Twilight Grids…
Today's farewell tour saw 56115 working from Bristol to York then 56078, running somewhat earlier than planned, hauling the charter from York to York via Rochdale. 56078 and 56115 took the return to Bristol from York in multiple.

Grids…
56059 and 56081 (both WNTR) have been moved today, 56059 from Peterborough to Doncaster Carr whilst 56081 has been brought south from Thornaby to probably Healey Mills but possibly Knottingley.
56078 (WGAI) has been active in the Doncaster / Immingham area today whilst 56115 (WGAI) went south on a South Wales bound working early this morning. 56115 will be on the Bristol to York leg of the farewell tour in the morning with 56078 taking over at York for the spin over the Pennines. It is anticipated, indeed hoped, that 56078 and 56115 will be working the return leg of tour from York to Bristol in multiple.

Toton…
Four Class 08s, 08635 08683 08896 and 08915 (all WSXX), 37220 (WNXX) and 37422 (WKCK) have been moved into the Training Compound at Toton whilst 37416 (WKBM) has been admitted to the paint shop.

Disposal…
The carcass of 50023 has been disposed of at Barrow Hill. 50023 withdrawn from Laira back in October 1990 had been reduced to one cab and frame by yesterday evening, RIP.

New look for Anglia…
90004 has been noted at Willesden sporting a new livery which is described as off white or cream with patches of pink, blue and purple (sort of RES style).

67s and the North Wales Coast…
67004 was engaged in driver training runs on the North Wales Coast yesterday prompting speculation that they are to take over loco hauled workings to Holyhead. As far as can be ascertained these training runs are for drivers connected with the Rugby specials currently being handled by Freightliner Class 47s and that paths south from Crewe could not be found hence their outings along the North Wales mainline.

Rampant Rabbit…
66535 (DFGM) was released from Eastleigh yesterday following another spell on the load bank.

West Coast 86s, a partial return…?
It has been indicated that up to four Class 86s are to be recovered from store at Immingham Railfreight Terminal and returned to use off Oxley near Wolverhampton. Further details are sketchy but Merlin Rail / Fragonset re believed to be involved as opposed to VT.

Another EWS cull…
EWS have further reduced their operational fleet, this time by a further 17 locomotives. One Class 09, eight Class 37s and eight Class 56s. The losses are…

WKAC…
The WKAC Old Oak Common Class 37 pool has been rendered obsolete with the transfer to WKAD of those not stored today, namely 37042 37047 37051 37057 37109 37114 37174 37203 37308 37521 37694 and 37698.

Power cars…
43101 and 43160 (both SBXL) have been removed from Neville Hill to Brush Loughborough. 43101 is instantly recognisable as its body has been painted all black but it retains its VT red cab.

Class 37s…
It is understood that there may be more Class 37s for storage besides the three, 37503 37675 and 37682, so far identified. Candidates for store are believed to be 37372 37516 37676 37685 and 37695.

Grids…
Locations this afternoon...

Advenza…
There is now some doubt as to whether the Fragonset 47 hauled Advenza Freight service which was scheduled to start running on the 5th of April will get underway on this date. More details when known.

Shunter notes…
Exam complete, 08798 (WSWX) at Toton is now available and should be released to traffic in due course. 08633 (WSXX) at Doncaster is also available for traffic along with 08738 (WSNW) following a D exam at Carlisle Currock. Of note is that this is the first time in a long time that 08738 has been available for normal use. 08738 was laid up between 1995 and 1997 at Motherwell before moving south to Crewe where it spent the best part of six years on a depot restriction.
08602 (AZ003) has been returned to Derby works following attention at Fragonset exchanging places with 08846 (AZ004) which is now at Fragonset for repairs.

Class 56 Farewell Tour 31/03/04…

Leg 1: 1Z56 05:23 Bristol to York
Bristol TM 05:23, Bristol Parkway 05:33-05:37, Cheltenham 06:21-06:23, Abbotswood Jcn 06:46, Stoke Works Jcn 06:55, Barnt Green 07:03-07:12, Kings Norton 07:23, Selly Oak 07:28, Birmingham New St 07:38-07:41, Water Orton 07:56, Whitacre Jcn 08:02, Kingsbury Jcn 08:13-08:27, Tamworth HL 08:33, Wichnor Jcn 08:39, Burton on Trent 08:46-08:48, Stenson Jcn 08:56, Sheet Stores Jcn 09:19, Trent 09:20, Toton Centre 09:25-09:27, Trowell Jcn 09:36, Clay Cross 09:55, Chesterfield 09:59, Beighton Jcn 10:17, Aldwarke Jcn 10:36, Swinton 10:38, Mexborough 10:40, Doncaster 10:50-10:58, Shaftholme Jcn 11:03, Temple Hirst Jcn 11:12, Hambleton North Jcn 11:17, Colton Jcn 11:24, York 11:30

Leg 2: 1Z57 12:41 York to York via Rochdale
York 12:41, Colton Jcn 12:47, Church Fenton 12:51, Micklefield 12:56, Cross Gates 13:02, Leeds 13:10, Whitehall Junction 13:14, Dewsbury 13:26, Thornhill L.N.W. Junction 13:32, Heaton Lodge Junction 13:42, Bradley Wood Junction 13:59, Greetland Junction 14:11, Milner Royd Junction 14:20, Hebden Bridge 14:30, Hall Royd Junction 14:35, Rochdale East Junction 14:48, Thorpes Bridge Junction 14:58, Brewery Junction 15:01-15:25, Philips Park West Junction 15:30, Ashton Moss North Junction 15:35, Ashton-under-Lyne 15:37-15:39, Stalybridge 15:49, Greenfield 15:54, Diggle Junction 16:00, Marsden 16:04, Huddersfield 16:11, Heaton Lodge East Junction 16:16, Thornhill L.N.W. Junction 16:19, Horbury Junction 16:29, Wakefield Kirkgate 16:35, Altofts Junction 16:46, Castleford 16:57, Milford Junction 17:03, Church Fenton 17:08, Colton Junction 17:13, York 17:19

Leg 3: 1Z58 17:43 York to Bristol
York 17:43, Colton Jcn 17:48, Milford Jcn 18:01, Moorthorpe 18:28, Swinton 18:47, Aldwarke Jcn 18:51, Sheffield 19:06, Chesterfield 19:21-19:23, Derby 19:50-20:32, Burton on Trent 20:52-20:54, Birmingham New Street 21:29-21:36, Barnt Green 22:02-22:05, Cheltenham 22:52-22:56, Bristol Parkway 23:36-23:39, Bristol TM 23:50

WNZX…
EWS have identified a further 21 locomotives to be offered for sale at a future date. Transferred to WNZX are…

Grids…
Earlier today they were…

55016…
Its home depot allocation has been amended to TM (Tyseley Railway Museum), a fair clue as to its new owner for those who are still guessing :~)

St Pancras Peak…
It has been advised that only the 45112 hauled 10:37 1Z45 St Pancras to Leicester and the 13:22 1Z46 Leicester to St Pancras services on April 8th are for the general public. The other two services are for staff only and not for public use.

More for store…
In addition to the Class 56s noted below (17:10) three Class 37s and two Class 47s have been issued assignments for store. Also the assignment to store for 56115 has been amended to 01/04 so it looks like its 56078 and 56115 for the farewell tour on the 31st. Those currently assigned for store are...

Class 56s, the final countdown…
Assignments for storage for the remaining ten Class 56s have been issued. All bar one are due to be out of use in four days time.

Disposals…
Two more to report. Having being occupied with wagons and ex LU stock for the past few weeks the cutting of locomotives is underway at Booth Roe Rotherham. 08801 stored from the WSAW pool from Cardiff in June 2000 was as good as finished off today whilst the very heavily stripped shell of 20206 withdrawn from Toton’s FEFN pool back in April 1991 has disappeared in the last fortnight. 08751 then 47310 are next in line for the chop at Rotherham. 08801 and 20206, RIP.

Peak into St Pancras…
In recognition of the forthcoming closure of the Barlow train shed at St Pancras as part of the redevelopment of the station site a series of farewell runs utilising Fragonset’s 45112 and a Class 47 in top and tail mode has been arranged for April 8th. Provisionally the arrangements are…

Shunter news, another shuffle…
08402 has been reinstated to Motherwell’s WSSC pool in place of 08933 which returns to store, WSXX. 08933 hadn’t worked since its reinstatement earlier this month as replacement for 08670.
08765 recently transferred by road to Eastleigh is now reinstated to the WSAS pool but 08711, a recent arrival at Toton, and 08804 at Eastleigh have been stored, both WNTR ex WSAS. 08711 appears to be authorised for repairs at Toton though.

Disposal…
The carcass of 08390 which was withdrawn from Cardiff Canton in March 1993 has been scrapped at Barrow Hill, RIP.

EWS 47s on the coast…
The curtain comes down on March 31st. Locomotive diagram 1 finishes on the 30th with the early morning 06:38 1H44 Bangor to Manchester Piccadilly going over to a unit after arrival at Manchester. Locomotive diagram 2 continues as normal on the 30th culminating in the 22:54 1D99 Birmingham NS to Holyhead before working the inbound 06:38 1H44 Bangor to Manchester Piccadilly on the morning of the 31st after which this diagram goes over to unit operation. EWS are expected to remove two of the remaining five Class 47s after this. Candidates for retention till late May for hire to VT are 47790 47792 and one from 47732 47750 or 47787.

Hardendale 08…
08632 (WSNW) remains at Hardendale but Network Rail require EWS to undertake further trials before allowing the 08 trip on the mainline to become normal practice.

56039…
The completion of the disposal of 56039 at Thomson’s last week has been confirmed. Only its engine block and a slab of metal bearing a ‘Load Haul’ logo were all that remained yesterday.

Grid news…
Dutch liveried with Transrail markings 56049 (WNTR) has been bulled up at Thornaby having being adorned with white buffer surrounds, painted pipe work and repainted cab ends. It and 56088 (WNSS), which was itself on the fuel point yesterday, were both running on Thornaby today. Railtour or special events candidates…?
Recently reinstated 56095 (WGAI) might be in trouble as it was removed from a South Wales bound service last night near Thirsk and returned to Thornaby with fire damage. It is not know at this point though how serious the fire was.
56113 and 56119 (both WNTR) have been removed from Knottingley to Healey Mills being noted there this morning sandwiched between 37405 and 66147.

Shunter news…
08510 which was erroneously allocated to the WNXX pool when stored has now been transferred to WSXX whilst the pool allocation for 47749 has now been corrected from WSXX to WNXX. 08526 recently deposited at Westbury by road from Old Oak Common has been reinstated to the WSAS pool and has as anticipated replaced 08947 which is now stored WSXX. 08561 noted on the move by road on the M6 this afternoon has been transferred from WSNW to Toton’s WSMD pool. 08561 was Bescot bound to replace 08757 which has been stored WSXX. 08922 recently despatched westwards to Dee Marsh from Wabtec by road has been reinstated to the WSNW pool allowing the displacement of 08561 to WSMD.

Doncaster shunters...
Arrivals, departures and movements at Doncaster. Latterly in store at Tinsley 08587 and 08953 (both WSXX) have arrived at Doncaster Carr. 08922 (WSXX) has been removed from Wabtec by road being noted in the North West heading westbound on the M56 this morning whilst RT Rail trio 08493 08756 and 08819 have been moved out of Wabtec to the adjacent Doncaster works.

Grid swap…
Having been sidelined at Immingham for attention 56018 has been placed into store, pool WNSS. The Romanian ‘grids’ are thus rendered operationally extinct again. 56018 is replaced by 56095 reinstated to WGAI from store at Thornaby. Still 10 to go...

EWS Skoda swap...
90021 has been stored WNTR at Crewe EMD swapping places with recently stored 90037 which is reinstated to WEFE.

Shunter news…
Well it almost went to Eastleigh, 08526 (WSXX) has turned up at Westbury which could be bad news for long term resident 08947. Two further reductions to the fleet to report. 08510 has been stored WNXX at Eastleigh, no not a typo, it has been stored in the mainline locomotive pool. Maybe a swap with 47749 which remains allocated to the WSXX stored shunter pool could be arranged at some point. 08633 has been stored WSXX at Tinsley.

Disposals…
The derelict shell of 47308 recently removed from Brush Loughborough to Beeston has been disposed of. 47308 was stored from Freightliner’s DFLT pool in July 1999, RIP.
Subject to absolute confirmation it is fairly safe to assume that the demolition of 56039 at Thomson’s Stockton will have been completed by now. 56039 was stored from Immingham’s WGAN pool in August 1999. RIP.

43194…
43194 was delivered to Neville Hill from Derby today by 47712. It is due a major exam but indications are that this will not be forthcoming.

58030…
It has been confirmed that it is 58030 which is now in GIF livery at Eastleigh, 58025 and 58029 are being prepared for repainting.

86235…
Oddly, considering gradual displacement by Class 90s is on the near horizon, 86235 recently despatched to Glasgow works is showing K INT which equates to an intermediate overhaul. 86237 is still languishing in the IANA pool at Springburn with no clues as to its future.

Dead Freds…
66502 appears to have either left Crewe works or wasn’t there at all but has the same fault codes attached as 66503 and 66505 which are in Crewe works. All three are showing N 112 (pistons and liners etc.). 66525 (cinders) has been moved from Leeds Midland Rd to Crewe LNWR for attention whilst 66535 (Rampant Rabbit, don’t ask!) at Toton is assigned back to Eastleigh for further attention.

Another GIF 58…
A Class 58 in GIF colours, thought to be 58030, has been noted on the load bank at Eastleigh today.

Grid Status…
At 15:30 today the ten surviving Class 56s were…

Sheds in works…
66502 66503 and 66505 have been admitted to Crewe works for attention, all reportedly with engine defects.

Scrappers to go...?
At Doncaster at least 56053 and 58034 (both WNXX) have been undergoing attention in recent days. It has been indicated that several of the stored locomotives on Carr depot are to be removed elsewhere in due course.

08685…
Further to the mention on the 10th of 08685 still being in the Cardiff area when its transfer to WSSC was noted it transpires that it was removed from Cardiff on a low loader by the 5th.

56039…
The demolition of 56039 is underway at TJ Thomson’s Stockton. One cab, its bodysides and roof sections have been removed exposing its internals for recovery.

Class 56s…
The disposition of the remaining 10 Class 56s 14/03/04 was…

Eastleigh shunter swaps...
Further to yesterday’s report of 08750 and 08890 being delivered to Eastleigh the following has been advised. 08750 (MOLO) has arrived to replace 08762 (MOLO) at Quidhampton which is due to move to Barrow Hill for a D exam and cosmetic attention whilst 08890 (still WSXX?) has arrived as cover for 08711 (WSAS) which has been despatched to Toton for attention. 08711 was unloaded at Toton yesterday afternoon.

DRS Convoy…
66403 collected 20312 20313 37609 and 37611 from Loughborough today.

D9016…
Indications are that DNLL are no longer in control of 55016 (D9016) and that the Porterbrook owned locomotive has been sold to a private buyer who wishes to remain anonymous. A decision on its future role has been taken but no details are being made available at present.

Fragonset moves…
47712 collected 47780 (WNSO) from Crewe DMD and took it to Barrow Hill yesterday. After depositing 47780 at barrow Hill 47712 took 31106 (SDFR) and 47375 (SDFL) from Barrow Hill to Derby.

Eastleigh arrivals…
Two shunters have arrived at Eastleigh yard, both by road. 08750 (MOLO) from Wabtec and 08890 (WSXX) from Temple Mills.

DRS convoy…
Four DRS locomotives are due to be collected from Brush Loughborough tomorrow afternoon. Scheduled to depart at approximately 14:00 are 20312 20313 37609 and 37611.

50023…
Reports elsewhere suggest that 50023 at Barrow Hill has been sold for scrap. Unfortunately this is correct.

Hardendale 08…
On March 5th 08632 (WSNW) was utilised on the trip working between Hardendale and Harrison’s Sidings instead of the train engine as per usual practice. It worked north with 24 empties (8P50) but had to return the loaded train to Hardendale in two sections of 12 (8P56 and 8P58). EWS are hoping to make this a regular working as of today which will run three days a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

47749…
It appears that 47749 was at Crewe EMD as opposed to Warrington as originally reported when transfer to store took place.

Freightbus…
The Advenza Freight-Bus service which is to utilise Fragonset Class 47s is due to start running on Monday April 5th 2004. Further details available on their web site [ www.freightbus.co.uk ].

73141…
Although not in receipt of classified attention since December 1987 73141 (QAED) has been delivered to Bristol Barton Hill for fitment of TPWS.

Surviving…
Both 56113 and 56119 have managed so far to evade being put to store today, maybe EWS are short of locomotives? 56113 didn’t go to Knottingley yesterday as planned and had made it to Doncaster by this morning. It worked the Doncaster to Castleton with 56078 before returning east light engines to Healey Mills. 56119 has been in use off Thornaby on local diagrams and is (at the time of writing) allocated to work from Tees to Trafford Park this evening.

Disposal…
The disposal of 37139 at Thomson’s Stockton has been effected in the last few days. Only a pile of scrap remained when viewed yesterday. 37139 was stored from Immingham’s FDRI pool back in July 1994, RIP.

Toton…
37709 (WNTR) has been taken inside but 08500 (WSXX) and 08912 (WSWX) which had been inside over the weekend are back outside on the scrap lines.

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