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66003 light engine at Milton Keynes

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DarloRich

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We had an unusual visitor to the bay platform at Milton Keynes this morning: 66003 was sat there before running south light engine at about 0725.

Can anyone tell me what it was doing and where it was going. I cant find anything on RTT
 
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DelW

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To an admittedly ignorant outsider, a large freight loco running light looks like an inefficient vehicle for route learning, based on lack of cab space for several learners, and presumably high fuel consumption. Is it the case that the learners need to drive the actual traction they will use later, even though the handling of a light engine must be very different from a loaded train? Or is it simply that FOCs use the only traction they have available? This would appear to be an ideal use for one of the remaining bubble cars, though maybe there are too few left anyway, or otherwise something like a 73 (600hp vs 3300).
 

DarloRich

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29,182
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Fenny Stratford
To an admittedly ignorant outsider, a large freight loco running light looks like an inefficient vehicle for route learning, based on lack of cab space for several learners, and presumably high fuel consumption. Is it the case that the learners need to drive the actual traction they will use later, even though the handling of a light engine must be very different from a loaded train? Or is it simply that FOCs use the only traction they have available? This would appear to be an ideal use for one of the remaining bubble cars, though maybe there are too few left anyway, or otherwise something like a 73 (600hp vs 3300).

Perhaps, but i assume you must need:

An available loco/unit
A suitable path
A qualified driver (traction and route)
A qualified trainer/inspector/manager (unsure on terms)

to deliver the training

The 66 must have ticked all boxes
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

What is the route learning for? Is it for a particular service/flow or route knowledge retention?
 
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DelW

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Perhaps, but i assume you must need:

An available loco/unit
A suitable path
A qualified driver (traction and route)
A qualified qualified trainer/inspector/manager (unsure on terms)

to deliver the training

The 66 must have ticked all boxes
I was thinking that the actual driver would have the traction knowledge, and the 'trainer' would have the route knowledge to act as conductor driver.

But I can see that this would be more complicated to organise, and maybe need dead mileage from / to the unit's base. Probably much simpler just to use an in-house driver and a loco from those spare on shed on the day.
 

atillathehunn

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If a route conductor is not trained on the locomotive, and the driver trained only on the locomotive, does this not have potential to end up a bit like a comedy sketch? All coming up in a big heap because the brakes aren't what the route conductor is used to or so on?

I'm imagining Leslie Phillips on the Navy Lark 'left hand down a bit Number 1'
 
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