YOUR CHANCE TO OWN A UNIQUE PIECE OF RAILWAY HISTORY AND HELP RAILWAY GOOD CAUSES!

THROUGH a sealed bid charity auction Eastern Rail Services (ERS) is offering readers the chance to obtain a one-off piece of modern image railwayana, in the form of a metal roundel from a former European Passenger Services (EPS) generator van.

All you have to do is submit your bid, by post or email, by the deadline of 17.00 on Friday, May 27, 2022, and the highest bidder wins.

The steel roundels, known affectionately as ‘Polo mints’ by enthusiasts for obvious reasons, were carried on traction and rolling stock belonging to EPS, the company that was originally due to launch night trains through the Channel Tunnel in the 1990s.

A new fleet of ‘Nightstar’ sleeping coaches was ordered, but by the time they’d been completed it had already been decided that the night trains would be uneconomic to run. The new carriages were eventually exported to Canada, but five generator vans, which were due to supply power to the night stock, remained in the UK. They had been converted from Mk.3 vehicles and all five are now in the ownership of Eastern Rail Services.

The roundel kindly donated by

ERS comes from ex-generator van

No. 96734 and measures approximately 70cm in diameter and 2cm deep. ERS will arrange for the roundel to be delivered to the auction winner at cost.

If you would like to bid, just include your name and contact details, along with the value of your bid. The highest bidder will be asked to make payment before ERS releases the roundel to them.

Postal bids can be sent to: EPS Roundel Auction, c/o Customer Services, Mortons Media, Morton Way, Horncastle, LN9 6JR.

Email bids can be sent to Rail Express at railexpresseditor@ mortons.co.uk, with the subject line ‘Roundel Bid’.

The winner will acquire a unique piece of railway history in the knowledge that the money raised will go to two excellent causes: the Railway Benefit Fund (www.railwaybenefitfund.org.uk) and Railway Children (www.railwaychildren.org.uk).

Thanks to ERS, who offer a wide range of rolling stock solutions from their Great Yarmouth base and are very active in providing stock for TV and film contracts, including Last Train to Christmas. easternrailservices.co.uk E