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On Tuesday, December 13, LSL’s Inter-City swallow-liveried duo of Class 87 No. 87002 + Class 90 No. 90002 (pantograph down) ran from Crewe (0Z90/13.26) to Carlisle on ice-breaking duties. The following day, this duo returned to Crewe from Carlisle (0Z70/06.45). Further, on the morning of December 14, also as a light engine combination, LSL’s Class 90 No. 90001 pulled Class 86 No. 86101 (pantograph down) from Crewe (0Z69/07.30) to Carlisle. After a night of sub-zero temperatures on the northern England section of the West Coast Main Line (WCML) and no overnight services, the first southbound train on Thursday, December 15 from Carlisle was 0Z70/06.11 worked by LSL Class 86 No. 86101+Class 90 No. 90001. That day’s first northbound service from Crewe, 0Z69/07.14, was worked by LSL Class 87 No. 87002+Class 90 No. 90002. When seen passing through Lancaster at 08.33 the Class 87 led with a raised pantograph and the Class 90 had a lowered pantograph.
On Wednesday, December 14, a strike day, the 1M49/07.54 Glasgow Central to London Euston was terminated at Carstairs, reportedly due to problems with the pantograph.
On Sunday, December 18, the 1S98 worked by Class 390 No. 390008, departed from London Euston at 20.44, 75 minutes late. This train faced further delays en route and finally arrived at Glasgow Central 109 minutes late at 01.54 the following day.
Flooded tracks in Scotland on Friday, December 30, prevented Avanti West Coast (AWC) operating through services between London Euston and Glasgow Central. Some trains, such as 1S80, scheduled to depart from Euston at 14.30, were cancelled; others like 1S77/13.30, operated by Class 390 No. 390152, ran to Carlisle and no further, whilst others like 1S93, which departed from Euston at 16.30, terminated at Preston. A similar pattern of restricted operations continued on the following day with no AWC passenger services running between Carlisle and Glasgow Central or Edinburgh Waverley.
On Tuesday, January 3, and again on the following day, there were only two through services between London Euston to Carlisle. One of those services on January 4, the 1S45/08.30 worked by Class 390 No.390134, arrived at Lancaster on time at 11.08 with just six passengers in Standard Class and First Class was entirely empty. Later that day No. 390134 worked the only southbound WCML passenger train from Carlisle (1M53/13.40) to Euston. On Thursday, January 5 there were no passenger trains running at all on the English section of the WCML north of Preston.
TfW’s Class 67+Mk.4s started work on diagrams to Manchester Piccadilly from January 9. DVT No. 82226 is seen the next day leading the 10.52 from Cardiff Central into Piccadilly with No. 67025 at the rear. It then worked back as the 14.30 to Cardiff, although the inbound service was 33 minutes late and so the return left 21 minutes late.
HASSARD STACPOOLE
During bad weather on Monday, December 12, No. Class 800 No. 800109 on 1E13/07.55 was over 30 minutes late at Tomatin and 58 minutes late at Gleneagles before being terminated at Edinburgh, reportedly due to frozen toilets.
With Vivarail Ltd in administration, doubt has been cast as to whether the planned battery train trials to Greenford will go ahead. However, at the year-end it has been suggested FirstGroup/GWR has put in a successful bid to Grant Thornton UK (Vivarail administrators) to take on the fast charge project, including the rolling stock, and intellectual property. GWR is also expected to take on 14 Vivarail staff who had been made redundant. On December 7, a journey on the 2G31/13.07 from Greenford to West Ealing, found it formed of Class 165 No. 165128.
Passengers heading for the Southwest of England on December 21 were delayed after CrossCountry’s 06.10 Derby to Plymouth failed at Tiverton Parkway after an animal strike damaged a sander pipe. GWR’s 08.04 Paddington to Penzance was trapped immediately behind it and delayed over 100 minutes. Other services were held in stations while temporary repairs were made to the XC Voyager. The 09.04 Paddington to Plymouth stood at Castle Cary initially before going forward over 45 minutes late to be replaced there by the 10.04 to Penzance. Meanwhile, the 09.37 Paddington to Paignton sat at Westbury for over 45 minutes. The stricken train was finally moved from Tiverton Parkway after two hours and terminated at Exeter St Davids.
A failure of the signalling system near Weston-super-Mare led to disruption on December 27. Two trains were stranded in the area before being moved under special arrangements. Other trains were terminated at either Taunton or Bristol Temple Meads. Passengers on the 11.00 Cardiff Central to Penzance enjoyed a diversion along the Avon Valley line after the train was reversed at Temple Meads and sent via Bath, Westbury, and Castle Cary. It arrived back on its booked route at Taunton 30 minutes late.
A trip on the 1Y47/15.52 from Ipswich to London Liverpool Street, on Wednesday, November 30, found it formed of three Class 321s. On Thursday December 8, the short hop from Stratford to Liverpool Street on train 1Y47 suggests it is regularly formed of three Class 321s, on this occasion formed of Nos. 321322+321321+321319.
An unusual move on December 20, found Class 755 Nos. 755334+755327+755410 work the 11.00 Norwich-Liverpool Street and 13.30 return.
The Harwich branch has seemed the last bastion of regular Renatus-upgraded Class 321/3 use on the Greater Anglia network with its hourly service being worked by different sets during December with No. 321329 noted at Harwich International on December 22. However, with their off-lease dates imminent and storage awaiting, it appears that their replacement is finally in hand with Aventra Class 720 No. 720543 working the service between Harwich Town and Manningtree all day on December 24 Ṙecent deliveries of Class 720 units included No. 720118 which went south from Derby to Wembley hauled by Class 47 No. 47727 on December 9, followed on December 15 when the Class 47 moved No. 720541 on the same path. From store at Worksop No. 720510 was top-and-tailed back to Derby on December 11 by Class 47 Nos. 47739 and 47727. On December 20, both units ran from Wembley to Ilford. The next move reported was that of 720120 from Derby to Wembley, again hauled by No. 47727.
The West Highland line was closed on December 19, following flooding and a landslip between Dalmally and Falls of Cruachan. Services between Glasgow Queen Street and Oban/Mallaig were subject to delays or cancellations.
The 1L30/19.53 Dundee to Edinburgh operated by Class 158 No. 158727 on Friday, December 23, failed at Kirkcaldy with a suspected fractured driveshaft. The unit had a wheelskate fitted and was moved into the up loop by Class 170 No. 170430.
On Friday, December 30 a correspondent travelled from Fort William to Glasgow Queen Street on what turned out to be a rather eventful journey. Boarding the 1Y42/06.03 Mallaig to Glasgow Central at Fort William formed of Class 156 No. 156453, the train arrived and departed on time.