Recent Pics

60047 6J37 Red Bank, June 28, 2018

After a short break of a couple of weeks, the logs are back! Also back (for now) at the helm is 60047 which will shortly be transferring to GBRf with the 9 other Class 60's operated by Colas. The logs are likely to revert to Class 70 power, indeed 70812 powered this service at the start of the week.

70813 6J37 Red Bank, August 10, 2018

The new order on 6J37 (at least for now) as 70813 eases through Redbank on the first full day post Class 60. The heavy log train runs from Carlisle to Chirk and has been a Colas turn for over a decade. The service has used traction such as Virgin Class 57/3's, DRS Class 57/0's, as well as Colas's own Class 47's, 56's 60's 66’s and 70's over the last few years.

66711 'Sence' 6L48 Weaver Junction, August 2, 2018

One of the most colourtul locomotives on the network is GB Railfreight's Class 66 66711 'Sence' in it's Aggregates Industries scheme. I have a soft spot for this locomotive and cant help but follow it around when its in the local area. Such luck at the moment is that after having a period on the Liverpool-Drax Biomass circuit, Sence is back working off Liverpool on the Ford Automotive train between there and Dagenham Docks. This locomotive actually delivered my new Ford Kuga to Garston last week which was pretty cool. Anyway, the GM is seen here giving it full beans away from Weaver Junction running around 15 mins early.

66721 'Harry Beck' 6E09 Daresbury, August 11, 2018

A pleasant surprise this Sunny Saturday morning as 'London Tube' liveried 66721 'Harry Beck' shifts its load of Biomass through Daresbury towards Weaver Junction. The service was the 6E09 07:40 Liverpool Biomass Terminal to Drax Alternative Energy Station in Yorkshire.

86638 86612 4K64 Halebank, July 11, 2018

Generally booked for a pair of 86's, the 4K64 11:46 Garston FLT - Crewe Basford Hall service is certainly one of my favourite services to photo. Operationally, Monday night to Friday night a pair are booked to work the 4M42 21:52 Felixstowe North FLT to Garston FLT forward from Ipswich, arriving at Garston just before 6am the following morning. The loco's remain on hand then to work 4K64 at lunchtime. Generally this pair (barring operational issues/failures) will then work to Coatbridge from Crewe later that evening. This has been a fairly recent change as it used to be that the loco(s) that worked the 4F45 08:20 Garston FLT - Crewe Basford Hall service would then return on 4K64. This loco now generally runs to Ditton light to assist with shunting/hauling the 4L92 14:03 departure to Felixstowe. On a Monday, loco's are ferried to Garston via 4F80 05:12 Crewe to Ditton and then run light to Garston.

 86613 86627 4K64 Halebank, June 29, 2018

With a toot from the driver and a wave from the second man's seat, Freightliner 86613 leads the 4K64 11:46 Garston FLT - Crewe Basford Hall through Halebank. Class mate 86627 was dead in tow taking a breather en-route back to Crewe. 

60059 6H02 Daresbury, July 11, 2018

A bit of a surprise this morning as I was waiting for the 90's on 4M27.... the unmistakable rumble of the Mirrlees MB275T engine. DB Cargo (UK) Class 60 60059 'Swinden Dalesman' hauls the 6H02 09:29 Arpley Sidings - Tunstead Sidings through Daresbury. The former Loadhaul favourite was the 7th 'Tug' released from the 'Super 60' overhaul programme at Toton after 60007, 60054, 60091, 60074, 60079 and 60063. Earlier work had been trialed on 60011 (electrical) and 60099 (mechanical) prior to the programme commencing. 60059 re-entered traffic in the spring of 2012 and has recently been 'de-schenkerised'.

 67002 1Z60 Daresbury, August 11, 2018

1Z60 04:44 Bristol Temple Meads to Appleby Pathfinder railtour.

 68025 'Superb' 5Z68 Moore, June 28, 2018

Another run of the Class 68 and MK3 ex 'Pretendolino' stock under Freightliner control was recorded this morning at Moore. 68025 'Superb' and 68031 'Excelsior' are recorded at either end of the 5Z68 10:02 Crewe C.S - Carlisle test run.

 88008 'Ariadne' 4M48 Red bank, August 5, 2018

1453 Mossend Euroterminal to Daventry Drs (Tesco)

                             

Trans-Pennine Express Class 68 Training

DRS/TPE 68022 leads a training trip from Wavertree Junction-Crewe Carriage Sidings through Halebank. 68027 was on the rear. 18/04/2018.

With the introduction of Class 68's and new coaching stock manufactured by CAF penned in for the Autumn, attention has now turned to driver and guard training. A number of test runs of Class 68's have occurred since Autumn 2017 mainly focused on the Crewe-Preston/Carlisle corridor.

68020 68022 Winwick 16/11/2017.

On Wednesday 18th April a number of runs were operated between Crewe Carriage Sidings and Wavertree Junction (Liverpool) utilizing MK3 coaches from the former 'WB64' Pretendolino stock last in use with Abellio Greater Anglia. A Class 68 locomotive was placed at either end, 68027 on the Liverpool end and 68022 'Resolution' at the Crewe end. Testing continued for the remainder of the week working several trips back and forth each day.

68022 'Resolution' 5K23 10:23 Wavertree Junction-Crewe passing Halebank 19/04/2018.

68027 5F23 11:16 Crewe-Wavertree Junction passing Halebank 19/04/2018.

68022 'Resolution' 5K25 12:18 Wavertree Jn-Crewe passing Halebank 19/04/2018.

68027 bringing up the rear of the 5K25 12:18 Wavertree Jn-Crewe passing Halebank 19/04/2018.

The plan is for 2 current Class 185 diagrams to go over to 68 haulage from the May timetable change using MK3 coaches, both on the Liverpool/Scarborough turns. These will be top n tailed with the loco hauled sets initially based at Crewe Carriage sidings. Facilities at both Liverpool Edge Hill and Manchester Longsight are being enhanced to house the new stock in the near future. The May start date is dependent on enough drivers and guards being suitably trained up in time.

There are currently 2 Class 68's over in the Czech Republic being tested with the new CAF MK5a stock, these being 68019 and 68021. These locomotives currently carry Trans-Pennine Express livery after vinyls were applied at Crewe Gresty Bridge in 2017.

Watch this space...

08 Update

2017 has proved to be a busy year for the humble 08/09 Shunter with plenty of activity. Although the number remaining is nowhere near the amount that was produced, the figure remains fairly static with few being disposed off. This year has seen long term contract changes, location changes and even new shunter duties created. Below is a brief update on whats being going on...

Alstom

Alstom retain a number of 'Gronks' at their depots along the West Coast Mainline. Locations such as Glasgow Polmadie, Liverpool Edge Hill, Manchester Longsight, Wolverhampton Oxley and London Wembley all started the year with a Shunter requirement. All of Alstom's Gronks have received attention in recent times, with money spent on them to keep them going for years to come. Most of this work was undertaken at Arlington Fleet Services, Eastleigh Works and included a full overhaul and repaint. Alstom's locos carried a variety of liveries prior to overhaul including BR Express Parcels Blue (08721) BR Black (08454) BR Green (08696) and Virgin Trains Red/Black (08611). 08954 was overhauled at Longsight depot and repainted blue from Transrail Railfreight grey livery.

The current disposition of Alstom's Gronks is as below...

Location	Allocation
Ditton	08454, 08721
Glasgow Polmadie	08764, 08954
Manchester Longsight	08451
Wolverhampton, Oxley	08617
Wembley	08611, 08696
Eastleigh Works	08790, 08887

08721 08454 Alstom Widnes

08454 Alstom Widnes

The list above no longer includes Liverpool Edge Hill. In truth, for the past couple of years the 08 was little more than a spare part on the site, often only being moved to keep it in serviceable condition. In June 2017, Edge Hills final pilot 08454 was road transferred the short distance to the new Rail Technology Centre in Widnes. The new site has a contract to repaint all Virgin Pendolinos which are now due. Rather than receiving Virgin Colours, the Pendos will initially receive a neutral scheme prior to the awarding of the West Coast franchise. The Pendolinos are split in to 3 parts and placed on to the 3 roads of the shed. Surprisingly in August, 08454 was joined by 08721 from Longsight and it appears that for the foreseeable future the site will have 2 pilots.

08721 Heywood, East Lancashire Railway

Manchester Longsight is down to 1 pilot, with 08451, itself not long brought down from Polmadie, holding the fort. It is expected that this will be joined by 08790 once it is released from Eastleigh.

08790 and 08887 are both on repairs at Arlingtons. 08790 has received some attention to its radiator as well as its traction motors. The loco is the only of the fleet at the moment to have a slight deviation to its livery, this being a black bonnet roof in addition to BR Blue.
08887 has been onsite at Eastleigh since Mid 2016 when it arrived for generator repairs.

Freightliner

Freightliner continue to deploy 08's at their container terminals up and down the country. The Gronks are on long term hire from Porterbrook and receive repairs at the LH Group (Wabtec) Barton Under Needwood as and when required.

08785 Southampton Maritime

Location	Allocation
Felixstowe FLT	08531,08691
Southampton Maritime	08530,08624
Trafford Park FLT	08585
Barton Under Needwood	08785
Nemesis Burton (Stored)	08575, 08891

08571 08624 Southampton Maritime MD

08724 08530 Leeds Midland Road

A recent shuffling of the fleet has seen 08530 come off long term repairs and transferred to Southampton Maritime via Leeds Midland Road for tyre turning. This has joined 08624 'Rambo' ensuring there is a pilot for the servicing shed and a pilot for the container terminal.

08785 has been tripped to LH Group for some well earned TLC having put in a tremendous performance at Maritime during which all of the other Freightliner Gronks had visited LH group due to failure and repairs at some point. 

08530 Barton Under-Needwood

08531 Barton Under-Needwood

08585 'Vicky' Trafford Park Fueller

08624 'Rambo' Southampton Maritime

08691 Barton Under-Needwood

08785 Barton Under-Needwood

 

08891 Barton Under-Needwood

Long term stored 08575 and 08891 have been shifted the short distance from LH group to the Nemesis Rail site in Burton. It is unclear at the moment why this is, whether they have been sold on or for further storage. 

08575 Barton Under-Needwood

08575 was stood down after an incident also involving 08077 at Southampton Maritime which saw both Gronks go through a set of Buffer stops. 08077 has since been scrapped.

HN Rail/GBRf

GBRf own a small number of their own Gronks but in more recent times have hired in from their supplier of choice HN Rail. The GBRf/HN Rail combination has seen Gronks used at Cardiff Celsa, Garston Car Terminal, Immingham Docks. 

A rumoured new contract is to see 09106/09201 installed with lights and mainline equipment for the Doncaster area.... time will tell!

The requirement at Garston has been upped from 1 shunter to 2, with 08818 (fresh from overhaul) joining 08507 at the South Liverpool complex. Whether this remains a permanent 2 loco gig remains to be seen. 

08818 'Molly' Garston Car Terminal

08527 is used a Immingham Docks on a contract between GBRf and Puma Energy.

08527 leaving Allerton for attention at Barrow Hill before being redeployed at Immingham Docks.

Still the largest gig between the pair is the Celsa Steel Plant in Cardiff. Requiring at least 4 Gronks at any one time, currently the location is home to 08389 (Celsa 1) 08924 (Celsa 2) 08630 (Celsa 3) and non remote control 08904. The first 3 locos have been fitted with remote control equipment, with 08904 on site at the moment to act as the spare loco. This contract was gained from DB after they pulled out in 2010/2011 and had been run down by EWS/DB in the latter years. This was mainly down to a lack of local dedicated maintenance facilities which in turn busted many a Gronk, often leaving the site with 1 or no serviceable shunters. GB and HN Rail have transformed this, introducing overhauled locomotives and state of the art remote control technology, which unlike the EWS/DB variant, actually works reliably.

08389 (Celsa 1) Cardiff

08924 (Celsa 2) Cardiff

08630 'Celsa Endeavor' (Celsa 3) Cardiff

08904 Cardiff

RSS

08632 was moved to the Tata Steel Trostre site in Llanelli for hire via Runtech limited. This proved to be short lived however with RSS pulling out due to contractual issues. The loco has been returned to Wishaw where it is receiving some further attention prior to being released to Leeds Neville Hill. This will in turn allow 08405 to be moved to Wishaw for a repaint and some attention of its own.

08632 receiving attention at Wishaw

08480 and 08683 have in the past month taken over pilot duties at Norwich Crown Point from RMS locotech. 

East Midlands Trains

EMT currently employ Class 08's at Derby Etches Park (1) and Leeds Neville Hill (4) to assist with shunting operations. 08899 is based at Derby and 08525, 08690, 08908 and 08950 are based at Leeds Neville Hill. Of these, only 08525 is thought to be operational. 08690 and 08908 have been condemned for sometime visible from passing trains due to failures. 08950 is thought to have shifted cranks. As Neville Hill is both a EMT and Northern site, 08405 is on hire via RSS to Northern and assists EMT as and when required.

08417 08899 Derby

08525 Leeds Neville Hill

Arriva Traincare (Formerley LNWR)

Arriva Traincare operate sites at Bristol Barton Hill, Cambridge, Crewe, Eastleigh and Tyne Yard. Bristol, Crewe and Eastleigh all retain shunter duties at present.

Location	Allocation
Bristol Barton Hill	08516
Crewe LNWR	08868,09204
Eastleigh	08810,08442 (s), 08735(s)

At Bristol 08516 is kept busy as the sole occupant of the former EWS Mail depot.

08516 Bristol

At Crewe there is sufficient work for two Gronks with 08868 and 09204 employed here. Both carry Arriva Traincare Livery and apart from the plain yellow ends, look the business!

09204 Crewe

Eastleigh is home to 3 Class 08's at present with 08810 the depot pilot, 08442 in long term store and 08735 languishing on site despite being offered for sale last year by DB. It is unknown if it was sold and who its new owner may be.

The nose of 08810 just visible at the former Eastleigh TMD.

08735 'The Cement Mixer' awaits it fate at Eastleigh.

08 Update

Introduced well over 60 years ago, the standard BR Diesel Electric shunter,  or Class 08/09 as they are more commonly known, continues to prove its worth on the British Railway network today. Although the numbers have dwindled right down in recent years, a number of operators continue to add to their fleets.

Once the largest operator of 'Gronks' in the post privatization era, EWS/DB Cargo withdrew and sold their remaining shunting fleet in late 2016 after a number of unsuccessful attempts. The shunt operations which retained a dedicated pilot have been taken over by Class 60, 66 and 67 Diesel locomotives. Of the 24 sold, most were snapped up by hire market operators such as RSS (Railway Support Services) and HN Rail. The preservation movement also secured a number of these workhorses to ensure that they will be useful for many more years to come. Reflecting the current low price of scrap metal, only former Tinsley favourite 08879 was sold to a scrap dealer, Raxxstar Ltd, but even this is now has been repaired and should be sold on again shortly.

RSS (Railway Support Services)

Contracts both new and existing are being won all the time, however RSS are taking the lead in this field and below is detailed a list of recent goings on at the Wishaw based theme.

08460 prepares to shunt crippled wagons in to Axiom Stoke after their arrival from Warrington Arpley.


By far the busiest operator as of late is Railway Support Services Ltd based at Goodmans Yard, Wishaw. Formerly trading as Traditional Traction Ltd, the operator has made real strides in to the shunter hire market and as well as winning long standing contracts, has won new contracts as well.

• Wigan Springs Branch - Following the sale of 08605 to Riveria Trains, DB have opted to hire in a Class 08 from RSS to cover the sites shunting needs. Home to the Network Rail breakdown crane and MPV fleet, the site is also a wagon repair facility. With the shed having no allocation of its own these days, mainline shunting isn't really an option. 08703, fresh off a C Exam at Bescot (bizarrely sanctioned before sale), arrived at the site on the 20th January 2017. Still carrying shabby EWS livery, the loco has had the EWS lettering painted out and a small RSS logo placed on each cab side. Initially expected to replace 08605, both shunters remain on site at the time of writing.
• Leeds Neville Hill - Due to low availability of East Midlands Trains 4 own Gronks on site at Neville Hill with 08690 and 08908 out of action, and a commitment to provide a pilot to Northern covered by 08525, 08405 was collected from Crewe IEMD to ease the burden on former Intercity liveried 08950. 08405 was officially stored a number of years back by DB but was maintained in operational condition as Crewe IEMD pilot. Similar to 08703, the loco retains EWS livery with RSS logos attached to the cabsides.
• Axiom Rail, Stoke - Perhaps the most unsurprising new requirement for a Gronk was the pilot duty for the former Marcroft Engineering works in Stoke. Home to shunters such as 08714, 08993 and more recently 08633, the sale of the latter by DB to the nearby Churnet Valley Railway left this busy facility with no pilot. Realising that this wasn't practical DB turned to RSS who in turn have provided initially 08652, whilst 08460's overhaul was completed at Wishaw, via Mendip Rail. 08460 has now taken up its duties in the Potteries allowing 08652 to be returned to Merehead.
• Greater Anglia, Cambridge - The Arriva Traincare/LNWR facilty in Cambridge which is used for stabling/servicing units is a new location to require a Gronk. A lane of the shed has been hired by Abellio Greater Anglia for the overhaul of units. As the shed is not electrified the 08 will provide the power for any required movements. 08511 has taken up this duty after generator repairs at Wishaw.
• Greater Anglia, Norwich Crown Point - A depot and turn that has existed for many years, Crown point has a requirement for 2 pilots at any one time. This contract has been held by RMS locotec for a number of years. Expected imminently are RSS owned 08480 and 08683 to relieve locotec's 08754 and 08847.
• Tata Steel, Llanelli - Another contract won from RMS locotec, recently overhauled 08632 has been deployed to South Wales for pilot duty.

Purchased from DB Cargo at the fall of 2016 were,

08405
08480
08632
08703
08752

Also added to the operators fleet as of late are,

08568 - purchased from Glasgow Works
09015 - purchased from the National Collection

08632 under overhaul at RSS's base at Wishaw prior to deployment to South Wales

08511 undergoing generator repairs at Wishaw. The loco has since been dispatched to Cambridge for the new contract with Abellio Greater Anglia as described above.

08703 sits outside the shed at Wigan Springs Branch on Friday 19th May. The site is a shadow of its former self with its once large allocation of Class 31's, 56's and 60's all gone and replaced by crippled wagons and Network Rail MPV units. 08605 (which 08703 was brought in to replace) remains on site and in use.

Toton's former Pilot 08480/Toton No1 sits at Wishaw after arrival from the East Midlands. A quick overhaul and repaint in to RSS livery was to follow before being sent over to the Grand Central Railway, Loughborough along with 08683, where they participated in the lines diesel gala. Both shunters are still on site in Loughborough awaiting redeployment which is expected to to be at Norwich Crown Point.

08752 sits on a road trailer at Wishaw after arrival from Bombardier Derby. The loco is onsite for generator repairs and will likely receive a repaint in to RSS house colours of Black, Grey and Red.

'Euro Gronks' 08738 and 08939 sit at Wishaw pending overhaul. The pair are to be reactivated with their multiple working equipment reinstated and deployed nose to nose on an undisclosed contract. The pair last worked in 'Multi' in Rouen, North France but returned from their jollies and straight in store at Toton in 2011.

Former Bescot residents 08580 and 08709 have recently arrived at Wishaw after temporary storage at the Chasewater Railway. It could go either way with these 2, with stripping for spares or overhaul both under consideration.

 

08411 sits heavily stripped at Wishaw. Prior to the DB tender list purchases, the loco was scheduled for a full overhaul. It remains to be seen whether this is proceeded with.

08480 08683 are seen assisting with shunting operations at GCR, Loughborough. The pair are awaiting redeployment which is expected to be in East Anglia.

Observed from a distance and amongst the gantries is 08405 which is on hire to EMT at Leeds Neville Hill. On hand to assist with shunting duties due to 08690 and 08908 currently being out of traffic.