OPERATIONS NEWS
The network’s notable moves
Compiled by Ashley Butlin
Avanti West Coast
Ten Voyager units, Nos. 221107/10-18, have now been handed over to CrossCountry with AWC retaining eight units, Nos. 221101-06/08/09, until December, six for daily service with two as spare or on maintenance.
Realtime Trains shows that on Saturday, June 29, Pendolino No. 390009 on the 1A80/18.35 from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston failed on arrival at platform 5, Euston. The following day, Thunderbird Class 57 No. 57307 Lady Penelope was seen arriving light engine at platform 5, 0Z99 from Crewe Gresty Bridge to recover the failed Pendolino unit.
AWC’s plain white unbranded Class 805 No. 805002 ran empty on Monday, July 1as 5Q05/08.11 from Oxley Depot north to Carlisle (pass 11.33), Edinburgh (pass 13.33) and then south on the ECML via Newcastle (pass 17.01) to finally arrive in Darlington at 17.29. From here it ran to Merchant Park at Newton Aycliffe from where it re-emerged on July 4 now in AWC blue and white livery. It then retraced its route via Newcastle, Edinburgh, Crewe to Oxley, arriving at 20.33.
Class 807 No. 807001 passed Thankerton with 5Q07, the 10.50 Darlington to Oxley CMD on Thursday, July 4.
Great Western Railway
Testing of the Class 230 battery train has resumed on the Greenford loop. Observed on Thursday, June 6, No. 230001 was first seen standing by platform 5 at West Ealing before running ECS 5Q47/12.22 departure to Greenford.
The driver was seen wearing high visibility clothing carrying the RailAdventure logo – the test trains are understood to be operated under RailAdventure’s licence. Later on the same day, the short hop from South Greenford to Greenford was made on 2G38/15.15 from West Ealing, formed of Class 165 No. 165118. A correspondent passing West Ealing on an Elizabeth Line service early on the morning of Sunday, June 16, noted No. 230001 stabled in the carriage sidings.
Loram Type 3 No. 37418 An Comunn Gaidhealach visited the newly-reopened Levenmouth line in Fife on June 25. The loco is seen at Kirkland (Leven) with the Fife Heritage Railway site behind it – formerly the site of Kirkland Yard. At the back of this area is where the original line to Leven and the Fife Coast ran.
NEIL MACKENZIE
In the expectation of Euston station being used by GWR when Paddington is closed for HS2 works, test runs have been taking place. With both Class 57 locomotives and Mk.3 stock not being regular visitors to Euston, it had not been anticipated tests of the Night Riviera stock would be necessary. However, Sunday, June 30 saw a train of green sleeper stock working 5Z40 ECS from Reading to Euston where it was observed at mid-day alongside platform 16, formed of Class 57 No. 57603 Tintagel Castle, plus coaches Nos. 10590 +10589+10563+10616+10219 +12161+17173 and Class 57 No. 57605 Totnes Castle.
For a few minutes Locomotive Services’Class 90 No. 90001 Royal Scot posed ahead of No. 57605 at the front of the train, while GWR staff carried out gap tests between the train and the platform. To enable the tests to be carried out by more than a single platform, the Night Riviera stock, with No. 57605 leading, left ECS 5Z41/14.05 to Willesden South West Sidings then returned to platform 2 at Euston.
With the tests completed the Night Riviera stock eventually left Euston ECS as 5Z42/15.36 back to Reading Traincare Depot.
Henley Regatta Saturday traditionally sees GWR provide a seven-coach Turbo train to carry the well-dressed crowds to the river. This year it was the turn of
Nos. 165112+165123+165126 to provide the service on a very wet and chilly July 6. These services use Twyford’s platform 4 through the day as the Henley bay platform cannot accommodate seven-coach trains.
Unfortunately, the 2Z08/09.11 departure from Henley encountered a fallen tree between Wargrave and Twyford. GWR reported on its website that the crew had tried to move the rogue tree, but a specialist team was needed to remove it so that services could resume. Meanwhile, Regatta folk continued to mass at Twyford and the decision was made to run GWR and the Elizabeth Line trains non-stop through Twyford to avoid overcrowding.
As it was, platform 4 was full and the waiting Regatta-goers snaked around the station forecourt. Realtime Trains showed these services as passing Tywford. For instance, the 10.09 GWR departure to Didcot Parkway went through full of Regatta folk who were unable to leave the train until Reading. This situation lasted until 10.30 and replacement road transport was provided into a very busy Henley-on-Thames. Henley branch trains recommenced with the 12.27 departure from Twyford. It has to be said GWR staff did a good job keeping people informed on a day more akin to winter than mid-summer!
Greater Anglia
The timetable change on June 2 has seen increased usage of Aventra Class 720s from either Harwich Town or Harwich International to and from London Liverpool St.
The weekday stabling run from Colchester no longer takes place but the weekday 5A01/04.45 Colchester-Harwich Town works a couple of Harwich branch runs before becoming 1A33/08.42 Harwich Town-London Liverpool St, while 1A02/06.30 London Liverpool St-Harwich Town then takes over the Harwich branch runs. There is also an additional Harwich International-London Liverpool St in the morning and London Liverpool St-Harwich International in the evening.
Ahead of working Pathfinder’s ‘Jolly Whistler’ railtour on July 27, the Class 40 Preservation Society’s Class 40 No. D345 (40145) was given a test run on July 15 from Carnforth to Hellifield and back via Blackburn, with Type 3 No. 37706 included for insurance. The outbound 5M50 working is seen heading east at Settle Junction.
CHRIS GEE
Class 720 Aventra No. 720140 was worked south on June 10 by GBRf Class 69 No. 69011 as the 5Q68/08.55 Derby Litchurch Lane to Willesden TMD. A further move on June 11 saw No.720144 top-and-tailed by Nos. 47727+57305 from Worksop to Derby. Class 69 No. 69008 moved No. 720511 from Ilford to Worksop on June 13.
A further move from Worksop on June 19 found No. 720505 top-and-tailed back to Derby by Nos. 69009+57306. Yet a further departure from Worksop occurred on July 9 when No. 720511 was top-andtailed by Nos. 47727+69011 back to Derby.
The rail depot at Clacton reopened in 2010 when its main focus was maintaining Greater Anglia’s fleet of Class 321 trains. During 2020 a new train lifting facility was installed to accommodate the operator’s fleet of Stadler bi-mode trains.