Variety at Shrub Hill 12/03/24

[TimBrown]

Today, Tuesday 12 March 2024, saw various diesel workings through Worcester Shrub Hill around lunchtime. First an HST test train working from Derby to Llandore passed through platform 1 having run via Walsall, Stourbridge, Worcester Foregate Street and Hereford where it reversed for Shrub Hill and then to Gloucester, Swindon, back to Gloucester for Newport and Llandore near Swansea.

In the other direction 170107 and 170113 worked an ECS, Empty Coach Stock, train from Gloucester to Tyseley via Worcester and Stourbridge. This 5 car train worked an additional service earlier in the morning from Birmingham New Street to Gloucester for race-goers to the Cheltenham Festival and probably used the return journey via the 'Dark Side' to maintain the driver's knowledge of the line.

Another movement of redundant Trans-Pennine Mark V coach stock with DVT was hauled by 68026 from Longsight Depot to Long Marston for de-branding and storage pending eventual use by another train operator. It is seen passing through Shrub Hill yard.

Finally Western Hydraulic heritage diesel locomotive D1015 'Western Champion' worked through Platform 2 from Severn Valley Railway, Kidderminster on a circular test run via Worcester, Moreton-in-Marsh, Oxford, Didcot, Swindon, Cheltenham and Worcester.

[MattW]

I hope the 'Whizzo' gets down here at some point Tim.

[TimBrown]

I hope the 'Whizzo' gets down here at some point Tim.

Should do as Cornwall was one of their original haunts; guess SVR keen to prove reliability on shorter charters to start with, it would be a major struggle on the Devon banks with 12 coaches if one engine failed again!