FLEET NEWS ~ Direct Rail Services

Ian Sharman (C)

Since our last dedicated updates post in July, there's been many changes.


Further to Orson's recent post, it's now confirmed that the final serviceable Class 47, 47790, has been withdrawn. It went from Norwich to Crewe yesterday (hauled by 57310) and then straight into storage. 47790 will be joining 47805/810/813/ 818/828/ 841/853 which are already stored.

As you can see by our Fleet-List, there are still a number of Class 57s out in operation. A number of them have recently finished duties on the RHTT (Rail-Head Treatment Trains).

MK2s owned by DRS even operate ScotRail services, in the saltire livery
57002/011/012 are still believed to be undergoing an overhaul, before reentering service.

Class 20s are out operating, but mainly around Crewe and in Northern England, near Carlisle Depot. 

90034 was sold to DB Schenker since our last update, but remains in DRS blue whilst on loan to Abellio Greater Anglia. It is used on the Liverpool Street to Norwich line whilst the usual class 90s of the fleet undergo an overhaul and repaint.

(C) Ian Sharman. 37s still on the Anglia Hauled Set
As reported previously, some DBSOs (ex-Anglia) have been bought by DRS for conversion and refurbishment, and the repaint into Northern colours. To highlight these again, these are 9705/07/10. The latter carriage is the last remaining DBSO to be repainted and overhauled. 
Liam (C)

37419/422 are both on the Anglia Short Hauled Set.  37405 is alone, believed to have a fault. Also in Anglia for this Short Set are MK2 carriages 5921, 5971, 5995, 6001,
6008 and Brake Van 9525 (although only 3, including 9525, are used on the set at any time). 5919 went to Crewe yesterday from Norwich.

Author Andy informs me that 37425 is alleged to be travelling east, to Norwich, to also operate on the Short Set (possibly!). We'll have to see if this is true! 

68001 to 68015 have all now been built and are in service. This is added by 68016 to 68025, some of which I believe are yet to enter the country. 68010 to 68015 continue to be loaned to Chiltern for their hauled services, in their livery too. There are plenty more photos if you search 'Class 68' in the blog search bar.

A number of Northern Belle tours have occurred recently. One was at Norwich a few weeks ago, and Andy captured two of the others earlier this year. 

Class 88s are still under construction. By searching 'Class 88' on the blog search bar, previous posts will come up which state about their delivery and specifications. Harry and Liam
Regards:

Our Popular Posts....

07/02/17: Recent Goings On

Image
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! 
Read More....

Abellio Greater Anglia to Abellio East Anglia

Image
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.
Read More....

Reminder: Stock + Service Changes, Abellio East Anglia.

IN SUMMARY: - Free Wi-Fi on Many Trains and also an  improved WiFi service at stations .  - Additional seats on trains across the network, by increasing train lengths and capacity.  - CET toilets, so waste isn't flushed onto tracks. This is already on MK3s.  - Increasing train punctuality and performance. - Entire fleet replacement (stated below), so other units are displaced or withdrawn. - Norwich to Cambridge trains extended to Stansted, and Sudbury branch lines running to Colchester. - Lowestoft connections to London Liverpool Street reinstated, using the electro-diesel units, four times per day. - Trains half hourly to Great Yarmouth, plus later connections to Sheringham and Lowestoft.
Read More....

Exclusive ~ VirginTrains ~ Penguilino & Claus 91

Image
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.
Read More....

SOUTH - Last Day of Class 458/0 Operations

Image
©Liam Jenkins Good Evening, Liam here, offering you a post regarding the last day of South West Trains Class 458/0 service. Enjoy! On Sunday 8th November 2015, South West Trains operated the last day of Class 458/0s on the units' final day of operations. These units are to be sent to Doncaster Works, where they will be refurbished with the Gatwick Express Class 460s into a new Class 458/5 class.
Read More....

Special - Rebuilding the 1960's Class 73's.

Image
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!
Read More....

Peter Skuce Reports (6A)

Image
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.
Read More....