ONE of the most unusual movements this year has seen freshly painted Class 90 No. 90035 move from Crewe to Swindon.
The train has been put together by Network Rail’s electrification project team in order to carry out mechanical and electrical testing of the OLE between Bristol and Cardiff, although initial tests were between Swindon and Didcot.
The Class 90 has been fitted with the same HS-X type pantograph as fitted to a Class 80x IET. However, the loco can also act as a load bank, allowing staff to take measurements of current drawn from substations.
Inside the HST carriage is test equipment.
By adding the Class 67s, it gives the test train complete versatility.
Here, Class 67 No. 67012 hauls 90035, Mk3 No. 11074, DVT No. 82115 and another Class 67 – No. 67028 – waits in the loop at Ashchurch en route to Swindon on November 10.
Our thanks to Garry Keenor for some of the information in this story. JACK BOSKETT
Read more News and Features in the December 2019 issue of The Railway Magazine –on sale now!
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