Departmentals & Internal Users - News - Winter draws on...

News - Winter draws on...

27 February 2006 - thanks to Simon Powell, RailGen, Bryan Dawes, Stephen Sheehan, Dave Denton for this article

A round-up of the latest news...

Sales and movements
977084 was at Shoeburyness during January having asbestos removed. This is apparently on hire to FMRail from the Battlefield Steam Railway for use in the new Blue Pullman set. By early February it had arrived at Barrow Hill.

NMT power cars 43154+43067 arrived at Long Marston for storage on January 14th.

D8233 (formerly train heating unit ADB968001) moved during mid-February from the Railway Age at Crewe to the East Lancashire Railway.

977182 and 977183 from Eastleigh have arrived at the Bluebell Railway, Horsted Keynes - noted there mid-February.

Disposals
It appears 977813 has now been scrapped at Ruddington having been gutted by fire a while back and then remaining as an underframe for a while.

977795 was cut up on site at Wolverton works by Ampthill Metal Co. Ltd during January along with several wagons - 2 or 3 of which were thought to have been conflats. 977359 remains for the time being.

041955 has disappeared from the former Ipswich WRD - thought to have been scrapped on site at some point last year - any more details welcome!

It is also thought 041634 has been scrapped on site at Healey Mills recently.

Other news
977859 was released from Derby RTC in the old Railtrack blue & green colour scheme at the end of January following a refurbishment programme. It is thought it will first head towards Crewe / Manchester for route learning.

977591 at Newport was spotted being fitted with a flexible airpipe on February 7th - presumably pending a movement somewhere by rail although it doesn't look as though this has yet taken place.

***UPDATE MARCH 18TH 2006 *** This coach was moved to Newport docks on 7th March by rail and then loaded onto road transport on the 15th. It was reported on the M4 heading east and then the M5 heading north although its final destination is currently unknown!

Carillion's 977968 has received a repaint into all-over yellow livery during January and now sports large black numbers!

News of the impending demolition of the former Pullman shed at Brighton aroused considerable interest - 083632 and 975841 remain inside although it is hoped their current owners can be established and stock removed despite access problems by road and rail.