Powerscene
CLASS 20
HEADING towards a 65th year of operation on the national network, the English Electric Type 1 design shows no interest in retirement. After the Railfreight Grey duo of Nos. 20118 and 20132 substituted for Class 37s on railhead treatment train (RHTT) work in late November, the same pair found themselves in similar action once more on December 11 when handling the 3J51/10.17 York to Scarborough, Filey and Bridlington. Nor was that a one-off, as both Type 1s covered the whole day’s work between York, Chesterfield, Grimsby, Huddersfield and Bridlington on December 14 before heading back to York.
Three days later on December 17, Nos. 20118+20132 undertook further work hauling the 6X20/10.45 York Works-Doncaster Up Decoy with a rake of empty IFA/YRA wagons prior to running light to Worksop for the holiday period.
Then on December 22, Locomotive Services’ green-liveried duo of Nos. 20096+20107 caused a stir when setting off from Crewe to run light to Carlisle, passing Lancaster at 12.35.
After several months in store, DRS Type 1 No. 20303 was moved from York to Gresty Bridge, Crewe during the early hours of December 30 (departing from Toton Centre at 04.30) in the charge of dual-mode No. 88001 Revolution.
CLASS 37
ON December 6, a private charter ran as the 1Z37/11.41 Oxford-Crewe behind green-liveried duo Nos. 37667+37521. The charter returned as the 16.39 from Crewe (1Z38), passing Darlaston at 17.23. Any passenger work for the English Electric Type 3s in this barren period of railtours is particularly noteworthy.
Not quite the same, however, was the use of No. 37608 to haul a quartet of former Virgin Trains coaches as the 5R69/09.15 Leicester-Rectory Junction (DATS premises) on December 13.
Another stock move involved Nos. 37069+37059+37218 at the head of two Mk.2 coaches Nos. 9506/8 forming the 5Z68/13.30 Crewe CLS-Carlisle Kingmoor on December 23.
West Coast Railways’ Nos. 37706+37518 took charge of crane No. ADRC96714 as the 6Z20/07.53 Wigan TMD-Port Talbot on December 14, the crane being destined for the Gwili Railway. The Type 3s took the train through to Margam, where No. 37706 ran round the crane before returning it to Port
