January to June
Traction programme number 40 marks the 21st year of the series. Far from being the predictable railway that
many people had envisaged, today's motive power scene continues to produce a fascinating mix of new and old. The first six months of 2015 have seen some significant changes in passenger franchises and freight contracts, while restrictions on exhaust emissions for new locomotives has ensured that older traction types continue to see regular use. Featured in this programme are....
FREIGHT TRAFFIC & TRACTION: 50007 Hercules & 50017 Royal Oak working the Sinfin tanks and the Boston steel; Heavy Haul's 66514 banking GBRf's failed 66721 and its train up Beattock bank; 56091 on hire to DCR for the Willesden-Calvert spoil; 47727 hauling a Railvac to Liskeard; Large Logo 47847 enters traffic for GB Railfreight on the Drax gypsum; 68001 ventures to Scunthorpe with a rail train from York; 92033 hauling a rake of coal empties on the East Coast Main Line; 20096 & 20107 working a loaded ballast train across London; Colas take over the tank traffic to Preston Docks, Rectory Junction and Colnbrook; pairs of Schenker 90s take over West Coast automotive and intermodal services; newly-converted GBRf Class 73/9s on test; 50007 Hercules hauling two coal wagons to Gloucester; 20205 returns to the main line after 26 years on a loaded test run to Peak Forest; Freightliner return 47830 to the main line in British Railways two tone green livery...and the first main line outing in 19 years for GBRf's repatriated 59003 Yeoman Highlander.
PASSENGER TRACTION, RAILTOURS & SPECIALS: 37516 and 87002 on Serco's new Caledonian sleepers; DRS Class 37s on the first day of Northern Rail passenger services on the Cumbrian Coast; GBRf operating the luxury 'Royal Scotsman' with Class 66 and Deltic haulage; DRS Class 68s take over the loco-hauled Fife Circle commuter trains; the return of 55003 Meld; Class 57 failures galore on the 'Night Riviera' sleepers; Deltic D9009 Alycidon hauling the Orient Express over the Chilterns...and 08644 arriving at Plymouth with 'Laira Liaison' charity charter train.
THERE'S ALSO: 47798 Prince William repainted into Res Royal Train livery; 20901 & 20905 venture to Tattenham Corner on snow & ice duties; 50007 Hercules moving a tamper from Norwich to Washwood Heath; 47812 hauling the Wensleydale Railway's Mark 2 coaches to Doncaster; 66522 moving DEMU 1118 from the West Somerset Railway to the Dartmoor Railway; Heavy Haul's 70011 on an 'Electrostar' EMU move from Derby to Asfordby; 37706 returning a DMU to Swanage; 59003 Yeoman Highlander visits the West Somerset Railway; the Bluebell Railway's Deltic diesel gala; the tenth Swanage diesel gala' featuring the first runs in preservation of 56006 and Class 37 D6757, the return of 50035 Ark Royal in BR blue...and the Grid clag shot of the year, courtesy of 56006!
Produced by - Locomaster Profiles
Running time - 100 Minutes
Format - DVD only
Released - August 2015
