Operations
REPORTS of‘Azuma’units at various locations included on January 21 No. 801102 running south up Spittal Bank, Berwick in diesel mode.
‘Azuma’-liveried Class 800/1 Hitachi set No. 800109 was noted on the 5Q09/09.56 Doncaster Carr IEP Depot-Newcastle test train on February 7, and on the 5Q44/14.53 Berwick-upon-Tweed-Doncaster Carr IEP Depot two days later.
Noted stabled at York on February 13 was No. 801103.
At Peterborough, No. 800113 terminated a test run here on February 14, and units 801101, 801102 and 800202 headed north on separate test runs.
The following day, No. 800202 was on a 10.50 Leeds-King’s Cross test train with NR crew and staff on board.
No. 801101 was observed stationed at Leeds station on February 20.
At around 16.05 on March 1 No. 800103 arrived at Leeds from King’s Cross.
‘THUNDERBIRD’DB Cargo Class 67 No. 67005 formed a 0Z12/10.52 Doncaster West Yard-Newcastle light engine movement on February 1.
CLASS 90 No. 90019 was noted at the head of the 07.02 King’s Cross-Leeds on February 11.
THE days of conventional HST workings on the GWR are coming to a close as increasing numbers of IET units enter traffic.
With the allocation of HST units to ScotRail complete, sets are now being stored, with Porterbrook stock going to Long Marston and Angel Trains to Ely.
On February 15, 43069+46007+ 46013+ 40116+40113+40101+ 46006+46017+46009+43053 ran from Laira to Long Marston.
This was followed on March 5 with Nos. 43174+42021+41132+ 40703+46004+42560+42040+ 41028+4204+43017 running from St. Phillips Marsh to Ely.
A further move to Long Marston followed on March 11 with Nos. 43193+40104+40107+ 40117+40114+40109+ 40112+ 40102+40119+ 43197 running from Laira.
OBSERVATIONS of the‘Night Riviera’on Thursday, February 14 found the stock of the 1C99 London Paddington to Penzance at platform 1, Paddington, with Class 57 No. 57306 Her Majesty’s Railway Inspectorate 175 at the head of the train.
At the rear of stock was No. 57604 Pendennis Castle, which had brought the stock in from Reading earlier that evening.
On Tuesday, February 26, operation of the‘Night Riviera’ was altered because of the closure of Whiteball Tunnel, which was in effect from Monday, February 18 to Friday, March 8.
The empty stock working from Reading Traincare Depot to London Paddington was seen passing Reading with No. 57604 at the front and No. 57602 Restormel Castle at the rear.
Unusually, at London Paddington the train ran to platform 8 from where it formed the 23.45 service to Penzance, that was booked to work via Yeovil.
PASSENGERS on the 13.03 Paddington-Penzance had an interesting journey on Thursday February 21.
In addition to the planned diversion via Castle Cary, Yeovil and Honiton, a signal failure on the Berks & Hants line resulted in a further (unplanned) diversion via Melksham.
Although this produced a 22-minute delay leaving Castle Cary, a brief station stop rather than a planned 20 minute wait at Honiton meant the train was on time by the time it reached Exeter St David’s and Penzance. An unusual experience was to pass non-stop through Exeter Central.
THE third refurbished‘Castle’set – formed of 43005+48107+48108+ 48109+49103+43094 – ran from Doncaster Wabtec to Bristol St Phillips Marsh on February 23.
DELIVERIES of the last batch of Class 802/1 units is almost complete. On February 25, No. 802110 was taken north from Dollands Moor by Class 66 No. 66771. This was followed on February 27 when the same
