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Rail Head Treatment Trains
The RHTT season is once again underway with the first reports being received (see also pages 100/101).
DRS Class 66 No. 66429 moved light engine over from Dagenham on September 14, and then worked a route-learning exercise from Norwich to Clacton incorporating the Harwich branch down to Harwich Town, presumably a forerunner for the RHTT season ahead.
This started on September 21 and on the following two days with DRS-branded Class 66 No. 66108 and Class 57/3 No. 57306 Her Majesty’s Railway Inspectorate 175 working ‘trial runs’ as 3Z60 from Stowmarket-Ipswich-Harwich International-Stowmarket, the former arriving via Willesden depot on September 18 and the latter moving from GWR at Reading.
These two had been joined by Class 57 No. 57002 Rail Express from Crewe Gresty Bridge via Willesden on September 25 and Class 66 No. 66429 on September 23. These four are now working 3S60 from Stowmarket to the southern GEML branches as far as Shenfield while 3S61 covers Stowmarket to the northern GEML branch lines of Sheringham and Great Yarmouth as well as a round circuit from Norwich to Ely and back to Stowmarket.
Two General Purpose units, Nos. DR98919+DR98969 and DR98916+DR98966, were noted at Littlehampton on September 27, working on RHTT services. On Wednesday, September 28, the 3W90 from Tonbridge West Yard to Tonbridge West Yard was seen approaching Haydons Road station from Wimbledon with Class 73 No. 73109 Battle of Britain 80th Anniversary leading the train and No. 73128 O.V.S. Bulleid C.B.E. at the rear. This train is routed via Redhill, Brighton, Haywards Heath, Newhaven Harbour, Clapham Junction, Willesden South West Sidings, Sutton, Tulse Hill, East Grinstead, Uckfield, Norwood Junction, Horsham and Gatwick Airport.
A problem with the overhead power supply being brought down at Carstairs on September 22 meant that after the Avanti WC Glasgow to London 1M05 had departed on time at 05.33, worked by Class 390 No. 390046 the next direct WCML service to depart from Glasgow to London on that day was not until 19.17. This was with No. 390122 working 1M18 which finally arrived in Euston at 01.20 on the following day.
The first weekend of a series of planned diversions of Anglo-Scottish services took place on Saturday and Sunday September 24/25 when LNER services operated from Edinburgh Waverley running via Carstairs, Carlisle and the Tyne Valley route in order to reach Newcastle and vice versa. Units observed passing Thankerton on the Saturday were: 800104 (1E09), 800107 (1E13), 800111 (1E15), 800209 and 801107 (1F02), 800102 (1E17), 800112 (1E19), 800108 (1W06), 800209 and 801107 (1E21), 800207 and 801111 (1S08), 800109 (1W10), 800207 and 801111 (1G24/15.31 EDB-KGX), 800208 and 801112 (1S12), 800113 (1W15), 800206 and 801104 (1S17), 800104 (1S21), and 800203 and 801105 (1S25).
On Sunday, September 25 the units were: 800104 (1E13), 800101 (1E15), 800206 and 801104 (1S04), 800203 and 801105 (1E17), 800113 (1E19), 800102 (1W05), 800109 (1E21), 800209 and 801108 (1S08), 800206 and 801106 (1S10), 800108 (1E23), 800107 (1W12), 800209 and 801108 (1E25), 800207 and 801111 (1S15), 800201 and 801106 (1E27), 800105 (1W17), 800206 and 801104 (1E28), 800207 and 801111 (1E29), 800112 (1S21), 800205 and 801110 (1S23), and 800104 (1S25).
On Monday, October 3, the unusual sight of weekday LNER services operating via the WCML was highly evident, with the following sighted passing Thankerton: 800105 (on 1E06/05.46 Edinburgh-King’s Cross), 800201 and 801112 (06.10 Doncaster-Edinburgh), 800111 (1F02/07.08 Leeds-Edinburgh), 800204 and 801104 (1E11 07.49 Edinburgh-King’s Cross), 800108 (1W07 08.00 King’s Cross -Aberdeen), 800103 (1E15 07.52 Aberdeen-King’s Cross), 800201 and 801112 (1E17 1141 Edinburgh-King’s Cross), 800104 (1W11 10.00 King’s Cross-Inverness), 800102 (1E19 12.42 Edinburgh-King’s Cross), 800106 (1S13 11.00 King’s Cross-Edinburgh), 800206 and 801107 (1E25 15.38 Edinburgh-King’s Cross) and 800203 and 801102 (1S24 King’s Cross-Edinburgh).
Services on the Highland Main Line suffered numerous cancellations towards the end of September, especially for 1E13 diagrams. On Monday, September 26, the 1T80 from Inverness was cancelled. An additional unit ran
