"Bo'ness Xmas Explorer" 30th December 2024

37403 Isle of Mull + LSL push-pull set + 47712 (as 47709 The Lord Provost)
1Z47 0810 Bo'ness Jn Exchange Sdg- Edinburgh - Kirkcaldy - Dunfermline - Alloa - Stirling - Glasgow Queen Street - Perth - Motherwell - Carlisle - Crewe

The first SRPS Railtour since March 2023, operated by Locomotive Services.

Running through Aberdour on a blustery day.

DBSO 9707 leading the push-pull set.

47712 on the rear of the train.

Heading away in the Burntisland direction, the 1E15 Azuma was just around the corner.

Bo'ness Diesel Gala, 28th December 2024 5: 26038 makes its return

 

At its first gala after overhaul, where it gained 'Inverness style' headlights, 26038 waits to work 2M49 10:05 Bo'ness - Manuel.


26038 returned on 2M50 10:35 Manuel - Bo'ness, and is seen ready to come off the train.


26038 while moving to a parking siding.


Seen waiting between workings.


New in August 1959, HGR overhaul April 1986, withdrawn October 1992.

Nocturnal test-train, 3rd January 2025

PLPR-4 set vice NMT, with top and tail Colas orange power cars, a first time sighting of 43257 in Colas orange. 

43277 Safety Task Force leading 1Q70 16:45 Gorgie Jn (in practice Haymarket platform 0) - Slateford, into Aberdour.


A closer view of 43277 as it passed through.

43257 on the rear - I have seen this power car in East Coast, Virgin, LNER and two Colas guises. The coaches were believed to be 9481 + 72639 (with PLPR light) + 977997 + 977974 (nearest), which are often in the 1Q5x Eastleigh based test trains.

24th February - 1st March 2025

 
Monday 24th February: 802102 5X81 15:17 Reading - Eastleigh; (57310 started off from Long Marston with 701060, but got no further than Worcester, loco onward to Leicester. Flickr for the day.)
Tuesday 25th February: 69012 (firstly moved 701060 direct to Wimbledon park) 0Z91 19:35 Wimbledon Park - Eastleigh Flickr for the day
Wednesday 26th February: 69012 (+ 701023) 5Q75 09:20 Eastleigh - Long Marston one two Flickr for the day
Thursday 27th February: 
Friday 28th February: 50008 0M50 11:59 Eastleigh - Chaddesden Flickr for the day; 56113 (worked to Bescot on 27th) 0O26 10:48 Hinksey - Eastleigh, next destination Hoo.
Saturday 1st March: 56049 at Eastleigh, worked to Waterloo on a Civil Engineer working

Two GBRf Class 66s are expected at Eastleigh Works for repaint into a scheme for the forthcoming 'Britannic Explorer' from Belmond, utilising the re-gauged 'Grand Hibernian' stock. 

Eastleigh Works: 01Jul - 10Jul - 11Jul - 12Jul - 16Jul - 17Jul - 23Jul - 24Jul - 25Jul - 29Jul - 31Jul

43021, seen above on 1B82 13:11 Aberdeen - Edinburgh on 7th January at Aberdour, had a fire while crossing the Tay Bridge, on 28th February. Video of the fire being attended to by the emergency services - Courier article - video of evacuation. The train has been removed to the yard at Dundee.

ScotRail Inter7City, December 2024

We can now anticipate that the ScotRail HST run-down will be in 2026 - 2027. There were further critical sentiments from RAIB in their Broughty Ferry report.

A low sun shines across 43142 and set HA08 (+ 43168) with 1B74 09:05 Aberdeen - Edinburgh, at Aberdour, 19th December.


43127 and set HA03 (+ 43034) with 1A81 11:30 Edinburgh - Aberdeen, Aberdour, 19th December.

The same set, led by 43034, at Dalgety on 20th December, with 1B82 13:11 Aberdeen - Edinburgh.

43149 and set HA18  (+ 43132) HA18 1B80 12:07 Aberdeen - Edinburgh, Aberdour, 21st December.

43033 and set HA09 (+ 43163) 1B74 09:05 Aberdeen - Edinburgh, at the former Donibristle Halt, 23rd December.

43183 and set HA08 (+ 43138) 1A81 11:30 Edinburgh -Aberdeen, approaching Dalgety Bay station, 27th December.

43151 and set HA15 (+ 43137) 1B82 13:11 Aberdeen - Edinburgh, passing Aberdour, 27th December.

43139 and set HA07 (+ 43169) passing Aberdour with 1A79 09:30 Edinburgh - Aberdeen, 30th August.

Bo'ness Diesel Gala, 28th December 2024 4: ScotRail push-pull set

The Locomotive Services 'ScotRail' push-pull set was:
9707 +  12111 + 12171 + 10404 + 11066 + 11082

9707 was built in 1974 as BSO 9511 by BREL Derby to Lot 30861. Converted to a DBSO at BREL Glasgow in 1979.

Mk 3 TSO 12111 built at Derby in 1976 in Lot 30877.

Mk 3 TSO 12171 built at Derby in 1976 to Lot 30878.

Interior of immaculately clean 12171, with seats lined up to the window bays.
    

TSOB 10404 was originally built as TSO 12068 at Derby to Lot 30877 in 1975. Converted to TSOB in 2006.

Mk 3B FO 11066 was built at BREL Derby to Lot 30982 in 1985.

Mk 3B 11082 has similar history to 11066. Recent infamy for straying onto the Southern Region 3rd rail lines, being sidelined at Poole in June 2024 for having long swing link BT10 bogies.

Wagons from the final ARC / Hanson JHA move from Whatley

The final clear out move of 34 JFA / JHA wagons from Whatley took place on 21st February, going to Crewe, from where two more moves can be anticipated going to the scrapyards. Here we look at four wagons in the move, where prototype 17901 has already been covered.

An outer JHA, ARC 17923, built by Standard Wagon in 1990, seen at Westbury, 10th February 2017.

Inner JHA ARC 19862, built by Standard Wagon in 1990-91, seen at Westbury, 19th September 2024.

ARC 19892 was the first Inner JHA built by Procor, delivered in 1990. Various detail differences can be seen between this and the Standard Wagon variant. Westbury, 19th September 2024.

Gloucester LTF25 (Low Track Force) bogie detail on ARC 19885, seen at Westbury, 19th September 2024. The now common TF25 bogie was developed from these.