31206 had seen almost constant weekend work throughout June at the Spa Valley Railway, something that would continue into July; see the Spa Valley Loco Roster for further details. Over the Bank Holiday weekend of 24th to 26th May 31206 worked on both the Saturday and Monday, with it leading out of Tunbridge Wells on Read the Rest…
A1A Locomotives 31162 was rostered to work the full service on Saturday 24th May at the Great Central Railway Nottingham (GCRN); and what a bleak day it was to be out doing 31s! It rained almost constantly all day and the first trip over the line was a terrible for the driver; with 31162’s wheels Read the Rest…
At short notice the Mid Norfolk Railway (MNR) announced that they’d be running a joint weekend event with the North Norfolk Railway (NNR) with 31207 operating 5 round trips at the North Norfolk on Saturday 10th May and 31235 operating 5 round trips at the Mid Norfolk on Sunday 11th May. Unfortunately for the second Read the Rest…
During April 31206 worked almost all of the weekend diesel turns at the Spa Valley Railway; mainly as there were only it and 33063 in service. Over the weekend of 12th & 13th April 31206 worked a Saturday turn on both days, with it leading out of Tunbridge Wells on the first train working the Read the Rest…
Unfortunately not a very productive trip to Tunbridge Wells and the Spa Valley Railway on this occasion. Upon arrival at the railway there was no diesel on the Eridge end of the set and the only noise coming from the shed area was that of a Sulzer. Investigations revealed 33063 running on shed, and being Read the Rest…
The Mid Norfolk Railway Spring Gala almost went partly down the pan, as far as those interested in class 31’s were concerned, when A1A Locomotives 31108 almost didn’t make it to the gala at all; thanks to 50007 having an issue prior to departing Washwood Heath in the convoy hauled by D1015. As a result of Read the Rest…
This weekend should have seen a full weekend of class 31 haulage in Anglia but unfortunately 31207 let the side down at the North Norfolk Railway on Sat 22nd March and was out of service! 31235 certainly didn’t let the side down at the Mid Norfolk Railway on Sunday 23rd though. The Mid Norfolk Railway Read the Rest…
Due to the Spa Valley Railway not having completed repairs on their Thumper unit in time for the start of the season their loco fleet had an early press into service with the Thumper being dragged on all services for the first two weekends of their timetabled season in March. 73140 & D3489 shared the honours Read the Rest…
The Battlefield Line Railway hadn’t used 31101 in anger since the height of the Summer when 73114 hadn’t been able to cope with the 30 degree temperatures we were experiencing back then. This October day was a stark difference to what we’d been treated to in the Summer; it was hammering down with rain, the Read the Rest…
I’d not been to the North Norfolk Railway in a number of year; certainly not since 31207 had been painted into its current green livery. The Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway Society had a members day on 5th October and the locos they opted to use were 31207 and B12 steam loco 6572. ‘207 Read the Rest…
Having planned a weekend down at the Spa Valley Railway, just to do 31206; I wasn’t best pleased when the railway altered their loco roster, showing 31206 as only working on the Saturday and 73140 on the Sunday instead. Still, it meant a much needed rest on the Sunday instead of going back to the Read the Rest…
The saga surrounding 31206’s journey to the Spa Valley Railway is a well known one; it should have been the star of the railways’ August Gala but due to more than one farce with road transport it didn’t make it in time! What with one company having no tractor unit available and another breaking a Read the Rest…
During August the Nene Valley Railway had to resort to diesel haulage on most of their services; the Steam Ban resulting in A1A Locomotives 31108 seeing a ramp up in work, in fact more than any other Summer since its preservation! 31108 worked the following days during August, working the whole service on the green Read the Rest…
Things had been a bit quiet on the 31128 front at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway since May; although everything else diesel had been out loads. See NYMR Diesels for details of both past and future workings. Thanks to 37264 failing the previous day 31128 got a much deserved outing on 4th August, having worked Read the Rest…
The Nene Valley Railway had imposed a steam ban due to the continuing hot, dry weather throughout the UK. This resulted in the rostered diesel loco, which just happened to be A1A Locomotives Class 31, 31108, working all services between Wansford & Peterborough over the weekend of 20th & 21st July. Although there was a Read the Rest…
After getting an outing the previous week at the Battlefield Line Railway, due to the non-availability of 73114 and the very hot weather, 31101 was used to operate the full service again a week later, mainly due to the continued non-availability of 73114. Whilst 73114’s problems were rectified during the day 31101 saw the whole Read the Rest…
At 2200 on Friday night (12th July) it came to light that 31101 would be working the full days service at the Battlefield Line Railway (Shackerstone). This was due to the usual loco, 73114, suffering due to the prolonged hot weather and not being fit for traffic. Despite the last minute gen there was a Read the Rest…
The East Lancashire Railway (ELR) held a diesel gala over the weekend of the 5th to 7th July 2013. It had been my first time to the ELR since resident Class 31, 31435, had moved to the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway but I was soon sure nothing had really changed; other than the old Read the Rest…
The Great Central Railway Nottingham (GCRN) had a diesel operating day on their calendar for Sunday 23rd June; this duty fell to A1A Locomotives Class 31, 31162, working a load three set with the push-pull coach; and so working the whole day’s diagram, of four round trips to Loughborough, on its own. 31162 performed well Read the Rest…
The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway (EVR) had the second of their three diesel running days, of the 2013 calendar, over the weekend of 22nd & 23rd June. Due to the non-availability of 33035, 31414 was the only loco available to work the Duffield trains, resulting in the Ravenstor bank services being operated by a DMU instead Read the Rest…