Electric

  • From the archive: First batch of class “508” electric multiple-units in service

    From the archive: First batch of class “508” electric multiple-units in service

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    Apart from the underground trains on the Waterloo and City line, the Southern Region of British Railways has, until now, exclusively used hinged doors on its suburban trains…

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  • Stadler sets spread their wings in the east

    Stadler sets spread their wings in the east

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    GREATER Anglia introduced Class 755 units on Ipswich to Felixstowe services from November 19. The move is part of the expansion of operations of Stadler bi-mode units. Greater Anglia is in the process of cascading its remaining Class 170 ‘Turbostar’ units to Transport for Wales, and the rollout of Class 755s is increasing. Sets are…

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  • Class 90 visits Swindon for electrical testing

    Class 90 visits Swindon for electrical testing

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    ONE of the most unusual movements this year has seen freshly painted Class 90 No. 90035 move from Crewe to Swindon.  The train has been put together by Network Rail’s electrification project team in order to carry out mechanical and electrical testing of the OLE between Bristol and Cardiff, although initial tests were between Swindon and…

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  • Locomotive Services buys Class 86 and 87 from ETL

    Locomotive Services buys Class 86 and 87 from ETL

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    TWO former West Coast AC electric locomotives have been bought by Locomotive Services Limited from Electric Traction Ltd (ETL). The last mainline Class 87 – No. 87002 Royal Sovereign – along with 86101 Sir William A Stanier FRS had been hired by ETL to GB Railfreight for working empty stock from the Caledonian Sleeper between London Euston…

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  • Canadian National celebrates centenary

    Canadian National celebrates centenary

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    CANADA’s largest rail operator – Canadian National (CN) – celebrated its centenary in 2019 and gave some of its locos a special ‘CN100’ livery. Here, ‘CN100’ livery GE ET44AC No. 3217 leads another GE-built loco (No. 3811) with an eastbound intermodal train north of Kamloops on September 28.  CN is the only truly national, transcontinental…

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  • New GE and EMD locos for FCAB in Chile

    New GE and EMD locos for FCAB in Chile

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    CHILEAN mining railway Ferrocarril de Antofagasta (FCAB) has received the first of five new General Electric (GE) C23 EMP locos, having already taken delivery of seven brand new ‘EMD’ GT42 locos (numbered 3201 -3207) built by Progress Rail in Muncie, Indiana.     The ‘GE’ locos, ordered before GE sold its Transportation business to Wabtec,…

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  • Unique Austrian line to lose passenger services

    Unique Austrian line to lose passenger services

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    THE 21.2km-long Feldbach to Bad Gleichenberg line, east of Graz, in south-eastern Austria, is closing in December 2020.  The line is owned and operated by regional rail operator Steiermärkische Landesbahnen (STLB) and has used 1,800V DC electrification since it opened in 1931.  The two single-car EMUs used to operate services are the original vehicles, albeit…

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  • Chinnor & Princes ‘Gronk’ given   Network SouthEast treatment

    Chinnor & Princes ‘Gronk’ given Network SouthEast treatment

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    THE Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway has repainted Class 08 No. 08825 (D3993) in Network SouthEast’s colourful livery.  This is reminiscent of No. 08600 Ivor, which was renumbered 97800 when used as the Slade Green depot shunter in the 1980s. No. 08825 is seen at Chinnor on October 15 while awaiting the application of numerals, which were expected…

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  • Construction traffic boom keeps UK railfreight stable

    Construction traffic boom keeps UK railfreight stable

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    A FIVE per cent increase in construction traffic took the sector to its highest quarterly volume in the first three months of 2019/20, according to new figures from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).  The movement of construction materials, fuelled by high levels of property development in London and the south-east of England, reached…

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  • Hitachi Class 802 enters service with TransPennine Express

    Hitachi Class 802 enters service with TransPennine Express

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    By Tony Miles THE first of 19 five-car Hitachi Class 802 bi-mode trains entered passenger service with TransPennine Express on September 28.  They had received clearance from ORR late the previous evening.  Set 802201 operated the 06.03 Newcastle-Liverpool Lime Street and 09.25 return as a one-off working ahead of regular service introduction later in October. …

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