Final GWR ‘Castle' coaches released

AUGUST 19 saw the emergence of the remaining sliding door HST coaches for Great Western Railway, when the last five coaches left Wabtec, Doncaster for Laira. Nos. 48136/37/49/50 and 49117 were taken south by power cars Nos. 43029/154.

Two of the coaches, Nos. 48136/37 (ex 42570/82), are additions to the second batch of conversions, and had been stored at Long Marston since February 2020 until moved to Doncaster early this year. The addition of these vehicles, combined with a reduction in the number of coaches regarded as fleet spares, will enable GWR to form 16 fourcar sets, with a single spare TGS.

■ Still to be released from Wabtec are four HST coaches for ScotRail, Nos. 42033/35/56/96.