31/07/06

08892 recently delivered to Carlisle Kingmoor now has it's own pool coded XHSH for DRS Shunters following its reallocation from XHSD.
08993 (WNTR) is now in service in the Doncaster area being put to use in Belmont Yard recently. Regarding the earlier report stating that 08993 had been across to Castleton enquiries reveal that 08993 hadn't actually left Doncaster Carr and has been receiving attention there until this recent return to use.
37175 (WMOC) left Heanor's mid morning today for the final leg of its move to the Weardale Railway and into preservation.
37401 has been stored WNTR at Warrington and is due to be taken north to Mossend overnight tonight for transfer to Motherwell and storage. 37401 was initially assigned for N ONE at Motherwell by August 7th but on return to Warrington this afternoon from the Folly Lane working it was axed from the fleet.
43093 at Landore being readied for service following MTU re-engineering has been reinstated to the IWRP pool.
47326 (CROL) has been removed from Brush Loughborough by road and, without delving too deeply into how this arrangement came to be, has been transferred north to Thomson's at Stockton for disposal.
60020 and 60096 have been stored WNTR. Whilst 60020 is still in traffic 60096 is stopped at Toton whilst 60053 (WNTR) has been hauled from Toton to Doncaster Carr, traction being provided by 37405.
87003 and 87023 (both SBXL) are due to be moved from Oxley to Long Marston tomorrow. A lunchtime or thereabouts departure is anticipated.
90019 at Toton with defective paint / its lease to ONE has ended and stopped for repainting prior to transfer to the sleeper fleet, has been stored WNTR.
92004 92029 and 92030 have been stored, all to WNTR, however only 92029 sidelined at Dollands Moor is stopped. 92004 and 92030 both assigned for B ONE at Crewe EMD, are still in service.

30/07/06

37175 (WMOC) should, after spending the weekend at Heanor's Langley Mill, complete it's transfer to the Weardale Railway and into preservation tomorrow.
37406 (WKBM) has had a stint on the West Highland sleeper service this weekend due to the unavailability of an RETB fitted Class 67. It was at the head of tonight's 1B01 London service from Fort William.

Ghosts on the system...
Periodically we have a look at what scrapped locomotives are still showing as extant on the system awaiting de-registration. Listed by pool there are...

DHLT: 08642 86603 86611
HNRS: 31174 37141 37341 37344 37359 37404 47221
MBDL: 33023
SDXL: 31154 31411 31417 31458 31462 47628
WNSO: 47515
WNXX: 37509

Note: 31458 disposed of as 31558 in the same way that 31524 currently being dismantled at Hull's is on the system as 31424.

29/07/06

08827 has been transported from Barrow Hill to Long Marston, removal south by road having taken place in the last couple of days or so.
90019 (WEFE) is set to loose its RES livery having turned up at Toton early this morning for a repaint.

28/07/06

20056 / Corus 81 (HNRL) was shipped out by low loader from Barrow Hill to Scunthorpe yesterday to commence operations with Corus at Scunthorpe.
37175 (WMOC) has left Old Oak Common being noted on the M1 heading north by road this morning.
43097 and 43098 (both FGXP) have been released from MTU fitment at Brush being transferred from Loughborough yesterday evening to Gloucester behind 47714 which deposited 43026 and 43125 (both IWRP), the latter a replacement for 43025, at Loughborough on the 25th for re-engineering. 43097 and 43098 were forwarded to Landore today behind 47714..

Reinstated Tugs...
60013 (WCAN) re-entered traffic from Toton yesterday whilst 60045 (WCAN), 60055 (WCBN) and 60094 (WCBN) have returned to active duties during today. 60076 (WCAN) is available at Immingham.

Shunter notes...
08752 (WNTR) has followed 09001 (WNTS) to Margam whilst 08993 (WNTR) recently reported at Castleton is back at Doncaster Carr.

WCML 87s, finished already...?
Conspicuous by its absence during the past few days the WCML Class 87 loco and stock cover set has not been out at all this week. Whilst on the one hand there is apparently a pause in the Pendolino modification program whilst the fist set treated is evaluated so cover isn't required at the moment there are strong indications that for various reasons the plug is being pulled anyway.

27/07/06

47840 at Brush, which by all accounts is operational, has been reinstated to Cotswold Rail's CRRH pool.

Tugs +5...
60013 at Toton, 60045 at Immingham, 60055 at Doncaster Carr along with 60076 and 60094 at Immingham have been reinstated to WCAN and WCBN as applicable bringing the Class 60 fleet total up to 29. At the time of writing though none of the five reinstatements had re-entered active service.

Disposal...
The disposal of the carcass of 33056, withdrawn from Stewarts Lane and the DCSW pool back in January 1991, has been completed at Booth's Rotherham, RIP.

26/07/06

31426 (SDXL) has completed its move by road from Meldon to Hull's at Rotherham.
47840 currently languishing at Brush Loughborough has been stored SBXL. It had been allocated to the Cotswold Rail CRRH pool pending repairs to engine faults sustained whilst in use with GBRf a little while ago.
57006 (DFTZ) latterly dumped at on decision at Crewe Basford Hall has been tripped to Brush Loughborough for attention.
66022 (WBAN) ferried south in the consist of last night's 6A42 Bescot to Wembley service behind 92004 has since made it to Dollands Moor, through the tunnel and back to France.
73132 stripped to practically a bare shell and devoid of bogies has been transferred by road from Derby to Hull's at Rotherham for disposal. It left Derby on the back of an Allely's low loader early this afternoon.

Disposal...
The demolition of 37137 at Thomson's Stockton, has as far as can be ascertained, been completed. 37137 was stored from the ENTN pool at Toton in May 1997, RIP.

Toton notes...
56128 (WNSO) isn't going anywhere just yet having being moved back away from the loading area near the paint shop. 37422 (WNTR) is still being worked on inside but 58005 (WZTS) is now to be found dumped at the front of the shed pending developments. 37408 (WNYX) is without nameplates whilst 66215 (WBEN) has lost its large bodyside EWS lettering.

25/07/06

08892 (XHSD) resplendent in DRS livery has made its way north to Kingmoor today being noted heading towards Carlisle on a low loader late this afternoon.
31426 (SDXL) has left Meldon and Rotherham bound, was noted passing Exeter on the M5 early this evening.

Disposal...
The scrapping of 31462 at Hull's Rotherham has been completed. 31462 was stored from Bescot's LWNW pool back in April 1998, RIP.

24/07/06

08752 (WNTR) and 09001 (WNTS) have been released from repairs at Toton. Both were on the move by road late afternoon being noted on the M42 then the M5 motorways heading west.
66022 (WBAN) appears to be on its way back to France being tripped to Bescot from Toton early evening behind 66101 for forwarding to Wembley etc.

Tugs...
60013 (WNTR) has been retired from service to store at Toton whilst 60051 (WNTR) has been relocated from Peak Forest to Immingham. The remaining 24 operational Class 60s this am...

60003 WCBN 6M81 Margam - Round Oak
60004 WCBN 6B13 Robertson - Westerleigh
60010 WCBN Roxby allocated 6M05
60014 WCAN Hunslet allocated 6M22
60015 WCBN 6E30 Margam - Hartlepool
60020 WCBN Toton
60021 WCBN 6M11 Margam - Round Oak
60023 WCBN 6B18 Newport - Morton on Lugg
60027 WCBN Rectory Junction allocated 6E82
60031 WCAN Lostock allocated 6H01
60038 WCBN 6M57 Lindsey - Kingsbury
60044 WCAN Bedworth
60052 WCBN 6H21 Brigg - Tunstead
60059 WCBN Lackenby allocated 0N10
60061 WCAN 6N05 Tyne Yard - Jarrow
60063 WCAN Hull allocated 6D72
60069 WCAN 6T22 Immingham - Santon
60075 WCAN 6M17 Stourton - Peak Forest
60079 WCAN 6N04 Lindsey - Jarrow
60090 WCBN Immingham allocated 0M18
60096 WCBN Colnbrook allocated 6E38
60097 WCBN Immingham allocated 6T23
60099 WCAN Washwood Heath allocated 6M11
60500 WCAN 0E06 Peak Forest - Bredbury

21/07/06

08842 (WNTS) recently transported up to Carlisle Currock from Temple Mills has been put into traffic in the Carlisle area whilst 08993 (WNTR) moved by road across from Doncaster Carr a few days ago has entered traffic at Castleton.
08933 (WNTR) has taken up depot pilot duties at Temple Mills taking over from 08872 (WZTS) which had been performing these duties since about 2004.
33056 has made its move from the Churnet Valley Railway to Rotherham for disposal being noted outside Booth's early this morning on a low loader.
37038 (now XHNC) has, after quite some time in Brush Loughborough, been released hauling collection engine 37029 away to Crewe yesterday before carrying on solo to Carlisle.
37422 still sidelined at Toton is back in store being reallocated to WNTR. It hasn't ventured out since being reinstated to WKCK early last month.
47484 (MBDL) completed its road journey to Sutton Coldfield and into preservation early yesterday evening.
47704 (SDXL) due to go to Hull's at Rotherham for disposal has been extracted from Throckmorton Airfield being noted heading north on the A5 meanwhile at Toton 56128 (WNSO) has been moved into position in the Compound from where it can be loaded to road transport.
60013 still in traffic, 60034 at Margam, 60051 at Peak Forest and 60054 also at Margam have been stored WNTR this afternoon. These losses bring the Class 60 operational fleet allocation down to just 24 equalling the low point reached last summer.
67008 at Toton has been stored WNTR whilst 92039 undergoing an overhaul at Crewe EMD is also now WNTR.

20/07/06

47484 (MBDL) continues its journey south being noted on the M6 in Staffordshire this afternoon evidently having stopped off overnight en route. It has been confirmed that 47484 is Sutton Coldfield bound.
60008 (WNTR) is now stopped and stored at Immingham whilst 60093 (WNTR) has been moved up from Didcot to Toton arriving at its destination mid afternoon in convoy with 66185 and 67001. Although the Class 60 fleet is now down to 28 working examples it should be noted that many in store are receiving, or are to receive B exams etc. over the coming weeks as like last year an upturn in demand for traction is expected from late August / September onwards. Consequently there will be a need to reinstate Class 60s as required, but this year, with the rumblings that less sandite work is being undertaken by EWS this season, how many 60s will be required remains to be seen.

19/07/06

43157 (SBXL) has been transferred from Gloucester to Long Marston in convoy today with various items of stock and DVT 82134 behind 47714.
43175 (IWRP) still in plain First Neon colours, no vinyl's, has returned to normal traffic thus becoming the third MTU fitted power car in use with FGW. 43097 and 43098 (both FGXP) are due out shortly from re-engineering at Brush whilst it is understood that 43025 and 43026 (both IWRP) have been earmarked to go to Loughborough for modifications.
47484 (MBDL) is en route south from Glasgow by road today, a little later than initially planned, being noted on a low loader on the M74 near Gretna at lunchtime. It is assumed that 47484 is destined to go to Goodman's yard at Sutton Coldfield. Also purchased by the owner of 47484 is 47475 which will be providing spares for the future restoration of 47484.
60008 (WNTR) in traffic yesterday when reallocated to the WNTR storage pool had been stood down at Immingham this morning but, without trying to imply there was a shortage of traction on Humberside today, has been returned to traffic on local workings off Immingham this afternoon.

18/07/06

28...
60008 60041 and 60072 have been stored, all WNTR. Whilst 60008 is still in traffic 60041 has been stopped at Thornaby and 60072 is stopped at Margam.

IKB...
47484 (MBDL) is due to be moved south from Glasgow Works tonight by road and into preservation.

Margam shunter notes...
08770 (WNTR) latterly in use at the depot has been stood down again whilst 08587 (WSAW) has been sidelined with collision damage. 08995 (WNTR) is part repainted.

17/07/06

08854 (WNTR) latterly in store at Temple Mills has been out working at Sheerness for the last week or two as a replacement for 08921 (WSLN) sidelined at Temple Mills for repairs.

15/07/06

87031...
The transfer of 87031 to Tyseley is in connection with the 'Moving Forward' initiative which, launched in May, is to provide students with an insight into manufacturing, maintenance engineering and customer servicing in connection with diplomas being rolled out across the Birmingham and West Midlands area. A full press release about this and 87031's involvement in this scheme is anticipated in a few weeks time but for now 'Moving Forward' would like to extend their gratitude to Porterbrook, Moveright International and Tyseley Locomotive Works for providing the foundations for this pilot project.

DRS expanding again...?
For the moment the following remains unconfirmed but there are indications that DRS are on the verge of expanding their Class 37 fleet again with the apparent news that they have approached HNRC with a view to taking on 37178 37667 37672 and 37680. More on this as and when...

14/07/06

08842 (WNTS) has been unloaded at Carlisle Currock.

Class 87 notes...
87012 and 87019 languishing at Wembley since being released by GBRf have now been transferred to the SBXL storage pool. Joining them in SBXL are Long Marston residents 87021 87025 and 87033 which have been reallocated from variously CRRH or CREL to SBXL.
Meanwhile 87031 (ATXX) has been removed from Wembley, the part stripped shell being transported north to Tyseley by road.

58005 and GSM-R...
Evidently it was silly season again regarding Australia as it transpires that 58005 is to be fitted with GSM-R signalling equipment as a test bed with, it is understood, at least one member each of several Classes being fitted in due course. GSM-R signalling is part of the ERTMS (European Railway Traffic Management System) project currently under development and further information can be found at the following link |  GSM-R Website  |.

13/07/06

08775 (WSWM) could be in trouble having recently suffered fire damage at Warrington.
08842 (WNTS) appears to have gone through to Scotland after being further observed heading north up the M6 yesterday afternoon both near Lancaster and Carlisle.

Work in progress...
The cutting of 31462, only recently delivered to Hull's from Tyseley, is at an advanced stage. An oddity of note is that the Type 2 contained a scrap Class 47 power unit when it was despatched to Rotherham.

Disposal...
The demolition of 56004 stored from Immingham's WGAI pool in April 1999 has been completed at Booth's Rotherham, RIP.

12/07/06

08842 (WNTS) latterly located at Temple Mills has ventured north being noted traversing the M1 on the back of a low loader early yesterday evening and then on the M6 near Warrington this afternoon.
43157 languishing unused at Gloucester has now been reallocated to the SBXL storage pool.
58005 (WZTS) at Toton to be prepared to go to Australia? Either it's silly season again or this time Class 58s to go down under really is on?
60048 and 60058 (both WNTR) have now been stopped and stored at respectively Immingham and Thornaby.
60073 (WNTS) from store at Toton has been out on test working the 07:00 6B42 to Forders.
87007 and 87008 currently on hold at Wembley have been stored SBXL which would indicate that Cotswold Rail's foray into AC traction is over. 87003 and 87023 stored at Oxley have also been reallocated to SBXL from CRRH leaving Long Marston incumbents 87021 (CREL) 87025 (CRRH) and 87033 (CREL) allocated to the CR series.

11/07/06

31110 (WMOC), now de-named, has left Barrow Hill being noted on the move north by road this afternoon to Thomson's Stockton whilst 31462 (SDXL) was loaded for removal by road from Tyseley yesterday and has been transported north to Rotherham. It was unloaded at Hull's this afternoon for disposal.
58005 (WZTS) assigned for movement from Leicester to Toton has been collected and transferred to Toton behind 67029.

How low can they go this time...?
Ten more Class 60s were removed from the active fleet yesterday bringing the WCAN / WCBN allocation down to 31 examples. Stored, all WNTR, this time around were 60002 60019 60022 60025 60048 60060 60065 60076 60082 and 60094. Of these 60060 was still in traffic this morning but has since retired to store at Thornaby whilst 60048 stopped initially at Peak Forest is working it's passage to Immingham and store being noted at Healey Mills en route during the afternoon.
60002 60065 60076 and 60094 have been stored at Immingham, 60019 and 60082 at Thornaby whilst 60022 and 60025 have been stopped at Doncaster Carr and Toton respectively.
With regards to the three 60s stored on the 7th 60045 and 60084 (both WNTR) are now stopped, both at Immingham, whilst 60058 (WNTR) is still in service.

Last summer EWS managed to reduce the Class 60 fleet to 24 working examples and at the time it was mooted that further reductions may be forthcoming but with a few 'sheds' shuddering about on services not really suitable for them and reports of fuses blowing here and there reinstatements were soon taking place. So it's 31 to go and by way of a challenge for the people pushing the pens; 24 to beat...

10/07/06

20904 has been transported by road from Corus at Scunthorpe to Barrow Hill where ultimately it is to be overhauled.
43175 (IWRP) completed its transfer to Landore yesterday being hauled from Gloucester on the second leg of its journey from Brush Loughborough by 47813.
58005 (WZTS) at Leicester has been piped up indicating that it is being prepared for movement elsewhere, probably to Toton, whilst there has been an indication that 58001 (WNXX) currently languishing at Barrow Hill is to be moved away at some point.
60045 60058 and 60084 (all WNTR hired to WCAN) are still in active service today. All three are on hire to WCAN until the 12th although 60045 and 60084 are assigned for N ONE at Immingham yesterday whilst 60058 is assigned for N ONE at Thornaby tomorrow.

Disposal...
The demolition of 31154 stored from Old Oak Common's WMAN pool in September 1999 has been completed at Hull's Rotherham, RIP.

08/07/06

Work in progress...
At Hull's Rotherham the scrapping of 31154 is well underway whilst up the road at Booth's a start has been made on 56004.

07/07/06

43175 (IWRP) has been released from re-engineering at Brush Loughborough being hauled away today by 47813 which brought in 43133 (IWRP) from Landore for MTU treatment.
60045 60058 and 60084, the second time in the last week for 60084, have been stored WNTR but all three are still in active service. Once these have been stopped the active fleet total will be down to 41.

06/07/06

31433 (SDXL) has made its move from Barrow Hill to Hull's Rotherham by road for disposal.

EWS goes for sectorisation...
In a press release published this morning on the EWS website the future for the companies operation has been outlined and it has been revealed that sometime this coming autumn the UK operation is to be split into four separate operating sectors. The relevant page at the EWS site can be found |  here  |.

EWS Energy - Coal and other power station related goods.
EWS Industrial - Heavy industry content such as metals, petroleum etc.
EWS Construction - Construction and waste products.
EWS Network - Infrastructure, logistics etc.

What impact these proposed changes will have as regards the EWS motive power fleet remains to be seen.

05/07/06

31412 and 31524 (both SDXL) have left Barrow Hill being removed to Hull's at Rotherham by road for disposal.
87002 (IWCA) is reported to be in the frame for a return to use with the news that it is expected to be re-entering traffic on the WCML Class 87 diagram tomorrow.

04/07/06

31154 and 31407 (both SDXL) have been removed by road from respectively Derby RTC and Barrow Hill for transportation to Hull's at Rotherham. 31412 appears to be next in line for collection from Barrow Hill.
37137 (WNZX) en route to TJ Thomson's at Stockton has been noted on the move north by road from Toton today at several different locations.
37261 (XHNC) accompanied 66411 (XHIM) from Kingmoor to Glasgow Works this afternoon but the anticipated release of 37515 (XHMW) did not materialise. 37261 is to undergo wheelset attention at Springburn whilst 66411 is to be repainted.
47769 (RTLS) has been moved across to Crewe LNWR from Barrow Hill.
60032 sidelined at Thornaby has been stored WNTR but 60084 stored the other day with 60029 60035 and 60062 but not retired has been reinstated to the WCAN pool. Meanwhile the N ONE assignment for 60058 which had been in place has now been cancelled.

The Olympian almost rode again...
Due to problems earlier in the day with 87026 arrangements were made for 87012 to work the afternoon 1G21 16:52 London Euston to Birmingham and 1B05 19:00 Birmingham to London Euston workings however a defective speedometer discovered at Wembley prior to its departure to Euston saw 87012 being taken out of service. The use of 87012 on the WCML diagram was to have been a one off and would quite likely [hint mode] have been the last time it was to work in the UK.

Disposal...
Although it has now been established that the shell of 33203 delivered to Newton Stewart in Scotland in 2005 as part of a themed restaurant venture has been broken up what remains unknown is who by and when its demise took place. It is thought that it was scrapped sometime during the past couple of months. 33203 was stored from the RfD FDIB train ferry pool back in April 1991, RIP.

03/07/06

37515 (XHMW) is due for release from Glasgow Works tomorrow whilst 66411 (XHIM) is reportedly going in for 'Stobartisation'.
87012 (GBAC) has made its way south today from Scotland with defective 325005 in tow to Wembley. 87012 is due to go off lease and this should prove to be its last working for GBRf.

02/07/06

60029 and 60035 (both WNTR) have been stopped for store at Thornaby whilst 60062 (WNTR) has been stood down at Margam. 60084 (WNTR) remains active and is now assigned for N ONE at Thornaby on the 4th, revised from the 2nd.
66022 (WBAN) is now back at Toton following its brief foray across to France.

That Firstfreight URL again...
We now have some details available with regards to who owns the address discussed below and it turns out that the domain, registered on June 28th 2006, belongs to a certain Mr Buzz Lightyear. The plot just thinned a little but quite an excellent ruse all the same...

01/07/06

90011 (IANA) has arrived at Toton for repainting.

Disposal...
The remains of 56132, stored from Immingham and the WGAN pool in January 2000, have been disposed of at Booth's Rotherham. As far as can be ascertained its disposal was completed in the last few days, RIP.

And now...
Following on from yesterday's entry regarding the Traincrew website and their interesting entry on the drop down menu list. The site was amended this morning and the entry, which for those of you who missed it was for First EWS, has been removed but the people at the Traincrew website have posted a note regarding this which hopefully clears that one up.

So moving on to today's little item of interest, again regarding First, EWS and all this speculation. It has been pointed out, thanks James, that if you care to follow the link to www.firstfreight.co.uk  the widely rumoured name for this alleged merger, then you will se that the link forwards you to the main First Group home page. Having done a WHOIS report on the URL all that can be discovered is that the domain in question appears to be newly registered in that having being set up in the last few weeks there are to date no database records for it. The plot thickens, or does it...?

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