News archive

Last modified on 21 April 2023

This page contains a link to every news article that appeared on the HDL News page, but which has been “closed” (to further revision) and which is no longer of a current nature. They are listed in inverse chronological order.

Note that the Unit 1001’s status item is updated on a rolling basis rather than being re-published from scratch; to place each variation of it here would create a highly repetitive and rather unhelpful archive; the DEMU Diary section has been created to hold such information.

Current and Open articles are listed on the News page.

2021:

Coronavirus update, January 2021 (published 13 January 2021)

2020:

Coronavirus update, October 2020 (published 4 October 2020)

2019:

Dave Markwick Memorial Tour, 6 April 2019 (published 11 April 2019)
Dave Markwick (published 31 January 2019)

2018:

West Norfolk Wanderer railtour, 21 April 2018 (published 23 April 2018)

2016:

Hastings Blue Belle railtour, 7 May 2016 (published 19 June 2016)

2015:

Warwickshire Wanderer railtour, 4 July 2015 (19 July 2015)
Green Dragon railtour, 18 April 2015 (13 July 2015)

2014:

Essex Coast Express railtour, 13 September 2014 (10 October 2014)
Hastings Diesels Crewe railtour, 12 July 2014 (19 July 2014)

2013:

Olympia Express charter, 21 December 2013 (18 March 2014)
1001 visits Slade Green depot, 14 September 2013 (17 September 2013)
Weymouth Envoy railtour, 20 July 2013 (28 July 2013)
Test run to Tonbridge, 27 June 2013 (2 July 2013)

2012:

Canterbury Trail railtour, 24 November 2012 (2 January 2013)
Western Forester railtour, 15 September 2012 (22 October 2012)
Channel Two railtour, 7 July 2012 (18 July 2012)
“Mark I” rolling-stock-ban exemption renewed (29 June 2012)
Buckeye Lower Shelf Brackets (29 June 2012)
Nene Machine railtour, 12 May 2012 (26 May 2012)
Thames Tidal railtour, 31 March 2012 (10 April 2012)
Test run diverted via Ashford, 28 March 2012 (2 April 2012)
Lab 4 leaves HDL for a new home – Update (17 February 2012)
Rail liveries as art (17 February 2012)
Comings & goings at St. Leonards Depot (part 2) (17 February 2012)

2011:

Old Curiosity Mystery railtour, 3 December 2011 (12 December 2011)
Metrolander railtour, 14 May 2011 (24 November 2011)
Midland Pioneer railtour, 10 September 2011 (19 September 2011)
Dorset Diadem railtour, 25 June 2011 (8 July 2011)
Norfolk Navigator railtour, 26 March 2011 (1 May 2011)
Winter Enigma railtour, 19 February 2011 (1 March 2011)

2010:

Olympia Express special excursion, 18 December 2010 (22 January 2011)
Cab video footage from the Hastings Blue Belle charter (12 January 2011)
Hastings Blue Belle charter, 6 November 2010 (12 January 2011)
The Wandering Willow railtour, 30 October 2010 (9 January 2011)
Cab video footage from the English Electric Echo railtour (19 October 2010)
English Electric Echo railtour, 18 September 2010 (23 October 2010)
Andy Piper Memorial Railtour (cab video), 8 August 2010 (22 August 2010)
Motor coaches visit Hornsey depot (9 July 2010)
West Somerset Limited railtour, 19 June 2010 (25 June 2010)
Severn Explorer railtour, 24 April 2010 (5 June 2010)
Solent Sentinel railtour, 20 March 2010 (3 April 2010)
Pre-railtour test run to Tonbridge, 17 March 2010 (18 March 2010)
Some of our non mainline-certified vehicles (22 February 2010)

2009:

Olympia Express special excursion, 19 December 2009 (2 February 2010)
Christmas Scholar railtour, 5 December 2009 (6 December 2009)
Driver-Training Run, 10 November 2009 (15 November 2009)
Worcester Leveller railtour, 3 October 2009 (9 October 2009)
Midland Forester railtour to Nottingham, 4 July 2009 (9 August 2009)
Comings & goings at St. Leonards Depot (part 1) (30 July 2009)
Wiltshire Warrior railtour to Salisbury, 21 March 2009 (12 April 2009)
Pre-railtour test run to Tonbridge, 19 March 2009 (19 March 2009)

2008:

Christmas Onward railtour to Folkestone, 21 December 2008 (30 December 2008)
Staff charter to Bournemouth, 28 June 2008 (30 June 2008)
Test run with 5-coach train, 26 June 2008 (13 April 2009)

2007:

1001’s motor-coaches accompany 73107 on test runs (2 November 2007)
Ex-4TC Driving Trailer 76275 acquired by SLREL (31 October 2007, additions to 8 April 2018)
Hampshire Driving Trailer 60820 leaves St. Leonards (30 October 2007)
Special working in connection with the Tour de France (14 July 2007)
1001 out on the main line again! (13 July 2007)

2005:

HDL Mid-Hants Venturer railtour, 17 July 2005 (21 July 2005)
HDL Lincoln Green railtour, 7 May 2005 (10 May 2005)
HDL Lydd Ranger railtour, 13 March 2005 (2 June 2005)
1001 assists in wintry weather (10 March 2005)
Motor coach 60000 Hastings repainted (10 March 2005)
Tunbridge Wells motor coach overhauled (10 January 2005)

2004:

Photo of 1001 accelerating away from the depot (30 October 2004)
Photo of The Last Thump railtour passing St. Leonards (30 October 2004)
London Tripper and Hastings Time Traveller outings (14 November 2004)
Unrestored motor coach 60019 (25 July 2004)
Twilight for DEMU operation on the Marsh (18 June 2004)
TPWS modifications (18 May 2004)
Partial repaint for Tunbridge Wells (18 May 2004)
Major engine-overhaul for Tunbridge Wells completed (19 April 2004)
Salisbury Bunny railtour, 10 April 2004
1001 at Winchelsea (photo, 18 February 2004)
De-icing duties (25 March 2004)
Rescue mission to Eastbourne (25 Jan 2004)

2003:

Hastings DEMU returns to Charing Cross (Medway Cracker railtour) (photo, 6 December 2003)
Rescue mission includes Mountfield (19 Dec 2003)
Second-class Open DEMU trailer coach 60529 repainted (14 Dec 2003)
1001 used on HDL’s AGM day (14 Dec 2003)
Sandite season 2003 (14 Dec 2003)
Rescue missions (27 Oct 2003)
“Mark I” rolling-stock-ban exemption obtained! (10 October 2003)
Ultrasonic Axle Testing exams passed (5 September 2003)
Deal Wayfarer railtour, 5 July 2003 (24 Aug 2003)
General News Report digest for May 2003
Lab 4 leaves HDL for a new home (8 June 2003)
60116 Mountfield returns to public passenger service (4 May 2003)
General News Report digest for March 2003
SouthCentral unit in sunny fog at Three Oaks
‘Tadpole’ returns to traffic
Class 201 DEMU “bve” computer simulation (20 May 2003)
General News Report digest for February 2003

2002:

General News Report digest for December 2002
Cambridge Cracker railtour, 7 December 2002 (9 Jan 2003)
Motor coach 60116 Mountfield back on the main line! (8 Dec 2002)
General News Report digest for September 2002
Cardiff Chieftain railtour, 31 August 2002 (8 Sep 2002)
General News Report digest for August 2002
General News Report digest for July 2002
1001 on Hastings – Charing Cross services (15 May 2002)

2001:

HDL AGM – a special working on the Ashford & Hastings line (27 November 2001)
1001 piloting South Central DEMU (photo at St. Leonards Depot, 16 November 2001)
200,000 miles in preservation! (11 October 2001)
1001 at work on the Ashford & Hastings line (photo near Three Oaks, 11 September 2001)

News articles were not produced for this website prior to this.