Celebrating Class 40s at ELR

It’s been 40 years of Class 40s here at the East Lancs Railway!

We’ve set a special day (or two) aside to celebrate the history of the magnificent Class 40 locomotive here at the East Lancashire Railway, specifically featuring 40145/D345. (Note: 40012 now also works both days)

An intensive timetable operates on Saturday, 28 September featuring two Class 40s (D345 and 40012) with Class 37, 37109 also hauling trains. Both Class 40s pair-up for a special train on Saturday evening.

On Sunday, 29 September, both Class 40s are back in action, with Class 56, 56006 in ‘top and tail’ formation with D345.

D345 was built by English Electric at Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows and entered service on 17^th May 1961. She was initially allocated to Neville Hill depot, and used to upgrade the ‘Queen of Scots Pullman’ running between Leeds and Edinburgh/Glasgow. Following this she was sent to depots at York in 1963, Healy Mills and Gateshead in 1976 and Haymarket in 1978, before finally being allocated to Longsight that same year. Numbered as 40145 upon withdrawal in 1980.

Purchased by the Class 40 Preservation Society, she was delivered to Bury in 1984 and was the first Class 40 to enter preservation. She has since undergone extensive repairs, including fixes to the bogies, springs and axle, bodywork and a full repaint into corporate Rail Blue in 1994. She has been a reliable workhorse of the ELR for many years.