Powerscene
CLASS 20
ON April 7, the BR blue pairing of Nos. 20189+20205 hauled the 5Z19/07.01 Eastleigh-Victoria empty stock ‘tailed’ by No. 73962 in preparation for a GB Railfreight staff wedding special which set off from the London terminus after midday. The train was initially routed via Barnes, the North London Line to Barking and London Gateway and later back to Liverpool Street, Temple Mills, Bowes Park, Finsbury Park and King’s Cross. The following day, all three locomotives were noted running light from Eastleigh Works to Tonbridge.
Another blue pairing, that of Nos. 20096+20107, ‘top and tailed’ London Underground stock movements towards the end of the month along with Nos. 20311+20314. The quartet handled the 7X08/16.09 Chaddesden-Banbury on April 24 with ‘S’ Stock sets Nos. 21397/98, the 7X10/01.26 Banbury-Chaddesden (April 26) with sets Nos. 21461/62 and, early next day, took Nos. 21391/92 from Banbury to West Ruislip.
The colourful duo of Nos. 20007 (green) and 20142 (London Transport maroon) ran from Butterley to Leicester on April 4 and the following morning, ‘top and tailed’ with No. 47813 on the 5E43/05.30 to Ely Papworth with barrier coaches and Mk.3 coaches Nos. 42072, 42252 and 42253 prior to running light to the Nene Valley Railway. The two Type 1s returned to Leicester before heading to West Ruislip on April 12.
CLASS 33
TAKING to the national network for the first time since last September, No. 33012 Lt Jenny Lewis RN ‘tailed’ the 5Z42/12.20 Swanage-Yeovil Junction via Weymouth on April 13. The empty coaches were hauled by former Southern Railway U Class 2-6-0 No. 31806 undergoing a test run in preparation for its use on the ‘Great Britain XI’ tour later in the month. The return trip, the 5Z43/17.00 from Yeovil Junction, was also routed via Weymouth.
No. 33012 was out again on April 22, running light from Swanage to Eastleigh Yard and thence to West Ruislip the next day. On April 29, along with London Underground’s 4-TC set and Type 1s Nos. 20142+20227, the ‘Crompton’ worked the 1Z33/10.22 Harrow-on-the-Hill to Quainton Road via
