Livery Changes

The period under review proved to be the busiest for locomotive repaints for many months, the headline being the appearance of 20901 and 20905 in Balfour Beatty colours in mid-april following repainting at Bristol Barton Hill. Other Class 20s with new paint are 20066, which has been returned to BR blue at Barrow Hill and destined for a new life in preservation, while 20132 has received a fresh coat of Railfreight Red Stripe at Crewe courtesy of Locomotive Services Group. Another of the LSG fleet smartened up is Class 47 D1924 (47810), with a new application of BR two-tone green at Eastleigh Works.

57310 has become the first of GB Railfreight’s recently-leased Class 57/3s to be repainted, receiving standard blue and orange at Loughborough, the same look also given to 69011 at Eastleigh Works. With 59003 now on long-term hire to Colas Rail, this has been reflected on the locomotive’s bodysides with Colas logos applied to the existing GBRF colours, mirroring the look displayed by 67027. Also released from the Arlington paintshop is 59102, the first Class 59/1 in Freightliner orange and black, which retains its cast numberplates and nameplates. The Toton paintshop has been busy repainting four Class 66s into DB Cargo red, including 66002. Meanwhile, DRS is stripping Transpennine Express vinyls from Class 68s at Kingmoor, with three locomotives identified so far. Among the unit fleet, 755421 has joined Greater Anglia stablemate 720506 in carrying multi-coloured pride logos and flags.

Rob Reedman 57310 has become the first of GB Railfreight’s Class 57s to be repainted into its corporate deep blue and orange colours, with the work being completed at UK Rail Leasing at Loughborough. The newly-painted locomotive stands outside the paintshop following completion on April 8.