OPERATIONS NEWS
The network’s notable moves
Compiled by Ashley Butlin
Heaton Chapel station, one stop north of Stockport in Great Manchester, was opened by the LNWR in 1852 as Heaton Chapel &Heaton Moor, this replica running in board is seen on November 22 as Mk.4 DVT No. 82200 passes at the head of the 1W55/08.49 Cardiff Central to Manchester Piccadilly, which was propelled by No. 67020.
ALEX AYRE
Railhead Treatment Trains
The RHTT season along the southern section of the Midland Main Line continued during November with DB Class 66 Nos. 66041+66104 being the regular pairing on the 3J91/23.17 Toton TMD to West Hampstead Thameslink and 3J93/12.01 return. However, when seen on November 10 the pairing was Nos. 66041+66099, and on November 13 it was Nos. 66010+66085. The regular pairing of Nos 66041+66104 was back on November 23 and 27.
On Sunday, November 5RHTT 3W75 from Tonbridge West Yard to Tonbridge West Yard, which had already visited Ashford International and Bromley South, was seen coming to a halt beside platform 7 at London Victoria formed with Class 57 No. 57305 at the front of the train with No. 57306 Her Majesty’s Railway Inspectorate 175 at the rear. The train arrived at Victoria just over 50 minutes late, but a quick turnaround meant it would leave no more than a minute after its booked time.
On November 7RHTT 3S85 from Effingham Junction CHS to Effingham Junction CHS was seen passing platform 3 at Clapham Junction formed of Multi-Purpose Vehicles Nos. DR98974 and DR98924.
RHTT 3S14 from Grimsby Town to York Thrall Europa was seen standing on one of the through roads at Sheffield station on Wednesday, November 15, top-and-tailed by Class 66 Nos. 66849 and 66847. On the same day, train 3J51 from York Thrall Europa to York
Thrall Europa was seen making a 10 minute stop by platform 5 at Bridlington. The train was headed by No. 37425 Concrete Bob / Sir Robert McAlpine, in Regional Railways livery, with No. 37407 Blackpool Tower, in BR blue with large logo, at the rear of the train and ran via Scarborough, Hull and Brough.
On Monday, November 20 RHTT 3J85 from Stapleford & Sandiacre to Toton TMD was seen passing Swinderby station headed by Class 66 No. 66010 with No. 66085 at the rear, both in DB red beneath the grime. This service runs via Stoke-on-Trent, Crewe, Ilkeston, Worksop, Lincoln Central and Nottingham.
Autumn leaf-fall, delayed on much of the Great Eastern Main Line because of mild weather until later in November when colder weather descended, saw the GBRf operation out of Stowmarket gather pace from mid-month with two overnight and two daylight diagrams on the southern branches.
On-loan from DRS Class 66 No. 66421 was joined by No. 66432 at the beginning of the month and the DRS-pairing worked several of the overnight diagrams (3S10 and 3S30) before being noted at Harwich International during daylight hours on 3S60 on November 14. They departed the area via Whitemoor and Doncaster on November 28. GBRf Class 66/7s have dominated the operation with No. 66753 EMD Roberts Road a constant feature with classmate No. 66776 Joanne.
Others which have featured are Nos. 66724 Drax Power Station and 66728 Institution of Railway Operators; 66744 Crossrail and 66720 Wascosa; and 66761 Wensleydale Railway Association 25 years 1990-2015 and 66764 Major Tom Poyntz Engineer and Railwayman (noted at Ipswich on November 17 with the 3S60/09.00
Stowmarket –Stowmarket diagram). Later in the month, No. 66753 worked with No. 66715 Valour – In Memory of All Railway Employees Who Gave Their Lives For the Country.
Class 73 Nos. 73107 Tracy and 73136 Mhairi visited Littlehampton on the Tonbridge to Tonbridge RHTT on November 29, and later in the evening DR98916+DR98966 also visited on the Horsham to Horsham RHTT before heading towards Brighton.
Avanti West Coast
Avisit to Euston station on Friday, November 24 found new IET No. 805006 standing by platform 16. The unit, which was in white livery and still had plastic covers on the seats, was waiting to form test train 5Q72/14.19 from Euston to Crewe.
These test trains operate under GBRf’s licence which also provides the crew.
LNER
LNER confirmed on November 9 that CAF is the successful bidder to deliver a fleet of 10 new trimode trains able to operate in electric, battery or diesel mode, with Porterbrook the chosen financier of the new fleet.
Avisit to King’s Cross on Wednesday, November 1 found Class 91 No. 91127 Neville Hill alongside platform 1on the 1D17/14.03 departure to Leeds. Alandslip on Wednesday, November 8, at Aycliffe closed the down line between Darlington and Durham. On Tuesday, November 14, a correspondent took a journey from York to Newcastle on the 1S10/09.30 from King’s Cross to Edinburgh formed of Azuma No. 801211. The train left Darlington 19 minutes late and crossed from the down to up line at Darlington North Junction. The landslip was passed at reduced speed before the down line was rejoined at Aycliffe. Arrival at Durham was 25 minutes late. Avisit to Swinderby on Monday, November 20 found the Azuma trains made a sharp contrast with the manually operated level crossing by the station. The 1B83/11.27 from Lincoln Central to King’s Cross, formed of No. 800202 was the first seen and then a few minutes later No. 800204 passed in the other direction forming the 1B82/10.06 from King’s Cross to Lincoln Central.