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An early morning scene at Carmarthen on August 4 finds (from left) stabled DMU No. 150227, power car No. 43290 with the NMT, and a five-car Class 800 with GWR’s 1L12/07.25 to Paddington.
FINBARR O’NEILL
A SERIOUS incident at Euston station on the morning of July 8 had a significant impact on Avanti West Coast services.
According to press reports, armed police arrested a man after a rail worker and another person were stabbed on an Avanti West Coast train at about 07.00. Trains were stopped from leaving the station while the search for the assailant was taking place.
That morning, a journey was made from Rugby to Birmingham New Street on the 9P47/07.43 London Euston to Blackpool North formed of Pendolino No. 390138, which made an unscheduled stop at Rugby. This service had reportedly originated at Watford Junction and terminated at Wolverhampton. Arrival at Birmingham New Street was 50 minutes late.
The following week on July 12, services on the West Coast Main Line were badly affected by flooding at Euston. A journey from Crewe to Rugby was made on the 1M18/17.30 Glasgow Central to London Euston, which was formed of No. 390016. The train left Crewe just under 25 minutes late and was meant to run nonstop to Rugby, but was held at both Stafford and Nuneaton, where the doors were released so passengers could stretch their legs. At Stafford
the train was held at platform 6, which is normally used for down rather than up trains. Arrival at Rugby was more than three hours late.
Speed restrictions were imposed on July 20 around Nuneaton/Tamworth area due to hot weather as the rails were getting too hot with the resultant possibility of expanding and going out of gauge.
MOVEMENTS of Class 769 units reported included No. 769940 being hauled from Loughborough to Wolverton by Class 37 No. 37800 on July 15.
The next report was on July 26, when Class 37 No. 37884 moved No. 769939 from Nemesis Rail, Burton to Wolverton. The same Class 37 was in use again on July 28 to move No. 769928 from Nemesis Rail to Reading.
Class 37 No. 37800 was in use again on July 30 moving No. 769935 from Brush Loughborough to Wolverton.
A move on August 5 involved Class 57 No. 57310 moving No. 769947 from Nemesis Rail to Wolverton. This was followed on August 12 when No. 57310 took No. 769922 from Nemesis to Wolverton.
Great Western Railway is six Goviatemporarily subleasing Thameslink Railway Class 387/2 EMUs to provide extra capacity while the problems with cracking on Hitachi Class 80x trainsets are addressed. On July 20,Class 57 No. 57306 moved Nos. 387201+387202+ 387203 from Hornsey to West Ealing, where they were later noted from a passing train in the sidings at West Ealing.
On July 22, Nos. 387202 and 387204 were seen leaving the sidings at West Ealing and then passing through Hanwell station forming the 5Z81 from West Ealing EMU Sidings to Reading Traincare Depot. A little later on the same day, Nos. 387205 and 387206 were noted from a passing train in the sidings at West Ealing.
GWR continued to use the hired-in c2c Class 387s in July. On July 20, the 2K42/12.12
Reading to Newbury was cancelled because of a brokendown freight train, but No. 387301 was seen at platform 1 at Reading station and most probably would have worked this service. Later that day, a short hop was made from Reading to Reading West and back using the 17.10 Reading to Newbury and 17.05 Newbury to Reading, which were formed of Nos. 387301 and 387306 respectively. That evening No. 387302 was noted from a passing train in the sidings at Reading Traincare Depot.
A visit to Paddington during the evening of July 22 found the Night Riviera train to Penzance in platform 1 headed by Class 57No. 57605 Totnes Castle. No. 57603 Tintagel Castle was at the rear of the train, having worked in the empty stock from Reading Traincare Depot.
The hire of No. 57310 Pride of Cumbria by GWR from ROG is reported to have ended on Wednesday, July 28.
A SHORT visit to Colchester on July 3 produced Class 321
Nos. 321333+321328 departing at 12.05 on a Liverpool Street to Ipswich service, while later Nos. 321409 and 322484 were working the 14.20 to Colchester Town. Nos. 321431 and 321433 were on the 14.15 departure for Clacton on Sea.
Numerous reports continue to come in regarding the Class 720 units. No. 720532 was top-andtailed from Derby to Worksop on July 15 by Class 47 No. 47727 and Class 56 No. 56081. On July 22, Class 47 Nos. 47727+47749 moved No. 720579 from Derby to Worksop. Two days later, No. 47727 hauled No. 720578 from Derby to Worksop. The pairing of Class 56 No. 56081+Class 47