Chiltern from Paddington

[urban469]

The 11.36 from Paddington to West Ruislip (the Parliamentary Train)...does anyone know the routing? Is it the line up to Greenford, and then through to WR? Or does it go via Neasden?

 

[TEW]

It goes along the line which runs parallel with the Central Line, joining the GWML at Old Oak Common. The line via Greenford is used by Virgin for their blockade busters and was used by up FGW services when they diverted via the Chiltern Lines when Reading was closed.

 

[urban469]

It goes along the line which runs parallel with the Central Line, joining the GWML at Old Oak Common. The line via Greenford is used by Virgin for their blockade busters and was used by up FGW services when they diverted via the Chiltern Lines when Reading was closed.

Thanks TEW. And am I right in thinking this is the only passenger service that goes through Old Oak Common?

(And what's a blockade buster?)

 

[Eagle]

And what's a blockade buster?

When the southern part of the WCML is blocked by engineering (most recently this Easter), Virgin start all their services from Rugby, and run an hourly shuttle known as the Blockade Buster calling Euston–Coventry–Nuneaton, which is routed via Willesden, Ealing Broadway, Greenford, the Chiltern Mainline and Kenilworth.

This shuttle is a 3×221; quite a sight to behold when it stops at Coventry!

 

[causton]

When the southern part of the WCML is blocked by engineering (most recently this Easter), Virgin start all their services from Rugby, and run an hourly shuttle known as the Blockade Buster calling Euston–Coventry–Nuneaton, which is routed via Willesden, Ealing Broadway, Greenford, the Chiltern Mainline and Kenilworth.

This shuttle is a 3×221; quite a sight to behold when it stops at Coventry!

Forgive me for the gratuitous linkage, but here's my photos for reference from one of those days:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/0causton0/sets/72157629981928821/

...with a photo of 3 221s coupled together running it...


Virgin 221108+116+109 at South Greenford by -Causton-, on Flickr

...the zoom makes it look shorter but that train really is long! If you dig around in the set there was also the Pretendolino (I think) working it the other way

 

[urban469]

When the southern part of the WCML is blocked by engineering (most recently this Easter), Virgin start all their services from Rugby, and run an hourly shuttle known as the Blockade Buster calling Euston–Coventry–Nuneaton, which is routed via Willesden, Ealing Broadway, Greenford, the Chiltern Mainline and Kenilworth.

This shuttle is a 3×221; quite a sight to behold when it stops at Coventry!

Amazing route! Any idea when the next one will be?

So that would be: WCML - Old Oak Common - GWR - Greenford Spur - Chiltern

 

[SteamontheMet]

The daily Parlimentary Chiltern Train operates Into London from Gerrards Cross as the 1044 calling at Denham, West Ruislip and then take the NNML at South Ruislip/Northolt Jnc to Paddington arriving around 1132.

It then leaves London Paddington 1136 following the reverse of the same route calling at South Ruislip and Terminating at West Ruislip at 1217 (occasionally continuing all stations to High Wycombe or Princes Risborough).

Oh I used to love the Virgin West Coast Blockade, Many good hours spendt in the Greenford Signal Box with the Three SuperVoyagers every half hour and the occassional Diverted Freight.

The last time we had diversions of the WCML down the Chiltern and NNML was when FL90046 Derailed at Bletchley, had some interesting workings such as Caledonian Sleeper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhaEOszWECs