CLASS 20
Attached to five MRA wagons, Nos. 20007+20142 formed the 6Z25 13.05 Doncaster Wood Yard-Derby RTC passing Saxilby at 14.00 on February 4. Accompanied by classmates Nos. 20189+20205 the quartet moved Merseyrail EMUs Nos. 777007/009 on the 5Q20 19.05 Crewe CS-Kirkdale TMD on February 8, prior to taking the translator wagons to King’s Norton the following morning. The next move for Nos. 20007+20142 involved hauling a set of former Grand Central Mk.4 coaching stock (including DVT No. 82227) on the 5Z20 12.11 Eastleigh-Crewe CSFL on February 15, routed by way of Salisbury, Bath Spa, Severn Tunnel and Wrexham, the vehicles retaining their former black and orange livery. Once again accompanied by Nos. 20189+20205, the Type 1 foursome formed the 5Q20 05.18 Kirkdale TMD-Crewe CS with more Class 777 units on February 23.
CLASS 37
A quartet of light engines formed of No. 37418 hauling Nos. 97302/3/4 passed through Chester station on February 3 bound for Crewe. Next day all three Network Rail examples left Basford Hall with engineering trains for work on the Cambrian main line west of Shrewsbury. No. 37418 then handled the 6Z50 03.45 Coleham-York Works on February 8 and accompanied No. 97303 on the 6C71 22.30 Talerddig-Basford Hall late on February 13, before heading to Derby RTC for a brief spell of test train work. During the early hours of February 22, the large logo blue Type 3 passed Stone hauling Nos. 20303 and 37606 on the 8Z38 22.59 Gresty Bridge-Burton Wetmore. Crossing Barmouth bridge on February 16, No. 97302 had track machine DR73924 for company on the 6J39 16.15 Machynlleth-Porthmadog.
West Coast’s Nos. 37518 and 37685 ‘top and tailed’ the 6Z47 08.04 Basford Hall-Doncaster Up Decoy on February 4, running via Derby and Mexborough with Kirow crane DRK81626 and its runners, while No. 37676 hauled four Mk.1 coaches forming the 5Z37 12.14 Bo’ness SRPS-Carnforth on February 14. After running light from Southall to Peterborough during the evening of February 12, No. 37706 replaced former LMS Pacific No. 6233 on the 1Z81 16.37 York-London
