CLASS 20
Resplendent in a new coat of red stripe Railfreight livery, Locomotive Services’ No. 20118 Saltburn-by-the-Sea returned to action on December 12, heading the 5Z20 10.07 Crewe-Eastleigh Arlington along with Type 3 No. D6851 (37667). Sandwiching a pair of Mk.2 coaches, a stop was made at Reading Traincare to detach Mk.2f Open First (FO) No. 3330 for tyre turning. The coach was collected by the same locomotives the next day and returned to Crewe. Also, on December 13, Nos. 20007 and 20205 ran light from Peak Forest to the Severn Valley Railway at Kidderminster, where they were joined by Nos. 20142 Sir John Betjeman and 20189 on December 21, the duo having arrived from Tyseley Steam Centre. No. 20189 had previously been involved in several ‘Polar Express’ trips between Birmingham Moor Street, Dorridge and Whitlocks End with No. 7029 Clun Castle over the previous two weekends.
CLASS 33
Pathfinder Railtours’ Chester Christmas Cromptons special on December 9, took Class 33s to the Roman city where for a brief spell in the mid-1980s they were daily visitors. The 1Z33 07.00 from Eastleigh travelled north behind West Coast Railways Nos. 33207 Jim Martin and 33029, with No. 47826 at the rear, routed via Salisbury, Westbury, the Severn Tunnel, Hereford, Shrewsbury and Wrexham.
CLASS 37
December 1 found Locomotive Services No. D6851 (37667) Flopsie taking charge of three Mk.2 coaches forming the 5Z37 13.57 Reading Traincare-Crewe via Northampton. The Type 3 was used on a private charter from London Victoria to Dover hauled by Bulleid Pacific No. 34046 Braunton on December 11. Stablemate No. D6817 (37521) left Crewe bound for Eastleigh Arlington on December 6, with five Mk.2 coaches, only to succumb to a fault at Stafford. Rescue arrived from Crewe in the shape of recently resurrected No. 37409. Given a thorough wash at York Holgate Works following the railhead treatment train (RHTT) season, ahead of a charity photoshoot on December 16 (see feature, pages 84-86), four Direct Rail Services Type 3s Nos. 37425 Sir Robert McAlpine/ Concrete Bob, 37422 Victorious, 37716, 37419 Driver Tony Kay 1974-2019 and ‘tailed’ by No. 66425 Nigel J Kirchstein returned together to Crewe on December 21.
To commemorate the end of the North Wales RHTT season, the final journey from Holyhead to and Colas Railfreight No. 56113 (all used by Colas through the season) followed by the wagons and No. 56051 bringing up the rear.
