Weekly Review ~ Sun 14th June 2015

360101 - Refurbed Interior - Sourced AbellioGreaterAnglia
THE MAIN NEWS STORIES THIS WEEK:
  • Firstly, 37405, 37425 and 47818 were all on a move from to Norwich Crown Point on Friday. We presume the intro of 37s is getting closer!
  • AbellioGreaterAnglia have begun replacing seat covers on their Class 360 stock which operates from Liverpool Street to Clacton and Ipswich via Colchester and Chelmsford. They'll receive the refurbishment in numerical order of the fleet. These 360 units were originally ordered for FirstGreatEastern (one of the previous franchises) which explains the previous seat pattern style! I'm grateful for the 
    photo permission of (360101) from AGA, the first unit to receive the treatment. 
  • Class 317's and 315's continue to be repainted for TFLRail or Overground. 
  • Andy says the Torbay Express begins tomorrow. It runs from Temple Meads Bristol to Kingwear. 
317708 in LO Livery.
(C) Nick Littlewood
  • 66 418 is now in Freightliner's Powerhaul livery.
  • From 26th July, you'll be unable to use E-cigarettes on Southern Rail stations, platforms (including open platforms) and trains. They follow a number of other operators who have compiled this rule due to the side effects and issues being unknown. 

A SUMMARY ~ YOU MAY HAVE MISSED THESE POSTS?
Andy Crawley sent in a contribution of the Class 59 back in the UK (after a few years in Germany) and also Lucas created a VirginTrains update. I apologise on behalf of the entire team that we haven't posted much this week. We've all been very busy and hope to resume at least 5 posts a week from towards the end of June!

E-Cigs are to be banned on Southern
Steve (C) - http://busandtrain.blogspot.co.uk
COMING UP THIS WEEK: A reduced amount of posts in the upcoming week as Lucas and Andy are on their vacation. I'll try to post more than these stated days.....
  • TUES - TBC
  • THURS - A railway quiz, which we encourage you to participate in?! 
  • FRI - TBC
  • SAT - TBC

 A FEW INTERESTING ARTICLES (We're not responsible for the wording - We're an unbiased blog): 
  • http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-33103854
  • http://www.ft.com/fastft/338672/uk-rail-franchises-losses-weigh-on-firstgroupuk-rail-franchises-losses-weigh-on-firstgroup
  • http://www.bostonstandard.co.uk/news/local/train-window-smashed-after-something-was-thrown-at-it-as-it-left-skegness-station-1-6771475
^Harry
Regards:

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07/02/17: Recent Goings On

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Harry Here, Summarising Some Of The Interesting Fleet News Between Oct 2016 and Spring 2017...... 10/2016: 142073 heads to  Doncaster for overhaul , as all ArrivaTrainsWales are going into the new livery gradually. 27/01/2017: 37423 and an extra DRS MK2 arrive at Norwich from  Derby, for Short Set usage.  Meanwhile, 68021 and 68016 arrive to take over duty's on the 68 Hauled Anglia Short Set, because 68025 and 68005 both need exams.  01/17: Virgin East coast finish the overhaul of all 45 trains! 
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Abellio Greater Anglia to Abellio East Anglia

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As Many Of You Are Aware, The AGA Franchise Renews This October For Services In East Anglia, Including To Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire. Abellio Continue The Franchise, But Renamed East Anglia Ltd.  Greater Anglia, as it was at first, began in February 2012 - operating the short term tender which was due to expire in July 2014. However, the Government later extended this franchise, and it then became the rebranded Abellio Greater Anglia.
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Reminder: Stock + Service Changes, Abellio East Anglia.

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To get into the Xmas spirit, Virgin Trains have unveiled East Coast  82209 & 91128  and Virgin West Coast revealed Pendolino 390013 in their Winter-style livery, as designed by Madeleine Deakin (aged 11) and Amber Maxfield (age 9) whom won a competition earlier this season.  The units were unveiled at London Kings Cross this morning and will remain in the livery until January. Claus 91, as it's been named, operates on the East Coast mainline between Kings Cross and Scotland via Penguinborough, whilst the Penguilino can be found on Virgin Trains West Coast services between London Euston and The North (North Pole) via Ho Ho Crewe.
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It's Friday, and today's post is a special! Not as I'm here (Andy)... Class 73's were built in the 1960's and generally used in the Southern region. In 2013, it was announced that GB Railfreight would initially be re-building 5 Class 73's to make them Class 73/9's. The complete re stripping and rebuilding has taken place at Brush Traction in Loughborough.  The Class 73/9's first started testing in late 2014 (73 961 - 965) as there had been some issues, however they were all resolved pretty soon. The 73/9's are intended to work infrastructure trains (test trains under Network Rail) and also to be used on Rail Head Treatment Trains. As a result of the rebuild, it has given the Class 73/9's up to 25 years more in service, and more 73/9's are to be released over the coming months which should see them introduced on to the Serco Sleeper eventually!
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Peter Skuce Reports (6A)

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Chiltern 168. (C) P Skuce. Peter. Part A is for the Chiltern Line Modernisation. Part B will lead from this. During the 1960s British Railways built forty one, 4 carriage Class 115 DMU trains for the London Marylebone – Aylesbury Chiltern Line. One trailer carriage had entirely Standard Class accommodation with 106 seats, whilst the other trailer carriage was a composite, featuring First Class cabins with seating to the 2+2 layout and Standard Class with two toilets. They were powered by Leyland Albion engines, with mechanical transmission and their maximum speed was 70 mph. A new maintenance depot was built at Aylesbury to accommodate the trains.
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