Shunter News
Eastern Rail Services
With its overhaul finally completed at Wolsingham, 08870 was released to Great Yarmouth on May 13, where it was unloaded the following day. As part of the work, the former RMS Locotec machine has been repainted into Intercity colours to match the livery chosen by ERS for its operational coaching stock. Despite its arrival, 08588 also remained at the reactivated carriage sidings as a reserve.
Freightliner
Fresh from a D exam, 08531 was released from LH Group Services on May 4, it heading for Felixstowe. This in turn released 08624 to move in the opposite direction for attention of its own.
HNRC
Spares donor 08500 was retrieved from Burton Wetmore on April 23 and taken to Worksop for the recovery of further components to be used in the repair of sister locos. Fresh from engine repairs at Barrow
Hill, orange-liveried 09106 was despatched back to Cardiff Tidal on May 11 to resume work on the Celsa duties, the low-loader returning to the Derbyshire roundhouse the next day with 08924 on board.
Hunslet
As part of its reorganisation, Wabtec has sold its Hunslet Engine Company subsidiary to Ed Murray & Sons, this bringing 11 Class 08s under new ownership. Specialising in heavy plant hire, Ed Murray is best known in the railway industry for supplying industrial shunters to various companies in the north east of England and more recently to Mendip Rail at both Merehead and Whatley. The company previously owned 08598 between 2013-17 when it was acquired from the Potter Group and later sold to AV Dawson. The new company will trade as Hunslet Ltd with its fleet including the four former Hunslet Engine Company Class 08s as well as the seven previously owned outright by Wabtec, the two pools having been merged some time ago. As a result, the fleet encompasses 08401 at Hams Hall, Daventry-based 08445 and 08571, the duo of 08615 and 08823 at Shotton steelworks and 08873, which is currently out of use at LH Group Services. Also included are 08472 and 08596 at Craigentinny and the trio of 08669, 08724 and 08853 at Wabtec’s Doncaster workshops,
Railway Support Services
Loram-liveried 08632 was extracted from the Derby RTC around April 19 and taken to Wishaw for repairs, 08663 being provided as cover by RSS pending its return. Equally troublesome was the failure of recently arrived 08460 at Felixstowe in late April. As a result, 08846 was moved south from Whitemoor Yard on April 26, allowing its sister to be taken to Wishaw for the issue to be rectified. Not that 08846 fared much better, it expiring on May 12 with a Class 66 temporarily taking over. At Wishaw, 08703 had been repainted into GB Railfreight colours by mid-May pending deployment on a new duty.