Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

Colas Rail has been ringing the changes with the motive power on the VTG tanker train this week. On Monday the 8 th it was 70:816, on Wednesday the 10 th 70:809 and on Friday the 12 th 70:811. For the first time Colas Rail's Lindsey Oil Terminal, which was the original destination of the VTG tanker train from Preston Docks, has been deleted from the list of scheduled workings through Accrington. Although for some time now this train has only worked to Haverton on Teeside it appears now that all the workings will go to the North East. During this week the motive power has included 70:816 and 70:809. Quite by surprise on Thursday the 18 th the motive power on the VTG tanks had reverted to Class 56 haulage, with #090 the one in charge. This is a loco allocated to Nottingham depot. On the last full week of the month the VTG train ran on Monday and then Friday with 70:815 pulling 12 bogie tank wagons. With no progress in the dispute between members of ASLEF and the train operating companies, another round of industrial action will take place in the coming weeks. However, the Labour Party has announced that should it win the next General Election, due by the end of this year, it will within the five-year term of office re-nationalise the railways. It will achieve this by not renewing any of the train operating companies franchises as they expire. This would come at no extra cost to the tax-payers. May On Wednesday the 1 st the VTG tanker train was running a full two hours late heading for Preston Docks. It was the first occasion that it had operated during the week and twelve bogie wagons were being pulled by Class 66:848. This locomotive is one of only five of this type to be operated by Colas Rail and is one of the pair which have not so far been named. It is on lease from its owners Beacon Rail and is maintained at Hoo Junction in Kent. On the evening of Thursday the 2 nd the Colas Rail Test Train was noted en route from York to Wigan. This train consists of yellow Mark II carriages topped and tailed by a pair of Class 37 locomotives. These were 37:219 named 'Jonty Jarviss ', formerly D6919, new in January 1964 and 37:254 ' Cardiff Canton ' formerly D6954, new in January 1965. Both were initially allocated to 86A Cardiff Canton Sheds and both were brought back into service from preservation. They returned to York just after midnight on Friday the 3 rd . Once again the dispute between the train driver's union ASLEF and the Operator of Last Resort Northern, will see services affected by a total weeks ban on overtime. This is bound to cause some cancellations and a reduction in services. There will be no trains at all on Thursday the 9 th , when Northern Northern is one of the two selected operators to be targeted, Trans-Pennine being the other. This dispute has been on-going since July 2022 with no signs of a resolution, which does not appear to be about money but changes to working practices. On Wednesday the 7 th , the VTG tanker train was back behind Colas Rail's 56:113 running east some twenty minutes ahead of schedule. The railway station's information screens were warning travellers of the possibility of delays and cancellations due to ASLEF's ban on overtime working, and the total withdrawal of services by Northern on Thursday the 8 th . As expected there were no passenger trains operating on this day, except for the Colas Rail tanker train, which was running to a totally different schedule. With little or no other traffic to impede its progress, it was 42 minutes early setting off from Haverton, but did not pass through Accrington until 11:30. It returned at 14:20 with 56:113 still in charge. On Wednesday the 29 th Colas Rail's 56:049 ( Robin of Templecombe ) failed between Rishton and Daisyfield Junction, whilst en route to Preston Docks. The blockage resulted in Northern trains on the Headbolt Lane service turning at Accrington, whilst the Preston to Colne trains were turning back in Blackburn. Loco 56:113 was dispatched from Penrith to rescue the stranded train and drag it to Preston Docks. The return VTG service was cancelled with the 56:113 going north light engine. However, on the following day 'Robin' came bobbing along heading east, so 56:049 must have been fixed in the meantime. June By the end of the month and into June the VTG tanker train had reverted back to Class 70 haulage with Colas Rail's 70:803, 70:812 and 70:816 all being noted. Northern has initiated a procurement process for a new fleet of multiple units to be introduce from 2029 onwards. The order will consist of 44 x 3-car and 66 x 4-car Multimodal Units or MMUs, (diesel or electric powered units). Although destined for electrified lines there will also be an order for 11 x 3-car EMUs (electric multiple units), with the possibility of a further order for 34 x 3-car and 16 x 4-car

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