TRACTION 2016 Part 2
FREIGHT
TRAFFIC & TRACTION:
Overhauled 37403 and 37424 return to the main line for DRS in large logo
livery; 59003 working the Tinsley-Bardon Hill aggregates; Heavy Haul’s 47830
on a Leeds-Crewe coal wagon move; 37069 & 37604 deputise for a Class 68 on
the Mountsorrel-Crewe ballast; UK Rail Leasing’s 56104 is hired by Colas to
work the Boston steel; 67015 on the Lairg tanks; 73964 & 73965 working a
ballast train over the Bluebell Railway; the final Holybourne tanks and the
subsequent end of rail traffic in and out of Fawley refinery; the naming
ceremony of 66727 at Birch Coppice; the final Class 73/9 conversion emerging
from Brush Traction; 37099 returns to the main line for Colas... and
coverage of the autumn ‘leaf busters’ including Colas Class 56s on the North
Wales coast, DRS Class 20s on South Humberside and the first Class 68 on
RHTT duties.
PASSENGER
TRACTION, RAILTOURS & SPECIALS:
Class 68 haulage on Greater Anglia ‘Wherry Lines’ services; 86101, 87002 and
GBRf Class 66s are drafted in to work Caledonian sleeper services; 37025
hauling its first main line passenger train in seventeen years; retro Inter
City ‘swallow’ livery for GWR’s 43185; Colas Rail’s 56087 on the
‘Scarborough Spa Express’; 20107 leading the ‘Buffer Puffer 13.0’ off the
Isle of Sheppey; 33207 hauling the ‘Cliffe Hopper’ railtour round Rugeley
power station; 66779 Evening Star on the ‘Royal Scotsman’; 37800 & 37884
with the ‘Thrash Bash’ railtour; D1015 Western Champion at Bridlington; the
naming of Chiltern’s 68010 at Oxford...and extensive coverage of GB Railfreight’s
extraordinary multi-traction four day ‘GBRf 15’ charity tour.
THERE’S ALSO:
Class 31, 37 and 47 haulage for redundant Gatwick Express Class 442 unit
moves to Eastleigh and Ely; GBRf Class 66s hauling Eurostars to EMR
Kingsbury for scrapping; Network Rail’s 31233 continues in traffic;
56098 & 56104 delivering new South West Trains Class 707 units to
Clapham Junction; 67005 hauling the first Crossrail EMU to Asfordby for
testing; 20189 & 20205 with the prototype HST in tow; 56081 & 56098
delivering a former Nightstar generator van to Brush Traction;
1920’s-style London Transport liveried 20142 hauling LUL’s 4TC set to
Eastleigh Works; the return to traffic of the Growler Group’s
resplendent D6948; ‘Slug’ 37901 leaving the Mid-Hants Railway after
being acquired by Colas...and four Class 40s on one train at the East
Lancs Railway.
