Avanti West Coast

Driver training and fault free running of the new Class 805 units on the WCML continues to bring in reports.

On March 6, No. 805002 was working Oxley-Euston-Crewe-Euston; No. 805004 was working between Euston and Lancaster, while No. 805008 was on a Holyhead-Crewe circuit. On March 11, new No. 805010 moved from Merchant Park to Oxley.

During a visit to Euston on Monday, March 18, Nos. 805007 and 805006, both in plain white livery, were seen arriving at platform 16 ECS (Empty Coaching Stock) 5Q72/10.44 from Crewe. The train was being worked by a GBRf crew.

Newly liveried in AWC colours, Class 805 No. 805009 ran empty on Tuesday, March 19, and again on the next day, from London Euston (5Q11/08.03) to Lancaster and back (5Q13/11.46).

Class 390 No. 390002 ran empty from Polmadie Depot in Glasgow (5Z14/12.15) to arrive at Wembley Inter-City Depot at 18.40 on Tuesday, March 26.

Great Western Railway

Avisit to West Ealing station on Monday, March 4, found Class 230 No. 230001 Viva Venturer stabled alongside platform 5 over the battery charging rails. At West Ealing station a large sign has appeared near the platform 5 buffer stops with the emergency procedure for the Fast Charge Battery Train Trial. Alittle later on the same day at Greenford, No. 230001 was seen arriving into the bay platform, and then after a few minutes heading back to West Ealing. This working, which ran under RailAdventure’s operator licence, was ECS 5Q22/14.22 from West Ealing to West Ealing EMU Sidings. On this day the regular Great Western passenger service to Greenford was being worked by Class 165 No. 165120.

Later that week, the testing started in earnest with No. 230001 shadowing the regular services. On Friday, March 8, it was first seen running ECS 5Q47/12.22 from West Ealing to Greenford, slowing but not stopping at South Greenford station. It was then forced to stop by the signal at Greenford South Junction to wait for No. 165126, working 2G27/12.30 from Greenford to West Ealing, to clear the bay platform at Greenford.

Alittle later, but still at South Greenford, No. 230001 was seen again now forming 5Q48/12.42 from Greenford to West Ealing. Then about half an hour later it was again seen for a final time for the day, now at Drayton Green, working the 5Q60/13.16 from Greenford to West Ealing.

It has now been reported the testing has identified the position of the charge rails at West Ealing to be not quite right for regular permissive working (two trains in the platform), which will require them to be moved towards the buffer stops. Otherwise, the testing has gone well, and No. 230001 will now return to Reading for a period of three to four weeks. In April it is expected to resume testing and hopefully start driver training.

Before the opening of the Elizabeth Line, the Greenford service routinely worked into Paddington rather than terminating by platform 5 at West Ealing. At Paddington the Class 165 joined the many others of the same class working into London. With the Elizabeth Line now open, Class 165s are quite rare at Paddington, the Greenford service only reaching that far early in the morning and late at night.

On Wednesday, March 13, engineering works meant the Greenford services finished earlier than normal so it proved possible to ride on the 2G61/21.00 from Greenford to London Paddington with No. 165124. There is clearly a lot of slack in the timetable, because despite being held for about four minutes between Drayton Green Junction and West Ealing Junction, it arrived at Paddington on time. The unit departed ECS at 21.42 to Reading.

Great Western’s plans to use Euston station when access to Paddington is blocked by HS2 works are becoming clearer. Apparently over the Christmas 2024 break two GWR trains an hour will operate from Euston. The Night Riviera will also be routed to Euston when Paddington is closed. Whilst the Class 57 locomotives and Mk.3 stock are cleared to work into Euston, this is not the case for the GWR’s Hitachi IETs.

Avisit to Euston station on Monday, March 18, found No. 802101 Nancy Astor CH arriving at platform 16 ECS the 5Q82/11.22 from Willesden South West Sidings to London Euston. At Euston the GWR staff who had travelled with the train were seen checking clearances, particularly relating to the ramps used to assist less able passengers on and off trains. After around half an hour at Euston No. 802101 left as 5Q83/12.07 ECS departure to Willesden South West Sidings. However, visiting Euston again a little less than an hour later No. 802101 was seen again, now alongside platform 15.

Greater Anglia

New Class 720 units continue to be moved between various storage locations with the following being reported: No. 720142 was hauled from Worksop to Derby by Class 69 No. 69010 on March 7. The following day, the Class 69 along with No. 69008 took No. 720141 from Derby to Worksop. The next reported move was on March 14 when No. 720139 was moved from Derby to Worksop by Nos. 69010+57303, the pair then returning No. 720140 to Derby.

On March 15, Class 47 No. 47749 conveyed Nos. 720138+720102 from Derby to Wembley. The Class 47 along with Class 69 No. 69008 moved new No. 720144 from Derby to Worksop on March 21, returning with No. 720141 to Derby.

During weekdays, Greater Anglia is using Harwich Parkeston Quay yard as an overflow storage area for pairs of Aventra Class 720 units. Departing Colchester Carriage Servicing Depot as 5A96/11.28 and arriving at Harwich International station at 12.05 before moving into Harwich Parkeston Quay yard.

A trio of Hitachi-built trains operated by three different companies line up in the rain at Edinburgh Waverley on March 14, with (from left) TPE’s No. 802202 (9N11, the 11.35 to Berwick-upon-Tweed), Lumo’s No. 803004 (1E84, the 11.24 to King’s Cross) and LNER’s No. 801202 (1S05, the 07.00 from King’s Cross).

ALEX AYRE

Here is a sample of the pairings: Nos. 720584+720539 on March 7; Nos. 720508+ 720522 on March 12; Nos. 720507+720134 on March 13; Nos. 720539+720133 on March 14; Nos. 720122+720566 on March 15; Nos. 720558+720130 on March 18; Nos. 720577+ 720121 on March 22; Nos. 720108+720123 on March 25; Nos. 720508+720583 on March 27; and Nos. 720102+720508 on April 4. For No. 720102 it was just a couple of days since its release into service from Ilford Depot.