Tugs...
60022 has been stored WNTR at Toton swapping places in the active fleet with 60024 which has been reinstated to WCAN from WNTR at Toton. 60096 (WNTR) has now been stopped at Toton where 60013 (WNTR) has arrived at from Scunthorpe, shunting duties at Scunthorpe now being undertaken by 60071 (WNTR) which has been moved up from Toton.

Goneski...
66625 (now DHLT) has left the UK, currently it is in Germany en route to Poland.

37425...
Following repairs at Crewe EMD 37425 (now back in WKBN after briefly being returned to WFMU) has entered traffic partnering 37401 on today's Warrington to Holyhead and return to Warrington RTZ workings.

Deferrals...
A couple of items deferred until a later date. 20901 and 20905 (both MOLO) have not yet left Barrow Hill to join 20189 and 20227 for the LU stock transfer moves, that said the rest of the transfers aren't scheduled to get underway until January 2010, meanwhile the road transfer of 56128 from Wansford to Washwood Heath didn't go ahead in the past week as originally planned and is to be re-arranged.

70001 & 70002...
After staff familiarisation at Midland Road and Lawley Street the Class 70 assigned to Freightliner Intermodal, Heavy Haul are to get the other, looks set to start work hauling the 4L69 and 4M93 (correction, it did say 4M73) services between Lawley St. and Felixstowe.

66124...
Next for the Stobart treatment 66124 (WFMU) has been stopped at Toton for painting.

37425...
It's back, sort of. 37425 (now WKBN) was released from repairs at Crewe EMD as far as Crewe station from where it was returned to the EMD. It has a speedometer fault which shouldn't take too long to sort out.

Toton shunters...
08742 (WSSN) has arrived at Toton by road from Doncaster meanwhile 08495 (WNTR), one of the newly remote control equipment fitted Class 08s, has been noted undergoing remote control tests at Toton.

The scrap yard beckons...
At Long Marston 20215 (HNRS) is being readied for removal from site for disposal.

47810...
At Barrow Hill former Cotswold Rail liveried 47810 (HNRL) has been out-shopped in DRS colours.

WBSN...
Changes to the WBSN sandite fleet see 66086 and 66161 being transferred out of the fleet whilst 66098 66156 66177 and 66198 have been added.

Bart...
92017 (WTAE) has emerged from the paint facility at Toton in Stobart livery. It has been named 'Bart the Engine'.

GBRf convoy...
66843 66844 (both GBRT) and 66410 (SBXL) ran from Wembley to St Leonards this afternoon.

Dispatch...
Not picked up earlier was the transfer from Eastleigh to Wembley on the 22nd of 58021 (WZFF) and its subsequent despatch through to France. The departure of 58021 leaves only 58006 (WZFF) to go.

Tugs...
60049 (WNTR) has been stopped at Toton whilst 60096 (WNTR) is still out and about.

08809...
Noted leaving the A55 near Shotton on a low loader yesterday 08809 (CREL) has been transported over from Allely's, Studley. 

Tugs...
Several Class 60s have been stored, all WNTR. As far as can be ascertained 60049 and 60096 are still in active traffic whilst 60024 and 60059 have been stopped at Toton. 60013 is stored WNTR at Scunthorpe, most likely on super shunter duties. 60048 60071 and 60094, three of the four Class 60s reinstated to WFMU about a week ago, have been returned to WNTR. These changes leave twenty Class 60s allocated to the WC** pool allocations.

66843 & 66844...
Both are back in traffic. 66843 (GBRT) went north on the 22nd with a GBRf FGW stock move from Old Oak Common to Kilmarnock, returning the following day, before venturing out to Laira. In top and tail mode with 31190 at the weekend 66844 (GBRT) took part on the Buffer Puffer tour (has been referred to as the Ped and Shed tour) around the London area.

WBSN...
66122 and 66159 have been reallocated out of the WBSN sandite pool whilst 67001 has been reallocated into WBSN from WAAN.

Offski...
66625 (DFHG) was hauled from Leeds Midland Road to Immingham yesterday by 66547 for export to Poland. This is the first of the /6 series to go to Poland and may later be joined by 66623 and 66624.

Long Marston 87s...
Being readied for shipping to Bulgaria at Long Marston 87021 (SBXL) is completed and awaiting painting whilst 87023 (SBXL) is at an advanced stage. 87004 87013 and 87014 (all SBXL), delayed awaiting paperwork, should be on their way by road for shipping, in the coming fortnight.

Road transfers pending...
Two locomotive movements due to take place shortly feature 08809 (CREL) from Studley to Shotton, this one appears to have been sold now, whilst 56128 is due to be transported from the Nene Valley Railway to Washwood Heath.

Powerhaulers on the horizon...
70001 and 70002 have sailed and are due at Newport early November. A picture of one of the 70s being loaded can be viewed here.

/587...
Several Class 08s are undergoing attention, various exams etc. with the code /587 in place which is understood to be whilst DBS equip a batch of shunters with remote control equipment. All are at Toton, allocated to either WFMU, WNTR or WNTS.

08495 WNTR Toton C/587 expected ok 30/10
08605 WFMU Toton N/587 expected ok 30/10
08701 WNTR Toton E/587 expected ok 31/10
08706 WNTR Toton N/587 expected ok 06/11
08757 WNTR Toton E/587 expected ok 30/10
08784 WNTS Toton B/587 expected ok 30/10
08804 WNTR Toton E/587 expected ok 26/11
08879 WNTR Toton D/587 expected ok 03/11
08888 WNTR Toton E/587 expected ok 06/11

Tugs...
60009 has been reinstated to WCAK from store at Toton swapping with 60074 which is now stored WNTR. Recently reinstated 60051 has now entered the fray, reallocated from WFMU to WCBN, whilst 60020 and 60061 have been reallocated from WNTR to WNTS.

WNZX...
The sixteen locomotives currently up for sale by DBS; 37203 37415 37428 37684 37698 37890 37893 37896 56033 56048 56056 56068 56079 56116 56118 and 56134 have been reallocated to the WNZX pool. All were formerly allocated to WNXX except for 56048 and 56134 which were WZTS and 56118 which was allocated to WZGF.

WBSN...
66055 has been taken out of the WBSN sandite fleet being replaced by 66078.

66/8s...
66841 and 66842 (both COLO) have run from Willesden to Eastleigh today meanwhile 66843 at Willesden PRDC has been reallocated to the GBRT pool from SBXL.

Colas 66s...
66841 and 66842 at Willesden PRDC have been reinstated to the Colas COLO pool.

DBS 37s...
37425, recently reinstated to the WFMU pool, and 37669 (WNTS) at Toton, currently look to be the only Class 37s on the comeback trail. 37419 has been stored and there is a possibility that 37670 (WFMU), also stopped with a power unit defect, may be about to follow 37419 into the proverbial bin. As far as can be ascertained nothing has been happening with 37422 (WNTS) at Toton or 37521 (WNXX) at Doncaster whilst it looks like 37410 (WNTS) at Marcroft, Stoke is for testing rather than for being tested.

DBS locomotive sales...
Several Class 37s and Class 56s are being offered for sale; 37203 and 37893 at Bescot, 37415 37428 37684 37698 and 37890 at Margam, 56033 56048 56056 56068 56079 56116 and 56134 at Healey Mills along with 56118 at Crewe EMD. Full details and a link to the relevant DBS page can be found in the 'for sale' section.

66843...
Not previously noted was the relocation of 66843 (SBXL) from Longport to Willesden PRDC on the 15th.

DBS Ts...
37410 (WNTS) has been moved up via Warrington from Eastleigh to Marcroft at Stoke for tests. 37419 languishing at Crewe EMD since succumbing to the climb up Beattock some weeks ago is now stored WNTS swapping places with 37425 which has been reinstated to WFMU from WNTS at Crewe EMD.

Tugs...
60048 60051 (for the second time this month for these two) along with 60071 and 60094, all at Toton, have been reinstated to the WFMU pool from either WNTR or WNTS.

Disposal...
The demolition of 37377, stored from Crewe Diesel and the WKAD pool back in December 2001, was completed at Booths, Rotherham towards the latter part of last week, RIP.

WBSN...
66127 has been reallocated out of the WBSN fleet to WBAN swapping places with 66161 which has been added to the sandite pool.

DBS shunters...
08653 at Warrington and 08735 at Doncaster Carr (?) have been stored WNTR.

DRS 37...
37682 at Carlisle Kingmoor has been stored XHHP.

ETL 86s...
Out on test running between Crewe and Stafford before heading off south to Willesden 86701 and 86702 (both ETLO) have been released into traffic. Loaded tests with the Cargo D set are taking place today before the pair are deployed either end of a private charter booked to run on the ECML this weekend.

More 86s for Floyd...
Floyd, the Hungarian operator who have taken two Class 86s, are to take more Class 86s in the new year. Although many details remain to be finalised the total number to go over to join 86248 and 86250 in Hungary may run into double figures.

Register...
37198 has been re-registered and allocated to the MBDL pool.

66841...
Having crossed over from Doncaster to Warrington during the night 66841 (GBRT) ran south to Wembley this morning.

47270 & 50008...
Although work commitments mean that 47270 (now HTLX) cannot attend this weekend's gala on the East Lancashire Railway it has been there today to deposit 50008 (MBDL) which is now to attend. This is a return to the ELR for 50008 as it was once based there and a reunion with 50015 as it and 50008, in the latter years of the Class in traffic with BR, were for a while the nominated charter pair.

LU choppers...
Not quite to plan. Only 20189 (MOLO) left Barrow Hill yesterday to the MRC to collect 20227 (MOLO), paperwork issues delaying the despatch of 20901 and 20905 (both MOLO), these should follow on next week. 20189 and 20227 ran to Old Dalby yesterday in readiness to work a stock move, the first of many by all accounts, from there to London today. Coded as 8X09 the transfer was to have departed Old Dalby, today's train being cancelled, at 11:42 heading south via Leicester 13:07, Bardon Hill 14:09 - 15:12, Elford 17:19 - 18:10, Tyseley 19:22, Leamington Spa 20:41, Banbury 21:41 - 22:23, Aylesbury 23:57 - 00:05 then Amersham at 00:39.

20139 / 2003...
It has been decided to break up one of the three Class 20s at Goodman's, Wishaw for spares. 20139, deemed the worst of the three on site, has been chosen.

Tugs...
60009 60048 and 60051 have been stored WNTR at Toton. Whilst 60009 had been in traffic allocated to the WCBM pool 60048 and 60051 hadn't made it out from Toton since being reinstated to the WFMU pool a few days ago. 

66841...
DBS are tasked with the movement of this one, 66841 (GBRT) being recovered from Shipley to Doncaster for forwarding to Wembley.

LU choppers...
Four Class 20s are booked to run south tomorrow for test use on the London Underground, 20901 and 20905 along with 20189 from Barrow Hill picking up 20227 from the MRC en route. All four have been reallocated from variously HNRL or MBDL to the MOLO pool.

N/PNT...
66124 (WBAN) out and about today, and 92017 (WTAE) already at Toton, are assigned to receive repaints.

DBS 37s...
Whilst 37401 (WKBN) soldiers on, 37670 (WKBN) is sidelined at Warrington awaiting transfer, it suffered an engine malfunction a few days ago just north of Preston, whist 37419 (WFMU) currently at Crewe EMD is to be taken across to Doncaster Carr.

Bulgarian 87s...
87004 87013 and 87014 (all SBXL) are, once shipping has been re-arranged, to be loaded and transported by road directly from Long Marston.

Long Marston returnees...
87004 87013 and 87014 (all SBXL) completed their move back to Long Marston yesterday following their overnight stop over at Worcester.

47270...
Not quite to plan yesterday, but a success all the same, 31190 being in tow as insurance vice 56311 and only running to Stafford vice Crewe following a last minute return to Washwood Heath for a minor repair, 47270 (DHLT) has been cleared to return to mainline use. Today it was at the head of a convoy of locomotives from the Nene Valley Railway, conveying 50008 to Washwood Heath and returning 31271 and 45133 to the Midland Railway Centre.

Toton arrivals...
A convoy into Toton this afternoon from Bescot had 60094 (WNTS) and 92017 (WTAE), initially from Crewe, in the consist. Whilst the 60 is probably for repairs the 92 is quite likely to be visiting the paint facility for Stobartisation.

31452...
Released from Derby 31452 is now in BAR (British-American Railways) Green livery.

WBSN...
The DBS Sandite fleet has been increased with the additional reallocations to the WBSN pool of 66007 66053 66055 66063 66086 66087 66097 66122 66133 66167 66181 and 67022. The WBSN fleet disposition earlier today was...

66007 & 66063 Peterborough
66009 & 66134 Didcot
66018 & 66087 3J73 Princes Risborough to Willesden
66023 & 66143 Willesden
66053 & 66055 3S85 Wembley to Broxbourne?
66086 & 66122 York Holgate
66097 Wembley Yard
66106 66108 & 66111 Crewe EMD
66116 & 66153 3S13 Westbury to St Blazey
66127 & 66166 3S61 Margam to Margam
66133 & 66181 Peterborough allocated 3J42
66159 & 66237 3S59 Bristol Barton Hill to Bristol Barton Hill
66167 6A17 Wembley to Bletchley
67004 Inverness allocated 3S95
67022 York Works
67029 Toton

Ex Advenza 66s...
66842 and 66844 (both GBRT) have been moved up to Willesden PRDC and back to store. 66841 (GBRT) is still to be collected from Shipley.

Advenza folds...
At a court hearing today Advenza Freight was issued with a winding up order under the insolvency act 1986.

Back to Long Marston...
87004 87013 and 87014 (all SBXL) have been hauled from Crewe to Worcester, 47839 doing the honours, on the first leg of their return journey to Long Marston.

47270...
Selected times for 47270's test run tomorrow; 0Z47 Washwood Heath 10:00, Walsall 10:54, Stafford 11:43, Crewe 12:37-12:47, Stafford 13:16-14:15, Walsall 15:04, Washwood Heath 16:28.

37377...
A decision has been taken to strip 37377 for spares and it has entered the cutting area at Booths. Its demolition is underway.

43014...
Released from Brush today following fitment with an MTU power unit 43014 (QCAR) was escorted from Loughborough to Derby by 31454 and 31459.

DB sandite fleet review...
The disposition of the WBSN RHTT fleet late this morning...

66005 & 66143 Willesden
66009 & 66134 Didcot
66018 & 66023 Princes Risborough
66106 & 66111 3S71 Bidston to Crewe EMD
66108 Crewe EMD
66116 & 66153 3S13 Westbury to St Blazey
66127 & 66166 3S61 Margam to Margam
66159 & 66237 3S59 Barton Hill to Barton Hill
67004 Inverness
67029 Toton

66842...
Running as 0Z66 66842 (GBRT) ran light engine from Cardiff to Wembley today.

Ex Advenza 66s...
The three Class 66s hired by Advenza have been taken back by Porterbrook. 66841 66842 and 66844 at Shipley, Cardiff and Tilbury respectively were reallocated from ADFL to the SBXL Porterbrook storage pool this morning. By this afternoon the trio had again reallocated, from SBXL to GBRT, to facilitate their collection and movement to Wembley. 66844 has been collected from Tilbury today and taken to Wembley, 66715 and 66401 being utilised for this move. 47237 47828 57005 and 57006 remain allocated to the ADFL pool.

DBS 37s, not sandite...
37401 has been reallocated from the WBSN pool to WKBN, along with 37670 which is back from maintenance at Doncaster Carr and WFMU. DBS have gained dispensation to run Class 67s over the Yorkshire circuit and Class 66s look set to be doing the Cambrian job.

DBS 66s and WBSN...
66126 and 66160 have been reinstated from WNTR at Toton, all the fleet are in traffic now. The WBSN sandite pool has had 66005 66018 and 66143 added to it but 66206 67003 and 67026 have been reallocated out from the pool.

92038...
Latterly being utilised for driver training between Dollands Moor and London in advance of Europorte 92s being utilised on a freight flow to Daventry, 92038 has been reallocated back to the PTXX pool from GBRT.

DB 37s, sandite or not...?
Whilst 37401 has been returned to the WBSN sandite pool from WFMU and 37670 (currently WFMU) being worked on at Doncaster Carr has had its air horns relocated to the bonnet end like 37401 there has been a lot of conjecture doing the rounds that DBS have considered / are pulling the plug on using the type on the RHTT circuits. It is / was planned to have two diagrams using Class 37s, one based on the Ilkley and Sheffield area, this being the one with restricted clearances for which 37401 and 37670 are being prepared for, and the other being the Cambrian lines for which 37419 (WFMU) and 37425 (WNTS) at Crewe were, once repaired, likely to appear on. This situation should become clearer in the next few days...

Interesting snippets for the coming week...
To go back to Long Marston from Crewe the transfer of 87004 87013 and 87014 (all SBXL) is pencilled in for Crewe to Worcester on the 7th (Wednesday) for forwarding on to Long Marston the following day at where they are to be stored pending re-arrangement of their despatch. The return to the mainline of 47270 (DHLT) is set to take place on the 8th (Thursday) with a test run from Washwood Heath to Crewe and back being planned. 56311 is to go along as insurance.

Advenza fleet review...
In light of mounting speculation that Advenza are in trouble a fleet report...

47237 ADFL Gloucester, arrived mid June, out of use
47828 ADFL Doncaster West Yard, arrived mid July, out of traffic
57005 ADFL Cardiff Central
57006 ADFL Heaton, arrived 02/10/09 with 43080 from Loughborough
66841 ADFL Shipley, arrived 01/10/09 on 6V66
66842 ADFL Cardiff Central, arrived 01/10/09 on 0Z50 from Tidal
66844 ADFL Tilbury, arrived 25/09/09, underwent maintenance until 29/09/09

DBS shunters...
Five of the seven Class 08s reinstated to WFMU mid September have been returned to store, 08664 at Doncaster,08701 at Toton, 08711 at Doncaster, 08804 at Toton and 08921 at Wigan, all to WNTR. 08605 is still WFMU whilst 08886, the seventh, was recently reallocated from WFMU to WSSN. In addition to these 08706 at Toton and 08907 at Bescot have also been stored, both WNTR.

DBS 37...
After a brief spell allocated to the WBSN sandite pool 37401 has been transferred back to WFMU.

Tugs...
60048 and 60051 from store at Toton along with 60096, recently moved across to Toton following storage at Warrington a few days ago, have been reinstated, all to the WFMU pool.

DBS 66s...
The WNTR storage allocation has been reduced from 24 to just two DBS Class 66s following the reinstatement today of 22 Class 66s, most of which - 66005 66012 66013 66034 66053 66055 66063 66070 66086 66113 66118 66128 66135 66149 66161 66163 66172 66175 66207 and 66238 - have been reallocated from WNTR to the WFMU pool. 66168 has been reinstated to the main WB** pool group whilst 66023 and 66206 are reinstated to the WBSN sandite pool which has has been further expanded with the addition of 66108 66111 66127 66159 and 66166 reallocated from the WB** pool group. These changes leave just 66126 and 66160 in store WNTR at Toton.

GBRf 66...
66410 has been returned to Porterbrook and is back in store SBXL with the others at the PRDC.

Skips...
67018 at Toton and 67025 at Crewe EMD have been reinstated to the WFMU pool.

GBRf 73...
73209 at St Leonards has been stored GBZZ.

Bulgarian 87s...
87004 87013 and 87014 at currently at Crewe LNWR are to be returned to Long Marston, a shipping issue has been cited. It had been planned for the trio to be moved to Rugby yesterday for forwarding by road transport.

top  |  September 2009  |  news archives  |  wnxx