Powerscene
CLASS 20
FOLLOWING its use on charter trains during September and October, ‘standard’ blue No. 20189 was back in passenger action on November 23, and again the following day, when accompanying Stanier ‘Black 5’ No. 45305 on ‘Polar Express’ shuttles between Birmingham Moor Street and Tyseley.
Early December was likely to see the end of Direct Rail Services Type 1s on RHTT (railhead treatment train) work once and for all.
No. 20305 (new in October 1961 as No. D8095) was active during the latter part of November on such duties, ‘top and tailing’ with No. 37218 on the 11.17 Grimsby Town to Bridlington leg on November 25 and with fellow Type 1 No. 20314 on the same journey four days later. Previously, on November 20, No. 37218 had been noted hauling Nos. 20302/11/14 from York Thrall Europa to Barrow Hill.
Following reactivation late in September, the Railfreight-grey pairing of Nos. 20118+20132 passed Northampton during the early afternoon of November 7 on the 6Z46/10.58 Basford Hall-Wembley Yard with two YDA wagons and a single YIA, and forming the 6Z47/09.40 Wembley Yard-West Ealing the next morning. On November 9, the pair handled the 6Z55/09.42 Derby-Beeston with a rake of empty JRAs ‘tailed’ by No. 56103, before moving a single YDA from Leicester to Basford Hall two days later.
Having moved over to Lincolnshire, Nos. 20118+20132 powered more empty JRAs – this time forming the 6Z63/16.20 Roxby Gullet-Chaddesden (November 12), heading through Nottingham station at 20.00 before taking the three HOBC wagons from West Ealing to Westbury via Newbury late on November 13 prior to stabling at Leicester on November 17, where they remained at the end of the month.
CLASS 31
FOR the second time this year, No. 31128 has featured as one of the locomotives on a Branch Line Society tour. Accompanied by No. 47828, the Brush Type 2 set off from Barrow Hill on November 17 on the ‘Roundhouse Rotator’ tour visiting Chaddesden,
