CLASS 20
With five MRAs in tow Nos. 20189+ 20205 hauled the 6Z20 14.40 Doncaster Wood Yard-Derby RTC on March 4, two days after ‘top and tailing’ two Merseyrail Class 777 units on the 5Q20 05.18 Kirkdale TMD-Crewe CS with classmates Nos. 20007+20142. The latter pairing then found use moving Railvac No.3 from Whitemoor to Butterley (MRC) on March 7, while Nos. 20189+20205 hauled No. 50008 from King’s Norton to Barrow Hill on March 10. Further Merseyrail stock transfers occurred on March 16 when the quartet of Type 1s formed the 5Q20 22.39 Warrington Arpley-Kirkdale with two of three units brought north earlier in the day from Dollands Moor. Next morning the other unit, No. 777049, was transported by the four Class 20s from Warrington Arpley to Crewe CS.
CLASS 33
There was an unexpected outing for ‘Crompton’ No. 33025 on March 19, when ‘tailing’ the 1Z63 06.33 Euston-Chester and the 1Z64 17.02 return. At the head of the train was Type 4 No. 47804 which was originally expected to accompany steam locomotive No. 6233 Duchess of Sutherland. With the steam timings no longer applicable the return special reached Euston that evening 74 minutes early. For No. 33025 it was the first passenger working since August 10 last year.
CLASS 37
The venerable Direct Rail Services English Electric Type 3s undertook a considerable amount of freight work during the month, beginning on March 1 when, under blue skies, Nos. 37424 and 37422 ‘top and tailed’ five loaded ballast wagons forming a 6Z10 10.40 Hellifield-Carlisle Yard. Next day the Regional Railways-liveried No. 37425 moved a single flask wagon on the 6Z02 07.36 Carlisle Kingmoor-Roberts Road, while No. 37418 was in action on March 3 working the ballast trips between Crewe and Longport. Later that day Nos. 37401+37422 teamed up to handle the 6K05 12.46 Carlisle
