So after all the commotion of the pandemic it was decided we would have our first depot open day since 2019. These events are always very popular and we decided to try and control the queues experienced in previous years by selling tickets with time slots to spread it out a bit. The shunt on Friday to line up every loco took five hours and we really ready for a beer when we finished 57 304 after we got it in position in the shed. Gantries positioned to allow cab visits Started Saturday with a safety and security brief Early on before it got really busy The star of the show was going to be 37 218 restored to the original DRS colour scheme and finished just before the show It hasn't looked this good for a long time! more soon Kev
So this was probably going to be the last show where we had a substantial presence of 37s on the property. Most are up for sale on a 'Buy and lease back' basis as we will still need the for the RHTT leaf busting btrains in the fall I'm going to miss them 37 424 'Avro Vulvcan XH 588' was in the entrance to the shed still in its Large logo British rail color scheme 37 419 'Carl Haviland' is in the old Intercity Executive livery 37 401 'Mary Queen of Scots' was always a favourite of mine as it was a regular on the Cumbrian Coast passenger services when we used to run them The last time I saw it on the main line it was on a Sellafield-Eastleigh working taking freight cars there for heavy overhaul. I picked Brooklyn and his mate Rio up to come and see it at Dalton in Furness station. The train crew, Warren and Kev, spotted us on the platform and opened it up to Notch 8 as they passes, great!. an hour later it failed at Acton Bridge and had to be rescued by a Class 68 more soon
The core fleet for the nuclear traffic will be the clas 68s for the foreseable future 68 006 'Pride of the North' is the trial one running on HVO and in a 'green' wrap advertising its ecological advantages. Formerly named 'Daring' those namplates were up for aucion on the stand There were also some Class and 37 nameplates up for offers 57 It arrived with TPE (Trans Pennine Express) liveried 68 0325 'Superb' More soon
The Shunt and then it was Beer O'Clock A couple of interesting beers in 'Ebenezeers' and then I asked my partners in crime if they fancied a sobering walk to the 'Borough Arms' Top pub and they had 'Jaipur Strong IPA' on tap We all slept well! More soon
The EMD built Class 66s were also evident 66 424 had a naming ceremony on the Saturday celebrating Paul Scrivens. One of our engineers who sadly passed away in 2021 in another naming cermony the plate formerly carried by 20 301 commerating the principal founder of DRS Max Joule was transferred to a class 66 to continue his legacy. The class 20s have all been retired now although all have gone to new owners who will keep them in traffic 66 422 was unveiled by the Charirman of the NDA, The head of the NTS board and the Rail director of NTS The nameplate was always quite small (to fit on a Class 20) and looks a bit tiny on the bulk of a 66 66 303 looks a bit grubby but carries its 'Rail riders' plates The 'Railriders' are the main ralfan club in the U.K More soon