"The East West DEMU" charter train, promoted by Hastings Diesels Ltd. and operated by GBRf, passes the HS2 construction site near the village of Steeple Claydon - the site of the former Claydon LNE Jn., where a wartime connection was built between the former Great Central (LNER) and LNWR (LMS) routes. This is the outward leg, 1Z49 09.02 Hastings - Milton Keynes Central, which had already set down passengers at Bicester Village.
The train formation is:
• DMBS S60000
Hastings
• TSL S60501
• DMBS S60116
Mountfield
• DMBS S60118
Tunbridge Wells
• TSL S60528
• ex-4BIG TSRB 69337
• ex-4CEP TSL 70262
• TSL S60529
• DMBS S60119.
After reaching Milton Keynes, the train reversed fairly quickly and returned by the same route, although there was a break for everyone of about an hour and a half at Bicester Village.
The East-West Rail line crosses over the future HS2 in the background, and the big area behind the train is the location of a track construction and maintenance base for HS2; there is already a connection from the EWR line (hidden by the train), although it doesn't go more than a few yards.
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