Excels return

218 back in service after an absence of over a year on 5 November.

The two latest Excels to be overhauled returned to use on 4 November. 217 (T217HCW) remains in Line 7 livery and 218 (T218HCW) in pool livery. 218 had been out of service since at least August 2008 and 217 since at least December. 219 (T880RBR) is now at Cummins for engine refurbishment whilst 215 (T215HCW) is undergoing its body overhaul prior to the mechanical work.

So far 210-213, 216-218 and 220 have all been re-engined with Cummins ISB engines, 214, 221-226 retain the earlier B-series with 215/9 in progress.

Other news sees a resumption of routine repaints after the Line 2 reallocations with 271/2 completing the Line 4 repaints and 308 now in for Line 14.

Metroriders 585 and 595 went for scrap at Wigleys on 19 October. This leaves just 503 and 593 of the original 17 Metroriders (501-4, 584-596) in stock. 505-507 also remain in store and have been joined by 511 with 512-513, 515, 517 and 518 active. Atlantean 364 is continuing its Indian Summer into the winter season with a stint on Line 6 today (9 Nov).