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Pendolino No. 390129 City of Stoke-on-Trent now carries the name ‘Brett’ on both of its cab ends.

This is to honour the memory of Brett Hobson, a much loved and sadly missed member of the railway family, who lost his brave battle with cancer earlier this year, aged only 41 years old.

The remaining Class 91s are attracting much attention from our correspondents. A visit to King’s Cross on Saturday, April 16 found No. 91110 Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at platform 0, forming the 14.35 to Leeds. No. 91130 Lord Mayor of Newcastle was at platform 2, with the 15.03 departure to Leeds.

Before either of these trains could leave, they were joined by the 12.02 from York, which terminated by platform 1 led by DVT No. 82214, with No. 91114 Durham Cathedral at the rear of the train. The same set then formed the 15.06 departure to York.

Returning to King’s Cross on Easter Monday, April 18, the 11.15 from Leeds was seen arriving at platform 1 with No. 91124. It later formed the 14.03 to Leeds. Still at King’s Cross on Easter Monday, No. 91109 Sir Bobby Robson was seen leaving platform 7 on empty stock to Ferme Park Reception. This set had arrived as the 12.02 from York. Alongside platform 8 was the 11.45 from Leeds, with No. 91106 in charge.

Class 800 No. 800207 passed Thankerton working the 5Z93/15.44 Edinburgh Waverley to Heaton TRS&MD on Thursday, April 14 working via Carlisle and the Tyne Valley.

On Thursday, May 5, the 1W16/12.00 London King’s Cross to Inverness arrived in Newcastle where it transpired the route north via Morpeth was closed as a result of a trespassing incident.

Class 800 No. 800110 working 1W16, was then diverted via the Tyne Valley, Carlisle, and Carstairs to reach Edinburgh where it arrived 130 minutes late. Eventual arrival into Inverness was 126 minutes late.

Boston Docks in Lincolnshire is a fascinating rail operation, not least because access is via a swing bridge over the River Witham – as seen in this shot on April 13 of No. 08375 trip working loaded steel from the docks ready to form the 6M08 Boston Sleaford Sidings-Wolverhampton Steel Terminal.

ANDREW JEFFERY

Movements of Class 769 units included No. 769927 being topand-tailed by Class 37 Nos. 37601 and 37510 from Long Marston to Wolverton on April 20. Two units, Nos. 769939+769940, ran from Long Marston to Eastleigh Works on May 6.

The movement of Class 379 from Harwich Parkeston Quay yard has slowed since April 1, but while they still occupy two sidings there, Network Rail has been moving in rail-carrying low-loaders from Whitemoor which, with stopover intermodals, is reducing available space and a possible reason why Norwich Wensum sidings are now also being used.

Stabled up in viewable positions on April 19 were Class 379 Nos. 379003/19/23/24. A visit to the down line to Dovercourt on April 15 revealed that No. 379007 had been added to the front of the stored traction.

A number of Class 317 units have been moved from store at Ely for disposal at Sims Metals, Newport with No. 317708 being moved by Class 37 No. 37800 on April 20 and No. 317710 on April 22, also by No. 37800. A further move on April 29 found No. 317719 being taken to Newport by No. 37884.

Observations at Stratford (London) and Liverpool Street or two Class 315s and 317s were still working into the capital. However, there was an abundance of Class 345s working out to Shenfield, with Nos. 345054, 345057, and 345069 being of the highernumbered ones in operation. In addition, the new Class 720s were working the services to Southend Victoria, Braintree, Clacton-on-Sea and Ipswich, with the last-numbered of the Class, No. 720589, noted working the 2A86/19.36 Liverpool Street-Harwich International ‘boat train’ service.

Class 720 No. 720519 was seen at the Asfordby Test Centre, Melton on Thursday, April 28.

Class 320 No. 320309 and Class 318 No. 318265 derailed on the evening of Friday, May 6 near Coatbridge Sunnyside, while working Yoker Carriage Sidings to Shields Depot. The units were running at slow speed, and no one was injured in the incident which resulted in a number of the units’ bogies leaving the track. Services were disrupted over the weekend with bus replacement services being implemented.

Following the cancellation of Caledonian Sleepers’ Lowlander service on the evening on Thursday, April 28, an additional empty stock working was observed passing Thankerton on Friday, April 29, when the 5Z96/13.00 Polmadie to Euston was hauled by Class 92 No. 92010 and comprised of vehicle Nos. 15011/101/202/ 320/331/336/327/205/008/110/ 211/308/324/326/338.

With many services on the WCML being restricted on Easter Sunday, April 17, the only services at Lancaster were Northern trains to and from Manchester Airport. Although most services were worked by Class 195s, one operation involved Class 331s Nos. 331008+331019. Class 331s are not regularly seen on the section of WCML between Lancaster and Preston.

On April 25, the 13.38 Leeds to Lincoln and 16.17 return were formed of Class 150 No. 150272.

Class 68 No. 68029 Courageous was noted at Doncaster at 08.42 on April 6, leaving Platform 1 on 0B56 route-learning movement to Cleethorpes before returning at around 13.00. It went back to Cleethorpes as soon at the crew had changed ends at the north end of Platform 1. This is in preparation for the Class 68s and their Mk.5 carriages taking over some of the Class 185 diagrams on the Manchester Piccadilly to Cleethorpes route for the May timetable introduction.

Class 68 No. 68027 Splendid ran light from Warrington on April 21 to Carlisle, being observed through Lancaster at 15.26.

Although many months have passed since TransPennine Class 802s first ran ECS on trial over the northern section of the WCML, these operations continued into April. One example was on April 13 when No. 802216 ran on a non-revenue working, the 5M92/07.10 from Glasgow Central to Manchester Airport. A further run was observed on April 26 when No. 802206 passed northbound through Carlisle’s platform 1 at 13.11. Class 802 No. 802203 was noted through Woodlesford on April 27, on a crew training diagram, the 10.53 Leeds to Heaton.