1979 or 2019?
February 2019 at Glasgow Central and traction and rolling stock from the 1970s was still in frontline service (just!).
AC Locomotive Group's Class 87, 87 002 "Royal Sovereign" (on hire to GB Railfreight) was making a very rare outing on Class 1 services after a combination of events the previous night at Wembley saw it pressed into action on the Caledonian Sleeper Lowlander. It had last worked a main trunk run over a year ago in mid-February 2018 when it was scrambled to rescue Skoda 45 on 1S26 after it failed at Tring (09/02/2018). 87002 later worked 1M11 on 13/02/2018 to return south to Wembley - its last trunk run prior to this one.
87002, seen here waiting to take 1M11 south, was preparing to depart with just its sixth main trunk run in the last two years. With its wheels well-worn, this could have been its last trip to Scotland and back before its time hired to GB Railfreight ends in the summer when the Mk5s are fully rolled-out. The 87 faces an uncertain future with recent rumours emerging that it may be sold abroad.
Alongside 87002 is veteran EMU Class 314, 314 215 which had arrived with the 2D64 22:05 Paisley Canal to Glasgow Central High Level service and was then to form the return working, 2D67 22:42 Glasgow Central High Level to Paisley Canal. The withdrawals of the 314s have commenced, with the class expected to be consigned to the history books by the end of the year.
1979 or 2019?
February 2019 at Glasgow Central and traction and rolling stock from the 1970s was still in frontline service (just!).
AC Locomotive Group's Class 87, 87 002 "Royal Sovereign" (on hire to GB Railfreight) was making a very rare outing on Class 1 services after a combination of events the previous night at Wembley saw it pressed into action on the Caledonian Sleeper Lowlander. It had last worked a main trunk run over a year ago in mid-February 2018 when it was scrambled to rescue Skoda 45 on 1S26 after it failed at Tring (09/02/2018). 87002 later worked 1M11 on 13/02/2018 to return south to Wembley - its last trunk run prior to this one.
87002, seen here waiting to take 1M11 south, was preparing to depart with just its sixth main trunk run in the last two years. With its wheels well-worn, this could have been its last trip to Scotland and back before its time hired to GB Railfreight ends in the summer when the Mk5s are fully rolled-out. The 87 faces an uncertain future with recent rumours emerging that it may be sold abroad.
Alongside 87002 is veteran EMU Class 314, 314 215 which had arrived with the 2D64 22:05 Paisley Canal to Glasgow Central High Level service and was then to form the return working, 2D67 22:42 Glasgow Central High Level to Paisley Canal. The withdrawals of the 314s have commenced, with the class expected to be consigned to the history books by the end of the year.