Page 75 - Rail Express - September 2019
P. 75
PRESERVATION
‘Bubble car’ returns to Swanage IN BRIEF
THE long-awaited introduction of NEW ENGINE BLOCK FOR‘37’
regularSwanageRailway services to THE Class 37 Loco Group has acquired an
and from Wareham took astep forward English Electric 12SVMk.2 powerunit,
on July 24, when the first of the line’s built in 1967, from an industrial site for
DMUs that will be used on these use in No. 37003 following the discovery
workings,Class 121 ‘Bubble Car’ of crackswithin the main crank of the
No. 55028, wasreleased from Eastleigh loco’s engine earlier this year.The engine
Works. It wascollected by No.D6515 block from the newly-purchased unit will
(33012) Lt JennyLewis RN,which had be built up using components from the
run light engine from Swanageearlier current powerunit.
in the day. The group estimates the work will
The DMU will undergo testing add£27,000 to the cost of the overhaul
and commissioning beforecrew of No. 37003, which is being carried out
training begins. Interim maintenance at UKRL’s Leicester depot. It had been
facilities forthe line’s DMUs arebeing hoped it would be back in service as
constructedbyCorfe Castle station No. D6703 in time forits 60th
untilarrangements fora long-term anniversary in December 2020, but now
lease of sidings at Furzebrook have this maynolongerbepossible. An appeal
been concluded with Perenco and forfunds has been made to assist in
Dorset Council. returning the ‘37’ to workingorder.
Still to be completed is the three-
carClass 117 set (made up of Nos. ‘47’ TO BE SCRAPPED
51356+59486+51388), which is at MOVED to the Dean Forest Railway earlier
Eastleigh Works. The overhaul and main this year,No. 47524 is expected to
linecertification of all four vehicles undergo component recovery,providing
has taken much longer than expected partsfor other surviving Class 47s, before
duetothe number of issues, including Class33No. D6515 (33012) hauls Class 121 No. 55028 away from Bournemouth on being disposed of.Bought from EWS
delays in the delivery of wheelsets. The July24, while working from Eastleigh Workstothe SwanageRailway. The DMU vehicle in 2003, it had ashort spell at Tyseley
vehicles have been fitted with TPWS, will be usedonthe heritagerailway’s main line shuttle from Wareham. NeilWalkling before being transferred to the Churnet
OTMR,GSM-R and central door locking ValleyRailway,wheresomerestoration
toenable them to be used on the would be operated by athirdparty ■ Class 117 DMBS No. 51346, which work wascarried out over aperiod of
main line. train operating company. Meanwhile has been used as aspares donor in the severalyears. However, the Brush Type 4
The SwanageRailway is still the railway has applied to the Office SwanageDMU refurbishment project, has neverrun in preservation.
hoping it can begin running DMUs on of Rail and Road forits ownmainline wascut up at Eastleigh Worksduring
its services to Wareham on alimited passenger licence, and anticipates June. The cab has been acquired by 6-PAN UNDERFRAME
number of days before the end of being able to run afull 90-daytrial The South WalesLoco CabPreservation ON THEMOVE
the 2019 season, although these service in the 2020 season. Group. THEIsle of Wight Steam Railway has
acquired the underframe of ‘6-PAN’
Corridor Third(TFK) No. S12235S
(latterlyDS70277) from the Spa Valley
Railway, primarily to provide aspareset
of bogies. The vehicle wasone of several
which, after withdrawal, hadtheir bodies
removedfor use as crane match wagons.
CLASS20RETURNSTOGCR
AFTERa visit to Barrow Hill forrepairs,
No.D8098 (20098)returnedtothe
Great Central Railway on July1.The loco
undertook aloadedtest run with
No.37714 Cardiff Canton on July28.
KITCHEN CARTOBE
RESTOREDATEASTLEIGH
IN late July, Mk.1 Restaurant Unclassified
(RU) No. 1987, which later became Brake
ForceRunner No. DB975982, wasmoved
from the Kent &East SussexRailwayto
Eastleigh, whereitistoberestored by
Arlington foruse in the line’s ‘Wealden
Pullman’ dining train –this is expected to
cost around £200,000. It will replace RU
No. 1955, which is in need over overhaul
and updating.
‘CHOPPER’ HIRED BY VINTAGETRAINS: With No. 47773 (D1755) currentlystopped forattention, VintageTrains has
hired London Underground-liveried No. 20142 fordiesel support on its charters. It arrived at Tyseleywith No. 20007 (which is air-
braked only, so unsuitable foruse with VintageTrains’ vacuum-brakedcoaches) from West Ruislip on July3.The Type 1ispictured ONLINE ■ POST ■ PHONE
at BentleyHeath (near Solihull) on July27, with an empty stock move from TyseleytoDorridge. ‘Jubilee’ steam loco No. 45596 SUBSCRIBE TODAY ON PAGE 12
Bahamas is at the rear. Graham Nuttall
September 2019 RAIL EXPRESS 75