Colas Rail Class 67s start test train work for Network Rail

The newly-acquired and reliveried General Motors duo are quickly put to work touring the country.

WITH preparations completed, Colas Rail’s newly-acquired Class 67s were released from Toton on March 7, Nos. 67023 and 67027 running light to Derby RTC.

Next day, they undertook a test run with Network Rail stock, the 5Z67/10.13 Derby RTC-Peterborough and 5Z68/15.25 return (routed via Swinton, South Yorkshire), while the 9th saw the duo sandwich three yellow Mk.3 DVTs while working from Derby to Crewe via Lichfield. This revealed some minor issues with No. 67023, necessitating its return to Toton the next day for attention.

With these attended to, the pair made their first proper test train outing on March 21, the 1Q48/08.31 Derby RTC-Tyseley taking in Leicester, Stratford-upon-Avon, Coventry and Birmingham Moor Street along the way. This was the start of a tour of large chunks of the UK on test trains, including Worcester, Oxford and Castle Cary on the 22nd, Hull and Newcastle three days later and Edinburgh and Glasgow on March 27. The following day saw the GMs reach Dundee and Aberdeen, while the last day of the month found them visiting Paddington and Swansea.

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