Virgin Trains red and grey for more Crewe Heritage Centre vehicles

recent repainting of Crewe Heritage Centre’s 87035 Robert Burns into Virgin Trains red and grey livery, it has been confirmed to Railways Illustrated that Mk.3a TSO coach 12114 and DVT 82118 will be repainted into the same livery to form a short exhibition depicting the early period of privatisation when Virgin Trains ran both the West Coast and Crosscountry franchises.

Both vehicles, which are owned by the Crewe Heritage Centre Trust, currently carry the white and grey Greater Anglia livery applied for their final period of operation before withdrawal. Once repainted, the coach and DVT will be exhibited alongside 87035.

87035 was renamed and rededicated at Crewe Heritage Centre on March 15. The ceremony was conducted by Hornby Hobbies marketing and development director Simon Kohler.

Andrew Jeffery As reported in the last issue of Railways Illustrated, the Diesel and Electric Preservation Group’s 47077 North Star has now arrived at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway for a two-year hire period. The locomotive is being stored temporarily at the NYMR’S recently completed Carriage Stable at Pickering, where it was pictured on March 5, but will move to Grosmont once track has been reinstated following a bridge replacement project taking place on the railway. Once the Class 47’s air tanks have been recertified, testing and driver training will begin.