RailwayThe Herald 31 March 2006 No. 35 TheThe complimentarycomplimentary UKUK railwayrailway journaljournal forfor thethe railwayrailway enthusiastenthusiast In This Issue New Franchise launches around London Next batch of Class 66s leave Canada Major upgrade for 'one' Anglia Class 90s All change on 'Waterloo & City' line RailwayThe Herald Issue 35 31 March 2006 Contents Submissions Newsdesk 3 We welcome Three new franchise launches, More 'Desiro' units for South West Trains, major upgrade for 'one submissions from all Class 90s and Wembley Park reopens. readers, especially Rolling Stock News 8 photographs from those All change on the Waterloo & City, plus Stock changes for Great Western. enthusiasts with a digital camera! Pictures should Railtour Pictorial 10 be sent to the editor at A pictorial look at some of the railtours over the past week. [email protected] Good quality scans of Worldwide View 11 colour slides and prints Bombardier Light Rail Vehicles for Frankfurt and more Class 66s on their way from Canada. are also acceptable. Please note that as Preservation View 13 the Railway Herald is Loadhaul liveried 'Grid' in action in Gloucestershire. free and compiled on a voluntary basis, we Notable Workings Pictorial 14 A look at some of the rare and notable workings over the past week. are unable to offer any financial return. Once the 'new- The new Railway Herald website look' Railway Herald is launched, the a As suggested in the 'Editor's reproduction fee will be Comment' last issue our brand paid to photographers. new website has now launched. Where possible we You can find it on the web at always try to use www.railwayherald.co.uk or photographs taken www.railwayherald.com and the within the production site is packed full of news and information, updated as frequently week (i.e. the next issue as possible. will, where possible, We have decided to launch the only include images interactive website a few weeks in taken between the advance of the official launch of publication date of this the subscription-based ‘Railway issue and the following Herald’. As a result the new Friday. website is totally free at present, and overseas railway operators Other sections of the website Publication and we welcome input from together with preservation include a ‘News Archive’ where everyone. Once we are happy with railways will be supplying us all news stories carried on the The Railway Herald its operation and the interface with constant news feeds. ‘Railway Herald’ site will be is due to be published with the PDF ‘Railway Herald’ The world of special trains, stored to enable you to check every Friday and product, we will advise you that railtours and charter services up on past events, ‘Special is available by e- from a certain date, you will have are also covered, with the most Trains Timings’, where site mail subscription to subscribe to ‘Railway Herald’ to up to date and accurate tour users are able to post detailed from subscriptions@ continue using the site. This will listings available, these will be times of specials thus helping railwayherald.co.uk then provide you with a weekly updated and changed as details others see the services, ‘Events E-mail addresses are PDF magazine, plus all facilities of are amended by operators to Diary’ listing all known railway never given out and the website. enable you to be fully briefed on events – you are welcome to should you choose to The ‘Railway Herald’ website what trains are running and the send us entries for this section, cease your subscription offers some tremendous benefits routes to be covered, together ‘Names Encyclopedia’ a full on- in the future, please just over printed magazines. Providing with motive power to be used. In line database of every named contact us. immediate railway news through a many cases full tour times will locomotive, multiple unit or number of news topics - UK News, also be provided in advance. carriage in the UK, ‘Technical © Copyright World News, Preservation News By popular request we have Data’ full technical data for all UK to name but a few. These pages Railway Herald.co.uk also opened an ‘Insider Gen’ loco and multiple unit classes and are updated as and when news 2006 board where anonymous ‘Reader Downloads’ download stories break which may be several messages can be posted, our wallpaper of your favourite FRONT COVER: Storming times a day. Our site also provides computer equipment does not railway subject. up the Lickey Incline at a large range of news illustrations record personal information on All of the above however is just Vigo on 25 March, Class including a ‘Picture of the Day’, who posts to this board so your a start, the site includes other 50s Nos. 50049 Defiance showing the most interesting and 50031 Hood power identity is safe. So, if anyone has sections, not mentioned and a Pathfinder Railtours illustration received in the previous information they wish to pass on a whole host of new sections, charter from Cardiff to 24 hours. to fellow enthusiasts they are free features and pages are planned Redmire. ROGER CUTTS Our main aim is to bring you to do so without trace. We would to come on-line over the next few news as and when it happens. ask that people are just a little months. Let us know what you To enable this service, the UK careful in what is posted. would like to see featured as well! 2 Railway Herald - Volume 1 : Issue 35 The 'new' First Great Western Newsdesk ABOVE: The semi broadside view of the demonstration train shows the livery well, it is certainly very striking and from passenger and enthusiast reaction, is well liked, even at this early stage. Led by power car No. 43004, the 09.12 Paddington-Penzance crosses Cockwood Harbour, Starcross. ColIN J. MARSDen The much awaited launch of the Greater In the near future a major internal 150, 153 and 158s, while station nameboards Western Franchise, joining together First refurbishment will commence with new were shorn of their Wessex name. The Great Western, Wessex Trains and Great interiors for standard class, first class and cosmetic change to trains in the First Great Western Link, under the banner of First Great buffet vehicles. New design seats will be Western Link area was not as noticeable as Western took place at 02.00 on 1 April. The fitted throughout, while in first class leather First has operated these services for some official launch was held with a travelling coverings will be used. Major attention is to time and re-branding into corporate style has 'road show' from Paddington to Penzance on be given to the toilets, while the refreshment been ongoing. 3 April, showing for the first time the new vehicles are to be fully redesigned. The new FGW is inviting local people to external image. The already announced re-engining of the nominate their favourite place within the The launch at Paddington was hosted by Class 43 power cars is set to continue and the former Wessex franchise area and 50 of the First Chief Executive Moir Lockhead and re-branding in the final version of the First nominated names will then be showcased First Great Western Managing Director ‘Swirl’ colour scheme will take around two along the side of the new Greater Western Alison Forster. years to complete. Class 150, 153 and 158 fleets. The names Moir Lockhead said that “Today’s launch The new franchise is far more than the should be places, attractions, local clubs, of the Greater Western Franchise heralds the appearance of trains, with huge investments teams or even schools. To nominate your start of a £200million investment programme. in stations and the passenger environment, name text the ‘name’ to 88600 or visit the Fulfilling the promises of the franchise bid”. ranging from how passengers get to the rail FGW web site at www.firstgreatwestern. On the launch day a 2+3 HST (43004, 44049, head, to car parking, railway site security and co.uk/name suggestions must be in by the 40752, 41003, 43009) was used to form a 09.12 staff presentation and performance. end of April. Paddington-Penzance special. These vehicles FGW operated a special launch train on the n On the day of the franchise launch, were in a vinyl concept version of the new Paddington-Penzance corridor to involve FGW announced that following over 9,000 FGW colours, based on the First Group blue/ staff from all elements of the new business. responses to the new FGW timetable to be mauve, offset by a turquoise upper body n In the final week of the Wessex Train launched in December, a significant number colour, similar to the franchise-bid concept franchise a major effort was made to remove of changes are to be incorporated to meet the vehicles shown last year. the Wessex branding from its fleet of Class aspirations of passengers and user groups. BELOW: The vinyl application of the new First Great Western livery was carried out at Old Oak Common, here the buffet vehicle No. 40752 is shown. At this stage no yellow first class coach band is applied, but a large yellow '1' is adjacent to the passenger doors. The company name is applied in the centre with the vehicle number below. ColIN J. MARSDen Railway Herald - Volume 1 : Issue 35 3 London King's Cross welcomes First Capital Connect As well as the First Group celebrations held on 3 April to mark the retention of the First Great Western franchise, Newsdesk now incorporating Wessex Trains and First Great Western Link, First Group also marked the take over of the former Great Northern franchise.