OPERATIONS NEWS
The network's notable moves
Compiled by Ashley Butlin
RHTT
A visit to Marylebone station on Sunday, October 1, found Class 66 Nos. 66522 and 66507 top-and-tailing a Rail Head Treatment Train in the Wall Siding, having arrived as a 3J04 from Kings Norton On Track Plant Depot.
The Rail Head Treatment Train (RHTT) season along the southern section of the Midland Main Line commenced on October 3, when DB Cargo Class 66 Nos. 66041+66169 had charge of the 3J92/23.17 Toton TMD-West Hampstead Thameslink and 3J93/12.01 return. When next seen on October 6, No. 66041 had been joined by No. 66104 and this pairing became the staple for the month, including when seen on October 13, 23 and 30.
Class 66 Nos. 66010 and 66085 have been hauling RHTTs from Stapleford & Sandiacre and were observed in Nottingham on October 3, 5 and 6 and on November 6, 7 and 9.
RHTT 3S70 from Broxbourne Down Tamper Siding to Broxbourne Down Tamper Siding runs via Hertford East, Cheshunt, Seven Sisters, Enfield Town, Shoeburyness, West Ham, Pitsea, Upminster and Grays. On Tuesday, October 10, the train was seen three times as it travelled on the London Tilbury & Southend system.
Top-and-tailed by Class 69 Nos. 69002 Bob Tiller CM&EE and 69003 The Railway Observer, it was first seen passing through Thorpe Bay with No. 69003 leading, having visited Shoeburyness. Somewhat later it was seen arriving from Tilbury at Pitsea station with No. 69002 now leading. At Pitsea the train reversed heading back towards Tilbury. The train was seen for a third time at Grays station before reversing and heading back towards Rainham with No. 69003 in the lead.
Transport for Wales‘Flirt’No. 231010 slows for a stop at Hengoed on November 1, while working the 2R12/13.03 Penarth to Rhymney. The former high level line through the village from Pontypool Road to Neath ran on the bridge behind the unit until closure in June 1964.
STUART WARR
On a visit to Eastleigh on October 11, GPV units Nos. DR98913+DR98963 were noted on RHTT 3S80/06.16 Effingham Junction to Effingham Junction passing by platform 3 at 12.45 with fellow units Nos. DR98915+DR98965 on 3S81/05.50 Totton Yard to Totton Yard passing through the same platform 10 minutes later, the latter returning through the same platform at 14.20.
The RHTT 3W90 from Tonbridge West Yard to Tonbridge West Yard was found alongside platform 10 at London Bridge on Sunday, October 15, headed by a very grimy Class 73 No. 73141 Spa Valley Railway with No. 73212 Stephen Eaves at the rear. The train was seen a little later passing platform 2 at Brockley station, where No. 73141 was observed carrying ‘90’ in the head code display, a reference to the train number 3W90. This diagram runs via Redhill, Brighton, Three Bridges, Horsham, Dorking, London Bridge, Uckfield, East Grinstead, Norwood Junction, Horsham and Redhill.
Class 37s Nos. D6851 (37667) Flopsie and D6817 (37521) open up as they head south-west from Eastleigh on November 3, hauling Mk.1 No. 3140, Mk.3 No. 41162 and HST power car No. 43049 Neville Hill as the 5Z43/10.00 Eastleigh Arlington to Crewe via Salisbury, Bath and Hereford on November 3.
STEVE STUBBS
GPV unit Nos. DR98921+ DR98971 visited Littlehampton on the Horsham to Horsham RHTT on October 17, working via Bognor Regis, Havant and Brighton. The same working on October 25 had Nos. DR98919+DR98969 when noted at Littlehampton. The same pairing visited Littlehampton twice on October 29. The next day saw Nos. DR98966+DR98916 for a change.
On Sunday, October 29, RHTT 3W94 from East Grinstead to Tonbridge West Yard was seen passing platform 1 at Sutton top-and-tailed by Class 57 Nos. 57306 Her Majesty’s Railway Inspectorate 175 and 57305. It was noted again passing platform 9 at Wimbledon.
Although the leaves have taken their time to drop from the trees this year, the East Anglian RHTT season began in earnest at the beginning of October from the revitalised GBRf depot at Stowmarket. Before the arrival of Class 66
DRS-loanees Nos. 66421 Gresty Bridge TMD and 66430 at the Suffolk depot, the first few trips on the southern route as 3S30 (overnight) and 3S60 (daytime) were in the hands of the pairings of Class 66 Nos. 66753 EMD Roberts Road and 66776.
Nos. 66779 Evening Star and 66760 David Gordon Harris were noted at Harwich International as they used platform 3 to stop and reverse down the Harwich branch – the first port of call on the southern RHTT working that takes in Shenfield and the branch to Southend Victoria, returning down to Colchester for the Clacton-on-Sea branch before heading back to base at Stowmarket.
These six locomotives have changed pairings occasionally and on October 26 at Harwich International on the 3S60 diagram No. 66779 was noted working with No. 66421. Towards the end of the month, GBRf Classmates Nos. 66724 Drax Power Station and 66728 Institution of Railway Operators also joined the fray.
Avanti West Coast
A journey south from Manchester to Euston on October 10 on the 09.15 found the service leaving 16 minutes late due to the late arrival of the incoming train from Euston. Progress was not bad going south but arrival was 19 minutes late at Euston, nonetheless. The return journey was on the 15.33 from Euston to Piccadilly, via Crewe. The train ran well until Lichfield, where slow running was experienced and when the service left Crewe, 12 minutes late, it was stuck behind local service trains, so more time was lost and arrival at Piccadilly was 23 minutes late.
A correspondent travelled from Oxenholme The Lake District station to Carlisle on Monday, October 23, and encountered the following: at 10.15 passengers were told that a freight train had broken down between Penrith and Oxenholme that would have a huge impact on all rail services north of Lancaster.
The 10.38 Oxenholme to Glasgow Central TransPennine Express service met no trains heading south until it encountered the errant freight locomotive and its containers heading slowly south at Great Strickland at 11.03.
The Avanti West Coast 08.52 Edinburgh Waverley to London Euston via Birmingham New Street was held in Penrith station, while the TransPennine Express 09.06 Glasgow Central to Manchester Airport was held at signals by Thacka Lane, Penrith and the Avanti West Coast 09.36 Glasgow Central to London Euston was held at signals near the River Petteril. The TransPennine Express 13.00 Edinburgh Waverley to Manchester Airport was held at Carlisle station. The Avanti West Coast 10.38 Glasgow Central to London Euston was cancelled.
Services had not been restored fully at Carlisle by 20.00. The TransPennine Express 18.04 Manchester Airport to Edinburgh Waverley terminated at Carlisle platform 3 and passengers heading north had to transfer to platform 1 where the 18.12 Edinburgh Waverley to Manchester Airport service had been terminated at Carlisle. The train at platform 3now formed the 20.23 Carlisle to Manchester Airport service which arrived at Oxenholme two minutes late at 21.10.
LNER
Disruption hit the ECML on Monday, October 16, when at around 13.00 on Doncaster station it was announced that there were signalling problems between Huntingdon and Peterborough, and trains would be subject to delay.