NORTHERN and Greater Anglia (GA) introduced more new trains to their routes throughout August. GA’s bi-mode Class 755 No. 755410 made a low-key debut on July 29, between Lowestoft and Norwich, with services having now expanded to include Great Yarmouth and the busy Norwich-Ely-Cambridge route.  Class 755 No. 755418

NORTHERN has withdrawn the first its Class 142 ‘Pacer’ units – 11 months later than planned.  The first was scheduled for retirement in September 2018, but late delivery and acceptance of replacement units gave the ‘Pacers’ a stay of execution.  Class 142 ‘Pacer’ No. 142005 being sent off

STANIER Pacific No. 6233 Duchess of Sutherland put in a storming performance on August 4’s ‘Royal Duchy’, using its immense power to set a new record time for steam on the Plymouth to Exeter leg.  No. 6233 Duchess of Sutherland forges through Powderham with the return Par to Bristol leg of Railway

VINTAGE Trains and the Branch Line Society are offering an opportunity to enjoy the tasty combination of rare track, Class 20s and a curry – all on the same train! Starting from Solihull, the September 22 tour will run to Shrewsbury via Warwick, Sutton Park and the Ironbridge branch. 

THREE Class 37s at the head of a heavy freight train used to be a regular sight in South Wales and around Glasgow in BR days, but such a trio has always been a rare event on passenger trains.  On August 11, the Branch Line Society completed its two-day ‘Type

NETWORK Rail and Transport for Wales Rail Services hosted a special main line steam trip on August 3 to celebrate the reopening of the Conwy Valley line in North Wales. ‘The Conwy Quest’, double-headed by West Coast Railways’ Stanier ‘8F’ No. 48151 and ‘Jubilee’ No. 45690 Leander, ran from Chester to Blaenau

MARYLAND commuter rail operator Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) has recently taken delivery of eight Siemens-built SC44 ‘Charger’ diesel electric locos.  These are currently largely used ‘under the wires’ between Baltimore and Washington DC on Penn Line services.  New MARC ‘Charger’ number 80 at Odenton on June

A NEW canopy is now in use at the station in the south-west suburbs of Sheffield.  This follows a long campaign by the Friends of Dore and Totley Station. Dore and Totley is served by Hope Valley line trains and is popular with commuters to Sheffield and Manchester. 

NETWORK Rail is installing a new electricity sub-station in Doncaster to deliver more power and greater reliability for East Coast Main Line (ECML) electric services.  The new sub-station should be commissioned in October, allowing LNER to increase its use of electric Intercity Express Trains (IETs) in time for the introduction

A £27MILLION project to renew trackwork, overhead line equipment (OHLE), and signalling at Acton Grange Junction in Warrington was completed successfully between July 20 and August 4.  Acton Grange Junction, near Warrington, was closed for 16 days between July 20 and August 4, causing major disruption to West Coast Main