Avanti ‘805’ moved for testing at Asfordby

GB Railfreight 66755 hauls 805001 away from Hitachi Merchant Park sidings on November 12. The departure of the bi-mode unit to Network Rail’s Rail Development and Innovation Centre at Asfordby (near Melton Mowbray) had been delayed by almost a fortnight, owing to a bridge bash at Ketton (Rutland) which reduced the Leicester-Peterborough line to single-line working. A second set (805003) was due to join its classmate on November 23, to enable ten-car running on the test track. Thirteen five-car ‘805s’ are on order for Avanti West Coast, where they are due to replace Class 221s on routes between London Euston, Shrewsbury and north Wales from next year.