The Didcot Railway Centre has announced that Class 31 diesel locomotive No. 31270 Athena has arrived at Didcot to supplement the centre’s own diesel fleet.

Athena will be at Didcot Railway Centre on an extended loan from Colne Valley Diesels Limited, and after the necessary commissioning and training have been carried out, it will enter service alongside the centre’s own diesel locomotives hauling passenger trains.

Athena is currently in Regional Railways livery and will retain that for the rest of the 2023 operating season. However, it may be repainted into a different livery over the winter period.

Class 31 locomotives were built by Brush Traction at Loughborough, and had a power rating of 1,250 hp, with a final total of 263 locomotives eventually being built. Athena entered service on 1 June 1961 and was originally numbered D5800. In February 1974 it was renumbered under British Rails TOPS system as 31270, and was withdrawn on 30 May 2000.

Its last passenger working was on 20 November 1994 when it was double-headed with classmate No. 31102 on the Shrewsbury to Newport leg of Pathfinder Tours’ the “Cheshire Chaser” rail tour.

Recently, Athena has been based at Peak Rail at Matlock in Derbyshire but has also appeared as a guest locomotive at heritage railways.

Before arriving at Didcot, Athena had undergone a major overhaul at Nemesis Rail, Burton-on-Trent.

Didcot Railway Centre hopes that Athena will become a staple of its open days, and is sure to receive a warm welcome.