Latest News from Railways Illustrated

No Class 20 for Highland Tour
Spitfire Railtours’ June 18-21 ‘Highlander’ tour failed in its quest to take a Class 20 to Wick, Thurso and Kyle of Lochalsh after DRS conceded it could not provide a Type 1. Two Class 37s, 37608/610, were used instead.
The train ran from Birmingham International to Carlisle where 37608 ran round to the rear and the train top-and-tailed to Inverness via Alloa and Aberdeen.
DRS winning the contract to haul new LUL stock has meant its Class 20s are unavailable for charter traffic while they undergo tripcock modifications.
DRS has signed a lease with GBRf for four class 20s fitted with trip cocks (20301/302/304/405) and a fifth cover loco, 20308, which not have tripcocks fitted. It now means the locos cannot be used for other operations unless GBRf agrees to sub-hire them.

Last refurbished EMT 158 released
The programme to completely refurbish Class 158s operated by East Midlands Trains has drawn to a close with the release of 158865 from Delta Rail at Derby. Also released has been 158864 with East Midlands branding. This was also previously in Wessex Trains colours.
The £10m scheme has seen all 25 of the company's 158s fitted with completely new interiors and repainted. The units are mainly used on Norwich-Manchester services via Nottingham and Sheffield and came from a variety of former operators, including Central Trains, TransPennine Express and Wessex. EGH

Slammer farewell
Enthusiasts turned out in some numbers to celebrate the end of slam-door EMUs on the main line on May 22 when the two remaining 3-CEP units made their last runs on the Lymington Branch.
Both of the survivors, blue and grey 1497 Freshwater and green 1498 Farringford were in action and carried commemorative headboards. Both units have now been offered to preservationists by operators South West Trains with bids being sought by sealed tender. Services on the branch will now be worked by Class 158 DMUs during the week and by Desiro EMUs at weekends. EGH

Weardale branch reopens
Regular passenger services have commenced on the Weardale branch for the first time in 57 years. The first trains, steam-hauled by Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns 0-6-0T 40, ran between Stanhope and a temporary station at Bishop Auckland on May 22, with the full timetable coming into operation the following day. It is hoped that an agreement can be reached with Network Rail in the near future for the trains to run into the station currently used by Northern Rail services, providing a more suitable interchange.
The operation is controlled by British American Rail Services, and a passenger service is planned to be in operation seven days a week using a preserved Class 141 railbus, supplemented by steam at weekends. Freight traffic is also expected to contribute to the economy of the line, with coal trains expected to start shortly.

Caterpillar buys EMD
The company which built most of the UK's freight locomotives has been taken over, though it is to continue in business much as before.
Electro-Motive Diesel of Illinois has been bought for $820m in cash by Progress Rail, which is itself a subsidiary of construction and diesel engine manufacturer Caterpillar Inc. The sale is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Caterpillar has been seeking to expand its involvement in railway operations which its Vice-Chairman, Doug Oberhelman, says is an area which has future long-term and continued growth.
EMD, which was formerly the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors, had income of $1.8bn in 2009 and is one of the world's largest manufacturers of railway locomotives, which in the past have included the Class 66 for the UK. It has recently been in the ownership of an equity group. EGH

Wabtec wins Metro deal
Wabtec Rail has won a £25m contract from DB Regio to overhaul and refurbish all of the Newcastle Metro's light railway vehicles.
The work will be undertaken at Doncaster Works and will take until 2015 to complete. It will include corrosion rectification, rewiring, interior refurbishment and repainting. The existing traction equipment and running gear are to be retained.
90 two-car trains are involved which should then be capable of being used until at least 2025. The contract is part of a £350m scheme to revitalise the Metro, which is owned by local transport authority Nexus, and which has recently passed to DB Regio under a seven year operating contract. EGH

More 442 turns
Further diagrams have been introduced for the ‘Plastic Pig’ Class 442 EMUs from the timetable change, with more units being deployed on Southern's services between London and Brighton.
Two more of the former London-Weymouth units have now entered service following refurbishment and recommissioning, these are 2420 and 2415. Moved to Stewart's Lane from Chart Leacon for commissioning has been 2423, while 2405 was moved from Wolverton to Brighton by 67021 following refurbishment. At Chart Leacon for repainting is 2409, while 2416 is at Stewart's Lane waiting its turn to go to Wolverton for interior alterations. 2422 remains at Wolverton.
17 of the 24-strong class will eventually be in service with Southern, which will allow the operator to withdraw the Gatwick Express Class 460s for deployment elsewhere. The 442s date from 1988 but were made surplus from their original express duties by South West Trains following the arrival of new Siemens Class 444 Desiro units. EGH