Ex LNER (and Grand Central) Mark 4 sets for TfW

[MCR247]

Unfortunately no, discounts aren’t available on the upgrades other than child fare

Ah ok thanks!

 

[voyagerdude220]

Unfortunately no, discounts aren’t available on the upgrades other than child fare

It's a shame things have changed. I remember before Covid travelling from Cardiff to Chester on a Priv single, upgrading to First Class on "Gerald" and also getting a discount on the upgrade with my then 26-30 railcard, it only cost around £15-£20 and of course I thoroughly enjoyed the complimentary 3 course meal onboard the train.

I'm guessing if I wanted to do something similar these days, from day Manchester or Chester towards Newport/Cardiff or vice versa it would be much more expensive.

 

[sd0733]

Would appear that HD04 was reported for poor performance on Tuesday night that's why it didn't go out this morning, it's hoped to get it back out on 1V33 tomorrow, if not it should swap in on 1W50 at 15:30 from Crewe.
HD06 is still also planned to re-enter service from Holyhead in the morning, it is planned to swap it out the diagram at Cardiff with the 18:55 being planned a unit.

Saturday has 2 diagrams, one each off Canton (HD06) and Crewe (HD02) and both Sunday diagrams are planneduto run.

After a very poor week so far, Next week hopefully should be better with HD02/04/05/06/07 available all week and HD01 should re-enter service during the week too.

 

[43096]

After a very poor week so far, Next week hopefully should be better with HD02/04/05/06/07 available all week and HD01 should re-enter service during the week too.

It's always "next week should be better" with these, isn't it?

 

[craigybagel]

Would appear that HD04 was reported for poor performance on Tuesday night that's why it didn't go out this morning, it's hoped to get it back out on 1V33 tomorrow, if not it should swap in on 1W50 at 15:30 from Crewe.

Still not been ready yet unfortunately so 1V33 will be a 197 again this morning.

 

[sd0733]

Still not been ready yet unfortunately so 1V33 will be a 197 again this morning.

Looks to be booked out this morning on a test run to get it out in service this afternoon now.

It's always "next week should be better" with these, isn't it?

Unfortunately that certainly has been the case. Some decisions were made this Week for balancing/exam requirements which I'm sure at the time they were made were the best option but as it turned out ended up backfiring rather badly.

 

[BillStampy]

The MK4s seem to be on a trend of:
1 week excellent performance
1 week pure failure
It's kinda repetitive!

 

[sd0733]

The MK4s seem to be on a trend of:
1 week excellent performance
1 week pure failure
It's kinda repetitive!

Frustratingly that does seem to be the way, the good weeks have got better but a lot of the time the bad weeks have got worse.
If the bad weeks can be improved then they'll getting somewhere!!

 

[Topological]

Frustratingly that does seem to be the way, the good weeks have got better but a lot of the time the bad weeks have got worse.
If the bad weeks can be improved then they'll getting somewhere!!

Provided the good weeks do not deteriorate to compensate

 

[Caaardiff]

Frustratingly that does seem to be the way, the good weeks have got better but a lot of the time the bad weeks have got worse.
If the bad weeks can be improved then they'll getting somewhere!!

As much as I'd like to support this, when it's becoming so repetitive that this is now the norm....

The MK4s seem to be on a trend of:
1 week excellent performance
1 week pure failure
It's kinda repetitive!

It does beg the question, will any ongoing improvement programs actually make much of a long term difference?
I bet no-one here is willing to put money on this conversation not taking place in 6 or 12 months time.

 

[sd0733]

It does beg the question, will any ongoing improvement programs actually make much of a long term difference?
I bet no-one here is willing to put money on this conversation not taking place in 6 or 12 months time

To be honest the most concerning thing about the past week is that not one set was on any form of improvement programme, 5 car or anything, just exams and failures. The locos haven't been a particular problem either but the rakes have been. When there were sets missing for improvements there were reasons, now the full fleet is on paper available and an already reduced (from 5 to 4) number of diagrams can't be covered its not hugely promising.

On a better note, HD04 completed it's test run and is now expected out but swapping onto 1V50 at Crewe at 17:10 (rather than on the way to Manchester) through to Swansea. At least there will be 4 sets out at once, albeit only for a couple of hours as 1W65 still planned to swap to a unit.

 

[Caaardiff]

To be honest the most concerning thing about the past week is that not one set was on any form of improvement programme, 5 car or anything, just exams and failures. The locos haven't been a particular problem either but the rakes have been. When there were sets missing for improvements there were reasons, now the full fleet is on paper available and an already reduced (from 5 to 4) number of diagrams can't be covered its not hugely promising.

On a better note, HD04 completed it's test run and is now expected out but swapping onto 1V50 at Crewe at 17:10 (rather than on the way to Manchester) through to Swansea. At least there will be 4 sets out at once, albeit only for a couple of hours as 1W65 still planned to swap to a unit.

It sounds like a logistical nightmare keeping these in service and maintaining them.

 

[sd0733]

67020 is being given another chance tomorrow, its planned to take HD01 to Canton to act as both a loaded test run for the 67 after last week's issues and to get the rake to Canton for tyre turning.

The next few days should see a full ex-GC fleet out with HD04-07 covering the diagrams, HD03 on exam at Crewe, HD02 as a spare at Canton and HD01 on tyre turning at Canton.

 

[JakeMurphy]

HD04 I’m afraid is having power issues at Manchester Piccadilly on 1V18.just one of those things it can happen

 

[BillStampy]

HD04 I’m afraid is having power issues at Manchester Piccadilly on 1V18.just one of those things it can happen

Seems to have gotten up and going.

 

[JakeMurphy]

Seems to have gotten up and going.

Yeah guard said there was a issue with getting power in the front coach which was the 5th added.

 

[Lurcheroo]

Looks like 4 sets have made it out today, let’s hope that’s a sign for the rest of the week.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Does anyone know why 1V91 (HD07 according to RTT) lost 30 minutes before Bangor today?
It held up the following Holyhead-Euston (1R25) and Llandudno-Manchester Airport (1H82) along the coast, whose diagrams are still disrupted* as a result.
For different reasons Avanti also cancelled 1A14 from Holyhead and the Wrexham portion of 1R25, so not a good start to the week in North Wales.

* Avanti then canceled 1R25 at Crewe, and 1A19 at Chester (the ECS never left Barton under Needwood).
So zero morning peak up services from Avanti at Chester today...

 

[Lurcheroo]

Does anyone know why 1V91 (HD07 according to RTT) lost 30 minutes before Bangor today?
It held up the following Holyhead-Euston (1R25) and Llandudno-Manchester Airport (1H82) along the coast, whose diagrams are still disrupted as a result.
For different reasons Avanti also cancelled 1A14 from Holyhead and the Wrexham portion of 1R25, so not a good start to the week in North Wales.

It was reported that there was a loss of power and the loco was just coasting. They stopped at Llanfair PG, shut the engine down and restarted it and then got on its way.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Looks like 4 sets have made it out today, let’s hope that’s a sign for the rest of the week.

Good, because apparently fewer 197s are out than expected.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It was reported that there was a loss of power and the loco was just coasting. They stopped at Llanfair PG, shut the engine down and restarted it and then got on its way.

HD07 still suffering delays and was terminated at Wilmslow on 1W57, 31 down "due to a problem with the traction equipment".
Picked up its return working at Wilmslow though, and seems to be OK at Craven Arms.

 

[mikestone1952]

1W57 missed its Cwmbran and Abergavenny stops to little effect - it still appears to have been on block the Swansea from Craven Arms, so might as well have stopped !

 

[sd0733]

67022 was stood down this morning for investigations after yesterdays power issues but should be back tomorrow.

HD01 had a coupling defect picked up on ultrasonic testing so requires replacemenr, while that is carried out it has delayed its move from Crewe to Canton until Thursday. As Crewe is full tonight with HD01/03/07 there plus HD02 finishing there from 1W65 it's planned 1W23 to be swapped out and HD04 stay in Cardiff.

On Friday HD07 is planned to swap from 1W23 to 1W96 and will finish in Holyhead then be stored there for a week or so whilst HD03s exam is complete to avoid overloading Crewe like has been the case this week.

 

[mikestone1952]

RTT has 1W55/1V42 hauled yesterday, despite 1V31 being 2 x 153 and 1W23 197021 - is that correct?

 

[Chester025]

RTT has 1W55/1V42 hauled yesterday, despite 1V31 being 2 x 153 and 1W23 197021 - is that correct?

It is. 1W55 & 1V42 yesterday were 67015 & HD04.

 

[BillStampy]

HD05 flopped near Newport and now running 5W57 backwards to Canton to allow 1L17 through, it never seemed to make it to Newport so I'm unsure if everyone is still onboard, if so, why not run it to Newport, drop everyone off then head to Canton? They'll miss 1W18 now which is headed to Newport. I mean sure, they can hop on 1W19 later but still!

RTT has 1W55/1V42 hauled yesterday, despite 1V31 being 2 x 153 and 1W23 197021 - is that correct?

1V31 was swapped as Crewe was full I believe, same story for 1W23, keeping a set at Canton

 

[Western 52]

1V37 is currently over 60 late, was late off Manchester then more delays after Crewe. Issue with the train or some other reason?

 

[MP393]

1V37 is currently over 60 late, was late off Manchester then more delays after Crewe. Issue with the train or some other reason?

Late off the depot at Canton this morning but no fault with it once in service. Axle counter failure at Prees has been causing havoc all morning, and the all stops local service was sent out in front of it from Crewe so it got caught in congestion through the affected section at Prees.

 

[Lurcheroo]

if so, why not run it to Newport, drop everyone off then head to Canton?

So In this case it was able to get to Newport and unload passengers then run back to Cardiff.

But the fault was on the Newport End so let’s say that the fault was severe enough that it could not be driven from that end, then there would be no choice but to go back to Cardiff.
Please, no one ask me why it wouldn’t be able to be driven from the other end in reverse

 

[sd0733]

So In this case it was able to get to Newport and unload passengers then run back to Cardiff.

But the fault was on the Newport End so let’s say that the fault was severe enough that it could not be driven from that end, then there would be no choice but to go back to Cardiff.
Please, no one ask me why it wouldn’t be able to be driven from the other end in reverse

Been put down to issues with the jumper cables. Seems a remarkable coincidence that all the sets have had similar issues over the past couple of weeks, not sure if something has been done to the jumpers or connectors recently.

HD05 and HD06 are now out of action at Canton for repairs following the jumper issues with HD01 still planned to join them from Crewe with 67020 taking it for tyre turning tomorrow. Losing those 2 means that the disgram with 06:27 and 16:30 from Manchester will be a unit.
Edit HD06 now expected back in service for the 16:30.

Friday is planned for 4 diagrams with the 16:49 and 17:14 from Cardiff swapping sets, HD07 will then end in Holyhead for storage for a week or so with 67022 returning light engine to Crewe overnight.