Plasser and Theurer 09 Series Tamper

The Plasser and Theurer 09 series supplement earlier tampers (which tamp or pack down the ballast under sleepers to maintain a firm track bed), including the company's 08 Series also used by Network Rail. The 09-3X tampers, known by Plasser and Theurer as Tamping Express, have been built since 1996 and over three hundred have been delivered worldwide [1]. They operate on three sleepers at a time and offer higher performance than earlier types. The tamper also has an Automatic Guiding Computer and each sleeper bank can be lifted or lowered individually to cope with track of lower quality.

Network Rail 09-3X DR73114 at Derby

Information for 09-3X-D-T
Number built:	7
Builder:	Plasser & Theurer
Power:	630 hp (496 kW)

Although the tampers used by Network Rail are usually owned by third parties Network Rail own a fleet of seven 09-3X-D-T tampers [2].

Swietelsky operated tamper heads through Rugeley Trent Valley

Another view of DR73114

DR73114 is named Ron Henderson

[1] "Unrivalled for twenty years", Plasser and Theurer press release <https://aktuell.plassertheurer.com/en/aktuell132/seit-20-jahren-unerreicht>
[2] Colin J Marsden, Rail Guide 2016 (Ian Allan, 2016) p. 208

London United Tramways Ticket Car

This is an example of the many varied special purpose service tram cars used to support every day tram operations. London United Tramways bought this car to transport boxes of tickets and other supplies from the main depot to various points around the system. The tram car had wide doors on the side and a small crane on rollers for handling heavy items. The car had a BE56 truck.

Ticket Car [1]

Information
Number built:	1
Built:	1903
Builder:	British Electric Car Company
Motor:	Westinghouse electric motors (DC OHLE)

[1] "Special car for London United Tramways", Street Railway Journal Vol XXII No. 14 (October 3 1903) p. 666

Post Office Railway Battery Electric Locomotives

These three battery electric locomotives were built by English Electric for the Post Office Railway, ready for it's opening. They were used in the event of breakdowns and also to deliver spares when the electric current of the railway was turned off (as it was every day for two hours). The locomotives were stationed at King Edward Building, Mount Pleasant and Paddington. The locomotives were regularly rotated to even out any wear and tear and to facilitate maintenance at Mount Pleasant. The sidings that the locomotives were stored on were locked while the conductor rail was live [1].

Locomotive #2 at Mount Pleasant

Information
Number built:	3
Built:	1926
Builder:	English Electric
Motor:	2 Electric motors
Power:	50 hp (37 kW)
Wheel arrangement:	4wBE

The locomotives were powerful enough and had enough battery capacity to be able to haul two fully loaded mail trains around the system on one charge [2]. They remained in use while the Post Office Railway was in operation. Two still exist and are on display at Mount Pleasant Post Office Museum.

Locomotive #3

Another view of #2

The battery compartment of #3 takes up considerable space

[1] Peter Johnson, Mail by Rail (Ian Allan, 1995) p. 118

[2] Mike Sullivan, Mail Rail (Redshank Books, 2019) p. 27

West Midlands Metro Urbos 3

The Urbos 3 fleet is the second generation of light rail rolling stock built for the West Midlands Metro from Wolverhampton to Birmingham, replacing the earlier T-69 fleet [1].

#18 heads downhill towards Birmingham New Street on battery mode

Information
Number built:	21 (+21)
Built:	2012-15, 2021-
Builder:	CAF
Motor:	12 traction motors (750v DC OHLE)
Power:	1, 320 hp (960 kW)

The Urbos is a successful type built by CAF used in dozens of light rail systems across the world though the West Midlands Metro fleet is the only Urbos 3 stock used in England (the type is also used in Edinburgh). 

The trams were introduced for the extension of the West Midlands Metro from Birmingham Snow Hill to Birmingham New Street railway station. They are slightly wider than the T-69s they replaced (about seventeen centimetres) thus the line had to be closed for a few weeks to allow for platform modifications before the Urbos 3 could enter service. They are also nine metres longer and can carry up to 210 passengers per tram compared to 156 on the T-69 (though the actual number of seats is almost the same). All of the trams were given the pink and white livery of the Midlands Metro as it was originally known though all now carry the blue livery of the re-branded West Midlands Metro.

CAF have developed rechargable batteries to the fleet to allow them to operate on future extensions to the line where there are no overhead wires [2]. The batteries have now been fitted to the fleet. Twenty one extra trams are on order as the West Midlands Metro expands, this new batch of Urbos 3 will have some differences to the legacy fleet.

#26 and 17 at Jewellery Quarter

The previous pink and white livery

#33 outside Birmingham New Street

Aboard #17

#26 at Jewellery Quarter, the battery pack is on the roof

[1] Colin J Marsden, Rail Guide 2016 (Ian Allan, 2016) p. 280
[2] Colin J Marsden (ed.), Light Rail (Key Publishing, 2018) p. 63

Class 01/5

The Class 01/5 designation is used for a multitude of privately owned diesel shunters which are cleared to operate on the mainline rail network. Class 01/5 includes shunters used by the Ministry of Defence, Train Operating Companies (TOCs) and other railway support companies. The designation has nothing to do with the original Class 01.

01 553 now at the Mid-Hants Railway

An example of one of these locomotives is 01 509 which is a 1963 built Ruston & Hornsby 0-6-0DH shunter operated by Chiltern Railways at their Aylesbury depot. The designation can also cover shunters which belonged to other TOPS classes in their original BR service. 01 553 is a Class 11 which also became a Class 01/5 for mainline use, it has now been preserved again.

01 509 at Aylesbury

Class 88 Euro Dual

The Class 88 is the latest locomotive type to arrive on British mainline rails and the first electro-diesel since the Class 73 and 74 in the 1960s (though referred to as bi-mode). The Class 88 is also the first AC electro-diesel. It is a development of the pure diesel Class 68 and looks very similar, having the same bodyshell, cab and bogies - a major difference of course being the pantograph on top!

DRS 88 005 heads through Stafford

Information
Number built:	10
Built:	2015-16
Builder:	Stadler Rail
Motor:	Four ABB 4FRA6063 traction motors (25kV AC OHLE) Caterpillar C27 diesel
Power:	(Electric) 5, 364 hp (4, 000kW) (Diesel) 950hp (710kW)
Wheel arrangement:	Bo-Bo

The Class 88 uses the same traction equipment and control software in both modes though the diesel engine (a Caterpillar C27) only provides about twenty percent as much power compared to electric mode. Ten Class 88s have been bought by Direct Rail Services with deliveries starting in early 2017 and an introduction into service in the following Summer.

A tri-mode version of the locomotive (with battery power also) known as the Class 93 is under development. 

88 004 heads through Atherstone

88 005 heads through Rugeley Trent Valley

Also at Rugeley Trent Valley, 88 007 heads in the other direction

88 006 heads through Stafford

88 001 heads through Rugeley Trent Valley