News Archive: June 2009

 

30/06/09

31423 & 56021...
After detaching 66841 at Derby last night 20901 and 20905 continued north with 31423 and 56021 (both MRLS) in tow which have since been deposited at Thomsons, Stockton.

T419...
37419 (WFMU) has been released from Wigan to Crewe EMD via Warrington for load bank tests.

08943...
Former Crewe Works pilot 08943 has been purchased by HNRC.

29/06/09

DBS notes...
08844 at Bescot along with 08897 and 08904 at Doncaster Carr have been stored, all three to WNTS from WSSN.
37419 (WFMU) has been assigned for transfer from Wigan to Crewe EMD for load bank tests although it has been suffering from a loss of power fault which has delayed its departure from Springs Branch.
Recently reinstated 60061 has been returned to store WNTS, it was en route to Toton from South Wales today, whilst 60096, itself only stored last week and a recent arrival at Toton from Bescot, has been reinstated to WCBI.
On the GM front further changes within the active fleet sees 66007 66094 66109 66140 66153 66155 and 66189 being returned to service, all reinstated to their relevant WB** pool allocations from WNTR, whilst 66004 66013 66016 66024 (again) 66048 66081 66119 66148 66206 66230 66232 66237 and 66238 have been stored WNTR at Toton and 67027 is now stored WNTR at Crewe EMD. 67012 (WNTR) is still in traffic allocated to its storage pool.
Several of the Class 66s in this latest round of storages had been stopped and allocated to the WFMU pool, others had been taken directly from service. A WFMU survey this afternoon shows that it currently has no Class 66s allocated, only 37419 37670 90035 and 92003 were allocated, thus the DBS Class 66 active fleet is returning an availability figure of 100%. Discounting the 60 Class 66s allocated to the WBEN 'Euroshed' venture of the remaining 190 DBS Class 66s 26 locomotives are currently allocated to the WNTR storage pool (in all probability vice WFMU) leaving 164 in traffic and, if factored in, the fleet is currently returning an availability figure of 86.32%.

Disposal...
Its disposal being completed during last week 31166 stored in January 1999 has been scrapped at Thomsons, Stockton, RIP.

DRS convoy...
Continuing south today from Crewe Gresty Bridge to Eastleigh Works were 37261 (XHSS) 47709 and 47841 (both XHHP) behind 37612 as far as Leamington where 37605, which was also in the consist and evidently fixed after its failure at Carnforth last week, was run round to take the convoy through to Eastleigh.

Advenza convoy & HNRC notes...
66841 has brought 20901 20905 (both HNRL) 31423 and 56021 (both MRLS) out of Long Marston this afternoon and at the time of writing were en route north via Derby. Whilst the Class 20s are going on hire to Advenza 31423 and 56021 are destined to go to Thomsons, Stockton as part of a deal which sees them being traded to Advenza who in turn have weighed them in with Thomsons. HNRC are now (most pleased to announce) the owners of 47810 and 47813 which like 47818 will be available for hire back by Cotswold Rail / Advenza as required. 47810 and 47813 will shortly be transferred to the HNRL pool along with 47818 which was recently incorrectly transferred to HNRS.

Extra 73s for GBRf...
73141 73212 and 73213 have transferred from Network Rail to GBRf, the trio having being reallocated from QAED to GBED.

Wensleydale 47s...
Further to the earlier cancellation of a diesel bash on the Wensleydale it has been advised that two Class 47s will be running next weekend... "The Wensleydale Diesel Traction Group are running 47715 and 47703 on the 4th and now also on the 5th of July. Standard timetable and fares. 47715 is working the first and last train with 47703 on the midday service."

26/06/09

HNRC notes...
It has been advised that the insurers dealing with 47145 (HNRS) have authorised repairs and recovery from Stockton is now on the cards. Meanwhile at Barrow Hill HNRC are, as ever, pleased to announce that 37197 (XHHP) is up and running and was utilised today to shunt 37409 into the shed.

66842...
Advenza Freight's second Class 66 has emerged from Springburn, 66842 (ADFL) running south from Glasgow to Stoke light engine today.

25/06/09

Squad rotation...
60061 has been reinstated to WCAI from WNTR at Toton whilst 60040 at Toton, stopped a few days ago, and 60096 at Bescot, assigned for movement to Toton, have been stored, both WNTS. 60021 (WNTS) has been moved up from Margam to Toton. 66024 66145 and 66198 are reinstated, all from WNTR to WBAN, swapping with 66141 and 66155 which are now WNTR at Toton. 67012 (still WNTR) has been released back into traffic from Crewe EMD.

DRS convoy...
37261 (XHSS) 47709 and 47841 (both XHHP) have been deposited at Crewe Gresty Bridge. They are assigned for movement to Eastleigh.

24/06/09

DRS convoy...
37261 (XHSS) 47709 and 47841 (both XHHP) have been brought south from Carlisle today, initially behind 37605 which failed at Carnforth, then on to Crewe behind 66424. Reports suggest these are Eastleigh bound although earlier indications had 37261 and 47709 as being destined to go to RVE for attention which would suggest, if this is still the plan, Derby as being their destination.

Shed 402...
66402 (SBXL) was hauled from Wembley to St Leonards yesterday by 66702. Use with GBRf has been mooted.

Dutch 58s...
It transpires that the three Class 58s in Holland, 58038 58039 and 58044, latterly on hire to ACTS are not returning to the UK before use in France and are being prepared for France in Holland. 58038, the former ACTS 5814, has been repainted from Vos Logistics into ETF yellow.

Boston & Liverpool...
56312 didn't work into Boston as per plan yesterday, the facilities at Boston are not quite ready yet, whilst 59204 was brought north yesterday for the Liverpool trials which went ahead this morning. Although 59204 managed to lift the train out of LBT it was with 'a little less grace' than when a Class 60 is employed.

MTU...
Network Rail's 43013 (QCAR) was released from re-engineering at Brush Traction yesterday.

22/06/09

DBS changes...
60059 is back, reinstated to WCBI following repairs at Toton. Also returning to service are 66020 66030 and 66121, reinstated to the WB** pools from WNTR at Toton swapping places with 66024 66058 66069 66127 and 66192 which are now stopped, all WNTR at Toton.

21/06/09

Bones away...
58005 58026 and 58035 (all WZFF) have, arriving on the Continent sometime yesterday, been despatched through to France.

Shunter notes...
08904 (WSSN), noted heading north on a low loader on the M5 near Gloucester on the 17th, has been taken to Doncaster Carr. 08879 (WNTR) which has latterly been listed as located at Toton is actually at Eastleigh, or at least it is now having being sighted there recently.

Dollands Moor report...
Noted in and around Dollands Moor on the 20th; 92007 and 92026 (both WTAE) with vans, 92030 (WTAE) on the Scunthorpe steel empties whilst 92013 and 92017 (both WTAE) were to be found on loaded out bound steel working from Scunthorpe. Parked up was 92022 (WTAE) whilst 92003 and 92001 (both WTAE) were sat at the head of a rake of open wagons, ZCAs etc. 66144 and 66037 were present along with 58005 58026 and 58035 (all WZFF) awaiting transfer through to France.

LNWR 86s...
Developments of a disposal nature are afoot for the four stored Freightliner Class 86s at Crewe LNWR; 86602 86623 86633 and 86635 (all DHLT).

LBT 59...
Pencilled in to take place on the morning of the 24th (Wednesday) DBS are going to be running a second trial utilising a Class 59 on the Fiddlers Ferry coal circuit.

Boston 56...
23rd and 24th (Tuesday, Wednesday) with 56312 allocated.

19/06/09

DBS changes...
60096 has now been reinstated, to WCBI from WNTR, it was already out and about, however 60059 and 60074 have been stored, both WNTS. 08578 at Doncaster has been stored WNTS whilst 67012 has been stored WNTR at Crewe swapping places with 67026, which is again reinstated, back to WAAN. 66007 and 66121 are stopped WNTR at Toton exchanging with 66018 and 66125 which are reinstated to WBAM and WBAN respectively.

Bone 035...
58035 (WZFF) has been released for transfer to France. Towed from Eastleigh to Wembley in the consist of today's 6M44 service it has since been forwarded to Dollands Moor where it joins 58005 and 58026 (both WZFF) awaiting transfer across to the Continent.

DRS changes...
47832 has been reinstated to XHNC from store at Crewe Gresty Bridge whilst 20304 and 20307 at Eastleigh Works have been transferred to XHSS.

Register...
31166, in the process of being cut up, and two ghosts on the system; 37704 recently broken up at Thomsons, and 47475 scrapped at Stockton March last year, have been deleted from the system.

RAJV...
The former Regional Railways Inverness Infrastructure pool has been reactivated, although it is no longer the same, it is now for the registered Bo'ness diesel fleet. Reallocated to RAJV, all from MBDL, are 20020 25235 26004 26024 27001 27005 37025 37175 37403 and 47643. The three Class 37s allocated, 37025 37175 and 37403, along with 37413 which is allocated to FAMT, another old pool resurrected, are to be returned to mainline running.

18/06/09

Tugs...
60011 has been reinstated to WCAK and returned to active duties.

More Choppers to Eastleigh...
20304 (XHNC) took 20307 (XHNC) and 20315 (XHSS) from Crewe to Eastleigh Works today. This development leaves DRS without any useable Class 20s as 20303 (XHNC) is broken, 20302 at Kingmoor and 20311 at Gresty Bridge are stored whilst the rest of the fleet; 20301 20305 20306 20308 20309 20310 20312 20313 and 20314, are already at Eastleigh.

Disposal...
08775, stored from Bescot and WSSF in May 2008, has been disposed of at Booths, Rotherham, RIP.

31s for the chop...
At Booths, Rotherham 31415 (NRLS) has now been unloaded and, not surprisingly considering how little remains of it, has been dumped directly into the cutting area. Up at Thomsons, Stockton the scrapping of 31166 has begun.

Dispatch...
58005 and 58026 (both WZFF) have been moved down to Dollands Moor from Wembley for transfer through to France. Whilst 58026 is in TSO yellow livery - all the Class 58s sent across so far have been in TSO - 58005 is ETF yellow, all over yellow like the TSO scheme but with a green body side stripe and ETF branding on the cabs.

Wensleydale bash cancelled...
Due to only having 47715 available this weekend's proposed diesel bash, it had been planned to have 03144 20166 and 47703 in action alongside 47715, has been cancelled / deferred. "Despite lots of effort 47703 is unavailable this weekend so we have had to make a decision to cancel the loco hauled trains on the WR as with on 47715 available we have no back up in case of difficulty. We hope to be running locos again for our 6 year anniversary on July 4th."

17/06/09

Tugs...
60011 (now WNTR vice WNTS) has been stopped at Bescot awaiting a tow to Toton from where 60096 (WNTR) has been returned to traffic working last night's 6V68 from the East Midlands to South Wales.

31166...
47828, now part of the Advenza Freight fleet now that DRS have taken over at Norwich, and 57006 arrived on the Wensleydale last night to collect 31166 (CROL). Today 31166 was escorted from the Wensleydale to Thomsons, Stockton.

Dispatch...
Today's 66050 hauled 6M44 from Eastleigh to Wembley conveyed 58005 and 58026 (both WZFF) released for dispatch to France.

16/06/09

DBS changes...
08405 at Toton and 08888 recently returned to use at Ketton have been reinstated, to WSSN and WSSK respectively. 08784 displaced from Ketton by 08888 has been stored WNTS at Toton. 66079 is reinstated from Toton, reallocating to WBAN from WNTR however 66109 66124 66137 and 66140 have been stored at Toton, all WNTR. Also stored are 67026, WNTR at Crewe EMD, and 92034, WNTS at Crewe EMD.

15/06/09

Tugs...
60013 has been reinstated to the WCBI pool from WNTR, it remained in traffic whilst allocated to WNTR, whilst 60011 (WNTS) is still out and about.

14/06/09

47145...
Collected from Doncaster 47145 (HNRS) was hauled up to Darlington, via a stop off at York to return some wagons, by 66841 yesterday and has been tripped to Thomsons, Stockton today. 47145 has not been released by the insurers yet so its demise is not imminent, that said, its current location is far from ideal...

Flame cut number panels auction...
Booths have several flame cut number panels from recently scrapped locomotives available and are selling these off by auction. Further details on the Booths / Rolling Stock Components web site.

12/06/09

DBS swaps...
66135 and 66204 are reinstated from WNTR at Toton swapping with 66153 and 66198 which are now stopped WNTR at Toton.

Ped developments...
The shell of 31415 (NRLS) has been transported by road from Barrow Hill to Booths, Rotherham today whilst Cotswold Rail have re-registered 31166 and allocated it to the CROL pool. 31188, scrapped September last year but re-registered to CREL late March this year has been de-registered again.

DRS convoy...
57002 (XHHP), in convoy with 66423 and 37423, has been moved down from Kingmoor to Crewe Gresty Bridge this afternoon.

11/06/09

DBS 08s...
08786 (WNTS) and 08897 (WSSN) have, after transfer from Wembley to Acton, been transported to Doncaster Carr by road.

DBS 58s...
Following on from yesterday's transfer via 6M44 of 58018 (WZFF) from Eastleigh to Wembley it has been forwarded to Dollands Moor and on through to France.

DBS 60s...
Although both are still in active traffic 60011 and 60013 have been stored, WNTS and WNTR respectively.

DBS 66s...
66054 66169 and 66174 have been reinstated from WNTS at Toton to the WB active pools swapping places with 66020 66125 and 66145 which are now WNTR at Toton. The rest of the stored Class 66s; 66018 66019 66030 66079 66094 66112 66133 66135 66160 66189 66196 66204 and 66227 have been reallocated en masse from the WNTS storage pool to the WNTR storage pool.

DBS 67s...
67003 has been reinstated from store at Crewe EMD to WAAN but 67028 has been returned to store, back to WNTS, at Crewe EMD. 67022 (WNTS) has now arrived at Crewe EMD.

DRS...
20309 and 20314 at Eastleigh have now been reallocated to the XHSS storage pool whilst 57003 has been reinstated to XHNC from store at Crewe Gresty Bridge.

70s...
Class 70 is by all accounts going to be used for Freightliner's Project Genesis / Powerhaul locomotives currently being constructed.

47s on the road...
47767 (NRLS) has been moved up from Allely's at Studley by road to Booths, Rotherham swapping places this afternoon with 47375 which has been taken out to Barrow Hill. The trailer should be returning to Rotherham tomorrow with the gutted remains of 31415 from Barrow Hill.

10/06/09

T197...
For repairs and a return to mainline standards by HNRC at Barrow Hill 37197 (XHHP) has been brought up, 37087 being provided, from Brush Traction at Loughborough.

Bone 18...
58018 (WZFF) has been released from Eastleigh and was taken to Wembley in the consist of today's 6M44 behind 66193.

09/06/09

37077 & 37377 delivered...
Following transportation up by road from Southampton 37077 and 37377 have been deposited at Booths, Rotherham.

DBS changes...
After arriving at Crewe EMD as per assignment 67028 has been reinstated to the WAAN pool but three more Class 66s have been removed from the operating fleet with the transfer to WNTS of 66030 66133 and 66135. All three are at Toton.

47145...
Its future still in the hands of the insurers after being raided for metal whilst out-stationed at Gloucester 47145 (HNRS) has been brought north today to Doncaster and has been parked in the West Yard sidings adjacent to Wabtec. It is likely to end up at Stockton.

08/06/09

37077 & 37377 on their way...
Dragged by rail from Eastleigh to Southampton Eastern Docks this morning 37077 and 37377 (both WNSO) have been loaded to road transport for movement north to Rotherham. They were noted in the Didcot area en route by tea time.

Disposal...
The scrapping of 37704 (HNRS) has been completed at Thomsons, Stockton. 37704 was stored from Toton and the WKSN pool in October 2003, RIP.

47540...
At Heanor, Langley Mill 47540 has now been unloaded onto a track panel. Besides a one way trip to Rotherham salvation on either the Wensleydale Railway or the Battlefield Line has been mooted...

Ketton...
With 08784 (WSSK) away to Toton for attention 08888 (WNTS) has been brought down from Doncaster as cover.

A few ghosts exorcised...
Missed 08642 (Jun 2006 Booths) but several DHLT allocated Class 47s and Class 86s, many of which are no longer with us but until now still showing as extant on the system, have been de-registered. Besides 47270 on the Nene Valley Railway, 47292 at Ruddington and 47370 recently transported to Thomsons, Stockton long time scrapped 47197 (Jan 2008 Thomsons) 47224 (Oct 2007 HNRC, Crewe LNWR) 47279 (Aug 2007 Thomsons) 47302 (Aug 2007 Thomsons) 47303 (Dec 2007 Thomsons) and 47358 (Mar 2009 Thomsons) along with 86603 (Nov 2005 Booths) 86611 (Feb 2005 HNRC, Crewe Works) and 86615 (Jul 2007 Hulls) have been deleted.

DRS trio reinstated...
37038 37218 and 37602, all three of which have been back in active service for a few weeks, have now been reinstated to the XHNC pool from XHSS. 

06/06/09

DBS changes...
Sidelined at Wigan CRDC (or should the depot be referred to as Springs Branch again these days?) since failing with a serious engine malfunction almost two months ago 37406 has now been stored WNXX swapping places with 37419 - currently undergoing repairs at Wigan after being dragged up from Old Oak Common - which has now been reinstated to the WFMU pool.
60065 has been stopped and stored WNTS at Toton whilst 60019 has been reinstated to the WFMU pool.
Two more Class 66s have been stored with 66018 and 66019 being reallocated to WNTS at Toton. One benefit of the placement of thirteen Class 66s into store is that the WFMU allocation is now greatly reduced, WFMU comprises just three Class 66s at the moment - 66037 66061 and 66177.
67026, one of the four stored a few days ago but one of the two that had remained in active service, has been reinstated to the WAAN pool in exchange for 67028 which has been stopped at Tyne, stored WNTS and assigned for movement to Crewe EMD.
Lastly 92031 is back (again) having been reinstated to the WFMU pool from WNTS.

66582 / 66583...
Poland bound 66582 and 66583 (both DFHG) have been despatched abroad.

05/06/09

Exports...
With regards to several locomotives leaving the UK in recent days it has been ascertained that 86250 (EPXX) sailed on May 31st after transfer across from Crewe by road transfer the same day. 58007 and 58011 (both WZFF) are now in France, they arrived on the Continent in the early hours of yesterday morning following transfer to Dollands Moor via Wembley. Lastly Poland bound 66582 and 66583 (both DFHG) were collected from Immingham yesterday, loaded to road transport for despatch, and, pending confirmation of their departure, should be on the continent by now.

T510...
37510 has now been reinstated to the XHNC pool.

Crash test dummy #3...
Following in the footsteps of 46009 and 31107 another locomotive has been utilised for crash testing. 86258 (SAXL) at Long Marston, it has been painted specially for the tests on one side, was used mid May for a trial which involved the propulsion of a Mk 2 into it. 86258, relatively unscathed by all accounts, is the donor locomotive for the FLOYD Class 86 export program and is destined for scrapping anyway hence its selection for this role.

03/06/09

DBS notes...
The Class 60 fleet was reduced by two at the end of May with the storage of 60018 and 60096, WNTS and WNTR respectively, at Toton. The Class 66 fleet has been reduced further with the storage of 66094 and 66189 at Toton and as with the other 66s already removed from the operational fleet these two were already stopped WFMU. 67003 and 67023 (both WNTS) have arrived at Crewe but 67022 and 67026 (both WNTS) are still on ECML thunderbird duties. It should be pointed out that most if not all of the Class 66s and Class 67s recently transferred to the storage pools are undergoing repairs and / or exams, even up to F exam level as has been authorised for 67023 for example, and will be back into service in due course. Recently reinstated 92031 has been returned to store WNTS at Crewe EMD. It didn't make it back into traffic.

T510...
37510 (XHHP) has been released back into traffic from Crewe Gresty Bridge.

Bones on the move...
58007 and 58011 (both WZFF) have been released from Eastleigh, to Wembley today for forwarding to Dollands Moor etc.

02/06/09

Cull...
DBS have taken nine Class 66s and five Class 67s out of the operational fleet with the storage, all transferring to the WNTS pool, of 66054 66079 66112 66160 66169 66174 66196 66204 and 66227 along with 67003 67020 67022 67023 and 67026. Whilst all of the Class 66s are stopped at Toton, all nine had been allocated to the WFMU pool, of the 67s only 67020 is stopped, at Crewe EMD. 67003 67022 67023 and 67026 are still in service with assignments to join 67020 at Crewe EMD. 67003 and 67023 were at Warrington this morning whilst 67022 and 67026 are / were the Doncaster and Newcastle thunderbird locomotives.

Convoy...
Another batch of DRS Class 20s have run south to Eastleigh Works today. Running as 0Z86 20306 and 20308 (both XHSS) hauled 20310 20312 and 20313 (all XHSS) south from Carlisle. With regards to the remaining DRS Class 20s only 20303 and 20304 (both XHNC) see regular use. 20309 and 20314 (both XHNC) have also been despatched to Eastleigh Works whilst 20307 (XHNC) remains dumped out of use at Gresty Bridge even though it was reinstated to the XHNC pool in April when 20308 was stored.

Locked away...
66401 66402 66403 66404 and 66405 (all SBXL) have been taken inside at Willesden PRDC for secure storage.

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