< View previous picture - View next picture > Photographer / Copyright Malcolm Conway Images should not be reused without permission. View vehicle details 8633R LX68MJO Location Link/s Date added to site 12/04/2021 Printer-friendly version of this page

Details: The next two photos were both taken on 1st April 2021 and both were long-awaited, though for different reasons. The first was taken at Mile End and shows Renault Kangoo Maxi van 8633R. As can be seen, this carries Elizabeth Line white/blue/purple livery. The first sections of the Elizabeth Line had been planned to open in late 2018, and a few months before then, a fleet of about two dozen services was supplied by the DSM at Acton. Most were Ford and Volkswagen vehicles that were soon based as Plumstead Depot. Odd ones out were two Renault Kangoo Maxi vans numbered 8632R and 8633R. Little was known about these until it was noticed that they were parked in the Network Rail Railway Operations Centre (ROC) at Romford. The vans carried an emergency response variant of the new white/blue/purple livery, with a stripe of red/white Battenburg markings (so named because they resemble the alternating square colours of Battenberg cake, though the spelling differs). Although visible from passing trains at Romford (more so from trains on the fast lines), there was no chance of getting a decent photo. Thus we had to wait until Malcolm caught 8633R on the road.

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