburgh Waverley on July 20, while three nights later No. 66743 accompanied the same 'ED' on 1M16.

The 6X01/10.18 Scunthorpe Trent Yard-Eastleigh had No. 66746 as motive power on July 26, while later that day No. 66743 passed Rochdale with loaded JNAs forming the 6Z61/22.05 Collyhurst Street-Doncaster. A regular on the Inverness sleepers during July has been GBRf/Beacon Rail blue No. 66791. Colas example No. 66847 had charge of the 6K39/13.33 Basford Hall-Longport ballast on July 23 passing Alsager shortly before 15.00. With no Class 56 readily available, this was probably the first time a Class 66 has been used on this traffic. It returned to Crewe with the 6K40/18.06 from Longport (Pinnox Branch).

CLASS 67

WITH the Burton-based blue/grey Mk.2 coaching set, ‘Royal' Class 67s Nos. 67005 and 67006 powered ‘The Dorset Maiden' railtour (1Z92/07.09 Peterborough-Weymouth) on July 24. The Belmond British Pullman stock arrived in London Victoria behind the blue-liveried No. 67001 on July 28 and left for Gillingham (Kent) behind No. 67021, whose regular mate No. 67024 was bound for Crewe IEMD that night. Having covered the Transport for Wales Holyhead-Cardiff diagram early in the month, No. 67010 was reported taking a single hopper on the 6K32/12.22 Warrington Arpley-Stoke Marcroft on July 21 and moved two FIAs on the 6F47/12.03 Wigan TMDWarrington Arpley two days later.

No. 67013 also covered several turns on TfW passenger trains in the middle of July, being noted in charge of the 17.12 Cardiff-Holyhead on July 19 and 21, for example. No. 67013 began the month with a trip on the 6G51/07.44 Warrington Arpley-Donnington RFT (July 1), before hauling EMU No. 325014 from Crewe IEMD to Toton TMD on July 6. The same Royal Mail unit returned to Crewe on July 16 behind No. 67020, while that locomotive handled the Donnington trips on July 29. Passing Stevenage on the morning of

July 20 Nos. 67007+91101 and a set of Mk.4 coaches formed the 5G30/09.55 Ferme Park-Neville Hill stock move.

BC Collection A ‘Crompton' on Great Western metals is unusual these days. On Sunday, July 25, No. 33025 hauled a private charter from Marylebone to Banbury, seen pulling into Platform 4 at the Oxfordshire town. No. 47772 was at the other end of the rake of five West Coast Railway Co Mk.2 coaches, which were used for filming in connection with a forthcoming Danny Boyle drama series on legendary punk group The Sex Pistols.

Tom Pickles Rail Charter Services' ‘Staycation Express' has arguably been the most photographed train of 2021. In this unique shot, Class 43s Nos. 43058 and 43059 are seen from above at Dent Head with the very first working carrying fare paying passengers, the 09.40 ex-Appleby, on July 19.

Andy Mason Class 47s Nos. 47614+47828 in Scarborough's Platform 1 prepare to head the return leg of the ‘Yorkshire Coast Statesman' out of the North Yorkshire seaside terminus as the 1Z47/15.20 to St Albans, while TPE Class 68s await their next westbound turns, on July 10. No. 68029 is in Platform 3 with 1T72/15.34 to York, while No. 68019 sits nearby in Platform 2 with the 1T78/18.34 York service.

Duncan McEvoy Descending from Corrour on Rannoch Moor, as the sun sets behind it on July 20, No. 66738 heads Caledonian sleeper train 1B01/19.50 Fort William to London Euston, with No. 73970 tucked inside providing electrical supply and translating the Dellner train coupler of the set of six Mk.5 coaches to the train engine. This is a common combination on these Highland sleeper trains owing to poor availability of the rebuilt class 73s when running on diesel power.