TRACTION 2023 Part 2
FREIGHT
TRAFFIC & TRACTION: GB Railfreight’s newly converted 69009 & 69010
enter service in green undercoat; 70801 on the first sand train from
Burngullow to Longport; the Class 56 Group’s 56301 on hire to DCR hauling
aggregate trains; three DRS Class 57/3s transfer to GBRf; 37901 on shunting
trials at Peak Forest; 37401 & 37425 make a final DRS Type 3 appearance on
the 6K05 Carlisle-Crewe infrastructure trip; 56051 & 56113 deputising for
the booked Class 70 on the Lindsey-Kingsbury tanks; five GBRf Class 73s and
a rake of container flats on a driver training run from Tonbridge; DCR Class
60s take over the Tytherington-Quainton HS2 ballast trains; DRS Class 37s in
their final autumn ‘leaf-busting’ season; redundant Trans-Pennine Class 68s
on DRS freight workings; DB Cargo’s Class 60 fleet dwindles to a handful of
locos (including the final working of 60040)...and a sneaky peep at ROG’s
brand new 93001 moving under its own power at Worksop!
PASSENGER
TRACTION, RAILTOURS & SPECIALS:
CrossCountry HST
power cars 43007 and 43008 receive retro liveries before bowing out of
service; 50007 & 50008 venture to Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft; DB
Cargo’s 90039 is re-instated to work a Euston-Carlisle charter train;
40013 traversing the mothballed Longannet branch; 55009 hauling charter
trains to Scarborough and Cleethorpes; Laira’s 08644 arriving at
Plymouth with the empty stock of the Night Riviera sleepers; ex-DRS
57009 returns to traffic for WCRC in two-tone green livery; the 125
Group’s HST power cars 43089 & 43159 return to the main line on the
‘Midland Venturer’ charter; DB’s recently reinstated 92029 working the
‘Garsdale Growler’ charter…and the extraordinary sight of 70015, 70001,
66124, 66616 & 66615 on a BLS charter!
THERE's ALSO:
92018 makes a
ground-breaking visit to Glasgow Queen Street; 47830 rescuing a failed
Trans Pennine Express service; former DRS 37409 on its first workings
for new owner LSL; Freightliner’s 90012 on the Glossop & Dinting branch;
HNRC’s 20901 & 20905 hauling five Mark 3 coaches to Great Yarmouth;
50007, 50049 and 56081 on movements of SWR Class 458 units between
Bournemouth and Widnes; 20132 towing defective A4 Sir Nigel Gresley from
Edinburgh to Crewe; 33029 & 33207 ‘top & tailing’ an inspection saloon
around London; double-headed ‘Warships’ on the Severn Valley Railway…and
a staggering number of former GWR & CrossCountry HST moves to Ely and
Great Yarmouth as power cars and Mark 3 coaches are exported to Mexico
and Nigeria!
