For the third month running, it is Railway Support Services that is providing the pick of shunter developments.
OF the various shunter hire operations, Railway Support Services has been by far the most proactive in picking up the pieces left by the demise of the DB Cargo shunter fleet. March continued the trend seen over the winter, with further Class 08s being prepared for deployment on new and existing contracts.
It is understood that RSS has picked up another contract with a train operating company, which will see the incumbent provider of Class 08s displaced, but the firm was remaining tight-lipped until the changeover takes place, which is expected this month.
In the meantime, March saw No. 08480 readied for service at RSS’ maintenance base at Wishaw (Warwickshire), this including a service and repaint in house colours, the former Toton No.1 losing its unique reversed EWS yellow and maroon livery. The shunter was subsequently dispatched to the Great Central Railway for use at its diesel gala (see Preservation).
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No. 08480’s departure created space for No. 08632 to be brought in from the Chasewater Railway. No time was lost in getting to work on repairs, with its DB red livery already replaced by RSS grey undercoat as April began. Late March brought two further arrivals at Wishaw, No. 08752 coming in from Derby Works on the 22nd for attention to its generator.
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