Three loco-hauled service trains pictured at Scarborough on June 7, with (from left) No. 68022 on a York shuttle, No. 68027 with the 1U52/12.48 to Manchester Piccadilly, and No. 68031 with another York shuttle.

MICK LANGTON

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Unbranded, plain white, Class 805 Nos. 805001+805003 ran on Tuesday, May 16 on a 5Q30/08.49 Oxley, Wolverhampton to Glasgow Central and 5Q31/13.31 return. This diagram with the same two Class 805s ran for the next two days. On each occasion both EMUs had a raised pantograph. They were observed passing Thankerton on Wednesday, May 17.

Although most AWC Anglo-Scottish passenger trains are worked by Class 390 EMUs, one remaining double Class 221 DMU service to Glasgow Central from London Euston is the 9S77/13.33 which starts out from Birmingham New Street at 05.56 with 1R02 for Euston. Next it is back to Birmingham New Street on the 9G08/08.26 before returning Euston at 10.21. Then they run to Glasgow (9S77) and from there the Class 221 duo complete their day’s diagram with 1M20/20.06 for Crewe, making a total of 980 passenger carrying miles. On Tuesday, May 23 this diagram was covered by Nos. 221103+221118 and on the next day by Nos. 221116+221117.

On Friday, June 2, a day of limited passenger services on AWC, Class 221s Nos. 221101+221116 ran ECS from Barton Underwood (5Z45/04.23) to Polmadie Depot, Glasgow. After passing Lancaster at 08.03 this train was followed six minutes later by Nos. 221104+221109 on the same route having left Barton Underwood (5Z33) at 04.32.

On Sunday, May 28, the 14.00 LNER service from King’s Cross to Aberdeen departed from London late. An apology, but with no reason, was given. The train arrived in Edinburgh 34 minutes late and terminated in Aberdeen 33 minutes late.

Vehicle Nos. 77342 and 71798 from GWR liveried Class 769 No. 769927 were observed leaving Wolverton Works courtesy of Reid Freight at 14.30 on May 22 en route to Long Marston where the whole unit is being stored.

Other moves have seen the final three Class 769s Nos. 769930/49/59 also taken by road to Long Marston for safe storage.

A number of Castle sets are no longer in traffic, their last days being reported as: GW01 on October 29, 2022; GW04 on February 13, 2023; and GW13 on February 21, 2023. A move on June 8 found Rail Operations Group (ROG) Class 37 No. 37510 Orion convey Nos. 49107+48115+43170 from Laira to Ely for safe storage.

On Bank Holiday Monday, May 1, Class 57 Nos. 57603 Tintagel Castle and 57602 Restormel Castle were noted, from a passing train, top and tailing the stock of the sleeper train at Reading Train Care Depot. The new station at Reading Green Park opened on Saturday, May 27. The station is on the Reading to Basingstoke line, with half-hourly services running north to Reading and south to Basingstoke.

The first service to have called at Reading Green Park is reported to have been the 2J01/05.43 from Reading to Basingstoke formed of Class 165 No. 165119.

The Manningtree-Harwich branch line sees a regular turnover of Class 720s working the hourly service and the following were noted at Harwich International: Nos. 720115 May 11, 720523 May 16, 720515 May 17, 720554 May 18, 720531 May 24-25, 720525 May 27, 720550 and 720507 June 1.

New Class 720 No. 720131 was delivered from Derby to Willesden on May 18 by Class 47 No. 47727. It was returned to Derby on June 5 by No. 47749 which then took No. 720130 south to Willesden. No. 720131 was returned to London on June 9, hauled by No. 47727.

The final moves of Class 379 units to Worksop for storage found Nos. 379006+379025 being towed north from Ilford on May 19 by Class 37 No. 37510 followed on May 23 when Nos 379017+379026 were taken by No. 37611.

The final move occurred on May 24 with No. 37510 hauling Nos. 379007+379010 from Ilford.

Since the new timetable was introduced on May 21, the Class 745/1s that were seen on the London Liverpool Street-Norwich service have moved across to their designated route of Liverpool Street-Stansted Airport, leaving the Norwich route short of stock.

On June 1 at Manningtree, the 1P14/09.00 service from Liverpool Street comprised of two Class 755/3s and one Class 755/4, making 10 coaches in all, while the 20.00 service was comprised of two Class 755/4s Nos. 755415+755422, just eight vehicles compared to the normal 12 of a Class 745/0, which led to people standing for some 46 minutes to the first stop at Colchester.

Northern’s No. 170476 calls at Beverley on June 17 with a Hull to Scarborough service, passing under the partially dismantled NER footbridge, which is being repaired – but its distinctive wooden canopy will not be replaced.

NICK WISE

ROG Class 37 No. 37884 Cepheus ran light on Tuesday, May 9, on an 0S08/08.08 Derby to Brodies, Kilmarnock. The following day it moved No. 318255 from Brodies to Yoker before returning to Brodies with No. 318256.

The locomotive returned to Derby from Kilmarnock on a 0M60/17.42 the following day.

Observed at Millom on May 14 was Class 195 No. 195122 on the service from Barrow – the only booked working for the class north on the Cumbrian Coast.

While the future of the Class 319s remains uncertain, observations towards the end of May suggest the services between Blackpool North and Liverpool Lime Street are regularly worked by the class. On Monday, May 22, No. 319378 was seen at Preston station working the 1F09/14.04 from Blackpool North to Liverpool Lime Street.

Some journeys were made by a correspondent using Class 319 on Thursday, May 25. The 1F08/10.04 from Blackpool North to Liverpool Lime Street formed of No. 319379, was used as far as Leyland. Three hours later, a journey was made from Leyland to Wigan North Western on the 1F07/13.05 from Blackpool North to Liverpool Lime Street, which produced No. 319379 again.

However, the Class 319s do not have a monopoly of the Blackpool North to Liverpool Lime Street services. Still on Monday, May 22, a journey was made from Preston on the 2N99/17.08 from Liverpool Lime Street to Blackpool North formed of Class 331 Nos. 331017+331018.