Recent content by TimboM

Quite... the vast majority of sleeper drivers are highly-experienced Class 1 men who've been driving passenger and/or sleeper services over the routes for many, many years/decades. On top of that, as you say boom boom, most of the GB 'Sleeper Link' drivers spend the vast majority of the time...

I’m assuming that’s sarcastic - and also ironic given all the other information I’ve provided for folk above. It was as it said on the tin - service cancelled due to a problem with doors - that was the long and short of it. Anything beyond that is detailed / specific technical info not in the...

It should’ve been in London now, but back at Polmadie (with the northbound Glasgow portion caped tonight as a result). So unlikely to head out tonight, but possibly on the southbound Lowlander tomorrow night.

It was cancelled between Edinburgh and London due to a problem with the doors..!

15340 returns to service tonight on 1C11/1M11, having not worked since its collision with 73969 at Fort William on 06/11/2019. This assumes 1C11 gets underway (currently delayed leaving Edinburgh...!) 1C11 consist: 92033 + 15006 15102 15206 15323 15340 15301 15302 15325 EDIT: 1C11...

Because there's still some people involved in the planning of these diversions who are proper cranks / enthusiasts (call them what you want) who like to ensure the 'correct' headcodes are used for ECML Sleepers to/from Kings Cross. Was done last time the Beds operated out of Kings Cross too in...

It was 73966, which then piloted 73970 on 3B16 Aberdeen to Edinburgh Waverley.

There's a shuffle, but it works as follows: Evening: The 92 that takes in the Highlander ECS (5S95) then runs round to work the Lowlander (1S26) The "ECS 92" that brings in the Lowlander ECS (5S96) usually runs back to Wembley after 1S26 has departed as 0A96 (although sometimes stables in...

It's not due to adhesion. 73/9s are "of an appropriate design" and have been proven to be more than capable of hauling sizeable trains on the North of Edinburgh routes in all sorts of conditions. Solo 73/9s regularly hauled Load 6 formations on the Fort Bill, and on a number of occasions when...

Inverness has shore supply. It's ScotRail's not CS' though. Fort William still has its shore supply in the Motorail siding and that's what the Sleeper stock is plugged into when its stabled there. The sleeper stock works with both 'classic' ETS at c.850v (it's what the 73/9s provide it at) and...

Sets are usually swapped over every day at Wembley and as noted the ECS moves to Polmadie are only occasional when required by engineering works etc. It’s been like that for many years.

Cleared via Manchester and Chat Moss, but 92s are not cleared via Bolton. Last time the Beds went via Bolton was for the Acton Grange Junction works in Summer 2019 when only the 90-hauled Highlanders went that way. 1640937629 The more common route when diverting via the ECML is the freight...

The majority gets recovered from Network Rail one way or the other. As for the safety of the subsidy, it not being there would involve politicians losing a lot of face, so probably very safe. That said, pretty sure CS is effectively a 'managed contract' these days (or the Covid emergency...

Cleaning is sub-contracted and I expect the cleaning companies will still want paying whether strike or not. Fuel is most probably paid for by GBRf and all wrapped up as part of the traction contract so Serco unlikely to get a "refund" on this - also there tends to be various ECS and loco moves...

Load 16 sleepers (plus ECS loco) have been in Glasgow Central before, although it's a bit tight. However, the Sleepers are currently only Load 14 due to coaches being taken out for winter maintenance, so it's not a platform length issue. As mentioned earlier, more passengers travel from...