73 130 New Home

[SERA01UK]

From Portsmouth to Llanelli via the North Pole.

See full press release here:

https://www.llanellirailway.co.uk/.../from-portsmouth-to...

Class 73 locomotive, 73 130 has a new owner and a new home. On Friday November 4th 2022 it was delivered to the Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway (L&MMR) having been collected from its previous home with the Coulsdon Old Vehicle & Engineering Society (COVES) at Bicester the previous evening.

A new page has been set up by 73130 Ltd, where you can follow all of the progress of the loco moving forward, along with historical images and information which can be found at:

73130 Ltd

73130 Ltd. 639 likes · 46 talking about this. Railway company

www.facebook.com

 

[Mag_seven]

From Portsmouth to Llanelli via the North Pole.

See full press release here:

https://www.llanellirailway.co.uk/.../from-portsmouth-to...

Class 73 locomotive, 73 130 has a new owner and a new home. On Friday November 4th 2022 it was delivered to the Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway (L&MMR) having been collected from its previous home with the Coulsdon Old Vehicle & Engineering Society (COVES) at Bicester the previous evening.

A new page has been set up by 73130 Ltd, where you can follow all of the progress of the loco moving forward, along with historical images and information which can be found at:

73130 Ltd

73130 Ltd. 639 likes · 46 talking about this. Railway company

www.facebook.com

Reopened to allow @Trainguy34 to provide an update.

 

[Trainguy34]

Thanks @Mag_seven.

Just saw on Facebook that the loco is moving to the East Kent Railway (Near Canterbury) imminently, extremely excited as it is less then 10 minutes from me by train. Looks like it will be running with the (former) Gatwick Express carriages.

 

[Future]

According to the below RailAdvent article, 130 will stay until at least March 2025 with the intention of hauling services with the GatEx set on the EKR during the 2024 season.

East Kent Light Railway welcomes former Eurostar Class 73 locomotive

Class 73 locomotive, No. 73 130 is heading to the East Kent Light Railway (EKLR) in agreement with its owners, 73130 Limited.

www.railadvent.co.uk

Class 73 locomotive, No. 73 130 has arrived the East Kent Light Railway (EKLR) in agreement with its owners, 73130 Limited.

The locomotive travelled by road from Cynheidre, the headquarters of the Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway (LMMR). Departing on Thursday 9 November, it arrived at EKLR's Shepherdswell, the next day.

The locomotive will stay in Kent until at least March 2025, giving the owners the opportunity to prepare it to haul regular heritage railway passenger trains on EKLR services during the 2024 operating season.

It will return to South Wales when the LMMR is ready to accept it, and until then will act as an ‘ambassador' for the line. EKLR will host some special packages for days out with the loco, and will publicise details once finalised.

The locomotive moved to the Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway a year ago, travelling from its previous home of the Coulsdon Old Vehicle and Engineering Society at Bicester.

73 130 Ltd Director Graeme Gleaves explained: “The loco can function like a regular diesel electric loco away from the third rail and its on-board diesel engine is a perfect size for heritage railway operations. We are especially excited to eventually use it with the East Kent's unique Gatwick Express stock in push pull mode, this will be the only line in the country able to offer this experience.”

EKLR General Manager, Matthew Plews, said: ‘This is a fantastic opportunity for all involved to get this locomotive out to work. It's great to see it back on “home turf” where it can be enjoyed by our visitors. We look forward to working with 73130 Limited and supporting them in returning the locomotive to regular traffic.”

 

[aem7ac]

Anyone know what happened to the other EPS 73, 73118, which was at Barry? I know nothing has been confirmed but it doesn't seem like Barry is reopening, especially when they don't even have a website anymore. Not to mention, a lot of their stock has left the railway.