Odd TPE service: 1P09 1844 Manchester Airport to Darlington

[DarloRich]

Travelling back home this evening I am booked on 1P09 1844 Manchester Airport to Darlington where the train terminates. I assume this will be a 185. Why does this train only run to Darlington? it seems out of course. The 185's seem to go to Saltburn and the 802's to newcastle. Is this a way of keeping traction or route knowledge on a particular deport roster?

I am not complaining mind - very helpful for me!

 

[Anvil1984]

IIRC it’s for route retention Northallerton - Darlington for the York link that signs Saltburn but not Newcastle. It replaced the Saltburn via Darlington services as they no longer sign Darlington to Eaglescliffe

 

[dan4291]

My guess is for keeping route knowledge for York TPE drivers to Darlington. Real Time Trains shows it as a 3 car 185 terminating in platform 3, so a rare chance to see a 185 at Darlington!

Realtime Trains | 1P09 1844 Manchester Airport to Darlington | 28/03/2024

Real-time train running information for 1P09 1844 departure from Manchester Airport to Darlington on 28/03/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

There used to be an early morning TPE Saltburn service that went via Darlington then towards Eaglescliffe to maintain route knowledge to Darlington and for that diversion route but that service doesn't seem to exist any more, so maybe this is the way they do it now.

 

[Trainman40083]

Travelling back home this evening I am booked on 1P09 1844 Manchester Airport to Darlington where the train terminates. I assume this will be a 185. Why does this train only run to Darlington? it seems out of course. The 185's seem to go to Saltburn and the 802's to newcastle. Is this a way of keeping traction or route knowledge on a particular deport roster?

I am not complaining mind - very helpful for me!

Maybe the unit gets serviced at York, whilst the 802s are serviced at Heaton.

 

[ainsworth74]

I am not complaining mind - very helpful for me

Not for me or most people, makes a two hour gap in services from York avoiding Darlington so either you need to wait or pay the whacking excess.

It replaced the Saltburn via Darlington services as they no longer sign Darlington to Eaglescliffe

Which still seems barmy to me. It's a diversion route that they do use ad hoc. I've been on trains going that way ad hoc and I don't use the service that often! Plus by the time they've gone to Darlington using the 1844 they may as well just carry on to Saltburn anyway.

 

[DarloRich]

Not for me or most people, makes a two hour gap in services from York avoiding Darlington so either you need to wait or pay the whacking excess.

why would you want to avoid Darlington?

IIRC it’s for route retention Northallerton - Darlington for the York link that signs Saltburn but not Newcastle. It replaced the Saltburn via Darlington services as they no longer sign Darlington to Eaglescliffe

thanks!

There used to be an early morning TPE Saltburn service that went via Darlington then towards Eaglescliffe to maintain route knowledge

Which still seems barmy to me. It's a diversion route that they do use ad hoc. I've been on trains going that way ad hoc and I don't use the service that often! Plus by the time they've gone to Darlington using the 1844 they may as well just carry on to Saltburn anyway.

I forgot about that one. Travelled on it often enough. It is odd that such a journey was taken out of the roster. I assume ECML is "core" knowledge for the depots involved

 

[ainsworth74]

why would you want to avoid Darlington?

Because the Off-Peak Day return is £18 cheaper if you do?