Unit news

South Wales debut for Class 197s

Time has finally run out for the Class 313 electric multiple units, with the final examples taken out of traffic on May 19. On the penultimate day in service, May 18, 313209 forms the 14.25 Seaford to Brighton service, crossing Glynde Reach bridge, near Southease on the Seaford branch. The withdrawn units are being moved to Arlington Fleet Group at Eastleigh, where Raxstar will dispose of the vintage EMUs. David Staines

The long-awaited passenger debut of the Class 197 DMUs in South Wales finally took place on June 12 when 197019 formed 1T94, the 10.20 Chester to Cardiff Central, thereby becoming the first of the CAF-built units to carry passengers south of Shrewsbury. This was followed up two days later when 197010 worked 1V94, the 08.05 Holyhead to Cardiff.

Despite the expanded sphere of operation, no more of the class had been accepted for traffic by mid-June, the figure having held strong at 15 sets since April, namely 197002/004/006-013/015/017-019/021.

Newly-delivered 197048 was hauled from Donnington to Crewe Carriage Sidings by 70011 on May 16 to begin commissioning, with 70014 and 197049 following on May 23. Fresh from modifications, 197108 was collected from Wolverton by 66520 on May 24, with 70016 taking it back to Donnington from Basford Hall the next morning.

More three-car activity saw 66568 move 197109 from Donnington to Crewe on May 30, while 66551 headed north to the Cheshire town from Wolverton with 197106 on June 6.

EMR finishes with 156s

The long association of the Class 156s with services in the Midlands came to an end with the summer timetable change, as East Midlands Railway further shuffled its DMUs. With the operator’s fleet having progressively reduced as replacement Class 170s have arrived, only 156406 was in operation on the final day – May 19 – it seeing use on the Barton-upon-Humber branch that evening. Two days later, it ran from Nottingham to Crewe for repainting ahead of a new life with Northern, while at the same time 156405 and 156410 departed Derby for Heaton. By June 6, 156406 was resplendent in Northern blue and white as it left Crewe for Newton Heath, with its two sisters lined up for their repaints.

Out of service for just over a year, 156409 finally departed Wolverton on June 10 for Newton Heath following the completion of its extensive corrosion repairs, overhaul and repaint. It had arrived on June 2 last year as 156909, but so severe was the bodywork degradation that the unit was essentially stripped down to bare bodyshells and rebuilt. Still ensconced at Wolverton and receiving a simi