Shunter News
Alstom
One of the occasional transfers of an Alstom Class 08 took place in mid-november, with 08451 redeployed from Longsight to Polmadie, it losing its Longsight TMD nameplates prior to leaving Manchester. The shunter was last based in Glasgow between April 2016 and June 2017, and joins 08764 and 08887 at the depot.
Freightliner
The lengthy resurrection of 08891 to traffic after more than a decade in store was nearing completion at LH Group Services in early December, with the shunter reassembled and repainted in Freightliner orange and black. The full overhaul has included the fitting of new wheelsets, with the loco intended to provide additional resilience for the often stretched fleet. Meanwhile, stablemate 08785 finally arrived at the new Freightliner depot in Ipswich Yard in November, it having pottered around the station stabling point since arriving back in August 2021. It was in active use from early December as the first wagons arrived for maintenance.
HNRC
The latest addition to the HNRC fleet is 08417, the former Network Rail machine being transferred from Peak Rail to Barrow Hill on November 25. Offered for sale last summer, it requires engine repairs before it can be used.
At the Battlefield Line, contract repairs to 08799 by Heritage Transport Restoration and Supplies Ltd are progressing well, with the locomotive restarted in November following attention to the coolant system, brakes, and connecting rods.
After just five months based at Kingmoor Yard on industrial hire, 01545 was returned to Worksop on December 3 as it was no longer required.
Railway Support Services
With its urgent repairs completed, 08703 was released from Tyseley on November 18 and returned to Willesden Euroterminal, allowing it to resume its hire duty with GB Railfreight on HS2 construction traffic. Also fresh from maintenance by RSS is Mendip Rail’s 08650, dispatched back to Merehead on November 24. Stopped for a lengthy over haul, it had been at wishaw since March 2019.