January to June 2023

Today's modern railway continues to produce plenty of surprises, including the occasional 'blast from the past'. Who would have thought that the cover picture was taken in 2023 and not fort years ago? but it's the on-going introduction of new passenger trains that continues to take centre-stage with numerous loco-hauled movements of rolling stock, old and new. Also covered are loco fleet changes, unusual workings, failures, rescues, diesel gala highlights and some eye-catching railtours.

Freight Traffic & Traction: DRS's 37401 & 37419 on the Dagenham Dock to Garston Cars; GBRf's 92044 with china clay tanks for Dollands Moor' 37418 on the last-ever rail movement of TTA fuel tanks; Colas Rail's 56078 working DCR's Ravenhead sand; a grey primer 69008 heading to Eastleigh for painting; Freightliner's 47830 shifting intermodal flats from Crewe to Southampton; 37418 hauling a rake of 30 new box wagons to Warrington; 57012 rescuing a failed 60076 on the Tyne Dock-Drax biomass; DB Cargo's 92029 returns to the main line after an eight-year absence; GBRf Class 69s on weed-killing duties; Southern's 73202 transfers to GB Railfreight; 73119 goes 'Dutch'... and DCR's 56091 working Colas Rail's Preston Docks bitumen tanks.

Passenger Traction, Railtours & Specials: 47712 and LSL's push-pull Scotrail Mark 3 set return to Scotland; 56081 & 56098 on the GBRf Class 56 Farewell' tour; Deltic D9000 working from King's Cross to Edinburgh; 50008 Thunderer visits Paignton, Whitby & Chessington South; Newark 'Thunderbird' 57010 on the LNER rescue mission; 47813 & 47815 hauling service trains between Liverpool Street and Peterborough; 20189 returning from Cwmbargoed; on of GWR's 'Castle' Class HST set visits the Severn Valley Railway; 40145 & 86401 working the Northern Belle; a record-breaking five Class 66s fronting 'The Steely Spires' charter...and the resumption of timetabled passenger services between Wareham and Swanage - with a Class 117 DMU.

There's Also: Rail Adventure HST power cars delivering new Merseyrail units:Deltic 55009's successful main line test runs; 56081 hauling London Underground's 4TC set to St Leonards; 73970 and five Mark 1 coaches on a GBRf staff training trip; GBRf Class 56s hauling new Avanti Hitachi units for testing; 50007 hauling SWR's 458505 to Widnes; 92015 & 92042 arriving at Dollands Moor with the first Tyne & Wear Metro unit; the seemingly-endless procession of redundant rolling stock heading to Newport Docks for crushing; 37800 with the only loco-hauled Southern Class 313 scrap move to Eastleigh Works; Freightliner's 47830 on a TfW stock move to Wolverton Works; 37884 hauling Grand Central 'Adelante' 180103 from Ilford to Wembley; Colas Rail HST power car 43272 running solo from Derby to Plymouth...and the first working of 50021 Rodney in 23 years.

Produced by - Locomaster Profiles
Duration -100 Minutes
Narration - David Maxey
DVD only
Released - September 2023