71A’s Class 33 D6515 back in action

AS CAN be seen elsewhere in this issue of Railways Illustrated, the 71A Locomotive Group’s main line-registered Class 33 D6515 Lt Jenny Lewis RN has returned to service after receiving significant attention at Arlington Fleet Services at Eastleigh Works over a 15-month period.

The Class 33 has had a full overhaul and a rebuild of both cabs while at Eastleigh, with work completed in early April, with it returning to the Swanage Railway hauling Paul Spracklen’s 50026 Indomitable, with its first passenger workings following restoration being at the Swanage Railway Diesel Gala and Beer Festival in early May.

71A Locomotive Group publicity officer Alan Hawkins said: “The bulk of the work was carried out by a small group of 71A Locomotive Group volunteers, with all the heavy structural welding and repainting being carried out by Arlington Fleet Services.

“The overhaul and rebuild of both cabs has cost about £50,000 in total (it would have been a lot more without all the volunteer labour), with about £40,000 raised through donations and the remainder coming from the group’s savings.

“As a result, the group has very little money left in reserve and so desperately needs to build up these reserves. If any readers of Railways Illustrated would like to help out with our appeal for funds in any way possible, however large or small the donation, the group would be most grateful.”

Readers making a donation of £50 or more will receive a full year’s free membership of the 71A Locomotive Group’s support group, and they will also receive all of the back issues of the group’s special cab overhaul newsletters, which started in February 2021.

This special offer is only open until July 31, and details of how to make donations can be found online at http://71alocogroup.co.uk/71a_ donate.htm

Following the Swanage Railway event, D6515 moved to the Severn Valley Railway for its own diesel event, before then moving to the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, where it will also pay a working visit to the West Yorkshire heritage Railway.

Jonathan Valentine Coming up with the goods: On April 24, Class 24 D5054 Phil Southern was utilised to deliver a repaired box van to Rawtenstall station on the East Lancashire Railway, providing a rare freight working to the northern end of the heritage line. The train is pictured after shunting the train into the headshunt in order to drop off the repaired wagon, which is used for storage purposes on the station.