The first Class 31, D5500 (31018) entered service with British Rail (BR) in October 1957 and was put through its paces on test, before working its first main line revenue earing service on 13th November 1957; the 1036 London Liverpool Street – Clacton-on-Sea. This very machine now takes the main stage at the National Railway Read the Rest…
This was my first venture to a preserved railway during the 2016 season and the place was absolutely packed on Saturday 9th April 2016! The gala line-up had the following present: NVR Home Fleet – D9520, D9529 & 31271 Visitors – DCR 31452, Prototype Powercar 41001, 47192, 47712, 50008, 56006, 56098, DB Cargo 60066 & Read the Rest…
Between Sunday 7th June and Sunday 14th June 2015 there was a considerable amount of class 31 action all over the country so rather than split all of the trips out to their separate railways I’ve included them in one post to show just what was on offer that week! Nene Valley Railway – 31271 Read the Rest…
As seems to unfortunately happen all too regularly with the Nene Valley Railway Galas some last minute changes to the traction had to occur due to non-availability; namely from Devon & Cornwall Railways who had no class 56’s to spare and said they’d send 31190 & 31601 instead to substitute. For some this was a Read the Rest…
Due to some rather unfortunate circumstances, 31271 was pressed into it’s first outing since returning to the Nene Valley Railway as A1A Locomotives resident loco. It was only requested to stand in vice the rostered steam loco at 1500 the previous day! Unfortunately for the steam loco it had managed to shoot a piston through Read the Rest…
The Nene Valley Railway September diesel gala produced an excellent day on the Friday of the three day event; it being almost exclusively run by class 31’s. Initially the day was planned as a type two event but due to the non-availability of 26043 the stand-in loco, 33035, deputised and worked alongside A1A Locomotives 31108 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…
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…
The Nene Valley Railway Galas always throw up something “different”. A cracking weekend, especially for 31 bashers…….. Unfortunately the plan for this gala was ever changing, right until the last minute, due to various locos not being available. 56018, 56091, 37905 all on the starting line-up were not ready in time, replacements 37109 & 56301 were also not Read the Rest…