DARTMOOR LINE
REOPENS
37674 RELOCATES TO STRATHSPEY
THE RAILWAY WORLD – PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
Scrapyard story www.railwaysillustrated.com
February 2022 £4.95
One man’s fascination with scrapyard photography
Model Spot Hornby Class 60s
PLUS National Railway Heritage Awards 2021 Preservation: The locomotive collector Merseyrail Northern Line profiled
Werrington Tunnel brings ECML capacity improvements
February 2022 Issue 228 £4.95
Hitachi and Alstom to build HS2 train fleet
Welcome to Railways Illustrated
Rail grabs the headlines
I
t’s certainly been a busy month regarding major news stories affecting our railways. Perhaps the biggest story is the publication of the Government’s Integrated Rail Plan (IRP) on November 18, just after the last issue of Railways Illustrated closed for press. The IRP saw a number of new initiatives suggested to improve the rail network and journey times, but it was the axing of the planned HS2 route to Leeds that grabbed the headlines, with the IRP attracting much criticism from officials in the West Yorkshire city and other areas in the north. Also in terms of HS2, Hitachi and Alstom have been named as jointly being awarded the contract to build the train fleet for the high speed route, with much of the construction work scheduled to take place in the UK, as well as the creation of jobs to support the huge train building contract. A couple of openings making headlines this month include the reinstatement of regular passenger services on the Dartmoor Line between Exeter St Davids and Okehampton. The opening of the Werrington Tunnel dive-under, near Peterborough, now routes freight services beneath the East Coast Main Line, is also a welcome development, helping to increase capacity on the busy route and improve journey times. With the emergence of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, the UK Government stated that the wearing of face coverings is now once again mandatory on public transport and in shops, although these rules were further tightened in early December in the face of the increased and rapid spread of the new variant in the UK. Even after restrictions were relaxed earlier in 2021, rail operators continued to encourage passengers to wear face coverings when travelling by train. From my own experience travelling over the past few months, it seemed that only a relatively small percentage of train users were still complying with these requests. Any discussions surrounding Covid-19 restrictions are always divisive between those who believe there should be no restrictions at all and those who think we should act much more cautiously. I generally avoid making comments about Government health policies, but making face coverings mandatory on public transport is almost impossible to enforce effectively and just has the potential to put public-facing railway staff in confrontational and potentially dangerous situations. Again, from personal experience in my previous role before becoming your editor,
I have seen first-hand just how difficult it is for frontline on-board staff to encourage passengers to use face coverings. If they challenge passengers, they can be subjected to abuse, intimidation, and threats; if they don’t challenge, this can generate complaints from other users who think the rule-breakers are being allowed to get away with it. The situation puts our rail staff in a complete lose-lose situation. Whether we like it or not, there is a small percentage of passengers who won’t wear face coverings when travelling by train. This isn’t because they are exempt from wearing them due to health conditions, but because they simply don’t want to – or refuse out of principle. Unless these rules can be properly enforced, they are completely pointless. The British Transport Police is far too busy to have a chance of responding to every incident due to limited resources and the sheer size of the geographical area it is responsible for. Local police forces will often not respond to an incident on the railways due to this being the responsibility of BTP, so the thin blue line is often very thin indeed. It’s a difficult situation for the rail industry to deal with, and most operators are choosing – sensibly, in my opinion – to ask staff to remind passengers of their responsibility when it comes to the wearing of face coverings, but not to get themselves into confrontational situations that may place themselves, or other passengers, in danger. In this issue, Gordon Kirkby speaks to Graham Harris, a preservationist who has bought various locomotives over the past two decades, but has faced several setbacks over the years in his quest to restore those in his fleet. The plight of some of Mr Harris’s locomotives, such as 20169 and 37042, has been the subject of much speculation over the past few years, so it is great that we are able to give the owner a chance to tell his story and update Railways Illustrated on his plans for the future. Our cover photo this month, depicting the final hours of a locomotive being disposed of at the now-closed Vic Berry’s scrapyard in Leicester, is as atmospheric as it is sad. For almost 50 years, Richard Lillie has visited most of the railway scrapyards in the UK to photograph locomotives and other items of rolling stock either awaiting final disposal, or in the process of being scrapped. In pursuit of his hobby, he has amassed an astonishing collection of images, of which in this issue we present a small selection and
find out why he finds scrap photography so fascinating. Over the past few months we have had some truly outstanding submissions to our monthly 10 Pictures photographic feature. However, at the risk of upsetting the people whose work has been published in our previous issues, I think the selection in this issue from regular Railways Illustrated contributor John Hales is my favourite of all those published to date. John’s submission captures so many aspects of the hobby and the atmosphere that makes railway photography so interesting. From the emails we exchanged when he first made his submission, it is clear that he put a lot of thought into his selection – and the results are stunning. Also on a photographic theme, Martyn Hilbert presents the first part of two features focusing on the self-contained Merseyrail network. Martyn has photographed and written extensively about it, and his features are designed both to explain the system and the services that operate on it, as well as giving some inspiration and guidance to some of the best photographic locations to be found around the network. We also take a look at some of the excellent winning entries in this year’s National Railway Heritage Awards, which were revealed in a glittering ceremony in London on December 1. My grateful thanks to Robin Leleux for providing an excellent summary on the winning entries, which celebrate some of the outstanding work that goes on around the country to restore, celebrate, and respect our rich railway heritage. Thank-you to readers who got in touch after the publication of our special 40th anniversary of the end of the Deltics issue last month. Most of the feedback was generally positive, but I did receive a couple of emails from people who felt too much space was dedicated to just one type of locomotive. I’m sorry to anyone who didn’t enjoy it, but overall the issue was very well received. As ever, I welcome any comments, suggestions and constructive criticism on any aspect of the magazine. If there is anything you would like to suggest or comment on, please email me at rieditor@mortons.co.uk
Andy Coward Editor
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February 2022 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED
3
ON SALE DATE: First Thursday of the month THIS ISSUE ON SALE: January 6, 2022 NEXT ISSUE ON SALE: February 3, 2022 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: Dan Adkins, Steve Allen, David Barnsdale, Simon Bendall, David Bissett, Phil Chilton, Richard Clinnick, Spence Conquest, Kevin Delaney, Steve Donald, Pip Dunn, Gordon Edgar, Robert Falconer, Kieran Fallows, Neil Gibson, David Green, Alistair Grieve, John Hales, Martyn Hilbert, Chris Hopkins, David Hunt, Brad Joyce, Simon Kerry, Gordon Kirkby, Steve Lee, Robin Leleux, Richard Lillie, Martin Loader, Bernard Mills, Bill Pizer, Rob Reedman, Steve Sienkiewicz, Noel Slack, David Staines, Robin Stewart-Smith, Mick Tindall, Andrew Watts, Ben Wheeler
Contents Regulars
6 News
38 The Social Side
16 Fleet Review
40 Pictorial
22 Heritage News
68 Book & Product Reviews
30 What’s Happening To… ?
80 Railwayana
34 From the Front Coach FRONT COVER: In this issue of Railways Illustrated we speak to Richard Lillie, who has spent the last five decades photographing locomotives, DMUs, and coaching stock being scrapped all across the UK. On February 19, 1988, the cutting of 25327 is at an advanced stage at Vic Berry’s yard in Leicester, with a stack of assorted Class 25s and 27s in the background, awaiting the same fate. Richard Lillie
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 January 13 4 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED February 2022
48 The locomotive collector
56 A scrapyard story www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk
Features
Gordon Kirkby speaks to Graham to discuss his fleet and his plans.
44 National Railway Heritage Awards 2021
54 Darenth Valley Seasons
Robin Leleux presents a review of the winning entries from the National Railway Heritage Awards, which were celebrated at a ceremony in London in early December.
48 The Graham Harris Collection
56 A scrapyard story
Richard Lillie tells Andy Coward about his fascination and appreciation of photographing railway locomotives and rolling stock being scrapped.
We present another 10 outstanding images, with this issue featuring enthusiast and photographer John Hales.
70 Model Spot
Simon Bendall casts his expert eye over the latest Hornby Class 60 models, depicting them in both GB Railfreight and Cappagh liveries.
75 The other Northern Line
Martyn Hilbert presents the first of a twopart guide to Merseyrail, focusing in this issue on the Northern Line.
CRIBE AND S B
VE SA
SU
The name Graham Harris might not be instantly recognisable, but he has built up a collection of heritage modern traction locomotives and a BR Standard 2-10-0 9F steam locomotive.
David Staines presents four images taken from the same location throughout the year, showing how the landscape changes during the different seasons, featuring the Darenth Valley in Kent.
62 10 Pictures: John Hales
A subscri ption to THIS PAGE: Beneath a dark and threatening sky, DC Rail’s Cappagh-liveried 60028 heads through Lockington on November 19, 2021, while working 6Z45 from Wembley to Burton Wetmore sidings. Mick Tindall
offers gre at saving s on the price. Se cover e pages 2 8 and 29 for detail s.
Why not take out a subscription?
75 The other Northern Line
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 28-29. 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.
NEWS
Government’s Integrated Rail Plan is published
THE GOVERNMENT finally published its long-awaited Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands, just after the last issue of Railways Illustrated went to print in mid-November. As had been widely leaked in the run-up to its publication, the Eastern leg of HS2 to Leeds has been scrapped, but the IRP claims that it will deliver £96 billion of improvements to the UK rail network to achieve faster journey times for people living in the North and the Midlands, while improving connectivity. The document focuses heavily on the time savings that will be made on journeys on the improved and new sections of railway, but it was the scaling back of the original HS2 plans between the East Midlands and Leeds that created the most consternation among observers. In total, 110 miles of new railway is to be constructed under the plans, with
a further 180 electrified. In terms of HS2, it has been confirmed that the section of the route from Crewe to Manchester will be built, with new stations at Manchester Airport and Manchester Piccadilly. Additionally, HS2 will run between Birmingham and East Midlands Parkway, with trains continuing to Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield on an upgraded and electrified Midland Main Line. The TransPennine main line route is also to be electrified between Manchester and Leeds, while the East Coast Main Line will be upgraded to allow speeds on the route to
be increased to 140mph. Installation of modern digital signalling systems is also promised as a way of slashing journey times on the upgraded existing routes. Northern Powerhouse Rail is planned to feature a new high-speed line between Warrington, Manchester and Marsden in Yorkshire, promising a journey time between Manchester and Leeds of 33 minutes, as opposed to the current 55 minutes for the same journey. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Our plan is ambitious, deliverable and backed by the largest single
Government investment ever made in our rail network. It will deliver punctual, frequent and reliable journeys for everyone, wherever they live. “Just as the Victorians gave this country our railways nearly 200 years ago, this Integrated Rail Plan will create a modern, expanded railway fit for today and future generations. “Significant improvements will be delivered rapidly, bringing communities closer together, creating jobs and making places more attractive to business, and in doing so, rebalancing opportunity across the country.” The Department for Transport says the new plans, using a mixture of new-build high-speed lines and upgraded conventional lines, were drawn up after it became clear that the full HS2 and NPR schemes as originally proposed would have cost up to £185 billion and not enter service until the early to mid-2040s.
While Leeds has seen its proposed HS2 route cancelled, the IRP is promising to upgrade the East Coast Main Line with improved power and signalling on the key route, allowing lines speeds to be increased to 140mph, returning the aims of the original InterCity 225 project by British Rail when introducing the Class 91 fleet. Carrying original InterCity colours in a vinyl wrap, 91119 Bounds Green propels 1A30, the 12.45 to London King’s Cross away from Leeds, as 91105 arrives across West Junction with 1D10, the 10.33 from Kings Cross. Chris Gee
The Rail Industry Association’s response to IRP Darren Caplan, the chief executive of the Rail Industry Association (RIA), the trade body representing more than 300 rail companies, responded to the publication of the IRP, saying: “The railway industry will welcome the end of the uncertainty surrounding the Integrated Rail Plan, now it’s been published. Many of them have been preparing over the last few years to deliver the projects contained within it, and whether individual schemes have been
scrapped, amended or given the green light, at least we all now know the Government’s thinking. “It is positive to see confirmation of some local and regional rail projects within the plan – throughout the North and Midlands – and the speed at which the Government aims to deliver them. Many rail businesses will look forward to working on these. However, it is difficult to see this IRP as anything other than a piecemeal approach to
6 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED February 2022
national strategic railway infrastructure development, given the abandonment of HS2 Eastern Leg and the scaling back of Northern Powerhouse Rail. “We must all recognise the short to medium-term impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the UK and its economy, and welcome the fact that the Government will invest significant sums in rail around the country. Yet it was only last year that Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Cabinet publicly supported
delivering the HS2 scheme in full, given the capacity, connectivity and economic benefits it brings. “Even if the Government claims in the IRP it can deliver benefits more quickly with upgrades to the current network, how certain can the railway industry be that the IRP will actually be delivered, given what’s happened to the previous plan? “Whatever schemes do proceed, RIA and our members will work with the Government to take forward whichever projects do go ahead.”
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NEWS IN BRIEF Avanti West Coast has been awarded an accreditation that recognises that its web content is accessible to people with disabilities. The operator’s website has achieved Shaw Trust Web Accreditation – a mark confirming it has been tested by people with a wide range of disabilities and found to be accessible. Avanti made updates and changes to content on its website to meet international standard web content accessibility guidelines.
While the final design for the HS2 trains has yet to be finalised, Hitachi-Alstom High Speed has released some artist’s impressions as to how the new trains could look. Hitachi-Alstom High Speed
Hitachi-Alstom partnership secures £1.97bn HS2 train building contract A 50-50 joint venture between train builders Hitachi Rail and Alstom have been awarded the £1.97 billion contract to build and maintain the train fleet for the first phase of HS2, with the trains set to be built at three locations around the UK. Hitachi-Alstom High Speed signed the contract in December for the 54-strong electric train fleet, with construction planned to begin in 2025. The eight-coach trains, which will be capable of operating at speeds of up to 225mph, are set to run in Phase One of HS2 between London and Birmingham, as well as parts of the existing network. The partnership states that the fleet will be 100% electric and one of the world’s most energy-efficient very high-speed trains due to the lower train mass per passenger, aerodynamic design, regenerative power, and latest energy efficient traction
technology. Work on the construction will be split between Hitachi’s plant at Newton Aycliffe, as well Alstom’s Derby factory and a new bogie manufacturing facility at Alstom Crewe. As well as construction of the fleet, the contract includes maintenance of the trains for an initial period of 12 years. The HS2 train building contract is expected to create and sustain more than 2500 jobs. A total of 505 people will be directly employed by the two companies in the Midlands and the North in the design and manufacturing phase, including 49 apprentices and graduates. Extensive use of a UK supply chain means that a further 2000 indirect jobs are expected to be created elsewhere in the UK economy. The maintenance element of the contract for when the trains have been built will also create more than 100 new jobs at Washwood Heath in Birmingham.
Hitachi Rail CEO Andrew Barr said: “We are excited to be pioneering the next generation of high-speed rail in the UK as part of our joint venture with Alstom. This British-built bullet train will be the fastest in Europe, and I am proud of the role that Hitachi will play in helping to improve mobility in the UK through this project.” Alstom’s UK and Ireland managing director, Nick Crossfield, said: “HS2 is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform Britain by building a sustainable transport system fit for the 21st century. I am delighted that Alstom’s joint venture with Hitachi Rail has been selected to develop, build, and maintain in Britain Europe’s fastest high-speed train.” Now that the contract has been awarded, Hitachi-Alstom High Speed will work with HS2 and with HS2 operator West Coast Partnership to refine the final design of the trains.
Scientists from the National Robotarium, supported by Heriot-Watt University and the University of Edinburgh, have designed a new cleaning robot for trains, to help existing cleaners. The robot is designed to increase cleanliness standards on trains nationwide by cleaning the hard-to-reach places between and under the seats. A number of train operators have been forced to make temporary changes and reductions to their services and timetables due to an increase in staff having to self-isolate following the dramatic rise in coronavirus infections as a result of the omicron variant of the virus. Former Railways Illustrated contributor and railway historian Russell Saxton died suddenly in mid-November. An authority on railway locomotive liveries and a member of the Phoenix Railway Photographic Circle, he recently had a book published on locomotive liveries. We send our condolences to Russell’s family and friends.
Preserved Class 89 secures a main line return THE UNIQUE Class 89 electric locomotive 89001 is set for a return to main line running after agreement was reached between the locomotive’s owners, the AC Locomotive Group’s subsidiary Electric Traction Ltd (ETL), and Crewe-based train operator Locomotive Services Ltd (LSL). LSL will fund the outstanding works required to allow the former ECML Brush-built locomotive to be recertified for main line running. It will then operate services for LSL’s Intercity charter division for a period of five years.
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LSL’s AC Locomotive engineer, Robert Fenner, said: “I can’t believe this opportunity has arisen. This is one locomotive I’ve always been interested in as my grandad worked in Crewe Works while she was built, and with it being the only example ever built just makes this opportunity even more special. “It will be an absolute pleasure working with the team at Electric Traction Ltd to accomplish the goal to see 89001 operational on the main line again, and to give all of you out there the chance to
experience 89001 on the main line with our Intercity programme will be 100% worth all the effort”. Glenn Edwards, from ETL, said: “We’ve worked long and hard on 89001 since purchasing the locomotive in 2006. Being unique has caused plenty of challenges for our technical team but we’ve always had main line running as a longterm objective. “With the assistance of our partners at Locomotive Service Ltd, we will now be able to achieve this. We’d also like to thank the
AC Locomotive Group volunteers who have helped out by working on 89001 at Barrow Hill.” The ACLG has been working to return 89001 to operational condition for a number of years, with the locomotive undergoing testing under its own power at Soho Depot in Birmingham during 2021, although it suffered traction motor issues during the tests and has been undergoing repairs since. 89001 hauled ECML services for two separate periods before it was withdrawn by GNER in 2004.
February 2022 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED 7
NEWS IN BRIEF London Northwestern Railway has teamed up with campaigners to offer victims of domestic and sexual abuse quick access to information while browsing online. The operator has added a widget to the bottom of every page on its website in support of the UK Says No More campaign. The link helps victims access specialist support and information quickly and safely through partner websites without leaving a digital footprint on their browsing history. Find out more about UK Says No More at https:// uksaysnomore.org Stourbridge Junction has been named Britain’s favourite station after winning the World Cup of Stations 2021 in an online vote held by the Rail Delivery Group. Having come through a close semi-final, Stourbridge went up against Aviemore, Glasgow Central, and St Ives in Cornwall. Stourbridge overtook Glasgow Central in the last few minutes of the poll, claiming 43.3% of the votes compared to the Scottish station’s 40.9%. Avanti West Coast Warrington Bank Quay employee Jennifer Birdsall has been honoured by Prime Minister Boris Johnson with a Heart of Gold award, after she sat for hours talking to a woman who had been contemplating suicide. She had been expecting the award, but was not anticipating to receive it in person from Mr Johnson, who stopped at Warrington during a tour of stations in the north in November.
The Dartmoor Line reopens for business
THE WEST Devon town of Okehampton has rejoined the UK national rail network, with The Dartmoor Line becoming the first route in the country to see its regular passenger services reinstated as part of the Government’s Restoring Your Railway scheme. Public services along the route between Exeter St Davids and Okehampton began on Saturday, November 20, three days after a celebratory event took place to commemorate the reinstatement of the line. For the reopening celebrations, GWR’s 150233 travelled down the line to Okehampton with Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, Network Rail chairman Sir Peter Hendy, GWR managing director Mark Hopwood and other dignitaries on board. A number of speeches were made at the station, as well as singers being on hand to celebrate the occasion, with more than 100 guests on the platforms to witness the event. Following the official reception, the Class 150 completed two trips carrying local schoolchildren, members of the Dartmoor Railway Association – who campaigned for the reinstatement of the route – and engineers who worked on the line’s upgrade. Trains on the route currently operate roughly every two hours throughout the day, although it is planned that the service frequency will be increased to an hourly service over the coming months, with about half of the services also continuing through to Exeter Central.
Celebrating the reopening of The Dartmoor Line are (left to right) Network Rail chairman Sir Peter Hendy, GWR managing director Mark Hopwood, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, and Devon County Council cabinet member for climate change, environment and transport, Councillor Andrea Davis. GWR
Dartmoor Line services also call at Crediton, with passengers between Crediton and Exeter also seeing an increase in services as a result of the reopening. GWR, Dartline Coaches, and Devon County Council have ensured that local transport is coordinated, with easy bus and train connections.Reports from the first few days of operation on the line indicated that the services were being well used. Fares on the route are currently set at £4 for a single journey in either direction. The line was previously used by aggregate traffic to and from Meldon Quarry following its closure to passenger traffic in June 1972, with a section of the route also operated as a heritage line prior to the owning company collapsing into administration in 2020.
The Restoring Your Railway fund was launched in January 2020 and is focused on delivering schemes to reconnect communities that have previously lost their rail services, while also improving access to jobs, homes and education. The Dartmoor Line received £40.5 million of Government funding in March 2021 to allow the route to be upgraded and made suitable for the reinstatement of passenger services. Network Rail, GWR and the Department for Transport, along with Devon County Council, Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership and the Dartmoor Railway Association, worked together on the project, with the whole scheme being delivered ahead of schedule and at £10 million under budget. It has been completed in an impressive
The next generation of train drivers have signed up to Transport for Wales’ new apprenticeship scheme – the first of its kind in Wales. TfW is the first train operator in the UK to offer an accredited NVQ Level Three qualification in train driver operations as part of its apprenticeship. It aims to recruit about 100 apprentices annually over the next five years. East Midlands Railway has launched a recruitment drive to attract new apprentice train drivers for its depots in Nottingham and Derby. The scheme is open to people aged 21 and above and involves a 12-month programme that blends theory and work in the classroom with practical skills development.
During the official reopening celebration event on November 17, GWR Class 150 DMU 150233 – complete with commemorative headboard – stands at Okehampton station. GWR
8 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED February 2022
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NEWS Dartmoor Line Services from December 12-May 14, 2022 From Exeter St Davids to Okehampton
On the first day of GWR public services to Okehampton, a four-coach train, formed of 150261 and 150232, rounds the curve at Coleford while working 2Z06, the 11.50 Exeter St Davids to Okehampton service on November 20, 2021. Bernard Mills
Dartmoor Line vinyls, promoting the route and the partner organisations who have worked on its reinstatement, have been applied to GWR Class 150 DMUs 150221 and 150233, with those applied to 150221 pictured on November 28. David Hunt
On November 17, 150233 arrives at Okehampton station with Transport Secretary Grant Shapps waving from the drivers’ cab window, at the start of a celebratory event to commemorate the reinstatement of the route from Exeter St Davids. GWR
nine months, with Network Rail engineers laying 11 miles of new track and installing 24,000 concrete sleepers and 29,000 tonnes of ballast over a 20-day period. Repairs have also been made to 21 structures along the route, including four bridges. Other work includes level crossing improvements, the installation of communications equipment, vegetation clearance, earth and drainage works and fencing installation. Further works will take place over the coming months to allow the line speed to be increased, so hourly services can be introduced later in 2022. Okehampton station has been provided with new information screens, a passenger help point, smartcard validation points, ticket vending machines, and a waiting room to bring it up to current standards, while still retaining its heritage feel. Only one platform at the station is in use for GWR services. Further work on the station buildings will be carried out over the winter months to enable the restoration of a café and other facilities.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “By restoring The Dartmoor Line, we are undoing 50 years of damage, reconnecting a community and creating new opportunities for jobs, tourism, education and recreation. “We have made it our mission to reverse cuts made in the Beeching era of the 1960s. “The passion, nostalgia and enthusiasm for that ambition is clear right across the country. People love their railways, and rightly miss them when they’re gone. “Today – ahead of time and under budget – we’ve made a decisive step in fixing that, cutting the ribbon on a line and making a real difference to people’s lives.” Michelle Handforth, Network Rail’s Wales & Western regional managing director, said: “I am delighted that today marks the return of much anticipated regular passenger services between Exeter and Okehampton. “This is something that the local community and our partners have wanted for a very long time. “I am thrilled that through the close working of the project partners, The Dartmoor Line is opening ahead of
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schedule and under budget. I would like to pay tribute to our project team and engineers, whose commitment and hard work has got us here today, as we celebrate the return of regular passenger services for the first time in nearly 50 years.” 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.
Mon-Fri
Saturday
Sunday
06.30
06.32
08.39
08.40
08.42
10.37
10.38
10.39
12.34
12.38
12.39
14.37
14.38
14.37
17.10
17.09
17.08
19.12
19.10
19.08
21.15
21.10
21.18
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From Okehampton to Exeter St Davids Mon-Fri
Saturday
Sunday
07.20
07.20
09.24
09.25
09.25
11.25
11.25
11.27
13.24
13.25
13.25
15.24
15.25
15.26
18.20
18.25
18.17
20.25
20.25
20.25
22.19
22.19
22.01
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“I am delighted to have been able to invite the Secretary of State and leading community campaigners to enjoy a first passenger journey on this restored line. “The support and advocacy of the local campaigners over the years has helped deliver a fantastic new service for customers, which we hope will grow from strength to strength.” For more information about The Dartmoor Line, visit https://dartmoorline.com
Some of the people who worked on the preparation of The Dartmoor line for reopening to regular daily timetabled services pose in front of the station building at Okehampton on November 17. GWR
February 2022 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED 9
NEWS
What does the future hold for DRS charter operations – or indeed the ageing Class 37 fleet? 37069 and 37716 pass Slindon hauling 1Z39, the Pathfinder Tours ‘The Blue Boys Merrymaker’, from Bescot Yard to Crewe on August 7, 2021. Brad Joyce
Could DRS decide to pull out of running charters?
INDUSTRY SPECULATION is rife that Direct Rail Services, part of the Nuclear Transport Solutions arm, could be looking to end operating charter trains once all its agreed commitments have been delivered. The company would not confirm or deny the suggestions, with Andrew Butler, communications manager for Nuclear Transport Solutions, merely saying: “We are currently reviewing all of our rail operations to make plans for the future as we modernise our business and fleet. This process is still ongoing and no final decisions have yet been made.” DRS has three trains in the diary for Pathfinder Tours, on January 22,
February 19, and the April 15-18 Landcruise to Scotland. However, Railways Illustrated understands recent changes in the management of the company sees charters as too periphery and not part of its core work. It would also allow it to accelerate plans to retire some or all of its Class 37s. DRS previously saw charters as a good way of retaining route knowledge on non-core routes, and many of its staff liked to work them with its heritage locomotives such as Class 20/37/47s. However, as these fleets have either been eliminated or run down, some drivers have opted to move to Locomotive Services Limited.
Meanwhile, talk that DB Cargo could be looking at reducing its charter commitments, again with a possible cessation of operations, is not correct, although the company has told promoters it will not entertain tours over freight lines that it no longer operates over and which would require drivers to refresh routes. Some heritage traction will also only be operated if DB Cargo feels it has enough contingency within its resources. It is finding it increasingly difficult to resource some trains, especially those steam-hauled. It has been working with LSL to help it resource some trains which it cannot cover.
Railways Illustrated approached DBC for comment but none was forthcoming as we closed for press. GB Railfreight is also reducing its charter operations in the summer and winter months due to resourcing issues, but says it is willing and keen to collaborate more with other charter FOCs to deliver trains for customers. If DRS does pull out of charters, it would leave DBC, West Coast Railways, GBRf and LSL as volume operators in the sector with Vintage Trains as a smaller, albeit potentially up and coming, player. Rail Operations Group has already indicated it will not be entertaining charter work with its own stock in the current climate.
Ten-year-old Class 379s to be stored from January
379007 passes Bethnal Green, working 2H34 from London Liverpool Street to Cambridge on April 10, 2012. These units, which have been in service for the past decade, are now being placed into store. Dan Adkins
10 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED February 2022
GREATER ANGLIA Class 379s, only introduced in 2011, are to be removed from traffic and placed into store from January, Railways Illustrated understands. Built by Bombardier at Derby Litchurch Lane for the Stansted Express route, as well as services from London Liverpool Street to Cambridge, Ely and King’s Lynn, the four-car electric multiple units were originally due off lease in August 2019 but delays to the introduction of the Stadler Class 745 replacements and the subsequent heavy delays to the delivery of Alstom Class 720s has seen
the lease extended. However, all Stansted Express trains are now operated by 745s, while increasing numbers of 720s are finally being introduced on the West Anglia Main Line. Railways Illustrated understands that space is required at Ilford, where the 379s are based, and so the EMUs will be stored at various GA facilities including Clacton, Colchester, Harwich, and Southend Victoria. The 100mph EMUs are owned by Akiem and despite being fully compliant with accessibility rules, they currently have no new operator lined up for them. www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk
NEWS
LNER introduces its new Middlesbrough service LNER HAS launched direct services between Middlesbrough and London King’s Cross. The daily weekday service provides a direct link between Middlesbrough and London for more than three decades and also serves nearby Thornaby, offering journey times of about three hours. The first service ran on December 13, departing Middlesbrough at 07.08 and Thornaby at 07.15, arriving at London King’s Cross at 10.22. An afternoon return journey will leave London at 15.25, stopping at York before arriving in Thornaby at 18.08 and Middlesbrough at 18.18. Additional LNER Middlesbrough services are planned following further
works around Middlesbrough station that are currently being planned by Network Rail. Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald said: “I am delighted that, after nine years of campaigning since I was first elected, this new direct link from Middlesbrough to London is finally here. “It is hugely welcome and a positive step towards much-needed improved rail connectivity for the area. “Being able to travel to Parliament from my home town will make for a far more convenient commute, and I am sure local travellers, both business and pleasure, will benefit from this new service.”
LNER has introduced a midweek daily journey between Middlesbrough and London King’s Cross. With the famous Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge in the background, an LNER Azuma heads through the area. LNER
Tesco shows its commitment to rail freight by teaming up with DRS for refrigerated service SUPERMARKET GIANT Tesco has further cemented its commitment to moving goods by rail with the announcement that the company has teamed up with Direct Rail Services to introduce a new service distributing chilled goods by rail from Tilbury to Coatbridge twice a day, seven days a week, throughout the year. Tesco is increasing its use of rail freight as part of its efforts to meet its commitment to net zero emissions in its own operations by 2035. Over the past year, the supermarket has increased the number of containers transported by rail by almost 50%. Each train operated is the equivalent to 40 lorry journeys, helping the supermarket significantly reduce its carbon footprint.
One of the new refrigerated containers that will be used to move Tesco chilled goods from Tilbury to Coatbridge by DRS. Two trains will be operated by Class 88s on a daily basis. DRS
The trains will be hauled by DRS’s fleet of Class 88 locomotives, and special refrigerated containers have been built for the chilled goods being moved by the new service. The refrigerated service alone, which started
in mid-December in the run-up to Christmas, will take at least 17,000 containers off the road each year, saving Tesco an impressive seven million road miles and nearly 9000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. The deputy CEO of Nuclear Transport Solutions, DRS’s parent organisation, and rail director Chris Connelly said: “This is fantastic news, not only for DRS and Tesco but also for the environment. “This is an example of how rail can play an integral part in the race to net zero. “We’re thrilled to be working with Tesco on this new service, helping it drive down its carbon footprint as it delivers for customers throughout the UK.”
Werrington Tunnel brings ECML improvements THE PROJECT to build a tunnel beneath the East Coast Main Line at Werrington, near Peterborough, has been completed, with Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris officially opening the new route on December 9. While the route will be used by freight services, a special train using LNER Azuma 800107 carried invited passengers between Spalding and London King’s Cross to celebrate its completion and official opening. The project is part of the £1.2 billion East Coast Upgrade, tackling some of the bottlenecks affecting services and the efficiency of the ECML route. The route allows slower-moving freight services travelling between Peterborough and Lincoln on the Great North Great Eastern line to pass beneath the ECML rather than www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk
needing to cross it. Previously, such trains would delay passenger services on the ECML, when trains would need to be held at signals until the freight trains had cleared the section of line. The main engineering feature of the project is the 155m-long, 11,000-tonne curved concrete Werrington Tunnel, which was slid into place under the existing railway in January 2021. Network Rail Eastern Region managing director Rob McIntosh said: “From building the huge concrete tunnel onsite next to the East Coast Main Line and pushing it into place in a UK first for engineering, to installing new track and signalling equipment to connect it to the existing lines – it’s been amazing to see the progress our teams have made on this ground-breaking project. Passengers travelling between
London, Peterborough, the north of England and Scotland will benefit from faster, more reliable journeys as longer freight trains can now dive underneath the famous passenger route. GB Railfreight CEO John Smith, added: “The Werrington tunnel is a win for both consumers and the rail freight industry. “It will not only improve passenger journeys, but also crucially unlock much-needed extra capacity on the network for freight services. “This is an important investment by the Government and furthers our industry’s efforts to create a more efficient supply chain across the UK, while making crucial environmental and regional investment progress at the same time.”
Both Northern and EMR finish with Class 153s PRIOR TO the winter timetable change, the Class 153 DMUs remaining in use with both East Midlands Railway and Northern were removed from traffic ahead of their exemptions from the prevailing accessibility legislation expiring on December 12 and December 31 respectively. Taking the Northern fleet first, three units did not work in November, with 153324 remaining at Newton Heath, while 153359 and 153360 were stopped at Blackburn. The remainder – 153307/28/30/31/32/58/63 – were used for at least a few days but gradually stopped, especially as several sets required attention to wheelflats that was not forthcoming. The last Northern set recorded in traffic was 153331 on November 23, when it was paired with 158793 on services between Leeds and Wigan North Western/Manchester Victoria. Thereafter, 153328/31/32/63 were briefly stored at Huddersfield before moving to Newton Heath on December 1, with the rest of the fleet duly joining them. The first to be sent into store were 153307/28/31 on December 17, running together to Ely Papworth. Meanwhile, the six remaining EMR examples saw out their days on Cleethorpes to Barton-on-Humber services, 153319 and 153379 working for the last time on November 2 with 153308/55/57/84 continuing thereafter. A solo 153308 brought operations on the branch to an end on December 11, with Class 156s taking over two days later. First to be sent into store were Porterbrook sets 153379 and 153384, these running from Derby to Long Marston on December 15.
February 2022 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED 11
NEWS
New Inter7City servicing depot opens at Cadder SCOTRAIL HAS opened a new depot for the stabling and servicing of the Inter7City High Speed Train (HST) fleet at Cadder, near Glasgow. Located between Bishopbriggs and Lenzie on the Edinburgh and Glasgow line, Cadder depot can accommodate up to six HSTs due to its accessibility to Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh Waverley stations – where more than 80% of Inter7City services start or finish. There is sufficient space on the site for future expansion, should it be needed in the future. The £33 million investment was managed by Network Rail and paid for by Transport Scotland. The depot is operated by ScotRail and includes three new servicing platforms and a new modular building to accommodate staff from ScotRail, Network Rail and their supply chain, along with facilities for refuelling the trains, toilet servicing and a train wash, so the trains can be cleaned and serviced overnight. Several operational benefits have been brought about from its opening. These include a reduction in the number of early morning and late night HST train miles operated by trains being returned for stabling after coming out of service, with the new facility being more centrally located. Cadder depot also means
The new depot at Cadder has been built to service and stable six ScotRail Inter7City HST sets each night, cutting down on many miles of empty stock movements each day, as well as relieving pressure on the other Scottish depots that service the Inter7City fleet. A ScotRail HST, headed by 43183, heads north from Dalwhinnie on June 5, 2021. Noel Slack
that fewer HST sets will need to be stabled overnight at Perth, Haymarket and Eastfield. This, ScotRail states, will in turn reduce emissions and noise for residents living close to those three longer established depots.
Kirsty Devlin, ScotRail Head of Projects & PMO, said: “I am delighted that Cadder depot has opened. It means that we can accommodate more High Speed Trains in the central belt where most of them start and finish their journeys.
“Pressure will be taken off existing depots in Perth, Haymarket and Eastfield. “This is another example of the massive investment we are making to transform Scotland’s Railway into a network that is fit for the future and that our customers deserve.”
The wait for new station is over A NEW station for the Cambridgeshire town of Soham opened on December 13, some 56 years after the original station closed. The single-platform station – located on the Ely to Bury St Edmunds line and served by Greater Anglia – cost £18.6 million, funded by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, including £1 million in Government Local Growth Deal support. The station has been constructed over 12 months by Network Rail and its contractor, J Murphy and Sons Ltd, close to the site of the original, which was closed in 1965 in the wake of the Beeching recommendations. The project has been completed five months ahead of schedule, allowing the station to be brought into use in time for the December 2021 timetable change, rather than the originally planned May 2022 timetable. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mayor Dr Nik Johnson unveiled a commemorative plaque for the
reopening of the station. He said: “Congratulations to everyone involved in this great enterprise. “Cooperation and partnership have created a benefit of lasting value for this community and its future generations, opening a door into opportunity. “We need more greener, clean public transport for the public good – and this new station is proof that, together, we can make it happen.” Lucy Frazer, MP for South East Cambridgeshire, said: “This project is a fantastic example of the quick delivery of public transport infrastructure that will benefit this local community. “I believe it can act as a springboard for enhancing rail services in our area by helping us make the case for reinstating the loop near Newmarket, which could provide a direct rail service between Ely, Soham, Newmarket and Cambridge. “I have campaigned for this station since before I was elected, and I am delighted that it has now come to fruition.”
12 RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED February 2022
The first train to call at the newly completed Soham station on December 13, 2021. The original Soham station closed in 1965. Network Rail
A second plaque was unveiled by Ellie Burrows, Jamie Burles, and Network Rail chairman Sir Peter Hendy. It is dedicated to the memory of the four railway workers caught up in the Soham rail disaster on June 2, 1944, when an ammunitions train carrying bombs during the Second World War caught fire and exploded as railway
workers were detaching the blazing wagon from the rest of the train. Relatives of the railwaymen involved were present to see the dedication unveiled. Preserved 47579 on the Mid-Hants Railway carries the name James Nightall G.C., dedicated to the fireman of the train, who was killed in the Soham explosion of 1944. www.railwaysillustrated.co.uk
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