Electric

  • Mirrlees Class 37 almost ready for main line action

    Mirrlees Class 37 almost ready for main line action

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    EUROPHOENIX No. 37901 Mirrlees Pioneer basks in the winter sun at UK Rail Leasing’s Leicester depot on February 12.  The Mirrlees-engined prototype has been restored to working order and is now awaiting the completion of some internal work before returning to the main line.  UKRL plans to use it as an interim depot shunter at Leicester, but it…

  • All Vivarail sets delivered for Marston Vale line

    All Vivarail sets delivered for Marston Vale line

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    VIVARAIL has delivered the third and final Class 230 set to West Midlands Trains for use on Bedford to Bletchley services.  Set No. 230003 has been at Bletchley depot for some weeks, and following tests on the Cotswold Line, between Evesham and Moreton-in-Marsh in early-February, set 004 was delivered.  The final set – 230005 – completed…

  • Daylight testing for TransPennine Express’s new train fleets

    Daylight testing for TransPennine Express’s new train fleets

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    TESTING of three types of new trains for the TransPennine Express franchise are being stepped up, with the new ‘Nova 1’ (Class 802) and ‘Nova 2’ (Class 397) now being seen making daylight runs.  Nova is the train name adopted by TPE for its new fleet.  The 125mph Class 397 ‘Civity’ EMU has been built…

  • EMUs in Queensland built by Bombardier… in India!

    EMUs in Queensland built by Bombardier… in India!

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    QUEENSLAND Rail is over half way through the roll out of a new EMU fleet, after first introducing the train in December 2017.  Unlike all previous EMU fleets in Queensland this one is not being built in Australia, but instead is being built by Bombardier in India. The trains are being assembled in Savli, Gujarat,…

  • ‘Chargers’ for Amtrak and VIA Rail

    ‘Chargers’ for Amtrak and VIA Rail

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    BOTH major national passenger rail operators in North America placed orders for significant numbers of Siemens 4,400HP ‘Charger’ diesel-electric loco in December.  Canadian national passenger company VIA Rail ordered 32 ‘Chargers’ in early-December, along with 32 new push-pull trains which the locos will operate.  VIA Rail plans to use the new trains, which will cost…

  • Lavender Line marks 50th anniversary of last train with ‘Thumper’ duet

    Lavender Line marks 50th anniversary of last train with ‘Thumper’ duet

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    THE Lavender Line has held a special event to mark the 50th anniversary of the closure of the LBSCR Lewes to Uckfield line on which it is built. The line’s two ‘Thumper’ DEMUs, Nos. 1118 and 1133, ran services invoking the memory of the last train on February 23, 1969, which comprised sister set No.…

  • Revolutionary lightweight tram planned for Coventry

    Revolutionary lightweight tram planned for Coventry

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    It’s design could revise thinking for cities keen to adopt VLRs as a way of cutting emissions.

  • They just wave flags and blow whistles, don’t they?

    They just wave flags and blow whistles, don’t they?

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    Train guards have a vitally important role to play on any railway – real or imagined – but what exactly do they do? Ian Lamb discovers that it’s an awful lot more than many of us might imagine. An essential part of any model railway layout featuring a station is the provision of suitable train…

  • GBRf and Class 50 Alliance agree reliveried ‘Hoover’ partnership

    GBRf and Class 50 Alliance agree reliveried ‘Hoover’ partnership

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    The Class 50 Alliance has been operating railtours on the national network with its locomotives since 1997. In recent years, the alliance has been working with rail freight operator GB Railfreight (GBRf), enabling a return to the main line for its locomotives in 2017 and subsequently through a programme of railtours during 2018, as part…

  • Locomotive Services to stage Virgin charity open day at Crewe

    Locomotive Services to stage Virgin charity open day at Crewe

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    AROUND 30 main line steam, diesel and electric locomotives are being lined up for an open day to be staged at Locomotive Services’ modernised former Crewe diesel depot on Saturday, June 8. The event is being organised by Virgin Trains staff based at Crewe station – supported by our sister publication The Railway Magazine –…


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