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The remaining ex-Rail Express Systems coaches that have been in long-term store at Hellifield were shunted around (for reasons unclear) on June 20 – West Coast Railway’s No. 57012 doing the honours.
JAMIE THORNTON
A problem with the overhead electrical power supply between Wigan and Preston on June 16, resulted in some Avanti WC services being cancelled, with others being delayed. One service to Glasgow Central, worked by Class 390 No. 390001, left London Euston three mins late at 17.00 but, due to being routed via Manchester, this service called at Lancaster 161 mins late at 22.12. This train finally arrived at Glasgow Central at 00.30 the following morning.
Although only three Avanti WC passenger carrying trains ran from Glasgow to London Euston during the rail strike on Saturday, June 25, one service, which also ran south, was an ECS train from Polmadie depot Glasgow (dep 10.53) worked by Class 390 No. 390013, seen passing through Lancaster at 13.37 bound for Oxley depot in Wolverhampton.
DRS Class 37 No. 37425 Sir Robert McAlpine/ Concrete Bob was seen passing Askham Bar, York, on Saturday, June 25 with 5G93 York to Neville Hill, which was noted working to Leeds via Micklefield with Class 91 No. 91114 on the rear. This was the third such working of the day, with No. 37425 having also taken Nos. 91119 and 91101 and their trains on the previous trips.
A tree on the line at Hare Park Junction near Wakefield on the evening of Friday, June 24, resulted in three Class 91s and Mk.4 sets being diverted to York.
These moves both got them home and cleared York station of its unexpected guests.
Class 802 No. 802003 ran from North Pole to Eastleigh Works on June 27, the first of the Class to arrive at the site for repairs to the cracks experienced by many of the units.
Class 769 Nos. 769939+ 769947 moved from Eastleigh Works to Long Marston on July 1.
Three Class 387 units Nos. 387301+387306+387302 were taken from Reading to Peterborough on July 5 by Class 37, No. 37601 in readiness for a new life with Great Northern.
A few Class 379 units moves have been reported. A visit to Harwich Parkeston Quay yard on June 10 found that all 10 units on the old Dovercourt Down line had moved into Harwich PQ yard, covering five electrified sidings, including two possibly used by intermodal stopover traffic. The following day Class 37 No. 37601 arrived from Norwich and moved Nos. 379002+379011 away to Ilford.
The same Class 37 was back again on July 8 to move Nos. 379004+379009, also to Ilford.
The use of Class 317s is rapidly coming to a close and units are being moved to Ely for storage prior to being sent for disposal.
On June 29 Class 37 No. 37884 moved Nos. 317502+317504 from Cambridge to Ely followed by Nos. 317501+317506 the next day. The Class 37 was out again on July 7 conveying Nos. 317507+317510 on the same duty.
Movements of Class 720 units reported included No. 720108 being taken from Derby to Wembley by Class 47 No. 47727 on July 2. This was followed on July 7 by No. 720501, hauled by No. 47749.
Europhoenix liveried Class 37 No. 37884 Cepheus moved Class 318 No. 318259 from Brodies, Kilmarnock back to Yoker on June 27, before being seen running light the following day back to Derby through Lancaster at 10.17.
On a very hot afternoon on June 15, the 1L46/15.22 Birmingham New St-Cambridge, in the hands of Class 170/1 No. 170108 arrived at Peterborough on time at 17.07 but remained at Platform 7 as the conductor felt unwell and, after some 20 minutes of assistance and communications with signallers and management, the train was terminated and the passengers disembarked onto the platform.
No. 170108, operating driveronly, then departed for its original destination with the conductor receiving attention on the platform with reported heat exhaustion.
Cross Country had a difficult day on June 16. First, the nine-car Voyager/Supervoyager forming the 06.43 Bristol Parkway to Edinburgh arrived on time but was held at Bristol Parkway until 07.14 due to the police closing the line at Yate. Time was steadily regained as the train headed north, with Darlington reached at 11.19 (21 min late).