50026 POISED FOR MAIN LINE RETURN
D7659 BACK AFTER
23 YEARS
THE RAILWAY WORLD – PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
www.railwaysillustrated.com
Colours Coats
of many
Our survey of the unique Class 66 livery variations
Model Spot 21-ton Mineral Wagons
PLUS Deltic D9000 comeback tour is delayed Preservation: Bury Unit Team profiled Creating a new station for Corwen Ludgershall branch: Special trains
Dartmoor Line to be reopened from November 20
Welcome to Railways Illustrated
The changing of the seasons
A
s I write these notes, we are now well and truly into the Railhead Treatment Train (RHTT) season, which means that autumn is here and the leaves are falling, and winter approaches. Thanks to the investment of Network Rail in its RHTT fleet and a wellplanned operation, the annual ‘leaves on the line’ media joke at the railways’ expense is now largely a thing of the past. Throughout the last few weeks my inbox has gained a growing number of images showing the RHTT services (with the locomotives and trains allocated to the duties getting steadily dirtier by the day) that are helping remove leafmulch and grime from the railhead, ensuring that trains get better adhesion when braking and accelerating. This season still presents many operational problems for the national railway network, but Network Rail and all of our TOCs are well experienced in modifying their services and timetables to cope with the additional challenges that autumn brings. The RHTT is a clear demonstration of the way Network Rail and its partners work to keep our trains moving, and it is another aspect of railway operations that goes generally unnoticed by the travelling public. To all the railway staff who work to keep our train services running throughout the challenging autumn and winter months – thank you for your efforts. In this issue, Richard Clinnick takes a look at the growing number of Class 66 freight locomotives to be bestowed with unique special liveries, particularly thanks to the efforts of GB Railfreight, that has come up with creative colour schemes for some of its fleet, including retro versions of liveries that could have been applied to the Class 66s had they been introduced during BR days. But it isn’t just GBRf. DB Cargo and Freightliner are also getting in on the act of applying special liveries to some of their locomotives. The huge number of Class 66s employed on freight services throughout the UK means they are a regular sight across the network and it is pleasing that the amount of livery variations now helps provide a level of interest in the locomotives, the oldest of which has now been in service for well over two decades. With the growing popularity in preservation of second-generation Pacer DMUs, it is easy to forget just how many first generation DMUs are represented in the heritage railway sector. While there are still a large number of beautifully preserved first-generation DMUs running on heritage railways across the country, a growing number have fell into disrepair or are being
sidelined when they develop a fault. Indeed, since starting as your editor, I have also noticed a growing trend of more first-generation DMU vehicles being offered for sale in recent months. I hope most find new owners, as these vehicles are useful and an important part of our railway heritage. One railway that has found a good way to maintain its DMU fleet is the East Lancashire Railway, where the various owners of DMUs based on the line work as a co-operative for the overall good of the fleet. No egos, no sticking to their own project to the detriment of others... just good, old-fashioned teamwork. And it clearly works. This is certainly not a unique initiative, but it does seem to be a good method for ensuring that resources are shared to prevent vehicles falling out of use or restoration projects stalling. In this issue, DMU preservationist Kevin Dowd, from the Bury Unit Team, tells us why he thinks the lines where DMU owners are pooling their resources is paying dividends. Following our feature last month on the reopening of the Llangollen Railway, after the operating company went into receivership and the line had to be rescued by the supporting Llangollen Railway Trust, in this issue we take a look at the project to build a new terminus for the heritage line at Corwen. The new station will bring Llangollen services into the centre of the town, providing much better links between the railway and the local community. It’s also an impressive project, as I discovered during my visit. David Lindsell is back this month to bring us the second instalment of his study into the Ludgershall branch during the diesel era; his first part was published in the August issue. This time he looks at all of the known special trains that have worked along the branch. This month’s 10 Pictures comes from the lens of Liam Barnes, one of the younger generation of enthusiasts, being just 20 years old. His youth has certainly not held him back from becoming a very talented, self-taught photographer, and he brings us 10 fantastic photographs taken in and around his native Lancashire. Next month we have a special issue commemorating the 40th anniversary of the end of the Deltics in January 1982. Forty years on, the HSTs that replaced the Deltics have also gone from the East Coast Main Line, with Hitachi Azumas now dominating ECML services, along with the remaining serviceable Class 91s and Mk.4 sets. Their reign on the East Coast Main Line may long be over but the Deltics remain popular with enthusiasts, and we are fortunate to still
have the Deltic prototype locomotive, six of the production Class 55s and sizeable chunks of two others, in the form of the preserved cabs from 55008 and 55021, surviving in preservation. Next month we celebrate the legacy of these iconic locomotives. Why not save time and money by taking out a subscription to Railways Illustrated so that the magazine is sent directly to you, often being delivered before it appears on the newsagents’ shelves? You can even buy the next issue directly by following the instructions below this note. There’s some great ways of getting your copy of Railways Illustrated each month without needing to leave the comfort of your armchair.
Thanks, Mel
This issue of Railways Illustrated sees the publication of our final Steam News pages, as we prepare to introduce a few changes to the magazine. Since taking over as editor during the summer, I have been working to focus the magazine into a title that covers the current railway scene, both on the national network and on our heritage lines, but with a gentle bias towards the heritage modern traction enthusiast. In terms of steam news and content, there are other magazines that have far more comprehensive coverage geared towards the steam movement – including our sister titles Heritage Railway and The Railway Magazine – than the limited amount of space I can dedicate to steam each month in Railways Illustrated. For the past ten years, our Steam News has been compiled and edited by Mel Holley, an experienced, knowledgeable and highly respected railway and transport journalist whom I have admired for many years. Always providing first-class copy and picture suggestions for his pages, I am grateful to Mel for his work on our steam coverage over the years and I hope that, on occasion, he will write for Railways Illustrated on slightly more modern themes. While Steam News won’t be included in the magazine after this issue, steam images will still be welcome from contributors to our 10 Pictures feature and also, where appropriate, to illustrate heritage railway features.
Andy Coward Editor
Head to classicmagazines.co.uk to pre-order your next issue of Railways Illustrated We will send it directly to you – easy! Save time by not having to nip out to the shop – hurrah! Visit www.classicmagazines.co.uk/pre-order-ri
www.railwaysillustrated.com
December 2021 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED
3
ON SALE DATE: First Thursday of the month THIS ISSUE ON SALE: November 4, 2021 NEXT ISSUE ON SALE: December 2, 2021 EDITOR: Andy Coward 01507 529566 ART EDITOR: Kelvin Clements PUBLISHER: Tim Hartley PUBLISHING DIRECTOR: Dan Savage EDITORIAL ADDRESS: Railways Illustrated, Mortons Media Ltd, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ WEBSITE: www.railwaysillustrated.com EMAIL: rieditor@mortons.co.uk CONTRIBUTORS: Mick Atkin, Liam Barnes, David Barnsdale, Simon Bendall, Paul Biggs, David Bissett, Eddie Bobrowski, Dave Bowles, Stuart Calkin, Phil Chilton, Paul Clark, Richard Clinnick, Kevin Delaney, Steve Donald, Kevin Dowd, Pip Dunn, Gordon Edgar, Terry Eyres, Robert Falconer, Neil Ferguson-Lee, Stuart Fowler, Stephen Ginn, James Hartley, Anthony Hicks, Mel Holley, David Hunt, Frank Lees, Richard Lillie, David Lindsell, Simon Lindsell, Tom McAtee, Steve Madden, Andy Mason, Bernard Mills, Jon Morgan, Graham Nuttall, Mark Pike, James Pilbeam, Bill Pizer, Jonathan Rawlinson, Rob Reedman, Steve Sienkiewicz, Andrew Southwell, Paul Spracklen, David Staines, John Stretton, Stephen Stubbs, Nigel Valentine, Dafydd Whyles
Contents Regulars
3 6 16 24 32
Welcome News Fleet Review Heritage News What’s Happening To…?
36 40 44 68 80
From the Front Coach Pictorial Steam News Reviews Railwayana
THIS PAGE: With the autumn leaf fall season now upon us, Network Rail’s Railhead Treatment Trains are back in action throughout the network to help with rail adhesion. Still looking remarkably clean, DRS locomotives 37401 Mary Queen of Scots and 66426 top and tail 3Z51, the 10.00 York Thrall to York RHTT, which is pictured passing Weaverthorpe on September 28. Mick Atkin FRONT COVER: A colourful convoy of Class 66s, as Freightliner’s 66587 AS ONE, WE CAN hauls 66554, 66044 and 66051 Maritime Intermodal Four past Barrow upon Trent on September 21, 2020, while working 6K50, the 15.13 Toton North Yard to Crewe Basford Hall service. Steve Donald
ADVERTISING ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Craig Amess 01507 529537 camess@mortons.co.uk Fiona Leak 01507 529573 fleak@mortons.co.uk GROUP ADVERTISING MANAGER: Sue Keily skeily@mortons.co.uk CUSTOMER SERVICES General Queries and Back Issues 01507 529529 Monday-Friday 8.30am-5pm Answerphone 24H help@classicmagazines.co.uk www.classicmagazine.co.uk MORTONS MEDIA GROUP LTD SALES AND DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Carl Smith MARKETING MANAGER: Charlotte Park COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR: Nigel Hole ARCHIVE Enquiries Jane Skayman 01507 529423 jskayman@mortons.co.uk ORIGINATION AND PRINTING Printed at Acorn Web Offset Ltd, Normanton, UK. DISTRIBUTION Seymour Distribution Ltd, 2 Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PU ENQUIRIES LINE: +44(0)207 429 4000 EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS Contributions to this magazine should be clearly typed and ideally sent by email. Please contact the editor by email with any possible feature ideas before submission. Photographs submitted to Railways Illustrated are accepted on the basis that they are the copyright property of the person submitting them, or after they have received suitable permission from the copyright owner. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the editor, or publisher. © MORTONS MEDIA GROUP LTD All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher. Advertising deadline November 11 4 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED December 2021
FEATURE | Locomotive fleets
BELOW: One of the most popular retro-livery schemes applied to one of the imported Class 66s for GB Railfreight has been 66789 British Rail 1948-1997 which is painted in a variation of the ever-popular BR Large Logo blue livery. On January 21, 2020, 66789 passes Stenson with 6M83, the 10:51 Tinsley Yard to Bardon Hill. Steve Donald
Locomotive fleets | FEATURE
The colourful Class 66s
They may be by far the most numerous of diesel freight locomotives working in the UK, but Richard Clinnick examines the variety of livery schemes and variations there are in the Class 66 fleet.
50 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED December 2021
www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk
A
common complaint from enthusiasts is that the Class 66 fleet is boring. With almost 500 brand new examples delivered between 1998 and 2016 that is perhaps understandable. They replaced a wide variety of older British Rail locomotives, including Class 31s, 33s, 37s, 47s, 56s, 58s and 60s, meaning that pretty soon those at the lineside knew what type of locomotive would probably be on the front of the train they planned to view – a Class 66. However, in recent years interest has begun to increase in the Class 66s, due to various reasons. Several locomotives have been imported from mainland Europe, all with GB Railfreight (GBRf), while more and more locomotives are being repainted into advertising or special liveries to mark new relationships with customers, or to mark other occasions. As the last issue of Railways Illustrated went to press GBRf 66796 The Green Progressor was unveiled as the most recent recipient of a new livery. It was unveiled at Willesden on September 15, in a colour scheme marking the green contribution railfreight has during the construction of HS2. 66796 is one of a batch of locomotives imported from Europe by GBRf, of which only one – 66795 – has been outshopped in the corporate colours of the operator. Two of the imported locomotives carry trainload freight liveries (66793 with Construction Sector decals and 66794 with Petroleum Sector
www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk
decals), livery schemes a Class 66 would possi- tribute to Managing Director John Smith’s love bly have carried had they been ordered in the of his team, and 66773 Pride of GB Railfreight, days before privatisation, while 66797 retains which marks the company’s commitment to the LGBTQ+ community by incorporating Beacon Rail livery. GBRf has the most Class 66s in non-standard the Pride rainbow within its livery. liveries. Some, such as 66709 Sorrento, 66747 Within the GBRf fleet, 66718 Sir Peter Hendy Made in Sheffield and 66780 The Cemex CBE carries a black livery to mark the 150th Express, are designed to mark relationships anniversary of the London Underground with customers, while others such as 66789 (LU) while 66721 Harry Beck carries a large British Rail 1948-1997 and last-built 66779 version of the iconic LU map on the bodyside Evening Star carry retro liveries which gains – also marking the 150th anniversary of the the operator coverage. underground. Then there are the GBRf 66s that carry Both 66743 and 66746 carry Royal Scotsman adapted versions of the company’s corporate maroon, as these two are designated traction colour scheme, such as 66725 Sunderland for the luxurious charter train that runs which carries a scarf from the football club in a predominantly north of the border.
LEFT: The final Class 66 built is actually 66779 Evening Star, which has been painted into a version of British Railways lined BR green, with the naming and livery inspired by the final steam locomotive to be built for British Railways in 1960, 9F 2-10-0 92220 Evening Star. On July 12, 2019, 66779 stands between duties at UK Rail Leasing’s Leicester Depot. Rob Reedman
December 2021 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED 51
50 The colourful Class 66s
54 A Unit-ed approach! www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk
Features
50 The colourful Class 66s
58 Creating Corwen
70 Model Spot
54 A Unit-ed approach!
62 10 Pictures: Liam Barnes
76 The Ludgershall branch in the diesel era
In recent years there has been a growing trend of applying one-off livery schemes to various Class 66 freight locomotives, principally with GB Railfreight. Richard Clinnick takes a look at this increasingly colourful fleet.
Simon Bendall focuses on model railway wagons in this issue, as he reviews the new Accurascale 21t mineral wagons and Coil A wagons, along with Rails of Sheffield's exclusive MC Metals 21t mineral wagons.
For this issue of Railways Illustrated, we profile the camera skills of 20-year-old Lancashire-based Liam Barnes, who has become a very skilled lensman in a relatively short time. Here he presents his favourite 10 Pictures.
David Lindsell presents the second part of his in-depth study into the Ludgershall branch, this time focusing on the special trains known to have worked on the line.
RIBE AND C S BS
E AV
SU
Collaborative working between the owners of diesel multiple units on the East Lancashire Railway has paid dividends for the railway’s fleet of heritage DMUs. Andy Coward speaks to Kevin Dowd, of the Bury Unit Team, to find out more.
In the second part of our focus on the Llangollen Railway, Andy Coward takes a look at the impressive work being carried out to create a new terminus for the railway at Corwen, which is due to open next year.
A subscription to offers great savings on the cover price. See pages 22 and 23 for details.
FEATURE | Railway History
Railway History | FEATURE
The Ludgershall branch in the diesel era PART TWO SPECIAL TRAINS
In the August issue of Railways Illustrated David Lindsell presented a history of the sevenand-a-half mile Ludgershall branch, bordering Hampshire and Wiltshire. David returns with a summary of the special trains known by him to have worked on the branch.
76 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED December 2021
www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk
T
hroughout the history of the Ludgershall branch, there have been a number of special trains to have operated over the line. Information has been collated from various sources and is as full a list as I can establish.
LEFT: On September 2, 1999, 37198 and 37216 worked a train of more than 30 wagons, loaded with military vehicles, from Liverpool Seaforth Docks to Ludgershall. The train was delayed at Didcot as, when the load was inspected there, some of the vehicles were found to be insecure. Simon Lindsell
Military Specials
As well as the regular timetabled freight workings serving the MOD facilities at Ludgershall, periods of increased military activity on Salisbury Plain often resulted in special freight workings, conveying men and vehicles. Some of these irregular workings are described below: On June 28, 1969, an Eastern Region Class 37, 6965, worked a troop train from Brandon, Suffolk, consisting of eight Mark One coaches, with troops de-training at the former Ludgershall station platform. The empty stock was returned to Norwich Thorpe by the 37. On June 4, 1975, 73115 and 73119 worked a troop special of three coaches, 14 bogie flat wagons and six closed vans. The train was used to transport Italian artillerymen, along with their equipment, for a NATO exercise on Salisbury Plain, with the train returning on June 19, 1975. 33019 worked a troop and tank special away from Ludgershall on July 11, 1977, consisting of one Mark One coach and five loaded bogie flats. 33025 failed whilst working a troop train on the branch on November 4, 1977. As a result, 33103 was sent from Salisbury to tow the train back to Andover.
www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk
Two trains headed to Ludgershall on November 18, 1977, with 33001 working a troop special before 47426 worked another train along the line later that evening. Four military specials ran from Rosyth to Ludgershall on March 11, 1978, with a change of motive power at Newcastle. One of these trains arrived at Ludgershall behind 25066 double heading with 25232, with another hauled by 47273. The following year, on February 2, 1979, 33007 and 33014 each took a troop special from Ludgershall to Pembroke in Wales. Each train was formed of 12 bogie flats, one conveying two coaches and the other with three. Two movements of MOD shunters working on the mainline have been recorded. On March 30,1982, War Department shunter 412 ran with a brake van from Ludgershall
to Bramley at a top speed of 15 miles per hour. After the Bramley MOD depot closed at the end of February 1987, War Department shunters 420, 421, and 435 ran with two Queen Mary brake vans ADS56286 and ADS56299 from MOD Bramley to Ludgershall on March 2, 1987. 47156 worked from Eastleigh to Ludgershall on July 21, 1995, and returned later the same day with a train for Marchwood, consisting of 13 bogie flats loaded with vehicles destined for Bosnia. 47033 The Royal Logistic Corps worked a Ludgershall to Redmire special on February 13, 1997, returning to Ludgershall two days later. The train consisted of two ex-LMS Inspection Saloons, DM45020 and DM999509, two Warflats and two Warwells, with each carrying a Warrior Infantry Fighting
MAIN: 58016 runs round its loaded train in Andover yard on July 17, 2002, prior to working to Marchwood Military Port. This loco is now preserved by the Class 58 Locomotive Group and is based at UK Rail’s Leicester Depot. David Lindsell
December 2021 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED 77
76 The Ludgershall branch in the diesel era
Why not take out a subscription?
The easiest and cheapest way to get your copy of Railways Illustrated each month is to take out a subscription. Full details are on page 22-23. At the moment a subscription by Direct Debit means you will beat any price rises, you usually receive the magazine earlier than the on-sale date, and you won’t miss an issue.
December 2021 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED 5
NEWS
Lumo launches its new ‘train for everyone’ FIRSTGROUP’S SECOND open access operator Lumo launched its’ new service on the East Coast Main Line between London King's Cross and Edinburgh Waverley on October 25, just after this issue of Railways Illustrated went to print. However, we were invited to join a special preview launch of the service on October 21, where we were able to sample a journey on board one of the brand-new Class 803 Hitachi EMUs purchased for Lumo. The trains only call at three intermediate stations en route, with Lumo services stopping at Stevenage, Newcastle and Morpeth, and the Newcastle-based operator hopes to tempt air travellers onto its trains, offering a low cost, environmentally-friendly and comfortable alternative. Initially there are only two trains in each direction between Sunday and Friday, with one in each direction on Saturdays, although the number of trains is due to be extended at some point in December (increasing to four trains in each direction per day) and then again in February or March (five trains in each direction).
New kid on the blocks! 803001 stands on Platform 8 at London Kings Cross on the morning of October 21, prior to departing for Edinburgh with a preview launch of the new Lumo service for invited guests. Andy Coward
Commercial projects director Phil Cameron said that three of the five new trains (803001-803003) are currently available for use by the operator, with 803004 due to be accepted on October 22. The fifth
and final train, 803005, should follow in December. The trains have been assembled by Hitachi at Newton Aycliffe and Mr Cameron said the train builder had done a fantastic job managing
the contract during the challenging times of the coronavirus pandemic when completely new ways of working have had to be devised. He also said that during the trainin g per iod, Lumo had
Lumo Ambassadors Harvey Price has been named Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador for Lumo and travelled on the press launch preview service on October 21. He was born with a series of disabilities, including ADHD, autism, genetic condition Prader-Willi Syndrome and septo-optic dysplasia, which causes blindness. His new role includes working alongside Lumo to encourage a better understanding of the challenges of rail travel for people with disabilities. Lumo managing director Helen Wylde said: “Harvey’s passion for trains is wonderful. We love his energy and enthusiasm. We are also deeply committed to improving the passenger experience for people with disabilities, which is a serious endeavour that requires our industry’s attention, too.” Brit Award winning singer-songwriter Tom Walker also took part in the Lumo launch day, performing for the invited guests travelling on the train. The Scottish star has recently released his first new music in two years after passing two billion global streams and becoming the biggest
Above: There’s no mistaking that Lumo has arrived at Edinburgh Waverley on October 21. Andy Coward Celebrating the launch of Lumo services were Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador Harvey Price and Brit Award-winning singer-songwriter Tom Walker, who are pictured after the train arrived at Edinburgh Waverley on October 21. Andy Coward
selling UK-signed artist of 2019. He also did an impromptu set for commuters passing through the station at London King's Cross station before the train departed.
6 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED December 2021
Below: The layout of the interior of the trains. Each coach only has two table bays, although all seats have fold down extendable tables and also have individual reading lights fitted to the rear of each seat. Andy Coward
Above: Lumo was given a traditional Scottish welcome into Edinburgh Waverley, courtesy of Piper Louise Marshall, who stands next to the new train following its arrival. Andy Coward
www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk
NEWS Our Verdict
Lumo launched its services on the East Coast Main Line from October 25, but operated a special preview launch service for invited guests on October 21, using 803001. Additionally, 803003 was in use on the same day operating an out of service training run and is pictured at Broad Fen Lane, Claypole, near Newark, working the 14.36 London Kings Cross to Edinburgh. Steve Madden
utilised both Hull Trains and TransPennine Express trains to assist them while its own fleet has been undergoing acceptance trials and commissioning, but the performance and reliability of the Class 803s has been very good since they have been brought into use. Unlike some of the other Hitachi IET designs, the Class 803s are electric only and do not have any diesel engines or battery mode
operation in the event of problems with the overhead line equipment. Commercial and customer experience director Matthew Lee explained that launching a new service so soon after the country has emerged from Covid and the associated lockdowns had been a challenge, but he and his colleagues were excited about the future and believed that Lumo can tempt business travellers away from the
Lumo has clearly done its homework when it comes to designing its services and has made no secret of its desire to target air travellers between London and Scotland, rather than the other operators who run along the East Coast Main Line. The Class 803 Hitachi five-coach IETs are certainly eye catching in their overall blue livery, which is only broken up by the white branding on the exterior of the train. Internally, the trains are smart, but rather functional in their appearance and the lack of tables throughout most of the train is noticeable, with only two table bays of four seats in each of the five coaches, although every non-table seat has an extendable drop-down table, as well as plug sockets. This has been done to fit in the 402 seats throughout the train (398 standard seats and four tip-up seats).
regional airlines and onto the trains. Lumo managing director Helen Wylde told Railways Illustrated: “We have worked hard to make this a success and believe we offer a good, comfortable and environmentally friendly alternative to air travel. “In the first year we have one million seats available on our services and we want to fill as many of those seats as possible. Initial bookings have been encouraging
Lumo has made much in its preservice press releases about how much care has gone into designing the train and by removing first class accommodation and kitchen areas it has managed to fit a lot of seats into the five-coach trains, although leg room on the Class 803s appears to be slightly more generous than most other IET designs. Performance-wise, the acceleration and braking was smooth, as was the journey itself. Departure from London King's Cross was at 10.45 and arrival in Edinburgh at 15.15, two minutes ahead of schedule, after a journey of exactly four-anda-half hours. One interesting facet is that the Lumo services heading towards Edinburgh use the avoiding line at York, rather than passing through the station, and this is believed to be the first regular passenger service to use this section of line.
and we hope that those who try our service will want to come and travel with us again. This is a train for everyone.” Lumo is the third open access operator vying for traffic along the ECML, with Hull Trains and Grand Central also operating services over the route alongside principal route operator LNER. It is the first open access operator to launch its services using a completely new train fleet.
Electricity price woes for the rail industry AN INCREASE in electricity charges by Network Rail applied to companies who operate electric trains has seen Freightliner temporarily storing its fleet of Class 90s, replacing them with diesel haulage until the situation stabilises. The rise in the wholesale price of electricity charged to Network Rail means the company has been forced to pass on this cost to any operators who are not tied into pre-arranged fixed price agreements, effectively charging them for any electricity consumed as their trains operate across the electrified sections of the national network. A statement by the Rail Freight Group in response to the move said: “Rail freight is acknowledged as a low carbon transport mode, emitting 76% less carbon dioxide
www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk
A disappearing scene – for now. On September 10, Freightliner’s 90010 and 90047 pass through Carlisle station with a Coatbridge to Crewe container working. Tom McAtee
than road freight even with the use of diesel locomotives. Rail freight operators are committed to further decarbonisation, and measures to increase sustainability. “However, the current significant increase in the wholesale cost of electricity for haulage means that
some operators have had to take the regrettable decision to temporarily move back to diesel locomotives. “A 200% increase in electricity costs for each train cannot be absorbed by the operators, or customers, and so necessary action is being taken to ensure that trains
can continue to operate delivering vital good across the country. “Our members are assuring us that this is a temporary measure and will be kept under constant review.” More analysis on this situation will be contained in the next issue.
December 2021 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED 7
NEWS
Dartmoor Line is set to reopen on November 20
ALMOST 50 years since regular train services linking the Devon town of Okehampton with Exeter were withdrawn, Network Rail and Great Western Railway (GWR) are set to reopen the Dartmoor Line ahead of schedule on November 20. Preparatory work by Network Rail has been underway since the start of the year as the route has been upgraded for its new role. It is the first line to be reopened to regular passenger services under the Government’s Restoring Your Railway programme, with the Department for Transport providing £40 million of funding. The route will connect Exeter St Davids, Crediton and Okehampton, with a total journey time of about 40 minutes, and around half of the services using the line will carry on to Exeter Central station. The initial timetable will see eight trains in both directions throughout the day, with a service operating roughly every two hours, although GWR states that service frequencies on the line will increase to an hourly service from next spring. Network Rail engineers have laid more than 11 miles of new track, installed some 24,000 concrete sleepers and laid 29,000 tonnes of ballast as part of the project. Repairs have also been carried out to 21 structures along the route, including four bridges,
Dartmoor Line Services from November 20-December 11 From Exeter St Davids to Okehampton Mon-Fri
Saturday
Sunday
06.29
06.32
-
08.39
08.41
08.43
10.37
10.36
10.54
12.34
12.37
12.40
14.37
14.38
14.38
17.09
16.36
16.52
19.12
18.48
18.38
21.12
21.00
21.02
From Okehampton to Exeter St Davids
During driver training and testing of the route, GWR Class 150 DMU 150246 arrives at Okehampton on September 20. From November 20, Okehampton will become part of the national rail network after an absence of almost 50 years. David Hunt
and other preparatory works, such as vegetation clearance, earth and drainage works, have been carried out. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “The project, funded by over £40 million from the Department for Transport, is part of the wider campaign to reverse catastrophic cuts to the rail network primarily led by the The Dartmoor Line branding released ahead of the reopening of the route from November 20. The design includes all of the organisations that have worked together to achieve the reinstatement of the route. GWR
Beeching axe. The work has been a successful collaboration between the DfT, Network Rail, GWR, Devon County Council, Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership, local campaigners and MPs.” Mark Hopwood, GWR managing director, said: “This has been a key aspiration for the community and the rail industry for some time, and today is a significant day for everyone who has been involved. Their support and advocacy over the years has helped deliver a fantastic new service for customers, which we hope will grow from strength to strength.” Passenger services on the route were withdrawn by British Rail in June 1972. The line remained in use
Mon-Fri
Saturday
Sunday
07.20
07.39
-
09.24
09.45
09.43
11.25
11.39
11.45
13.24
13.39
13.38
15.24
15.39
15.38
18.20
17.46
17.43
20.22
19.51
19.39
22.18
21.56
21.55
to serve Meldon Quarry, situated west of Okehampton, a supplier of railway ballast and related materials. The line between Coleford Junction and Meldon Quarry was sold at the time of privatisation in the 1990s to the quarry owner, now known as Aggregate Industries. Heritage services operated over the line for a time, but these ended last year. The line was reacquired by Network Rail earlier this year.
New MD celebrates Hull Trains' 21st anniversary HULL TRAINS has celebrated its 21st anniversary with a special commemorative vinyl wrap design on Hitachi Class 802 ‘Paragon’ unit 802305, with the new-look train being launched by the new managing director, David Gibson. The 21st anniversary celebrations were launched in a ceremony at Hull station on October 8, with the event being one of the first conducted by Mr Gibson following his appointment, who said: “I am incredibly proud to have joined Hull Trains as its managing director at this pivotal time in its history. I have lived locally for 18 years and since 2003 I have travelled on Hull Trains services. I know how important
it is to the region. Hull Trains has been a beacon for the city and the wider region, and I want it to be that again.” The open access operator is recovering from two lengthy periods where services were suspended due to the coronavirus lockdowns in March and November 2020. The Hull Trains ‘Paragon’ fleet was introduced into service in 2019 and is painted in First Group dark blue livery with magenta-coloured doors. 802301-304 all feature a photo montage in a wide multi-coloured vinyl band running the length of the bodyside, providing a rainbow effect. The commemorative design applied to 802305 also features a photo vinyl
8 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED December 2021
New Hull Trains managing director David Gibson stands alongside Class 802 Hitachi ‘Paragon’ 802305 following its 21st anniversary unveiling at Hull station on October 8. Hull Trains
band, but in black-and-white, celebrating 21 years of Hull Trains, along with 21st anniversary branding. Mr Gibson replaces Louise
Cheeseman as managing director, who left Hull Trains earlier this year to take up a position with Transport for London. www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk
NEWS
Investigation is underway into Enfield Town buffer stop collision AN INVESTIGATION is underway into a buffer stop collision which happened at Enfield town on the morning of October 12. The incident saw the 07.45 from London Liverpool Street service, operated by London Overground Class 710 Electric Multiple Unit 710124, collide with the station buffers at the end of the platform, with the leading coach coming to rest on top of the buffers. No serious injuries were
suffered among passengers on the train, although some were treated for minor injuries. Following the incident, Ellie Burrows, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia, said at the time: “At approximately 8.20am, a train hit the buffer stops at Enfield Town at slow speed. The driver is being treated for shock and there are reports of a few minor injuries. Emergency services including the British Transport Police are on
site and an investigation is underway.” The train was recovered overnight by engineers from Network Rail, Arriva Rail London and Alstom, with track repairs completed in time for the line to be reopened at 08.30 the following morning. Both Transport for London and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch are carrying out investigations into the circumstances surrounding the accident.
HST power cars for scrap
AS THIS issue of Railways Illustrated went to press, it was understood that two Class 43 High Speed Train power cars were destined to move to Newport for scrapping. Owned by Porterbrook, former LNER HST power cars 43061/075 are set to become the first production power cars to be scrapped that were not written off in an accident. Both have been stored since LNER dispensed with HSTs. They are fitted with VP185 power units, having been previously part of the East Midlands Trains fleet before being leased to LNER. They were
subsequently formally transferred to the ECML operator but were never repainted or re-engined, and they still carry EMT branding. The power cars were stored in January 2020 (43061) and November 2019 (43075) and have mainly been stored at Long Marston. There are 69 HST power cars stored – including the two destined for scrapping and five which Railways Illustrated understands have been secured for preservation – owned mainly by Porterbrook and Angel Trains, although FirstGroup owns damaged 43195, while 43300
transferred to East Midlands Railway, having also been damaged in an accident at Neville Hill. Both Roscos have been reluctant to scrap the Class 43s despite the lack of potential reuse and the length of time some of the power cars have been out of traffic. However, some 359 HST Mk.3 trailer coaches have been scrapped since the end of 2019. Of the 197 power cars, only 43011/019/140/173 have been scrapped, all of which were damaged beyond economic repair in serious rail accidents.
IN BRIEF Avanti West Coast driver Steve Wilson has retired after working on the railway for the past 50 years. For his final shift, Mr Wilson drove Pendolino 390157 from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly, with his wife and two daughters travelling on board. The number of apprenticeships on offer throughout rail firms Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express will increase by a quarter in 2022, with 250 programmes available in departments including engineering, customer services, train driving and administration. A new multi-storey car park and two cycling hubs have opened at Newbury as part of the redevelopment of the station. The new car park provides 160 additional parking spaces, with electric car charging points and improved walking routes between the station and town centre. The two cycle hubs provide 300 extra spaces and are fitted with CCTV monitoring equipment. Nexus has confirmed that four additional trains have been ordered for the new Tyne and Wear Metro fleet from Stadler. A total of 46 new trains are being built by Stadler for the Metro system as part of a £362 million programme which will transform services and replace the existing elderly train fleet. The first of the new trains is due to be delivered next year. LNER has raised £313,000 towards the Campaign Against Living Miserably’s (CALM) work to prevent suicide, through a combination of fundraising events, the Delay Repay Donation Scheme and LNER Perks loyalty rewards, which enable LNER passengers to donate their compensation or loyalty credits to the charity. A sale of HST nameplates also raised more than £50,000 for the organisation.
Network Rail’s programme of autumn Railhead Treatment Trains is now in full swing, as the leaf fall season gets underway. The organisation and planning of these trains is a mammoth undertaking for the infrastructure company, and the trains are hauled by locomotives and traction supplied from a wide variety of operators. On October 15, Colas Railfreight 56096 trails 56094 at Abergele, while working a Coleham to Coleham RHTT. Terry Eyres
www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk
South Western Railway has refurbished the former Red Star Parcels office at Petersfield, which is now used as a community hub, at a cost of £45,000. The facility has received a makeover, with upgrades to the electrics and heating, a new security door, a clean water feed and improvements to the bathroom and kitchen facilities. The building also serves as a tourist information centre.
December 2021 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED 9
NEWS
More traditional signalling is vanishing from Network Rail THE ONGOING modernisation of signalling across Network Rail continues, with some bastions of traditional signalling set to disappear before the end of the year. Just after this issue of Railways Illustrated closed for press, work began on replacing the semaphore signalling around Bridlington, on the Hull to Scarborough line in East Yorkshire. Rail services were replaced by bus services from October 23-31 while Network Rail removed all of the semaphore signals that have dominated the area in favour of modern colour light signalling. Unlike many resignalling schemes taking place throughout the rail network, the signalbox at Bridlington is not set to be abolished, although the traditional lever frame is being replaced by a new modern NX panel. In the North East, Whitehouse and Middlesbrough signalboxes are due to be closed on November 13, with their operating areas being transferred to the Network Rail Regional Operating Centre at York. Both signalboxes, dating from 1874 and 1877 respectively, are set to be demolished. Another signalbox due to be abolished in the near future is Elmham & Creswell Junction, on the Nottingham to Worksop Robin Hood Line. The signalbox, located on the long section of the route between Worksop and Shirebrook, is due to be taken out of use during the autumn.
Left: 37401 Mary Queen of Scots heads through Bridlington station, working a York Thrall to York Thrall Railhead Treatment Train on October 8. 37402 Stephen Middlemore 23.12.1954 – 8.6.2013 was on the other end of the train. The semaphore signals at Bridlington have now been replaced with colour light signalling. Anthony Hicks
Right: East Midland Railway 158812 works a Nottingham to Worksop service past the signalbox at Elmton & Creswell Junction, near Creswell station on August 23. The Robin Hood Line signalbox is due to be abolished in the next few months. Dafydd Whyles
Advanced ticket revenue Class 317 vehicle destined for blow for Llangollen trust East Anglian Railway Museum THE LLANGOLLEN Railway Trust (LRT) has been advised that £30,000 placed in a separate bank account by the directors of the now defunct Llangollen Railway Plc, intended to cover the advanced sales of tickets and experiences, will have to be made available to the general body of creditors. LRT finance director Phil Freeth said: “We are very disappointed with this outcome and wish to extend our sincere apologies to all those customers of Llangollen Railway Plc who will lose money over this. At the same time, we also have to acknowledge the administrators are only doing their job as the law dictates.”
A statement from the LRT stated that the issue had been exacerbated in that the money concerned had been placed into a separate account shortly before Llangollen Railway Plc appointed receivers and the account that the funds were transferred from was already an overdrawn account. The LRT has now stated that, going forward, it has created a Sales in Advance reserve in its accounts, which will show in the company’s audited accounts each year. Mr Freeth said: “This will cover advance sales at any one time and, hopefully, this early step will prevent any similar recurrence should the trust fall into financial difficulties in the future.”
10 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED December 2021
CLASS 317 driving vehicle 77092 from unit 317345 has moved to the East Anglian Railway Museum (EARM) for preservation at Chappel and Wakes Colne station. The vehicle has been donated to the EARM by leasing company Angel Trains following its withdrawal by Greater Anglia earlier this year. It has been in store at Ely Papworth Sidings – where a lot of Angel’s stored rolling stock is located – since being taken out of service, and was collected from there on October 15 for its journey to the museum. The vehicle is destined to be a static exhibit at its new home, helping the attraction tell the story of
Eastern Region Suburban train services through its collection of historic rail vehicles. Internally 77092 will feature displays telling the story of the Class 317 EMUs, the electrification of railways in East Anglia and how electric trains work. The survival of 77092 is the latest in several EMU vehicles entering preservation recently and follows the preservation of Class 442 driving vehicle 77382 from 442401 by Northumbria Rail. The Class 315 Preservation Society has also recently reached agreement with Eversholt Rail to preserve the complete four-car 315820 when it comes out of traffic (Railways Illustrated, November 2021).
➔ Head to classicmagazines.co.uk to pre-order your next issue of Railways Illustrated. No need to jump in your car and nip out to the shops. www.classicmagazines.co.uk/pre-order-ri www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk
NEWS
Deltic D9000 engine repairs will delay main line return 55022 Royal Scots Grey stands at Preston after arriving on a charter from Pwllheli on July 12, 2008. The pioneer Class 55 is being prepared for a main line return by Crewe-based Royal Scot Locomotive and General Trust. Now being referred to by its original D9000 number, it seems likely the locomotive will emerge in BR green rather than the BR blue it carried during its last spell on the main line. Kevin Delaney
THE PLANNED main line return of from the locomotive, but the repairs pioneer Class 55 Deltic D9000 Royal required are more extensive than first Scots Grey has been delayed due to envisaged, with one being completely ongoing repairs to the locomotives stripped down and rebuilt to the origtwo power units. inal specification in an investment the The locomotive is owned by Loco- owners say is costing “many hundreds motive Services Ltd subsidiary Royal of thousands of pounds”. Scot Locomotive and General Trust D9000 has received fully recondi(RSL&GT) following its purchase tioned bogies, its fuel tanks have from former owner Martin Walker in been removed, overhauled and refitlate 2017. ted, and body work repairs have been It had been planned that D9000 carried out. would return to main line use on the A statement issued by the organ‘Deltic Delight’ charter on December 1, isation said: “The decisions around but RSL&GT announced in mid-Octo- engine works are difficult and must ber that ongoing repairs to the loco- be made with the preservation of as motive’s power units meant it would many power units as possible in mind. not be completed in time to haul “They are a diminishing commodity the charter, which is to be moved to and we do not wish to rush a rebuild, August next year. only for the engine to fail in service.” The two power units are being The RSL&GT statement added: overhauled following their removal “Our primary goal must always be to
protect the assets in our care, rather than hope for the best. “The decisions we are making for D9000 are for its long-term future, so that it can be enjoyed by many for years to come. We ask that those following D9000 bear with us.” It is now intended that the charter will be rescheduled to take place on August 26, 2022. Passengers who had been booked on the December 1 tour are being contacted to see if they wish for their booking to be moved to the new date. RSL&GT bought both D9000 and D9016 Gordon Highlander from Mr Walker. D9016 has since undergone cosmetic restoration and has been moved to Margate for display in LSL’s planned The One:One Collection museum facility being established in the former Hornby factory.
IN BRIEF Transport for London has released designs for a memorial to the 98 TfL workers who lost their lives to coronavirus. The memorial will be created on a pedestrian plaza on Braham Street in Aldgate. It will contain a plaque, benches and a cherry blossom tree. East Midlands Railway has introduced a new option for customers to set up a bespoke account for delay repay claims. Passengers are entitled to make a claim if their journey is delayed for 15 minutes or more. The account means that personal details will be pre-filled, and season ticket holders can save their ticket details. Claims are paid by various methods, or can be donated to the Samaritans. A memorial service was held at Hatfield Church on October 17 to remember the people who lost their lives in the Hatfield rail accident exactly 21 years earlier. The tragedy occurred when a Leeds-bound GNER train derailed at Hatfield, in Hertfordshire. Four people lost their lives and more than 70 people were injured. LNER joined in by sounding a train horn near Hatfield to mark the end of a silence held at 12.23pm – the exact time of the accident. Steve Wight has been appointed managing director of Southeastern. He took up his new role on October 11, a few days before the operator transferred to SE Trains Ltd. Mr White was previously deputy chief executive of Govia Thameslink Railway. Eversholt Rail and Transport Design International launched their Revolution Very Light Rail Demonstrator vehicle at Ironbridge on October 7. The concept was created by a challenge set by the Rail Safety and Standards Board and the DfT to provide an attractive, low-cost rail vehicle that can encourage a shift to rail, supporting better services on branch lines and facilitating the reopening of disused railway. Left: Transport Scotland has announced the scrapping of the planned double track works from Busby to East Kilbride, as part of the electrification scheme of the line, even though vegetation clearance work had already taken place between Busby and East Kilbride in preparation for the route doubling. On April 24, 2021, 156514 and 156462 are ready to depart from East Kilbride with the 16.28 to Glasgow Central. Stuart Fowler
www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk
December 2021 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED 11
NEWS
DfT strips Govia of its Southeastern franchise
THE DEPARTMENT for Transport (DfT) announced on September 28 that an Operator of Last Resort, SE Trains Limited, was being brought in from October 17 to take over the operation of Southeastern. The move follows an investigation into Southeastern’s trading company, London & South Eastern Railway (LSER), which identified more than £25 million of taxpayers’ money was not declared by LSER, creating a breach of trust in the franchise agreement. LSER has been operating the Southeastern franchise since 2006 between London, Kent and parts of East Sussex. It is owned by Govia, a joint venture between the Go-Ahead Group and Keolis. A DfT statement declared: “To date, £25 million has been reclaimed and further investigations are being
conducted by the owning group into all related historic contract issues with LSER. Following these investigations, the Government will consider further options for enforcement action, including statutory financial penalties under the Railways Act 1993. “On the basis of the available evidence, we consider this to be a significant breach of the good faith obligation within the franchise agreement and will not be extending a further contract to LSER. The Government believes it is essential that there is public trust in operators, who should prioritise the very best for passengers. “Given the Government’s commitment to protecting taxpayers’ interests, this decision makes clear that we will hold private sector operators to the highest standards and
take swift, effective and meaningful action against those who fall short.” A new company, SE Trains Limited, assumed responsibility for the franchise from October 17. SE Trains Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of DfT OLR Holdings Limited (DOHL), the Public Sector Owning Group also responsible for LNER and Northern Trains. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “There is clear, compelling and serious evidence that LSER has breached the trust that is absolutely fundamental to the success of our railways. When trust is broken, we will act decisively. “The decision to take control of services makes it unequivocally clear that we will not accept anything less from the private sector than a total commitment to their passengers and transparency with taxpayer support.”
The transfer of Southeastern to an Operator of Last Resort (OLR) is now the third passenger operation to have been taken into government control, but the first to be stripped as a result of a breach of trust. LNER took over the Virgin Train East Coast franchise in June 2018 after the Virgin and Stagecoach partnership got into financial difficulties due to lower-than-expected passenger revenues, while Arriva was stripped of the Northern franchise in March 2020 after a host of poor performance issues plagued the operator. As with the other franchises to have been transferred to an OLR, the DfT has been keen to stress that passengers and front-line staff should not notice any difference in services, fares and tickets available on the Southeastern network.
Southeastern Class 707 ‘City Beams’ launched THE FIRST Class 707 EMUs cascaded to Southeastern entered service with the operator on September 27. Units 707009 and 707010 became the first of the type to be used in service after the fleet was transferred from South Western Railway. The trains, which Southeastern has branded ‘City Beams’, will operate as 10-car EMUs, consisting two coupled units providing up to a maximum of 534 seats. The trains will enter service on Southeastern routes between London, Dartford, Hayes and Sevenoaks. Southeastern boasts that the trains will include new features such as clear information screens showing the space available in each carriage, larger windows, air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and plug sockets. Southeastern managing director David Statham said: “We are pleased to introduce these trains on our busiest London-area routes after many months of hard work from Southeastern and Network Rail colleagues, as well as our suppliers and industry partners, Angel Trains and Siemens Mobility. “Getting the trains safety-approved, tracks and stations checked, and drivers and colleagues trained has been a real team effort.” The 30 five-coach trains were originally ordered for use on the Stagecoach-operated South West Trains franchise and were constructed by Siemens in Germany. The first of the
Now branded as ‘City Beams’, the Class 707s entered passenger service on the Southeastern network from September 27, with 707009 and 707010 forming the first diagram. The pair stand at Petts Wood on launch day, forming the 12.11 Orpington to Cannon Street service. David Staines
trains entered service on SWT just a few days before the franchise passed to the First/MTR consortium, with the franchise being renamed South Western Railway. However, within
12 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED December 2021
a short period it was decided that a new fleet of Class 701 EMUs would be ordered for use on SWR, with Southeastern signing an agreement to take on the Class 707s. Introduction
into service of the fleet will be phased over the next six months, with the final member of the fleet expected to be in service on Southeastern in the spring of 2022. www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk
ENJOYED THIS PREVIEW? THE BEST ACTION IN TRIALS AND MOTOCROSS
DIRTb bike ke
VELO MAC MA S SPECIAL PECIAL NORTON RT RTON INTER AJS SCEPTRE SCEP E SPORTS! SCEPTR SPORTS POR ! PORTS
CLASSIC
#48
ISSUE
Forty-eight Autumn 2018
OCTOBER 2018
No. 330 October 2018 £4.30 UK Off-sale date 31/10/2018
MOTO MEMORIES // TECH TALK // MONTESA COTA 200 // BULTACO MATADOR
3.60
Running, Riding & Rebuilding Running, Rebuilding Real RealClassi RealC Classic C lassi Motorcycles
BOXER CKS TRIC
HOW THE LEGEEND BEGAN
SUPERMAC’S TRIUMPH DRAYTON
PRINTED IN THE UK
PLUS MOTO MEMORIES TECH TALK MONTESA COTA 200 BULTACO MATADOR AN HOUR WITH: GERRIT WOLSINK
£3.60 US$9.99 C$10.99 Aus$8.50 NZ$9.99 PRINTED IN THE UK
HOME, JAMES!
UNIVERSITY GRADUATE
#48
001 Cover_OCT.indd 1
AT THE CASTLE
DRUMLANRIG 2018 D 20
WINNER
SUPER PROFILE: ARIEL’S HT3
GREEVES ESSEX TWIN BUYING GUIDE // STRIP YOUR TWOSTROKE // BSA B31 RESTORATION // MALLE MILE // CAFE RACER CUP // SHETLAND CLASSIC // THE CLASSIC TT // MIKE HAILWOOD REPLICA
CLASSICS
65 PRE65 PRE
PRINTED IN THE UK
R 2018 ISSUE 174 OCTOBER
N48 2018 US$15.99 Aus$14.99 NZ$18.99 UK£5.50 UK Off-sale date 15/11/18
BUY SELL RIDE RESTORE
13/09/2018 10:34:50
001 CDB Cover_048.indd 1
02/08/2018 14:53:55
001 Cover_174.indd 1
03/09/2018 10:18:26
•SINGLE ISSUES •SUBSCRIPTIONS
CLICK HERE
www.classicmagazines.co.uk
ENDOFPREVI EW
I fy oul i k ewhaty ou’ v e r eads of ar ,whynot s ubs c r i be,ort r ya s i ngl ei s s uef r om:
www. c l as s i c magaz i nes . c o. uk