PRESERVED SHUNTER NEWS
■ The oldest working example of the Class 08 shunter, 13002 at the Plym Valley Railway, has received an A-exam and has had a few remedial jobs undertaken to return it to traffic in readiness for the railway reopening. It remains in all-over BR black with its original number. It later became D3002 but never gained a TOPS number.
■ The Mid-Hants Railway’s resident Class 08 08288 has been returned to traffic after a lengthy overhaul and has been repainted into BR blue. It has also been named
Phoenix. The loco sustained a significant amount of electrical damage due to a fire back in 2013 and it has been a long-term project to put it right. The loco has been rewired, had the radiator rebuilt and a new silencer box, new cab doors and new nose ladders fitted, plus a host of other work.
■ With preparations for re-starting the running of trains on the North Norfolk Railway, in late March Class 08 D3935 was used to haul a maintenance train with the flail mower used to clear overgrown lineside vegetation.
■ At the North Tyneside Railway, another line preparing for reopening, the resident Class 08 08915 was out and about on crew refresher runs in early April.
■ The Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway’s recently acquired 08795 has been sent out on hire… to its old depot at Landore! The shunter has been hired by refurbishment specialists Chrysalis Rail Services Limited. The L&MMR acquired 08795 when Landore closed as an HST depot in March 2019. Still carrying its all over black livery and Landore markings, the 08 was the last loco to leave the site when the depot closed and it made the short journey by road to Cynheidre. Chrysalis Rail started working at Landore in late 2019, where it provides overhaul work for train operating companies. Its core services include the refurbishment, painting, modifications and repairs to all types of rolling stock running. Over the past year the L&MMR has worked closely with Chrysalis Rail, which provides storage and technical facilities at Landore for the heritage line’s newly acquired Class 142 Pacer unit.
The hire income will go towards improving the facilities at Cynheidre in readiness for reopening after the recent lockdown.