Shunter News
GB Railfreight
GBRf is to continue providing shunters at Celsa’s Cardiff steelworks until 2033 following the signing of a new 12-year contract. The provision of a fleet of remote control-equipped Class 08s is currently sub-contracted to HNRC and this arrangement will continue for at least the next five years. Currently working at Cardiff Tidal are 08389, 08877 and 08924 with 08630 under repair at Barrow Hill.
Meanwhile with GBRf now in charge of managing movements the Asfordby test centre, the contract to provide shunters has passed from HNRC to Railway Support Services. As a result, 08892 and 08956 were both removed from Asfordby on April 1, the former heading to Worksop while Serco-branded and green-liveried 08956 was taken to Barrow Hill. Replacing them around the same time were 08580, it having departed Bounds Green in mid-March via a short stay at Stoke wagon works, and 08922 from standby at the Chasewater Railway.
Network Rail
Having been unserviceable for several years, Network Rail’s yellow-liveried 08417 was removed from the Derby RTC on March 31 and taken to Rowsley, Peak Rail, for further storage. The shunter is expected to be offered for sale in due course.
Railway Support Services
Another busy month for the RSS fleet saw 08511 transferred from Wishaw to Eastleigh Yard in the second full week of April following repairs. This in turn allowed 08460 to be redeployed to Felixstowe, where it was unloaded on April 16, with 08663 then removed to Wishaw for mechanical attention. Also now at Wishaw for repairs is 08730, which was belatedly recovered from Whitemoor Yard at the end of March.
RMS Locotec
Late March saw 08809 enjoy a change of scene as it departed the cement works at Ketton to undergo tyre turning at Toton on March 19. With the work completed, it returned south on April 2. Meanwhile, 08588 has become the latest shunter to be based at Great Yarmouth for use by sister company Eastern Rail Services, it departing the Derby RTC on March 31. Sentinel 0-4-0 10070/1961 also remains based at the reactivated carriage sidings.
Wabtec Rail
With its hire work concluded for the moment, 08669 was returned to Doncaster on April 8 to resume duties at Wabtec’s main workshops. The previous 11 months had seen it loaned to subsidiary Hunslet Engine Company, it covering for 08401 at Hams Hall before being displaced to the LH Group Services site at Barton-under-Needwood earlier this year.