Coaching Stock News
Castle for Christmas
Great Western Railway received the first of its additional Castle HST sets on December 17, 2020 when Class 57 57305 hauled repainted and modified power cars 43010, 43022 and 43029 from Doncaster to Laira along with set GW14. This was formed of converted TS 48140, 48141 and 48142 (previously 42005, 42015 and 42016 in order) along with TGS 49114 (ex-44005). A test run between Laira and Penzance was undertaken on January 19 with power cars 43170 and 43186. As expected, two more shortened HST sets appeared at the turn of the year, with GW04 returned to traffic as a three-coach set (48111, 48110, 49104) on December 31 after surrendering 48112. Together with 48105 and 49112, these three Mk 3s now make up GW12, which worked its first train on January 4, forming the 2C00 0541 Plymouth to Penzance with 43010 and 43027. There are now four 2+3 Castle sets in traffic, the others being GW02 and GW13, with the two additional sets helping to provide extra stock to cover for the loss of the Class 143s and associated redeployment of the Class 150s.
Weardale ERS clear out
Eastern Rail Services transferred 15 coaches from the Weardale Railway to its storage sidings at Great Yarmouth on December 21, 2020 with 47593 providing the traction. Apart from former Virgin ‘Pretendolino’ buffet 10212, the rest were all ex-Caledonian Sleeper stock in the shape of Mk 2s 1210, 6700/02/04/07 and 9802/04/05/07/09 along with Mk 3 sleepers 10501/02 and 10600/99.
Two left for TPE
Another newly-commissioned Mk 5 set entered service with TransPennine Express on December 24, 2020 with 68030 powering TP05 on the 1F48 0554 Manchester
Victoria-Liverpool Lime Street and 1E25 0654 Liverpool-Scarborough. Formed of 11505, 12713. 12714. 12715 and 12805, it had arrived in the UK in September 2018. Still to be used in passenger service are TP02 and TP03.
Latest disposals
Nine more Mk 4 coaches were sent for scrap during December, all being moved by road from Worksop to Sims Metals’ yards in Hull before Christmas. The victims were 11283/330/410, 12227/321/331/445/471 and DVT 82203. Meanwhile, it is understood that the six Mk 1 overhead line maintenance coaches retrieved from Portobello around a year ago have gone for scrap following spares recovery at Carnforth. While few details are known, West Coast Railways is understood to have disposed of ADB975681/82/85-88 to a scrap yard in Preston during December and early January.