Rail Head Treatment Trains
Reports are now coming in as the Rail Head Treatment Train (RHTT) season gets underway. Class 57 No. 57306 Her Majesty’s Railway Inspectorate 175 was noted at Harwich International on 0Z06 on September 11, working an RHTT route-learner diagram, returning to its Stowmarket base as 0Z07 after a short 10-minute break. The first complete 3S60 Stowmarket – Stowmarket RHTT running, working the GEML southern branch lines, occurred on Monday, September 25 with Class 66 No. 66776 Joanne heading into Harwich International at 09.45 with No. 66753 EMD Roberts Road at the rear.
The 3S84, from Effingham Junction Carriage Holding Sidings to Effingham Junction Carriage Holding Sidings, was seen passing Wimbledon West Junction on Monday, September 25, formed of Multi Purpose Vehicle Nos. DR98973+DR98923. The diagram ran via Hampton Court, Surbiton, Basingstoke, Woking Up Yard Reception, Aldershot, Wimbledon, and Guildford.
RHTT 3W90, from Tonbridge West Yard to Tonbridge West Yard via Redhill, Brighton, Haywards Heath, Lewes, Newhaven Marine, Kensington Olympia, Sutton, Tulse Hill, East Grinstead, Uckfield, Norwood Junction, Horsham and Redhill, was seen approaching Haydons Road station on Monday, September 25. The train was formed of two FEA flat wagons with the appropriate modules attached and was headed by Class 73 No. 73201 Broadlands with No. 73128 OVS Bulleid C.B.E at the rear of the train.
Observed at Westbury on October 5 at about 17.30, Class 66 Nos. 66155 and 66044 ran into the down platform avoiding line and, after a crew change, ran out again top-and-tailing a RHTT.
Avanti West Coast
Observed at Crewe on Thursday, September 14 were new Class 805 units Nos. 805001+805003 working a 5Q31 from Oxley Carriage Maintenance Depot to Holyhead. Plastic covers were in place on the seats of No. 805001, but No. 805003 did not appear to have had seats fitted.
The first of the new Class 805 units to be delivered in full AWC livery, No. 805005 was moved by Class 56 No. 56081 from Newton Aycliffe to Oxley on September 26.
LNER
On Saturday, September 16, the first of this year’s East Coast diversions were observed passing Thankerton with the following units reported: 800101-04/07/11-13, 800202/06/08/10, 801107/08/11.
Reported on Sunday, September 17, were Nos. 800102/04/05/07/10-13, 800201/02/06/08/10 and 801103/07/13.
Great Western Railway
Reading Traincare Depot was viewed from a passing train on Friday, September 8. he three ex-Marston Vale two-car D-stock sets Nos. 230003/04/05 were stabled towards the western end of the sidings.
As will be evident to anyone travelling into Paddington station on a GWR train, progress is being made on the new HS2 station at Old Oak Common. The time is drawing near when the station works will have reached the point where the civil engineer requires a complete blockade on the Great Western Main Line into Paddington. The blockade will prevent GWR trains running east of Ealing Broadway, where passengers will be able to transfer to London Underground. Trains may also terminate at Reading, where passengers can transfer to South Western services to Waterloo.
On Friday, September 29, GWR chartered a train from West Coast Railways to explore the options for running services to Euston or Waterloo whilst Paddington is closed for HS2 works at Old Oak Common. The charter was first noted, from a passing London Overground service, stopped at Acton Wells Junction when working as train 2Z02 from London Euston to Acton Terminal Complex with Class 33 Nos. 33207 and 33029 top-and-tailing inspection saloon No. 999506. A little later the train was seen again, passing Kensington Olympia running from Acton Terminal Complex to London Waterloo. The train was seen for a final time by platform 17 at Waterloo station. It had stopped at the country end of the platform to minimise the diesel fumes under the overall roof.
Greater Anglia
The normally reliable and dependable Stadler Class 745 and 755s suffered two consecutive days of unit failures that caused frustration with travelling passengers. On September 25, No.745104 failed at Colchester and on September 26 when Nos. 755336+755338+755424 failed at Bow Junction. Both were that was on hand at Orient Way.
