News

GREAT Western Railway named a Class 800 IET after two of Wales’ sporting greats. Set No. 800009 saw one driving car named after Leeds United and Juventus footballer John Charles in a ceremony at Cardiff on March 7. Also displayed is his nickname, Il Gigante Buono – The Gentle Giant. The 6ft 2in Charles made 38 appearances…

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THE switch from a DRS Class 37 to Class 68 on one of Northern’s Cumbrian Coast loco-hauled services took place from March 12. The change of loco, first highlighted in the February issue, stems from reliability issues with Class 37s, following a number of failures. Unlike the Class 37 diagrams, which worked in push-pull mode…

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THE first pair of Class 170 DMUs have been transferred from ScotRail to Northern. Set Nos. 170475 and 170478 were sent south from Haymarket to Neville Hill on March 6, still in Saltire livery, but with branding removed. This move was followed by a second pair – Nos. 170476 and 170477 – on March 8. Northern is…

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FRENCH Railways (SNCF) is part way through procurement of new multiple unit trains to replace all daytime loco-hauled Intercités (Intercity) services by the mid 2020s. Two more contracts for new Intercités multiple units were announced at the end of 2017. Bombardier will supply 32 eight-car R2N (or Omneo Premium) part double-deck, part-articulated inter-city EMUs for…

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BRIGHTLINE – the first privately operated inter-city passenger trains in the USA for several decades – started operation on January 13. The service will initially operate on the 74km section between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale in Florida, with 10 train pairs daily. This is the most intensive inter-city service in the USA away…

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THAI State Railways (SRT) has three diesel locos still in service that were built 65 years ago by long-defunct American manufacturer Davenport Locomotive Works. In late 2017, the three locos were reported to be operating in the centre of the country: Nos. 525 at Nakhom Ratchasima, 530 at Uttaradit, and 540 at Nakhom Lampang. The…

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MOROCCAN national operator ONCF (Office National des Chemins de Fer ) announced in March it plans to open Africa’s first high-speed line in late 2018, although the exact date has yet to be agreed. The new 183km Tanger (Tangiers) to Kenitra high-speed line is complete, with final testing underway. Alstom has delivered all 12 double-deck…

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THE Weardale Railway is staging a Brush Type 2 gala on April 21-22, the railway currently being home for nine examples. The event will feature Nos. 31106 and 31190, which have not been seen on passenger trains for many years. A naming ceremony on the Saturday will see Howard Johnston’s No. 31106 reunited with its…

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THE mainstay of passenger services on the Eden Valley Railway (EVR), Cumbria is Class 205 DEMU No. 205009. It carries an attractive, although non-authentic livery. When No. 205009 arrived at the EVR it was painted matt black on one side to cover graffiti received in the south of England prior to delivery to the EVR.…

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THE first loco to arrive on the embryonic Swanage Railway in around 1975 was moved to Corfe Castle from Swanage on February 27, following cosmetic restoration. Beryl (Hibberd 2054 of 1938) is a 4wP loco fitted with a 54hp four-cylinder Dorman 4JORX petrol-paraffin engine. It was used in the relaying of the first sections of…

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