Powerscene

CLASS20

WITH current Type 1 operation generally involving Nos. 20118+20132 and 20311 +20314, it was pleasing to see a third pair of these popular locomotives taking to the national network on May 13. While running light from the Midland Railway Centre at Butterley to Derby RTC, Nos. 20007+20205 visited both Nottingham and Loughborough en route. It should not be overlooked that No. 20007 dates from September 1957 and is almost a decade older than No. 20205.

Nos. 20311 +20314 took six former HST coaches from Ely Papworth to Newport Docks for scrap on May 4 and returned there two days later with another half dozen, both times running as the 5Q76/07.36 from Ely routed via Finsbury Park, Acton Wells Junction and Westerleigh Junction. The Type ls then moved from Ely to Leicester with No. 47848 on May 8, allowing Nos. 20118+20132 to undertake trips to Sims Metals at Newport with sets of six HST coaches on May 11, 18 and May 20 - although only five coaches were reported on the latter move. A broken windscreen resulted in No. 20132 being towed from Ely to Leicester by No. 57301 on May 23.

Meanwhile, Nos. 20311 +20314 took translator coaches from Leicester to Eastleigh Works on May 14 prior to teaming up with Type 3 No. 37800 Cassiopeia to move EMU No. 442.402 from Eastleigh to Wolverton two days later.

CLASS37

REGULARL available throughout the month for the transfer of electric multiple units around the Anglian Region, the Rail Operation Group's No. 37611 Pegasus was called upon to rescue 'Flirt' units in traffic on successive days. On May 23, No. 755.412 suffered a loss of power between Darsham and Saxmundham while forming the 2D85/14.07 Lowestoft-lpswich and eventually No. 37611 came to the rescue, hauling the failure to Norwich. The following morning No. 755.333 became incapacitated with an electrical fault after striking a bird early in its journey as the 2W10/10.20 Ipswich-Cambridge. Once again, No. 37611 was on hand to move the unit