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TransPennine Class 397 No. 397005 passes Hest Bank heading towards Lancaster on April 19, forming the 14.12 Edinburgh to Manchester Airport service. 

PAUL ABIGGS

CONSIDERABLE engineering works have been taking place on the WCML in Scotland.

After the closure of service on Saturday, April 17, work took place between Symington and Thankerton on the down line.

Throughout Sunday trains were being stopped, apparently cautioned, and were observed passing Thankerton at a very low speed. Delays averaging 30 minutes were observed to all down services. 

Pendolino No. 390136 which was working the 1S52/09.46 London Euston to Glasgow Central was observed 52 minutes late as it crawled through Thankerton. However, during the work, serious damage to the sleepers on the down line was believed to have been caused by tamping operations and saw a 5mph Emergency Restriction of Speed (EROS) imposed for a twoand-a-half-mile section between Symington and Thankerton. By the Tuesday morning the speed reduction had been increased to 20mph

The West Coast Main Line was closed from Gretna Junction to Carstairs at about 11.00 on Saturday, April 24 and re-opened for the start of service on Monday 26.

The damaged section of track between Symington and Thankerton received attention with Class 56 No. 56087 and Class 70 No. 70814 top-andtailing the 6K40/10.49 Millerhill to Symington Ground Frame.

Several road rail machines were in use loading spent ballast into the spoil wagons.The Class 56 and 70 made several trips to Millerhill during the blockade.

Further south, engineering work was underway near Beattock Summit with Class 66 Nos. 66515+66572 working the 6Y09/09.43 Carlisle yard to Beattock Summit and Nos. 66561+66598 working the 6X08/08.52TyneYard to Beattock Summit, and near Kilpatrick with No. 66206 on a 6K10/08.24 Millerhill to Kilpatrick and No. 66305 on a 6K11/09.04 Millerhill to Kilpatrick.

From the close of service on Friday, April 30 the West Coast Main Line between Symington and Thankerton was closed. The engineers took possession to replace nearly 4,000 yards of damaged sleepers.There were 19 trains, 10 road-rail machines and on-track machines involved in the operation.

On Saturday, May 1 locos observed were: Nos. 56087, 66302, 66515/44, 66723/65/82, 70807/13/16. The following day Nos. 66168, 66511/62/96, 66722/69/82 were recorded. Credit is due to the vast numbers of the orange army that were working on this site for the care and consideration shown to local residents, working in such a way as to minimise the overnight noise.

Transport for Wales Class 67 No. 67017 passed Stanwardine, Shropshire, on May 7, with the 16.05 East Usk Junction to Crewe driver training trip, in preparation for the start of the new service. 

AVANTI West Coast Class 221 No.221105 ran ecs (5Z84) on May 4 from Mossend (dep 13.57) to Central Rivers’Barton-under-Needwood depot.

ECML traffic was seriously delayed on Monday, April 12 when a northbound train struck a person on the down line just north of Darlington.

The 10.55 King’s Cross- Edinburgh LNER Azuma was halted just south of Holgate, York at 12.50, moving slowly into a train-crowdedYork station. Alongside was the 10.00 King’s Cross-Aberdeen LNER Azuma.

Staff on the Edinburgh-bound service kept passengers informed throughout, and finally this train moved forward 42 minutes late, being sent ahead of the Aberdeen service. For the 10.55, Darlington was reached 40 minutes late. Reportedly, some services were being rerouted by Sunderland.

The 10.55 finally reached Edinburgh Waverley at 16.08, 49 minutes late. Meanwhile, the 10.00 hours King’s Cross- Aberdeen train arrived in Waverley at 16.14, departing at 16.19 109 minutes late, finally reaching Aberdeen 113 minutes late.

IT WAS the end of the line for Class 91 Nos. 91129+91113+ 91126+91102 on May 10 when they were towed from Belmont Yard, Doncaster to Sims Metals, Newport by Class 57 No. 57305.

Both Nos. 91126+91102 still retained their name plates on arrival at Sims but these were removed prior to scrapping.

A JOURNEY from Romford to Liverpool Street was made on the 13.35 Colchester Town to London Liverpool Street on April 13 formed of Class 321 Nos. 321406 and 321432.

On arrival at Liverpool Street the two Class 321 units formed the 15.18 to Clacton-on-Sea. Also seen at Liverpool Street were Nos. 321332 and 321342 forming the 15.02 to Ipswich.

However, the older units did not have things all their own way. The 14.55 to Southend Victoria was formed of Class 720 No. 720517. Returning to the Great Eastern mainline on Wednesday, April 21 a journey from Romford to Stratford on the 11.10 Southend Victoria to London Liverpool Street found it formed of No. 321335. Later in the day a‘short hop’from Liverpool Street to Stratford on the 14.48 from London Liverpool Street to Braintree was on Nos. 321901 and 321316. On the same day Nos. 322484 and 321302 were seen at Stratford forming the 10.52 from Ipswich to London Liverpool Street.

However, a journey from Liverpool Street to Romford on the 11.38 from London Liverpool Street to Colchester Town found it formed of Class 720 Nos. 720547 and 720553.