East Anglia in the 2020’s

Iain Scotchman gave us a superb presentation on modern traction, talking about “East Anglia in the 2020’s”. During the afternoon we saw 15 different locomotive types & 16 assorted unit types primarily Emu’s. The loco’s varied from Class 37’s on empty coaching stock movements, several of which were excess Class 379 & 387 being moved to warm storage, then to the other extreme with Class 88’s working empty flask trains to and from Sizewell power station.
There were many photographs also of the various container services Class 66 hauled to Tilbury 1 & 2 freight terminals & the other ports, along with the outline view of the new various track improvement work in the area.
When it comes to units these were mainly concerned with the changes in recent times of the services to and from Liverpool Street with the Class 720 taking over from 315’s, 317’s, 321’s along with whatever was being used on the Stansted Express at the time, 317’s, 379’s, 387’s. we also saw the last working by Tfl of a 317 to London as a special outing for school children. Now the lines from London are all 720’s and the East Anglian 745 units to Ipswich & Norwich, along with the Elizabeth Line to Shenfield. It also appeared Iain went out for anything special, included in the presentation were a Class 40 on a Manchester Piccadilly to Gt Yarmouth and a pair of 57’s on Northern Belle stock with an East Anglian summer circular also Flying Scotsman leaving Gt. Yarmouth on a rail tour.
A great varied afternoon attended by a large number of our members.

Dave Elsdon
Branch Secretary