Coaching Stock News
Disposals slow down
The period under review saw a marked downturn in disposals, especially by rail. The only such move occurred on March 24 with 57312 bringing the long-stored ScotRail training set HA32 south from Dundee. Formed of 42069, 42118, 44023 and 46010, the 5E25 working to Booth’s Rotherham yard included five barrier coaches (6330/36/40/44/46) for brake force purposes due to the recovery of brake components from the Mk 3s.
Disposals by road have continued though, with the latest Mk 4 movements from Worksop including 10323/331 and 11282/307/310/407 to Sims, Hull, during the week commencing March 22, with 10326, 11305, 12200 and 82224 making the same journey the following week. From Wabtec, Doncaster, 11430 and 12439 were dispatched to Booth’s on March 29/30. A week earlier, Mk 3s 42502 and 44029 had also departed Wabtec on their final journey, this time to the EMR yard at Attercliffe, Sheffield, both having been used as spares donors in the modernisation programme.
At Toton Yard, the disposal of the long stored and derelict parcels vans got underway in early April, the surrounding forest had to be cleared to give access! By April 17, 94104, 94317, 94422, 94435, 94470, 94479 and 94501 had been scrapped on site, with 94177, 94207, 94208, 94316 and 94344 left to go.
Long Marston departures
Further Mk 3s from the Chiltern slam-door set and Arriva reserve fleet have been confirmed as going for scrap from Long Marston to Wards Recycling, Ilkeston, at the end of February. They included 12054 and 12119 from the Banbury commuter set, 11033 once of the DRS Mk 3 rake and ex-Virgin West Coast stock 11079, 12104, 12165 and 82150. In much better condition, former Welsh DVTs 82307 and 82308 were transferred to MoD Bicester in a two-legged move on March 29/30. Now owned by ROG, 37510 provided the traction, with an overnight pause at Hereford. On the incoming side, 37240 delivered Network Rail DVTs 82111 and 82145 to Long Marston from Derby on March 26, the illfated and little-used vehicles now off lease. Another coach to leave the Derby RTC in early April was Mk 1 BG 92114, the Network Rail vehicle going to Peak Rail by road for further storage.
Mk 3 bogie donors
The set of former Greater Anglia Mk 3s once earmarked for use by Chiltern Railways finally departed from Arriva’s Eastleigh Depot on April 13. However, with the planned use as a new, more PRM compliant Banbury commuter set long abandoned thanks to the pandemic, 11094, 12012/19/26/27/41 and 12115/51 were instead hauled to Long Marston by 20118 and 20132. Notably, the coaches had received some work with Chiltern Railways branding applied and the doors repainted from red to dark blue. Seven days later, on April 20, the eight Mk 3s were on the move again, GBRf 66705 hauling them to Mossend Yard along with 12035/46/56 and 12159, from where they were transferred the following day in two batches to the EG Steele Works at Hamilton. Indications are that they are to surrender their bogies and other components with the bodies going for scrap and the BT10s possibly destined for use under the Grand Hibernian set. Owned by Belmond, this Mk 3-based luxury train has been withdrawn from traffic in Ireland and is to be redeployed to a new and as yet undisclosed market, which will require standard gauge bogies to be fitted.
HST trailer exchanges
East Midlands Railway rid itself of further HST stock in midApril as the rundown of the fleet continued. On April 14, 43305 and 43306 ran from Neville Hill to Ely Papworth for store with 40705, 42116/86/91/92/93 and 44077 in tow. The move was repeated the next day, this time with 40740, 41099, 42128 and 44080 between 43316 and 43319. In contrast, 42094 and 42095 have been taken back by GWR, the duo departing Long Marston for Laira behind 66748 on April 14, the move also including power cars 43069/78/86 and 43196. It is understood these are most likely for spares use, although rumblings of further Castle conversions have emerged.
Jacobite deployed
With the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in Scotland, the stock for the Jacobite steam services was dispatched to Fort William in mid-April. On the 12th, 57001 headed the 5Z60 0426 departure from Carnforth conveying Black Fives 45212 and 45407 along with 5032, 5239/78, 5419/53, 9391, 35508/17, 94225 and 99318, with the steam locos taking over for the trip over the West Highland Line. Two days later, 37518 made the same journey with the morning Mk 1 set, this featuring 1840, 3093, 4951/60, 21266 and 99326/29.
Meanwhile, mid-March saw West Coast Railways move several longstored vehicles between its sites by road, with Mk 1 TSO 3961 and extensively fire-damaged Mk 2e TSO 5876 coming north from Southall to Carnforth, while Super GUV 94222 was sent in the opposite direction. On March 21, dilapidated Mk 1 RU 1929 departed from Carnforth but was still residing at Moveright’s Wishaw yard in mid-April.