Operations
CLASS 91 No. 91113 arrived at Doncaster’s platform 8 on February 24 hauling the 08.30 King’s Cross-Edinburgh service. It was 15 minutes late because of ‘electrical problems in the London area’. A further announcement stated“the train would be held due to signalling problems between Doncaster and York”.
Meanwhile, at platform 4, a few minutes later, a CrossCountry '220' arrived and then departed northwards causing the announcement to be altered to ‘”overhead line problems between Doncaster and York”.
All passengers were then detrained to await transport northwards. Seventy minutes later Class 67 No. 67010 arrived coupled up to the Class 91 and departed northwards with the empty train.
IET No. 800303 made a test run from Craigentinny to Inverness on February 27. The same train was reported again on March 5 heading south through Aviemore.
SEVERAL reports have been received concerning the use of Class 90s, with No. 90039 heading the 07.35 King’s Cross-Leeds on March 7, while on March 22 a Leeds-King’s Cross service passed Peterborough at 10.45, propelled by No. 90029.
VTEC continues to hire-in EMT power cars on a regular basis, with Nos. 43075 and 43061 reported on the 13.45 Leeds-King’s Cross service on March 13, while on Tuesday, March 27 the 13.30 Edinburgh Waverley-King’s Cross service was operated with Nos. 43075 and 43049.
THE first rake of four refurbished HST coaches for the 'Castle' programme was moved from Doncaster Wabtec to Laira by Class 47 No. 47813 on March 12. Numbered GW01, the set began test running with power cars Nos. 43016 and 43093 on March 19, working between Penzance and Exeter.
THE final Class 387 – No. 387174 – was delivered from Bletchley to Reading by Class 37 No. 37601 on March 20. It was reported in traffic on March 24.
THE 05.59 Intercity service from Norwich to London Liverpool Street, headed by Class 90 No. 90002 Eastern Daily Press 1870-2010 Serving Norfolk for 140 years, was terminated at Colchester on March 27 after it developed technical problems from two emergency brake applications shortly after leaving Manningtree at 06.53.
After the driver had isolated the problem the train continued slowly on to Colchester, where passengers disembarked and were told two services, though now late from following the stricken train, would be in use almost immediately.
The overcrowded 07.13 service, leaving eight minutes late at 07.21, arrived at Liverpool Street still only eight minutes late and some 20 minutes later than the 05.59 service was scheduled to have arrived.
A LANDSLIDE near Thorrington on March 28 closed the mainline, with buses replacing trains.
SNOW continued to affect services in Scotland into March. Heavy snow blocked the line between Drem and North Berwick on March 5, with services from Edinburgh Waverley terminating at Drem. A bus replacement
