CLASS 73 No. 73130 arrived at the Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway (L&MMR), Cynheidre on November 4, having been collected from the Coulsdon Old Vehicle & Engineering Society (COVES) at Bicester the previous evening.
It has been purchased by a new company, 73130 Ltd, set up for the purpose of owning, restoring, and operating the electro-diesel (‘ED’). This has been formed and funded by members of the L&MMR and Class 73 enthusiasts from further afield who have joined forces to create the new venture. This includes Peter De Lacey who worked on No. 73130 when owned by European Passenger Services (EPS), operator of the cross-channel high-speed rail service. He said: “Having worked with this loco on and off for over 40 years, it is great to be reacquainted with it. My last contact was when it was one of two rescue locos purchased by EPS and I conducted driver training with it for the EPS train crew. We would use both locos to haul a Eurostar set from Waterloo to Dollands Moor.”