With the Class 180 expected to be withdrawn by East Midlands Railway, more interest is attached to their workings. On Friday, April 14, No. 180113 was noted heading north from Derby station working the 1F56/18.18 to Sheffield. This train should have originated at St Pancras International, but according to Realtime Trains ‘was cancelled between St Pancras International and Derby due to a planning error.’

The Gospel Oak to Barking Line (GOBLIN) was closed for engineering work on Saturday, April 1, except for a half-hourly shuttle between Woodgrange Park and Barking Riverside. These trains terminated by platform 1 at Woodgrange Park, normally used for northbound trains, and returned to the south from the same platform, using the crossover to the south of the station to access the down line.

To sample this working a journey was made as far as Barking on the 2J57/13.45 from Woodgrange Park to Barking Riverside formed of Class 710 No. 710262.

Govia Thameslink Railway has issued a prior information notice seeking between 21 and 30 four-car 25 kV 50 Hz 160 km/h through-gangwayed EMUs with air-conditioning and toilets for use on existing and/ or additional Great Northern services from May 2024. This raises speculation that this could be the first step towards the return to service of the currently off-lease Akiem owned Class 379 Electrostars.

On Easter Sunday, April 9, South Eastern services were impacted by engineering works. The Hastings service was unable to start from Charing Cross station, which was closed, and instead used Cannon Street. From Tunbridge Wells, bus substitutes ran in place of trains. With the line through Hither Green closed, trains had to take an unusual route through Beckenham Junction.

A journey was made by a correspondent as far as Orpington on the 1Y29/14.05 from London Cannon Street to Tunbridge Wells formed of Nos. 375804+375603. Having left London Bridge, the service ran on the down North Kent past St Johns and platform 2 at Lewisham. From Lewisham the train continued on the down Mid Kent through Catford Bridge before taking the seldom used curve from New Beckenham to Beckenham Junction. After Shortlands it continued on the down Chatham fast to Bickley Junction where it took the curve south of Chislehurst to join the down fast at Petts Wood Junction, which was used to Orpington.

The return journey to London Bridge was made on the 1Y81/14.40 from Tunbridge Wells to London Cannon Street, formed of Nos. 465182+ 465179. This again ran through Beckenham Junction, New Beckenham and Lewisham.

Class 377/7 No. 377701 was noted passing Gatwick Airport on May 10, working a London Victoria to Eastbourne service instead of the booked Class 377/4. It reportedly remained on that diagram working for the rest of the day.

Engineering works on Saturday, April 8, resulted in several trains being retimed. A journey was made by a correspondent as far as Richmond on the 2U53/17.33 departure from London Waterloo to Hounslow formed of Nos. 450044+450017. Having called at platform 6 at Clapham Junction, the service used the crossover to the west of the station to run on the down fast and stopped at platform 3 at Putney. Approaching Barnes, the crossover was used to take the train back to the down slow so that the 2O51/17.30 from London Waterloo to London Waterloo via the Kingston Loop, and which was stood by platform 3, could be passed. His train arrived at Richmond four minutes late.

The new Class 701 units continue to be placed in store away from SWR with the following moves being reported: No. 701025 being taken by GBRf Class 47 No. 47749 from Eastleigh to Long Marston on April 13, followed by No. 701051 on the same diagram also with No. 47749 on April 19, and No. 701034 the next day. The Class 47 then took No. 701050 on April 27 and No. 701052 on April 28.

A change on May 3 had No. 47727 convey No. 701027 to Long Marston and No. 701018 the next day, with the Class 47 then taking No. 701010 from Eastleigh to Worksop on May 11 and No. 701013 on May 16.

On Wednesday, April 19, Nos. 450023+450030, both in South Western Railway’s new livery, were seen at Barnes forming the 2R41/15.15 from London Waterloo to London Waterloo, via Richmond and Hounslow. Sadly, two carriages of No. 450030 had been the victims of a graffiti attack.