The Pretendolino thread

[8J]

Virgin Twitter said to me that 1k39 is a pendo, im looking to travel on 13th July so could anyone on here confirm as to whether this is the case? They have been wrong about it before, but seeing as it didn't run last week, could this be the end of the line for wb64?

 

[Lrd]

On Thursdays the 1843 to Crewe is a Pendo, Fridays should still be the Pretendolino.

 

[DarloRich]

1K39 didn't run as the Pretendolino last Friday night - i was on it

 

[MCR247]

90046 failed with a TDM fault (last Friday!)

 

[33056]

Looks like it is 90048 this week.

 

[craig87034]

90048 + WB64 allocated today:
1043 Euston-Birmingham New Street
1230 Birmingham New Street-Euston
1503 Euston-Birmingham New Street
1650 Birmingham New Street-Euston
1843 Euston-Crewe

 

[saracen43]

90048 + WB64 allocated today:
1043 Euston-Birmingham New Street
1230 Birmingham New Street-Euston
1503 Euston-Birmingham New Street
1650 Birmingham New Street-Euston
1843 Euston-Crewe

Why the full diagram today, usually only does the 18.43 Euston-Crewe, is one of the Pendolinos out.

 

[323235]

It's not all that uncommon for it to be stepped up all day if there are extra pendolino's on maintenance.

 

[Rhydgaled]

I assume the Pretendolino is still running the 18:43 Euston - Crewe on Fridays, is this still the case and is this still its only working? If so, what does it do after arrival at Crewe, ECS back to London?

Also, given that this is a peak extra I assume the service is full and standing out of Euston, but since I am only planning on catching it further north (probably from Wolverhampton or Birmingham to Crewe) I assume I'll get a seat. Are there plenty of seats available north of Birmingham?

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Between Euston and MKC it's ridiculous, but when I've done it past Birmingham it seems ok for loadings, should get at least one seat.

It does indeed run ECS back to Wembley which used to be Class 57 hauled back but I don't know if that still is the case, probably is as the 90 runs light off to Crewe EMD

 

[sprinterguy]

I assume the Pretendolino is still running the 18:43 Euston - Crewe on Fridays, is this still the case and is this still its only working? If so, what does it do after arrival at Crewe, ECS back to London?

Also, given that this is a peak extra I assume the service is full and standing out of Euston, but since I am only planning on catching it further north (probably from Wolverhampton or Birmingham to Crewe) I assume I'll get a seat. Are there plenty of seats available north of Birmingham?

Yes the Pretendolino is still working the 18:43 Euston – Crewe, which continues to be it’s only working (Although it did switch to forming the 19:03 to Birmingham during the Paralympics, but has now switched back). 90044 has been the traction for the working for a few weeks now.

I concur with heart-of-wessexs’ analysis of the loadings. Full and standing out of Euston, and often still difficult to find a seat after the Coventry call, but it empties out a bit at Birmingham and beyond, so you should be able to find a seat just fine.

 

[Rhydgaled]

Between Euston and MKC it's ridiculous, but when I've done it past Birmingham it seems ok for loadings, should get at least one seat.

It does indeed run ECS back to Wembley which used to be Class 57 hauled back but I don't know if that still is the case, probably is as the 90 runs light off to Crewe EMD

Yes the Pretendolino is still working the 18:43 Euston – Crewe, which continues to be it’s only working (Although it did switch to forming the 19:03 to Birmingham during the Paralympics, but has now switched back). 90044 has been the traction for the working for a few weeks now.

I concur with heart-of-wessexs’ analysis of the loadings. Full and standing out of Euston, and often still difficult to find a seat after the Coventry call, but it empties out a bit at Birmingham and beyond, so you should be able to find a seat just fine.

Thanks both. I got my ride in on Friday night, coach B was quiet by the time I boarded at Stafford, I needn't have requested that reservation.

The 90 indeed looked like it was about to be detached from the train once we reached Crewe and a 57 came to attach onto the DVT. Why is it hauled back to London empty with a diesel loco and since the 90 leads to Crewe is the DVT actually needed? Also, I assume a 90 must run light to London to take the train the next week, why can't the 90 push the train back with the DVT leading and stay for the week instead?

 

[IanXC]

The 90 indeed looked like it was about to be detached from the train once we reached Crewe and a 57 came to attach onto the DVT. Why is it hauled back to London empty with a diesel loco and since the 90 leads to Crewe is the DVT actually needed? Also, I assume a 90 must run light to London to take the train the next week, why can't the 90 push the train back with the DVT leading and stay for the week instead?

As I undersdtand it the DVT is required as the brake vehicle in the formation (remember there are only 3 Mark 3 brake vehicles - used on the Night Riveira). Regarding the 90, presumably it carries our other duties during the week!!

 

[Rhydgaled]

As I undersdtand it the DVT is required as the brake vehicle in the formation (remember there are only 3 Mark 3 brake vehicles - used on the Night Riveira). Regarding the 90, presumably it carries our other duties during the week!!

I thought 90s were underused and quite a few were stored, or is that only 92s?

I had assumed mark3s didn't really need brake vehicles, how did they manage before the DVTs were built (or were there only 3 LHCS mrk3 rakes until the DVTs appeared, and what's the point of a brake vehicle unless it is always on the back of the train?)

 

[matt]

Freightliner class 90s are still used a lot, you are thinking of the DB Schenker examples. Before DVTs mark 3 sets used a Mark 1 BG coach.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Also, they do drive from the DVT to get the train from the yard to Euston, plus it also does ( or did? ) an ecs crew training run to Northampton or somewhere earlier in the day before working 1K39.

Quite often the set runs a full daily diagram on the Birmingham circuit if VT are short of 390s, and it is also used for charters - in these instances, of course, it will be driven from the DVT for half the time.

Having said that, I do wonder why they don't use the 90 to get it back home from Crewe - probably something to do with reducing the hire charge?

 

[MCR247]

Well if the 90s home is Crewe, its going to be cheaper for them to leave it there instead of having it brought back to Crewe later? And it gives a 57 a chance to stretch its legs

 

[Peter Mugridge]

it gives a 57 a chance to stretch its legs

It does indeed - and immediately creates that old chestnut of a diesel hauled journey that is 100% under the wires...

 

[dave87016]

Railfreight Grey livery 90047 did the honours today with DVT 82126 on the rear

 

[BRX]

don't suppose the pretendolino is going to be out and about today (31st) by any chance is it?

 

[8J]

Does anybody know if the fate of the pretendolino has been decided? Scrap, lease to other TOC? Utilised for extra services once Shrewsbury link is opened up? For me, it should have definitely been used this Christmas just gone as the 10 car voyagers were truly awful from a passengers point of view. The previous time Chiltern diverts were in place, (Easter time 2012) the capacity was greatly increased with the pretendolino as voyagers could run as 15 cars.

I appreciate that it may be unpractical for VT to run, but surely another operator could use a spare 82 + mk3's. Greater Anglia for instance or Chiltern Railways? Instead of it wasting away at Wembley yard.

Thoughts anyone?

 

[crewmeal]

Poor thing is probably rotting away in a siding somewhere until some managers decide it's fate. A waste of some good comfortable stock.

 

[33056]

It was due to have an outing last week to Manchester (for the Man U / Real Madrid match), 90048 arrived at Wembley for it but the train ended up being a Pendo for some reason.

 

[sprinterguy]

It was due to have an outing last week to Manchester (for the Man U / Real Madrid match), 90048 arrived at Wembley for it but the train ended up being a Pendo for some reason.

That goes some way to explaining why I saw the Pretendolino formed up with 90048 in Wembley yard on Tuesday afternoon, although it hadn't been visible when I passed in the morning.

So on that note, does anybody know if the Pretendolino has any work booked imminently that would cause it to presently be formed up with a loco?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I appreciate that it may be unpractical for VT to run, but surely another operator could use a spare 82 + mk3's. Greater Anglia for instance or Chiltern Railways? Instead of it wasting away at Wembley yard.

The Pretendolino rake is not compatible in push-pull formation with the class 67s that Chiltern use.

 

[Pumbaa]

It was still sitting there on Wednesday, looking ready to go.

 

[simon.exd]

Does anybody know if the fate of the pretendolino has been decided? Scrap, lease to other TOC? Utilised for extra services once Shrewsbury link is opened up? For me, it should have definitely been used this Christmas just gone as the 10 car voyagers were truly awful from a passengers point of view. The previous time Chiltern diverts were in place, (Easter time 2012) the capacity was greatly increased with the pretendolino as voyagers could run as 15 cars.

I appreciate that it may be unpractical for VT to run, but surely another operator could use a spare 82 + mk3's. Greater Anglia for instance or Chiltern Railways? Instead of it wasting away at Wembley yard.

Thoughts anyone?

A very good point.. I have made similar observations about the massive amount of decent locos that DBS are sitting on that are basically rotting..

When I suggested on another thread about the use of loco and coach stock to relive chronic overcrowding on services here in Devon I got all kinds of grief..
Im with you, get the stock working, put it to good use!

 

[matt]

That goes some way to explaining why I saw the Pretendolino formed up with 90048 in Wembley yard on Tuesday afternoon, although it hadn't been visible when I passed in the morning.

So on that note, does anybody know if the Pretendolino has any work booked imminently that would cause it to presently be formed up with a loco?

On Tuesday it should have done the footex but didn't. I think it was DVT issue. 90048 returned back to Crewe later in the week

 

[SprinterMan]

No idea of this is correct or not, but is dated 26th February so seems unlikely:
https://www.facebook.com/VT.ATW.CH.and.SleeperGen

Times unknown atm, but the Prentodolino is scheduled for Driver refresher runs starting this Friday, then alternate Fridays after
that from Wembley to Crewe and back, most likely with DB Schenker 90's.

Adam

 

[8J]

We'll have to wait and see on that one. VT customer services are ademant that it is not coming back into regular service They should train up Edge Hill drivers and Liverpool traincrew on it, although some of the Liverpool guards have worked mk3's before. I wonder if they'd need to be re-trained?

 

[Blindtraveler]

TPE should leas it for anglo Scot work when the wires are up.