Operations Track Record
the 1P86/17.43 from Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness, being regularly worked by them. Prior to their demise, a correspondent took a number of rides on the units starting on Wednesday, June 15, from London to Shoeburyness on train 1P86 formed of Nos. 387304+387303. The third unit still employed with c2c No. 387305, was noted from the passing trains, in the sidings at Shoeburyness Carriage Servicing Depot. According to a c2c driver, it was out of service.
Returning to the c2c on Wednesday, June 22 Nos.
387303 and 387304 were seen passing Pitsea station as empty stock train the 5P98/16.34 Shoeburyness to Fenchurch Street. A journey was then made from Benfleet to Shoeburyness on train 1P86, again formed of Nos. 387304 and 387303. The pair were seen again on Monday June 27, arriving at Fenchurch Street ECS from Shoeburyness.
The final three units Nos. 387303+387304+387305 were moved on July 1 from Shoeburyness to Peterborough for a new life with Great Northern.
On Wednesday, June 15 Class 720 Nos. 720602 and 720604 were seen pausing at Westcliffon-Sea station forming a test train from Fenchurch Street to Southend Central. Late the same day the same two units were noted in the sidings at Shoeburyness Carriage Servicing Depot.
At weekends some c2c services serve Stratford and run in to Liverpool Street, rather than the more usual terminus of Fenchurch Street. Unusually for mid-week, during the evening of Wednesday, June 15 some services from Shoeburyness also ran to Liverpool Street.
A journey was made on the first of these, the 9B41/19.08 from Shoeburyness formed of Class 357 Nos. 357037+357018. Having called at Upminster the service stopped by platform 8 at Barking before going over the flyover to take the line through Woodgrange Park, then passing through Stratford, finally terminating at platform 15 at Liverpool Street.
On Saturday, June 18, with platforms 1 to 4 at Liverpool St closed, the c2c trains serving Stratford used the single line through Bow Junction to Gas Factory Junction and terminated at Fenchurch Street, including the 13.56 from Shoeburyness formed of No. 357021.
The disposal of the Class 455/8 units to Sims Metals, Newport continues with usually two trains of eight vehicles heading west from Stewarts Lane each week.
On June 16, Class 66 No. 66793 took Nos. 455803+455806 on their last journey; Nos. 66763+ 455813+455842 on June 28;
No. 66784+455826+455843 on June 30; No. 66794+ 455815+ 455840 on July 5; No. 66724+ 455830+ 455837 on July 7;
Nos. 66788+ 455814+455822 on July 12; No. 66764+455823+ 455844 on July 14.
Commuters using Southern will quickly have found how the Class 455/8 could be withdrawn without replacement. Observation at Harrow & Wealdstone on Friday, June 17 found the Southern trains from Watford Junction, which formerly have been formed of two Class 377 units totalling eight cars, are now formed of a single four-car Class 377. First seen was the 11.52 from Watford Junction to Clapham Junction, which was formed of No. 377203.
An hour later, the 12.52 from Watford Junction to Clapham Junction, was formed of No. 377214. A journey was then made from Harrow & Wealdstone to Kensington Olympia on the 13.52 from Watford Junction to Clapham Junction on No. 377203. For midafternoon this had a good load and no doubt in the rush hour trains are uncomfortably full.
Class 313s were in trouble on July 2, particularly on services between Littlehampton and Portsmouth & Southsea. No. 313212 was taken out of service at Littlehampton for minor repairs at Brighton Depot after working the 09.57 from Portsmouth & Southsea. No. 313215 was used as replacement for the rest of the diagram starting with the 11.09 service to Bognor Regis. No. 313206 was in trouble at Portsmouth & Southsea with a series of faults prior to working the 10.57 service to Littlehampton.
Eventually the service was cancelled and the unit ran
ECS to Brighton Depot via Littlehampton for turn round purposes. The following were cancelled: the 12.09 Littlehampton to Bognor Regis; the 12.36 Bognor Regis to Barnham; the 12.52 Barnham to Bognor Regis and 13.05 Bognor Regis to Littlehampton.
No. 313219 was dispatched from Brighton Depot to Littlehampton to work the
13.55 service to Portsmouth & Southsea and remained on the diagram for the rest of the day. Class 701 No. 701007 was tripped north on June 6 behind GBRf Class 47 No. 47739 as the 5Q15/09.19 Eastleigh-Worksop. On Monday, June 27, new No. 701048 was seen passing through Acton Central station behind GBRf Class 47 No. 47749 running as empty stock train 5Q10 from Derby Litchurch Lane to Eastleigh Traction & Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot. On Tuesday, June 28 No. 701015 was noted in the sidings at Clapham Junction where it has been resident for many weeks. On the same day No. 701043 was returned from Eastleigh to Derby by Class 47 No. 47749. The following day, No. 701003 was top-and-tailed by Nos. 56081+47727 from Worksop to Derby. New No. 701049 was moved from Derby to Worksop by Class 47 No. 47749 on July 6.
Whilst the Class 455s spend most of their time trundling around southwest London, they occasionally get a chance to ‘stretch their legs’. On Thursday, June 30, a correspondent made a journey from Reading to Richmond on the 17.12 from Reading to Waterloo, formed of Nos. 455709+455732. According to Realtime Trains, the service is ‘Pathed as Electric multiple unit at 100mph’, so all credit to the Class 455s, which managed to maintain time except for some slow running between Earley and Winnersh, attributed by the guard to a bridge strike. This resulted in a five-minute late arrival at Richmond.
Charter Trains
West Coast Railways Class 47 No. 47746 Chris Fudge was in charge of the diesel legs of the 1Z96/06.18 West Ealing-Buxton and 1Z98/14.37 return ‘Jubilee Buxton Spa Express’ charter on June 4. LMS ‘Jubilee’ 4-6-0 No. 45596 Bahamas worked the train from Barrow Hill to Buxton, then back as far as Leicester Humberstone Road Sidings from where it continued light engine with support coach to Wansford on the Nene Valley Railway, with the diesel returning the train to London. June 14 saw the ‘Pendle Dalesman’, pulled by ‘Merchant Navy’ 4-6-2 No. 35018 British India Line, make its first run of the 2022 season. It was noted at Lancaster station where the train terminated before moving on ECS to Carnforth. At the platform end, where No. 35018 was brought to a stop, a crowd of local people and then passengers from the journey gathered to look at and admire the highly polished Bulleid Pacific. Our correspondent reports that everyone stood back from the locomotive so that photographs could be taken
without having to wait for a ‘valve-gear-gricer’ to move out of the way; secondly, when a small group wished for a team photo they moved in front of the nameplate, took a snap and then moved out of the way and thirdly, those there at the platform end were of either gender with ages ranging from six or seven to those who have an OAP bus pass.
The ‘Belmond British
Pullman’ went to Chesterfield in connection with a visit to Chatsworth House on Friday June 10 – an unusual working as these trains usually only run on selected Wednesdays. On this occasion the train was top-and-tailed by Pullman
Class 67 No. 67024 and Royal Class 67 No. 67005 Queen’s Messenger, the services being the 1E02/08.46 London VictoriaChesterfield and 1O07/17.16 return.
LMS ‘Jubilee’ No. 45596 Bahamas was out and about on the Midland Main Line again on June 11 when it took over the 1Z79/06.35 Ealing BroadwayYork ‘Yorkshireman’ charter from Class 47 No. 47746 Chris Fudge at Leicester Humberstone Road.
On the return leg from York, Bahamas was booked to come off at Humberstone Road but in the event the steam engine worked all the way through to Ealing Broadway, making a fine sight in the evening sun sweeping through the countryside on the approaches to Market Harborough. Class 66 No. 66023 had charge of a Scunthorpe-Burton on TrentImmingham scrap train on June 15, the first reported run of this service for some considerable time. The regular Lindsey-JarrowLindsey was observed on June 17 and 22 with Class 60 No. 60015. On June 17 an additional Mossend to Seaforth (Liverpool) container service was scheduled to pass through Lancaster at 11.17. However, this train, pulled by DB liveried Class 66 No. 66070, didn’t pass through Lancaster until 14.24, which was 187 mins behind schedule. Observations on Friday, June 17 at Harrow & Wealdstone station included the 6X11 from Toton North Yard to Dollands Moor Sidings, seen passing behind Class 66 No. 66015. Further observations at the location were the 6M45 from Dollands Moor Sidings to Daventry International Railfreight Reception seen passing behind No. 66112, and Class 325 units Nos. 325012+325007 working from Shieldmuir Mail Terminal to Willesden Princess Royal Distribution Centre. DB Cargo held a private event at Toton TMD for staff and their families plus a number of guests from Rail Riders Club on June 18. Celebrity locomotives on display or in the works included WR ‘Modified Hall’ No. 6989 Wightwick Hall; Class 66 Nos. 66004 in Climate Hero green, 66113 in DB Key Workers, 66175 Rail Riders Express; Class 67 Nos. 67006 Royal Sovereign, 67007 freshly painted and making its début appearance in Platinum Jubilee purple; Class 90 No. 90039 in Backbone of the Economy black; and Mk.3 DVT No. 82146 in DB Silver. Monday, June 20 saw Class 66 No. 66115 head south past Euxton dragging Class 90 os. 90020 and 90021 on a late running liner train 4M25. Original livered DB Class 66 No. 66025 pulled a loaded train made up of mixed motor vehicles on June 20, from Dagenham Dock (dep 13.33) to Mossend.
The afternoon Seaforth (Liverpool) to Mossend container service (dep 13.59) is usually operated by a DB Class 66 but on June 22 DRS Class 66 No. 66091 worked this service.
Making its first reported daytime appearance through Market Harborough on June 22 was the loaded 6X13/09.37 Dollands Moor-Toton North Yard car train hauled by Class 66
No. 66003. These services are usually routed via Oakham and Corby, and the train made an impressive sight on the main line.
Class 66 No. 66009 was noted on the 08.35 Lindsey Oil Refinery loaded tanks to Neville Hill through Woodlesford on June
29.
The morning Mossend to Daventry container train is usually double-headed by two DB Class 90s and scheduled to pass Lancaster at 11.11. On July 7, this service was 243 mins late through Lancaster at 15.14 being pulled by DRS Class 66
No. 66091.
On the following day the same service was 61 mins early through Lancaster pulled by DB Class 90s Nos. 90024+90037. A convoy of FL Class 66s Nos. 66502+66510+66599 ran on June 17 from Carlisle (dep 16.14) to Crewe. Observations at Harrow & Wealdstone station on Friday, June 17 included the 4L99 from Lawley Street Freightliner Terminal to Felixstowe North Freightliner Terminal, seen passing behind No. 66589. Later, No. 66587 As One, We Can headed train 4M63 from Felixstowe North Freightliner Terminal to Trafford Park Freightliner Terminal. Then No. 66504 headed train 4M58 from Southampton Maritime Container Terminal to Garston Freightliner Terminal. A work-stained No. 66616 was seen heading north working a train from Wembley to Tunstead Sidings. Class 66 No. 66955 was seen passing Hanwell at the head of the container train from Wentloog to Felixstowe North Freightliner Terminal on Monday, June 20. A few minutes later, No. 66524, with recruitment poster, was seen heading train 4M58 from Southampton Maritime Container Terminal to Garston Freightliner Terminal. Observed passing through Grays station at the head of the 4E24 from London Gateway Freightliner to Leeds Freightliner Terminal on Wednesday, June 22 was Class 66 No. 66508. On the same day No. 66517 was seen passing East Tilbury station on the 4M56 from London Gateway Freightliner to Garston Freightliner Terminal. Class 66 No. 66539 was seen between Raynes Park and Motspur Park heading the Acton Terminal Complex to Tolworth Day Aggregates stone train on Wednesday, June 29. The following day, No. 66613 was observed passing platform 15 at Reading station on the 6M20 from Whatley Quarry to Churchyard Sidings. Also seen at Reading was Class 66 No. 66568 heading the 4M58 from Southampton Maritime Container Terminal to Garston Freightliner Terminal. Powerhaul Class 90 No. 90049 + Green No. 90046 were observed passing through Manchester Piccadilly with the 4M87 Felixstowe-Trafford Park Freightliner on July 4.
Class 88 Nos. 88002 Intrepid and 88009 Diana ran light engine from Crewe (dep 14.02) to Carlisle on June 14. On the following afternoon DRS Class 68s No. 68008 Avenger+68009 Titan ran light to Crewe from Carlisle (dep 13.46).
The morning Daventry to Mossend ‘Tesco’ service passed through Lancaster 54 mins late at 10.27 on June 30 pulled by DRS Class 88s Nos. 88003 Genesis+88006 Juno. Both locos had raised pantographs. This is normally a single Class 88 working. In the opposite direction, on the same day, that morning’s Mossend to Daventry container service left Mossend seven mins early at 05.39. However, this service was delayed at Abington and was later seen passing through Lancaster at 11.37 (164 mins late) pulled by No. 88009 Diana coupled in front of No. 88007 Electra which had its pantograph down.
A triple headed train formed the 11.21 Hunslet Yard-Crewe Basford Hall train passing through Woodlesford on June
29, headed by Class 66 Nos. 66504+66510+66606 with a rake of empty freightliner flats.
The two Mk.2 barrier coaches Nos. 9506+9508 were moved from Kingmoor to Doncaster Roberts Road by Class 66 No. 66122 on July 4 for tyre-turning. Class 69 No. 69001 Mayflower was seen passing Barnes station at the head of the 4Y19 from Mountfield Sidings to Southampton Western Docks on Tuesday, June 7. The ‘new’ Class