THE Avon Valley Railway took delivery of fully operational Class 08 No. 08663 on July 8 – being in effect a donation from Great Western Railway (GWR).
The loco has been used in recent years at GWR’s St Philip’s Marsh depot, Bristol for moving diesel multiple units and high-speed train carriages around the depot.
The 350hp shunter is fitted with air brakes and needs some work to enable it to haul the AVR’s vacuum-braked stock. It will be useful at Bitton station for the railway’s weekly shunting duties and occasional works trains, as it is relatively quiet.
However, the AVR will be looking for opportunities to hire out the loco in order to help pay for its maintenance.
Class 09 No. 09015, in faded EWS livery, arrived at Bitton on July 10 from RSS, Wishaw.
Read more News and Features in the August 2019 issue of The RM –on sale now!
Railway Reads
From the history of steam through to 21st century rail transport news, we have titles that cater for all rail enthusiasts. Covering diesels, modelling, steam and modern railways, check out our range of magazines and fantastic subscription offers.Get The Railway Hub Weekly Round-up
Enter your e-mail address below and you will receive weekly rail news straight into your inbox...You can unsubscribe at any time.
About the Author
01507 529529 | SHewitt@Mortons.co.uk
- Rail firms blast plan to cut taxes on domestic flights - 16th June 2021
- 117-year-old Horden locomotive launched at Tanfield Railway - 15th June 2021
- Strikes over guards’ contracts to affect East Midlands Railway services - 14th June 2021