TheGreatBritishRailScene

AUTO POST. Firstly, the naming of GWR shunter 08663. Named St Silas, it commemorates the St Silas church, which was destroyed 75 years ago during a bombing raid in January 1941 .  Sadly 140 lost their lives that night as German airmen attempted to hit the Railway and Docks area of the city.  Simon Cassidy, Driver Operations Manager, said: ‘The Royal British Legion do a fantastic job in supporting countless people affected by service for their country. We are proud that this locomotive will serve as a tribute to the work of the Legion and in remembrance to those who lost their lives on that fateful evening.'

Weight sensors work out which carriages are busy or less empty. As we've stated,  115 Siemens 700s  will take to the tracks from June this year. And a 12-car version was unveiled at Blackfriars on 24th May. So what better time for a Stock Focus for these units... At first, they will run the Bedford to Brighton route, in coming weeks, followed by the Peterborough and Cambridge services over the next decade.

In 2021 First Group will launch a new rail service between Edinburgh, Stevenage and London. BBC say 'A new budget rail service between Edinburgh and London has been given the green light by the Rail Regulator from 2021. The 10-year deal will allow First Group to operate five trains a day each way. It said average fares would be less than £25 and there would be only one class of carriage.'

In Anglia, Demonstrator 321448 passing through Ipswich on a test run after having new traction motors fitted. 25/5/16. This is at Ipswich, on the way to Norwich to be able to return to Colchester on another test later that day.

Jordon here today, for my first post. I'm just covering posts this summer before going my own way. So I'll bring some photos of the recent Flying Scotsman run as well as photos taken at Eastleigh. It ran from Paddington to Salisbury via Southampton then  back to London on the 21st May, followed by touring the Surrey Hills earlier today. I was not trespassing to take this, it's taken through a gap in the fence. 

The DFT Rolling Stock Perspective has been compiled. I will summarise some of the most significant updates and news, including what stock is going where and when. The Report States The UK Needs: 'Introducing emission toilets putting an end, finally, to toilets discharging onto the track ahead of the January 2020 deadline we have set. The industry’s Sustainable Development Principles are about to be re-launched and we want to see all trains complying with these; 

Today, the Eversholt demo unit 321448 returned to service, leased to Abellio GA, since it went to Old Dalby for tests a few months ago. Now we will see it more often.....  I captured it at Ipswich, travelling via here fron Clacton, to Colchester, onto Norwich via Diss, on Traction Tests to test the new AC package - a more energy efficient and reliable system to the current one. Jonathan Maxim 18/05/2016.