Network Rail to sell remaining Class 73s

Mollman · 24 Aug 2023

Anyone fancy buying a Yellow 73?

Network Rail puts three Class 73 locomotives up for sale

Last updated: 23/08/2023 at 7:37 PM
Janine Booth - Contributor17 hours agoAdd a Comment2 Min Read
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73951 & 73952 at the Severn Valley Railway // Credit: Rhys Arnold
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Network Rail is offering its three remaining Class 73 diesel-electric locomotives for sale in two tenders:

73138, which is in store at Rowsley (Peak Rail)

73951 and 73952, which are in store on the Severn Valley Railway.

Network Rail tender documents provide further details, and more information is available by emailing [email protected]
The sales are being managed through two separate tenders, and potential buyers need to quote the following RAD numbers:

Tender, reference RAD0975 invites offers for 73951 and 73952

Tender reference RAD0976 is for 73138

Network Rail bought 73138 in 2010 to use in its infrastructure monitoring fleet, and withdrew it from active service in 2017. After this, it was used on occasion as a yard shunter at the Railway Technical Centre in Derby, until Network Rail deemed it surplus to operational requirements in 2019 and placed it in storage.

Offers for the loco must be received, in writing (email is acceptable), no later than noon on Thursday 14 September 2023.

Network Rail developed and bought 73951 and 73952 for use in hauling its infrastructure monitoring trains. The two locos are now surplus to operational requirements.

The locos are stored on secure, private railway premises at the Severn Valley Railway, so viewing can only take place by prior arrangement. Please email [email protected] to arrange a viewing.
Offers for the locos must be received, in writing (email is acceptable), no later than 16:00 on Friday 15 September 2023.

https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2023/08/network-rail-puts-three-class-73-locomotives-up-for-sale.html

RailUK Forums

D365 · 24 Aug 2023

I don't have any experience of working with the 73/9s, but from what I can tell, the RVEL-refurbished 951 and 952 (2 off) appear to be increasingly non-standard, when compared to the numerically superior GBRf 73s.

fgwrich · 24 Aug 2023

D365 said:
I don't have any experience of working with the 73/9s, but from what I can tell, the RVEL-refurbished 951 and 952 (2 off) appear to be increasingly non-standard, when compared to the numerically superior GBRf 73s.

The fact that RVEL removed the multi-working element from the fleet didn't help their cause either. So unlike GBRf / BRUSH's 73/9s which can work with both original and AAR Fitted locos, the RVEL versions can I believe, only work with each other.

m79900 · 24 Aug 2023

Export perhaps?

Nym · 29 Aug 2023

Or GBRf with some conversion work to add to their 73s IM fleet.

owidoe · 29 Aug 2023

Is there a market for railtours with the monitoring equipment turned on for the wibblers?

43096 · 30 Aug 2023

Nym said:
Or GBRf with some conversion work to add to their 73s IM fleet.

“Some conversion work”? The NR 73 refurbishment is totally different to the GBRf re-engineering. Totally different design principles, engines etc etc.

The GBRf locos are contracted to NR, it doesn’t make a huge amount of sense to take on radically different locos from NR (that have seen naff all use) when NR could have used them anyway.

1Q18 · 30 Aug 2023

I’d be shocked if there’s any takers for 951 and 952. Maybe there’s a handful of spares which could be of use to GBRf, say, but there can’t be much. Other than that they’re so non-standard and unreliable as to be worthless other than as scrap. 138 on the other hand, I’m told is in relatively good nick, so may be if interest to GBRf or else maybe a preservation candidate.

owidoe said:
Is there a market for railtours with the monitoring equipment turned on for the wibblers?

What monitoring equipment?

XCTurbostar · 30 Aug 2023

Both show on TOPS as being failures. I suspect awaiting parts.

Nym · 30 Aug 2023

43096 said:
“Some conversion work”? The NR 73 refurbishment is totally different to the GBRf re-engineering. Totally different design principles, engines etc etc.

The GBRf locos are contracted to NR, it doesn’t make a huge amount of sense to take on radically different locos from NR (that have seen naff all use) when NR could have used them anyway.

Cutting torch it is then.

Sun Chariot · 6 Dec 2023

Closure date for offers, was Thursday 14th September (138) and Friday 15th September (951. 952).
Has any forum member heard whether these EDs are going to the recycling skip? And, if they will, when and to where?
Many thanks.

43096 · 6 Dec 2023

Sun Chariot said:
Closure date for offers, was Thursday 14th September (138) and Friday 15th September (951. 952).
Has any forum member heard whether these EDs are going to the recycling skip? And, if they will, when and to where?
Many thanks.

73138 has been sold to GBRf.

norbitonflyer · 6 Dec 2023

73951 and 952 were parked up at Arley on the Severn Valley Railway during the "Autumn diesel bash" in October. So if they get added to the SVR's impressive diesel collection it will save the cost of transporting them anywhere else.
(The Spring Gala had a rather different electro-diesel running: a class 88)

31160 · 7 Dec 2023

norbitonflyer said:
73951 and 952 were parked up at Arley on the Severn Valley Railway during the "Autumn diesel bash" in October. So if they get added to the SVR's impressive diesel collection it will save the cost of transporting them anywhere else.
(The Spring Gala had a rather different electro-diesel running: a class 88)

They already have worked at a SVR gala

norbitonflyer · 7 Dec 2023

31160 said:
They already have worked at a SVR gala

Quite so, but they didn't work at either on the 2023 ones

1Q18 · 7 Dec 2023

Sun Chariot said:
Closure date for offers, was Thursday 14th September (138) and Friday 15th September (951. 952).
Has any forum member heard whether these EDs are going to the recycling skip? And, if they will, when and to where?
Many thanks.

73138 has been sold to GB Railfreight and moved from Peak Rail to the former Brush site at Loughborough, reportedly for spares. 73951 and 952 have been sold to the Harry Needle Railroad Company, but AIUI are still at the Severn Valley.

45076 · 7 Dec 2023

1Q18 said:
73138 has been sold to GB Railfreight and moved from Peak Rail to the former Brush site at Loughborough, reportedly for spares. 73951 and 952 have been sold to the Harry Needle Railroad Company, but AIUI are still at the Severn Valley.

There's a youtube drone film that shows it at Brush, it looks like it might be on blocks

D365 · 7 Dec 2023

45076 said:
There's a youtube drone film that shows it at Brush, it looks like it might be on blocks

Brush doesn’t exist; do you mean UKRL Loughborough, or a Wabtec facility?

Alanko · 7 Dec 2023

45076 said:
There's a youtube drone film that shows it at Brush, it looks like it might be on blocks

Do you have a link? There are a few videos of the depot in Loughborough. There is one portacabin that looks a bit like the NR 73/9s, but I've not spied any actual 73/9s in the footage.

fgwrich · 7 Dec 2023

Alanko said:
Do you have a link? There are a few videos of the depot in Loughborough. There is one portacabin that looks a bit like the NR 73/9s, but I've not spied any actual 73/9s in the footage.

None of the rebuilt 73/9s have gone there, only unrebuilt 73138.

Thornaby 37 · 8 Dec 2023

31160 said:
They already have worked at a SVR gala

Whilst it's true they worked at the 2016 gala, 73951 failed early on during the event {I think on the Friday} and didn't take any further part.
73952 also failed on the Saturday evening

45076 · 8 Dec 2023

D365 said:
Brush doesn’t exist; do you mean UKRL Loughborough, or a Wabtec facility?

You know what I mean.

Alanko · 8 Dec 2023

fgwrich said:
None of the rebuilt 73/9s have gone there, only unrebuilt 73138.

Thanks for this! That footage is newer than anything I found last night. Sad to see the former Brush site become a graveyard for UK-built locos. In the old videos there are a couple of rows of 60s only, so the 92s must be a recent addition.

leomartin125 · 3 Jan 2024

Has anyone got any further details on the whereabouts and sale of 73951/952? If they have been sold to HNRC, what are the plans to do with them? Is this just for spares or maybe for something bigger? Many thanks!

1Q18 · 3 Jan 2024

leomartin125 said:
Has anyone got any further details on the whereabouts and sale of 73951/952? If they have been sold to HNRC, what are the plans to do with them? Is this just for spares or maybe for something bigger? Many thanks!

For the time being they remain at the Severn Valley Railway, although there is a path in from Kidderminster S.V.R. to HNRC’s depot at Worksop for next Friday (12th):

0Z58 1139 Kidderminster S.V.R. to Worksop Down Reception
Departing on 12th January 2024

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U63644/2024-01-12/detailed

Network Rail to sell remaining Class 73s

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0Z58 1139 Kidderminster S.V.R. to Worksop Down Reception Departing on 12th January 2024​

Network Rail puts three Class 73 locomotives up for sale

0Z58 1139 Kidderminster S.V.R. to Worksop Down Reception
Departing on 12th January 2024