Sale or scrap: HNRC seeks to offload eight Class 20s

EIGHT Class 20s could be scrapped by Harry Needle Railroad Company if they are not sold, with the company claiming it is the last chance to buy a Class 20 in original unmodified condition.

Some of the ‘20s’ on offer have been out of traffic for more than two decades, including one that was withdrawn 26 years ago. Others were bought by HNRC for planned business expansion that has not taken place.

For sale are 20016/081/088 at Long Marston, 20087 and 20110 at the East Lancashire Railway, 20121 at Barrow Hill and 20903/904 at Nemesis Rail’s Burton depot.

They will be stripped of reusable components, with four (20087, 20110, 20903/904) to undergo bogie swaps prior to sale while two (20121 and 20904) will be sold without a power unit. The company says that they are only available for sale to a heritage railway.

Of those for sale, 20016 was withdrawn by Transrail in April 1995, while 20081 was withdrawn in May 1993 and 20088 in July 1991. The latter was modified by British Rail, by adding more fuel tanks.

At the ELR, 20087 was withdrawn in April 1995 but preserved and used regularly until bought by HNRC, while 20110 was bought from preservation at the South Devon Railway and used at Scunthorpe Steelworks. It was stored in February 2016.

At Barrow Hill, 20121 was withdrawn in July 1992, but was resurrected in HNRC ownership and had been used at the Wensleydale Railway, but never returned to the main line.

Neither ‘20/9’ has been used by HNRC. Both were bought from Direct Rail Services, which withdrew them in March 2003.

HNRC is also offering 08918, 09006/014 for sale. All are stored at Burton.

Once the ‘20s’ are sold, HNRC will have eight on hire to GB Railfreight (20096, 20107/118/132, 20311/314, 20901/905) while 20168 and 20906 remain on hire to Lafarge.

It also owns stored 20056/066, while 20166 is operational at the Wensleydale Railway.