Power scene
CLASS 20
A QUARTET of GBEE Type 1s, Nos. 20096+20107 and 20311+20314, ran light from Peterborough to Barrow Hill on Christmas Eve. Half a dozen trips each way between Derby and West Ruislip were undertaken during the month by the GBEE Class 20s, starting on December 1 when Nos. 20096+20107 and the GBRf-liveried duo of Nos. 20901+20905 ‘top and tailed’ the 7X10/02.05 Banbury-Derby with LUL ‘S’ stocks sets Nos. 21039/40. The two blue Class 20s were replaced by Nos. 20311+20314 on December 8 ready to power the 7X08/15.40 Litchurch Lane-West Ruislip (with sets Nos. 21565/66) and from December 18 Nos. 20096+20107 returned to partner Nos. 20311+20314 on the 7X08, returning sets Nos. 21039/40 to their London workplace.
On December 18, Nos. 20142+20189 undertook a snowplough test run with the locomotives sandwiched between two large ploughs forming the 7Z21/13.43 Derby RTC-Stoke-on-Trent and 7Z22/15.50 return, which passed Uttoxeter at 16.30. The last of the Direct Rail Services Type 1s to operate RHTT trips was No. 20303 in partnership with No. 66432. The pair passed Scunthorpe at 12.15 on the afternoon of December 14 and that night were noted at Gilberdyke with the 3J16/18.46 Goole-York Works.
CLASS 31
A BRUSH Type 2 returned to the national network on December 20 when Nos. 31128+57001 undertook a test run from Burton (Nemesis Rail) to Lichfield Trent Valley where AC electric No. 86259 Les Ross/Peter Pan was collected – the Class 86 having run light from Rugby. The trio of locomotives then departed Lichfield for Burton-on-Trent at 12.55. This was the first Class 31 on the main line for some 13 months and No. 31128 has had a chequered career. It was new in August 1959 (as D5546) and remained on the network for 40 years until acquired for preservation, but later snapped up by Fragonset Railways.
CLASS 33
WEST Coast’s ‘Cromptons’ have proved themselves most useful on empty from Southall to King’s Cross but ‘tailed’ the ‘Christmas White Rose’ charter (1Z42/07.09 Kings Cross-York) throughout and returned at the rear of the 1Z43/16.35 York-Ealing Broadway headed by LNER Pacific No. 60009 .
