Shunter News
Beacon Rail
The latest Class 18 to be completed at the Clayton workshops in Burton upon Trent is 18008, with this locomotive once again heading to Wolverton Works in the final week of November to await future deployment.
Railway Support Services
Intercity-liveried 08605 was deployed on its first duty for RSS on November 24 with delivery to the HS2 aggregates terminal at Willesden. This allowed 08703 to be retrieved from North London and taken to Wishaw for an exam. Fresh from testing at the Chasewater Railway, 08738 is also back in traffic with deployment to the south terminal at Felixstowe. Unloaded early on December 3, the low-loader then headed for Wishaw with 08511, which requires engine repairs.
RMS Locotec
Out of use for over three years, 08523 is now back in action following the completion of major power unit repairs at Wolsingham. Its first task will be at Longport, where it arrived on December 8, to take over the shunter contract from RSS and 08752, although the latter was still on site a week later. While 08523 still carries RMS’S house colours of grey and blue, it now features Progress Rail branding on the bonnet sides, which is the parent company of Electro Motive Diesels.
The near five-year stay of Dutch Class 600 shunter 690 at the Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway came to an end in early December, with the Class 11 lookalike instead heading to West Coast’s depot, based at Carnforth.
Freightliner
Fresh from an exam, 08785 was released from Burton Wetmore on November 14 and was taken south to Southampton Maritime. This in turn released 08585 back to the Nemesis
Rail depot, where attention should include a repaint into the current orange and black livery.
HNRC
With tyre turning completed, 08943 had departed Midland Road by the end of November and was in residence at Worksop Down Yard to shunt the various EMUS currently in store there.
Ministry of Defence
MOD ‘Vanguard’ 01548 could be found in the Stoke haulage yard of Reid Freight Services at the beginning of December, having been brought south from Glen Douglas and awaiting onward movement.