Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2020 i Rail Express

SO February 11 brought the news the rail industry has long been waiting for, as the Government gave the go-ahead to the full HS2 scheme from Euston to Birmingham and on to Manchester and Leeds. Plans were first announced more than 10 years ago (see Time Traveller, page 31), but – abit like the Brexit issue – it divided opinion along non-party lines, with supporters and opponents on both the left and right of the political spectrum. Now though – and again like Brexit – whichever side you were on before, a decision has been made and everyone can focus on making the best of it. The impact of HS2 on our railways cannot be overstated. The timescales mean there will be up to 20 years of major construction, helping…

WITH its HST fleet withdrawn in December (see February issue), the remainder of the Class 91 and Mk.4 sets were expected to follow and be fully removed from East Coast Main Line this year. However, LNER has indicated it will now retain as many as 15 trains for use into 2021 and 2022 – and possibly longer to assist with delivering the upgraded December 2021 timetable. They are expected to be used on Leeds services, with two sets retained as ‘hot spares’. Despite that good news, however, January 25 saw No. 91132 stopped at Bounds Green, while No. 91104 was stored two days later on the 27th but promptly reactivated on the 30th. By the end of the month, Nos. 91122 and 91128 were also out of action, both being…

Originally known as the Great Rail Club, it changed its name to the more marketable and catchy Rail Riders. This club gave children aged 5-15 special membership benefits, such as discounted travel and a regular quarterly magazine. The club was promoted by the late Keith Chegwin, with the organisation’s slogans including ‘the happiest club in the land’ and ‘travel, action, fun’. At its peak the club had 125,000 members. In October 2019 it was announced Rail Riders would return after a hiatus of 30 years, and would relaunch on February 29, 2020. The man behind the new venture is Simon Buxton, a former member and owner of Bufferbeam Ltd, who has worked tirelessly over the past six months to awaken a 1980s giant. The new club will not be just…

MANCHESTER Metrolink’s Trafford Park extension is expected to open around April this year, some six months earlier than planned. The announcement followed the start of daytime testing along the full route to the west of the city in December. The £350 million project to build the 3.5-mile line began in January 2017. It runs from the existing Pomona stop, on the Media City/Eccles route, to Trafford Centre with five new intermediate stops at Wharfside, Imperial War Museum, Village, Parkway and EventCity. This brings the number of stops on the Metrolink network to 99. The line has been designed with a possible future extension to Port Salford in mind. Meanwhile, the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham is calling on the Government to help fasttrack an extension of the Metrolink network…

EAST Lancashire Railway resident No. D5054 (24054) is to be the guest visitor at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway’s Spring Gala, which takes place on April 24-26. It will remain on the line until the following month, and will also be operating alongside Lancashire & Yorkshire ‘A’ Class No. 52322 on May 9/10. Subject to undertaking successful test runs at Butterley, Class 20 No. D8188 (20188) will be appearing at the Spa Valley Railway’s gala in March. Didcot Railway Centre will be holding a ‘Railcar Rendezvous’ over the Easter weekend, featuring visiting NER Autocar No. 3170 from Embsay and Waggon & Maschinenbau railbus No. 79964 from the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. Also in action should be the resident Steam Railmotor and GWR Railcar No. 22. The Embsay & Bolton Abbey…

DB CARGO ELECTRIC No. 90026 was out on test on January 13, after being stored for four-and-a-half years, working to Crewe station from the electric depot. Still in EWS maroon and gold, albeit with a patchwork appearance after bodywork repairs, it was dispatched to Toton two days later (15th) sandwiched between Nos. 66016, 67010 and 67028 ready for its repaint. It is now in the WEDC pool, ex-WQBA. The next Class 90 to return will be No. 90021, which was moved to the WQBA pool from WQAA in January. EUROPHOENIX/ROG JANUARY 30 saw No. 37510 Orion let loose on the main line under its own power for the first time since the middle of 2012. The Class 37/5 successfully worked a 5E68/5M59 test trip to Barrow Hill and back with…

Correct to January 26, 2020 Allocations 37521 BH/COTS-CD/LSLO 43061 EC/IECP-HQ/SBXL 43063 LA/EFPC-HQ/SBXL-LA/EFPCHQ/SBXL 43071 LA/EFPC-HQ/SBXL-LA/EFPCHQ/SBXL 43086 LA/EFPC-HQ/SBXL-LA/EFPCHQ/SBXL 43161 LA/EFPC-HQ/SBXL-LA/EFPCHQ/SBXL 43180 LA/EFPC-HQ/SBXL-LA/EFPCHQ/SBXL 43196 LA/EFPC-HQ/SBXL-LA/EFPC 43251 EC/IECP-NL/EMPC 43257 EC/IECP-NL/EMPC 43272 EC/IECP-NL/EMPC 43274 EC/IECP-NL/EMPC 43277 EC/IECP-NL/EMPC 43290 EC/IECP-NL/EMPC 43299 EC/IECP-NL/EMPC 43302 EC/IECP-NL/EMPC 60006 off registration - scrapped 60028 WQ/WQAA-LR/HTLX 60029 WQ/WQAA-LR/HTLX 60081 off registration 66012 WBRT-WBAE 66017 WBRT-WBAR 66018 WBRT-WBAE 66040 WBRT-WBAR 66055 WBAR-WBLT 66069 WBRT-WBAR 66085 WBRT-WBAR 66086 WBRT-WBAE 66098 WBRT-WBAE 66111 WBRT-WBAE 66131 WBRT-WBAE 66143 WBRT-WBAE 66181 WBRT-WBAR 66199 WBRT-WBAE 66206 WBRT-WBAR 67012 WAAC-WAWC-WAAC 67013 WAWC-WAAC 67020 WAAC-WAWC 70016 FD/DHLT-LD/DFGI 86610 DFNC-DHLT 90021 WQBA-WQAA 90026 WQ/WQBA-CE/WEDC Change of ownership 90003-15 Porterbrook to Freightliner For Sale 08410/83 Operational 60028, 70016, 90026 Stored/stopped locations Basford Hall: 86610 Eastleigh TMD: 43208/39 Ely: 43020, 43191, 43206, 43312/20 Gascoigne Wood: 43272/77/90/96/99,43306/07/08/14/17/19 Neville Hill: 43238/57, 43309/16/18 Tyne Yard:…

Correct to January 26, 2020 Allocations 144001-04/06-15/17-21/23 NL-HT 153310/13/26 NM/EMHQ-CF/HLHQ 156402/07/09/12/18/22 NC/EBHQNN/EJHQ 156421/41/51/75/88/89/90 NH-HT 156503 DY/EMHQ-CK/HAHQ 158745/47/49/50/60/62/63/65/66/67/69 PM-EX 170201/03/05/08/73 NC/EBHQ-CF/ HLHQ 195003/04/09/10/11/12/13/15 HQ-NH 195019/21/22/23/24 newly delivered HQ/EDHQ 195112/20/21 HQ-NH 331002/03/09-15/17-19 HQ-AN 331023/24/25 newly delivered HQ/ EDHQ 350404/05/10 AK/EAHQ-NN/EJHQ 397001/03 HQ/EAHQ-MA/TPEC 710128 newly delivered HQ/EKHQ 710272 newly delivered HQ/EKHQ 720503/09 newly delivered HQ/EBHQ 745007 HQ-NC 745106 newly delivered HQ/EBHQ 755325 newly delivered HQ/EBHQ 755327/28/32/33/35 HQ-NC 755401 newly delivered HQ/EBHQ 755402/04 HQ-NC 777003 newly delivered HQ/HEHQ 800202/07/10 HQ-DR 801107/11 HQ-DR 801211/13/17 HQ-DR 801219/20/21/22/25 newly delivered HQ/HBHQ 802301-03 HQ-BN 802304 newly delivered HQ/PFHQ Renumbered 156409-156909 156412-156912 450545-51/54/60/69-450045-51/54/60/69 Formations Now back in five-car formation 378206/09 Now in seven-car formation 345020 Now in passenger traffic 195003/04/10/11/12/13/15195112/20/21331002/03/10-12/14/15/18/19345020/63, 385002 397011 745007/10755327/28/32/33/35/37755402/04800202/07801107/11801203/17/19802205/08/13/17802302/03 Sold Bridgend Police Training Centre: 142033 Preserved Chasewater Railway: 142027/29/30 NRM Shildon: 142001 Stored/stopped locations Birkenhead:…

TWO more Mk.4 rakes were taken out of traffic by LNER during the first few weeks of 2020. The first to be stopped was set BN20 on January 13, formed of Nos. 82200, 11420/320/241, 10321, 12326/440/439/477/224. It departed for storage behind No. 66702 Blue Lightning seven days later, running as the 5Z91/09.36 Bounds Green-Worksop. Of note is that the DVT from this rake is planned to become part of the National Collection. Also now stopped is set BN21, which was removed from traffic on January 20. GRAND CENTRAL UPDATE Following the arrival at Wembley in December of the first rake of Mk.4s for open access Euston and Blackpool services (see last month), the full list of vehicles being transferred has been revealed. The coaches concerned, and their last recorded locations…

Correct to January 26, 2020 Allocations 10212/29 CP/TPEE-HQ/SBXH 10317/19/29 HE/HBHQ-HQ/SAXH 10580 off registration preserved 10706 PO/HAHQ-HQ/SBXH 11007/18/48 CP/TPEE-HQ/SBXH 11237/73 HE/HBHQ-HQ/SAXH 11292/93 off registration scrapped 11327/29/30 HE/HBHQ-HQ/SAXH 11423/24 off registration scrapped 11427/28/29/30 HE/HBHQ-HQ/SAXH 11507/13 HQ/EAHQ-MA/TPEC 11998/99 HE/HBHQ-HQ/SAXH 12011/78 CP/TPEE-HQ/SBXH 12122 CP/EAHQ-HQ/SBXH 12133/38 CP/TPEE-HQ/SBXH 12204/16/27 HE/HBHQ-HQ/SAXH 12317/21/31 HE/HBHQ-HQ/SAXH 12403/25/55/56 off registration scrapped 12438/49/57/58/62/63/66/71/72 HE/HBHQ-HQ/SAXH 12533/34/38 HE/HBHQ-HQ/SAXH 12719/20/21/37/38/39 HQ/EAHQ-MA/TPEC 12807/13 HQ/EAHQ-MA/TPEC 12814 newly delivered HQ/EAHQ 42092 LA/EFHQ-HQ/SBXH 42105 LA/EFHQ-HQ/SBXH 42364 LA/EFHQ-HQ/SBXH 44018/49 SCXH-SCEC 44076/81 LA/EFHQ-HQ/SBXH 82203/28/31 HE/HBHQ-HQ/SAXH Renumbered 41103-40610 42203-48125 42349-48127 42251-48135 44003-49109 Sold Data Acquisition & Testing Services: 11074, 12092, 82115 Eastern Rail Services, Weardale Railway: 1210/22, 6702/04/06/07, 9801-10, 10212/29, 10501/02, 10600, 96371 Locomotive Services Ltd: 6705/08 Formations  GW93: 48106+48126+49107 (temporary) HA17: 40610+42360+42551+42252 HA18: 40624+42265+42553+42293 HA04 disbanded LA22 disbanded LA23 disbanded LA26 disbanded LA72 disbanded Stored/stopped locations Carnforth: 975681/88 Crewe HS: 6702,…

■ TRAFFIC AND TRACTION: GM locomotive No. 112 has been renumbered No. 8112. The alteration was carried out during the loco’s recent repaint at York Road Works (see January issue). CAF-built three-car DMU No. 3006 was withdrawn from service after leading car No. 3406 sustained damage to its cab after colliding with a fallen tree. Nos. 3006+3002 were working the 18.38 Londonderry to Belfast Great Victoria Street (GVS) on December 18 when the collision occurred near Templepatrick Loop, between Antrim and Mossley West stations. The driver, other traincrew and passengers were uninjured. The train was returned to Antrim where unit No. 3002 ran round No. 3006. It is reported that passengers were transferred to buses to continue their journey and No. 3006 was hauled empty by No. 3002 to Belfast.…

AT 185mm in length over the buffers, a Class 03 shunting locomotive makes an excellent entry point to ‘O’ gauge modelling – inexpensive compared to larger steam and diesel locomotives, the Class 03 is the perfectly sized model for a first ‘O’ gauge layout where ideas and techniques can be tested to see if large scale modelling suits. Swindon built a total of 230 during a five-year period from 1957, the review model having a 1958 builder’s plate applied to the bonnet. Powered by a 204hp eight-cylinder Gardner diesel engine and mechanical transmission, they were intended for lighter shunting and duties including station pilot work, use at depots and light freight branch trip working where its short wheelbase made it suitable for sharply curved lines. The same feature saw them…

A BRAND new model of the 20t/24t ‘Warner’ LSWR brake van has been released in BR grey with two running numbers in ‘OO’ gauge by Hornby, alongside four others in pre-Nationalisation liveries. Constructed between 1915 and 1921, the 75-strong fleet of brake vans were an improvement over older vans with better access to the cabin, illumination and accommodation. Called the ‘New Vans’, they survived Nationalisation, with a couple reaching the mid-1960s, seeing the steam to diesel transition era. Uprating from 20t to 24t was undertaken to allow use with increasingly heavy freight trains. Hornby has released three different models including LSWR brown with vermillion ends and white roof, Southern Railway bauxite and two in BR freight grey as No. S55040 (R6915) and No. S55032 (R6915A). Above the solebar The finely…

TOP AWARDS FOR TEST CAR 2 QUORN Wagon & Wagon picked up two prizes at the Heritage Railway Association’s 2020 Awards on February 8, for the restoration of former departmental vehicle Test Car 2. The group won the Modern Traction Award, sponsored by Rail Express, plus the Morgan Award for outstanding achievement. Other winners on the night were the National Railway Museum for its Brass, Steel and Fire exhibition (Heritage Railway Interpretation Award); Richard Croucher and Bob Meanley (dual winners of The Railway Magazine Railway Preservationist of the Year); Philip Civil of the Chasewater Railway (Young Volunteer of the Year); the Dartmouth Steam Railway & Riverboat Company for its ‘Train of Lights’ (HRA Award for Special Events); and Volk’s Electric Railway Association (HRA Large Groups). EAST WEST BOOST AFTER a…

Number Current location/destination 140001 Keith & Dufftown Railway 141108 Colne Valley Railway 141113 Midland Railway – Butterley 142001 Locomotion, Shildon 142017 East Kent Railway 142019 Whitrope Heritage Centre 142020 Whitrope Heritage Centre 142029 Chasewater Railway 142030 Chasewater Railway 142036* East Kent Railway 142084 Rushden Transport Museum 142091 Rushden Transport Museum 143603* Swindon & Cricklade Railway 144003* GCR(N), Ruddington 144004* Aln Valley Railway Units marked * are still on lease/in service with Northerrn/GWR…

RECORD YEAR FOR EOR THE Epping Ongar Railway enjoyed an 8.5 % increase in passenger numbers in 2019 to total more than 45,000. This was helped by strong attendances at the Real Ale Festival in July, plus the Epping Fryer ‘Fish and Chip’, Ploughman’s Lunch and Afternoon Cream Tea special services through the year. Operational profits are reinvested, with work in the past year including the ongoing restoration of a former BR Mk.1 Brake Composite Corridor coach, the installation of anew pit at North Weald, as well as extensive repairs to the Ongar Park Hall bridge. The EOR’s Class 205 ‘Thumper’ has also received attention, with further work being needed to the engine, electrics and bodywork. RAILWAY RENAMED HOME to a number of preserved industrial locomotives, both steam and diesel,…

BESIDES those credited elsewhere, this issue has been made possible by the contributions of the following readers, to whom the editor is most grateful: Andrew Bell, John Coleman, Andrew Cooke, Steve Donald, Martin Elsey, Gary Ford, David Franklin, Steven Fraser, Irish Traction Group, Brad Joyce, Steve King, Gordon Kirkby, Stuart Kirkby, Peter Laithwaite, Robert Mason, Marc Nicol, Graham Nuttall, Rod Orr, Luke Parsons, Keith Partlow, Chris Playfair, Colin Pottle, Harry Rawding, Karen Richardson, Eric Salisbury, Gary Schofield, Steve Sienkiewicz, Jamie Squibbs, Tim Squires, Christopher Sykes, Jack Taylor, The Wanderer, and many more.…

LOCOMOTIVE Services Ltd continues to expand, its latest acquisitions being a number of Mk.3b coaches from the Greater Anglia fleet. Six First Open (FO) vehicles, Nos. 11075-077/087/091/098, have been purchased from Porterbrook, along with a pair of Driving Van Trailers (DVT), Nos. 82127/139. At present, most remain in service with Greater Anglia, which has a derogation to use them until April 1 following delays to the introduction of Class 745 EMUs on the Norwich to Liverpool Street route. The addition of these coaches provides a rake of coaches to complement the AC electric locos that have recently been acquired by LSL, Nos. 86101 Sir William A. Stanier FRS, 87002 Royal Sovereign and 90001/002. Locomotive Services already has aMk.3a RFM, No. 10224, which could be overhauled for use with the rake.…

■ DB CARGO: An interesting arrival at DBC’s Stoke-on-Trent workshops on January 10 were YVA cable drum carriers Nos. 950034/179/400, previously stored at Warrington and Eastleigh. The yard is also continuing to fill up with Multifret wagons, which have been arriving by road. FIAs Nos. 31 70 4938 732-5 and 31 70 4938 720-0 were reported being unloaded at the Potteries site on January 8 and 13 respectively, both ex-Scunthorpe. In the opposite direction, long-stored FIA No. 31 70 4938 331-6 has returned to service after rectification work, the Multifret leaving Stoke for Arpley on January 24. Former MHA Coalfish wagons Nos. 394300/408, 396139 are now recoded MPA. ■ ERMEWA: Six Ermewa IFA (UIC code Uaffkss) translator/barrier wagons have moved to DBC at Stoke for brake and running gear overhauls…

■ TRAFFIC AND TRACTION: The North Tipperary Rail Partnership (NTRP) is a community group that continues to have a close relationship with Irish Rail. Every winter for the past 16 years, the group has organised a series of day return trips from stations on the Nenagh branch to Limerick for the ‘Limerick on Ice’ show. With anticipated heavy demand, the parties of spectators travelled on service trains, worked by three-car ICR DMUs instead of the usual two-car 2800 Class units. No. 22x09 worked the branch service on December 30, No. 22x63 on January 3 and No. 22x46 on January 4. The Nenagh branch (Killonan Junction-Ballybrophy) had fully reopened to traffic on December 20 after the relaying of some sections. Services on the Dublin to Cork main line were disrupted on…

INTRODUCED from 1960, the Class 24/1 was avariant of the once numerous Sulzer Type 2 designed by Derby works around the Sulzer 6LDA28 power unit. The sub-class introduced the first physical change to the exterior appearance of the Class 24 design, with a four-character headcode box replacing the train identification discs fitted to the Class 24/0. End gangway doors were retained alongside the pair of tail-lights. Internally, electrics were upgraded and overall weight reduced through the use of smaller capacity fuel and water tanks. The design remained in production from D5114-D5150 until uprating of the power unit to 1250hp for the Class 25s. The Class 24/1 locomotives were constructed quickly, being introduced to traffic by 1961, with many being allocated to the Scottish Region including Inverness shed for operation in…

I ADMIT to never really warming to Class 31s, partly because by 1992 they had replaced the far more jovial Class 20s on all Derby shunt, trip and engineering jobs, but mainly because they belched out thick, acrid clouds of choking exhaust fumes on start up or when idling. Preparing or disposing of a single loco was tolerable. They were straightforward and generally did not cause any bother. But get several pairs on shed or double-heading an engineering train during a possession, and they waged war by attrition… and often won in my case. Once in position, an engineering train in a weekend possession might not be required to move again for the duration, so if there was a pair of Class 31s chugging away at its head, the unfortunate…

Express Mailbag Your letters, emails, feedback and other comments are always welcome. Contact us at Rail Express, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6JR; or email: railexpresseditor@mortons.co.uk. The editor reserves the right to edit all letters, and the views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the magazine. DIVERTED ‘CHIEFTAIN’ LNER’S HST farewell tour in December provided a rare opportunity to travel on one of the company’s trains between Aberdeen and Inverness. Although the route is used by diverted freights, Caledonian Sleeper and ScotRail trains when the Highland Main Line (HML) is closed, the use of East Coast HSTs was almost non-existent. In the years I have lived near Nairn I have only ever photographed one such working on January 5, 2007,…

PICCADILLY Circus station was renamed Picardilly Circus for two days in January, as part of a marketing effort for the release of the first episode of ‘Picard’, a TV series released on Amazon Prime. Served by both the Bakerloo and Piccadilly Lines, the Grade II listed station was renamed for January 15/16. Themed signage and branding was strategically located around the station, typically on the platforms and ticket hall, which were matched with suitable tannoy announcements.…

MORE ‘PEAK’ PROGRESS AT Barrow Hill during January, work began on the nose end of No. 45105 ready for reskinning. Trunking for the nose end wiring has also been refitted. LYMINGTON BODYWORK FORMER Lymington branch 3-CEP No. 1198 is undergoing bodywork repairs at the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway, after which it is intended to repaint the unit into blue/grey livery. SLEEPERS SAVED THE North Yorkshire Moors Railway is the latest to obtain one of the surplus Caledonian Sleeper Mk.3 vehicles. SLE No. 10689 is expected to arrive shortly. Other coaches are destined for the Wensleydale Railway and Whitrope Heritage Centre. ‘31’ TO STAY AT SPA VALLEY HAVING first arrived in autumn 2018 for an extended stay, agreement has now been reached for Type 2 No. 31430 Sister Dora to…

LOCOMOTIVES Cappagh blue: 60028 Freightliner G&W orange: 90044 Maritime blue: 66148 ScotRail InterCity: 43142/44 Debranded: 90001/03/06/09/11/12/13 UNITS EMR purple/white: 156909 LNWR: 350403/05/06/07/10 Northern: 150106, 158789, 158901, 170457, 323226/29, 333004/07 SWR: 444007/15, 450021/47/56 Transport for Wales: 158840 White with maroon doors: 156406 +TfW logos: 153306/22 Debranded: 156419/22, 180111 COACHES Great Western Railway: 48125/27/35, 49109 ScotRail InterCity: 40610, 42252, 42360, 42551 + TfW logos: 10325, 11323, 12225, 12454, 82216…

ERS STOCK MOVES MOVED from Ferme Park to Wembley by No. 92006 on January 6, 10 coaches now owned by Eastern Rail Services – Nos. 1210, 6703/04/07,9802/05/07, 10501/502/600 – were taken to Doncaster the next day, continuing north to the Weardale Railway behind No. 66721 Harry Beck. Three more ERS vehicles, Nos. 9804, 6702 and 10699, were hauled from Wembley to Crewe by No 92018 on January 21. Also in the formation were three Mk.3 Sleepers destined for preservation (Nos. 10531/544/689). A move from Crewe to Weardale, which was also expected to convey Nos. 10212/229, was planned for January 28. DATS ACQUISITIONS Data Acquisition & Testing Services, owners of Mk.3b FO No. 11074 and DVT No. 82115, recently used on tests in South Wales, has acquired the six former ‘Pretendolino’…

AGGREGATE INDUSTRIES AI has placed both its shunters up for sale. The two are No. 01562 (an RMS Locotech rebuild of Thomas Hill Steelman No. 257v) and No. 01572 (Rolls Royce Sentinel No. 10256). AV DAWSON AV Dawson’s No. 08598 has been at Tyseley since September 2019 for tyre turning and repairs. With these now completed, the loco was returned to Middlesbrough on January 17. GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY GWR has put Nos. 08410 (Penzance Long Rock) and 08483 (Laira) up for sale. Both have 90V electrical systems, and GWR has been ridding itself of these to concentrate on their remaining 110V examples. The company now has just five ‘08s’ on its books: Nos. 08641 and 08644 at Laira, 08645 at Long Rock, 08836 at Reading and 08822 at St Philip’s…

GECT No. 261 has been moved from Port Talbot to the workshops at the Chasewater Railway for engine repairs. Due to a change in requirements, the overhaul of Rolls Royce Sentinal No. 10220 has been stopped and the part-refurbished loco now stands outside under a tarpaulin at the Chasewater Railway facing an uncertain future. No. 01560 (Rolls Royce Sentinel No. 10229) was moved from Skinningrove to Hartlepool Pipe Mill on December 9. This had moved from Hartlepool to Skinningrove in September 2014, but is believed to have been primarily a standby engine that saw little use.…

THE project to upgrade the infrastructure of the freight yard at Ballina was progressing during the period under review. However, the yard continued to handle IWT container traffic, and all the timber from the area destined for Waterford was dispatched from Westport. An increase in the number of 201 Class locomotives used on the IWT flow to and from Dublin Port included Nos. 218, 223, 224, 225, 227 and 229. Representatives of the GM 071 Class on IWT duties included Nos. 075, 080, 081, and 083. Timber traffic from Westport to Waterford was buoyant, with Nos. 072, 073 and 084 noted in use. GM 071 Class locomotives employed on the Tara Mines (Navan) to Dublin, Alexandra Road, North Wall bulk ore flow included Nos. 072, 074, 075, 078, 084 and…

REFURBISHED Class 50s were chosen by Heljan for its first ‘O’ gauge model of the locomotive, dating it from the late 1970s until withdrawal from BR capital stock between 1987 and 1994, allowing for the handful of preserved locomotives currently cleared for operation on the main line. Refurbishment arose from the poor availability of the class during the late 1970s which was as low as 40%, prompting Western Region management into taking action to rectify a host of problems with the class. Class 50s were technically advanced when built, incorporating sophisticated electronics and a variety of innovations including slow speed control system and rheostatic braking. During refurbishment, which was undertaken at BREL Doncaster, redundant systems including automatic traction control and part of the complex anti-wheel slip device were removed. Wiring…

CONSTRUCTED by Standard Wagon in three batches between 1986 and 1988, the 172 Cawoods Container Services (CAWD-prefixed) PFA wagons were an unusual way to containerise export and domestic coal to reduce damage during handling. The challenge of dealing with colliery loading points designed for open hopper wagons and maximising the available volume in each container led to a low-deck design where the wheels and top of the axleguards protruded above the loading deck matched with dedicated coal containers with special floors with adequate clearance. The Diagram PF012A twin-axle PFA saw little variation between the three batches but eventually covered a wide variety of routes when used for domestic coal distribution when operated in block rakes for Cawoods and in smaller numbers for British Fuels Limited and CPL Distribution mixed in…

February 29/March 1 Lincoln and District Model Railway Club 6th Annual Exhibition. Lady Eastwood Pavilion, County Showground, Drove Lane, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG24 2NY. 10.00-17.00 Sat, 10.00-16.30 Sun. Adult £8, Child £4, Family £20 (2+3).ladmrc.wixsite.com/ladmrc Preston Model Railway Exhibition. Preston and District Model Railway Society. Sports Hall, Preston College, St Vincent Road, Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 8UR. 10.00-17.00 Sat, 10.00-16.00 Sun. Adult £8, Child £4, Family £18.00 (2+2). www.prestonanddistrictmrs.org.uk March 7/8 Birtley Model Engineers Annual Model Railway Exhibition. Birtley Community Centre, Ravensworth Road, Birtley, Tyne & Wear DH3 1EN. 10.00-16.00 Sat, 10.00-16.00 Sun. Adult £5, accompanied child free.xclent.net/birtleymre Leamington and Warwick Model Railway Society Annual Exhibition. Leamington Spa College, Warwick New Road, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 5JE. 10.00-17.00 Sat, 10.00-16.00 Sun. Adult £8, Child £2, Family £18 (2+2). www.lwmrs.co.uk Mansfield Model…