• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

GWR Short formed Worcester to Paddington service (11/12)

Status
Not open for further replies.
LiftFan

LiftFan

Member
Joined
27 May 2016
Messages
344
I've read an update on the GWR website that 1P87 from Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington (Booked for an HST) is being formed of 3 coaches. What on earth is going on, and what unit are they going to replace a HST with for a long distance service like this?
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

P

PHILIPE

Veteran Member
Joined
14 Nov 2011
Messages
13,472
Location
Caerphilly
LiftFan said:
I've read an update on the GWR website that 1P87 from Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington (Booked for an HST) is being formed of 3 coaches. What on earth is going on, and what unit are they going to replace a HST with for a long distance service like this?
Click to expand...

There is a shortage of serviceable HSTs at the moment and would have been a Turbo (166). Turbos are booked regularly on the route anyway.
 
Y

yorkie

Forum Staff
Staff Member
Administrator
Joined
6 Jun 2005
Messages
67,826
Location
Yorkshire
It is (or was) very common for Turbos to operate this route, so should be of no surprise really.

In fact there was a time when almost all the services, bar a few peak hour ones, were Turbo operated, I believe.
 
S

SpacePhoenix

Established Member
Joined
18 Mar 2014
Messages
5,492
Is there no loco hauled coaches (and suitable loco) that could be hired in at short notice?
 
S

Sprinter153

Member
Joined
12 Aug 2014
Messages
438
Location
In the TGS
SpacePhoenix said:
Is there no loco hauled coaches (and suitable loco) that could be hired in at short notice?
Click to expand...

Probably not, and the availability of crew and crew knowledge would be an issue.
Turbos are a relatively good solution, Oxford and Paddington LTV drivers sign them and so do Reading and Worcester Train Managers (and a few Paddington guards who are ex Thames Valley).
 
C

ChiefPlanner

Established Member
Joined
6 Sep 2011
Messages
7,787
Location
Herts
What world do you live in ? - hiring a loco and coaches at short notice - this is not "Rent a car" - you need minor issues like a safety case , a Track Access agreement , qualified driver or pilot drivers and Trainmen / Conductors.

A 3 car 165 is the only option in a "distressed" situation....there are professional managers who make these decisions ...better a train within a TOC than nothing.
 
LiftFan

LiftFan

Member
Joined
27 May 2016
Messages
344
I would have thought it will have a bad effect on anyone who has booked a seat and has to stand instead now. Not rush hour but nonetheless inconvenient...
 
S

SpacePhoenix

Established Member
Joined
18 Mar 2014
Messages
5,492
ChiefPlanner said:
What world do you live in ? - hiring a loco and coaches at short notice - this is not "Rent a car" - you need minor issues like a safety case , a Track Access agreement , qualified driver or pilot drivers and Trainmen / Conductors.

A 3 car 165 is the only option in a "distressed" situation....there are professional managers who make these decisions ...better a train within a TOC than nothing.
Click to expand...

A loco could be attached to the front of the HST and haul it along the route
 
Y

yorkie

Forum Staff
Staff Member
Administrator
Joined
6 Jun 2005
Messages
67,826
Location
Yorkshire
SpacePhoenix said:
It's not a new idea;)

Click to expand...
That video (which not everyone can see; you really need a text alternative for accessibility reasons) is titled "Emergency coupling". Was this an emergency? Was there a spare locomotive available? I am sure they would have done the most viable option available.
 
C

ChiefPlanner

Established Member
Joined
6 Sep 2011
Messages
7,787
Location
Herts
Why not ring Didcot , or the Severn Valley to see if they can run a Hall or a Castle as a relief train. ?



The service was covered. End of ...
 
J

Jimini

Established Member
Joined
8 Oct 2006
Messages
1,400
Location
London
This thread is in danger of getting more replies today than the one that involves Waterloo being in meltdown (y'know, something that affects hundreds of thousands of people...) o_O
 
C

ChiefPlanner

Established Member
Joined
6 Sep 2011
Messages
7,787
Location
Herts
Nothing like showing 35 year old training videos as an example to the many staff out there tonight in freezing conditions, after a very challenging weekend in trying to keep some semblance of a service going
 
30907

30907

Veteran Member
Joined
30 Sep 2012
Messages
18,051
Location
Airedale
LiftFan said:
I would have thought it will have a bad effect on anyone who has booked a seat and has to stand instead now. Not rush hour but nonetheless inconvenient...
Click to expand...

Standing passengers at 2100 from Worcester to Oxford? Really?
 
Melancholia

Melancholia

Member
Joined
21 May 2016
Messages
498
Location
Argleton
1W36 1749 from Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill is it's down working, only really busy up to its first stop, Maidenhead. However, Maidenhead has many alternatives which include brand spanking new 8 coach 387s, which the commuters can use as an alternative. Afterwards, it isn't too busy, and definitely isn't on its working back to London from Worcester SH.
 
H

hassaanhc

Established Member
Joined
5 Jan 2014
Messages
2,206
Location
Southall
Jimini said:
This thread is in danger of getting more replies today than the one that involves Waterloo being in meltdown (y'know, something that affects hundreds of thousands of people...) o_O
Click to expand...
Just sums up how entitled the spotters on this route have become, getting HSTs on a route that pretty much everywhere else in the country would be operated by DMUs of some sort, and indeed were operated with DMUs until they were needed for more capacity closer to London and there wasn't much else to replace them with. Meanwhile, real passengers on an infrequent and unreliable route would be happy to have anything turn up instead of waiting in the cold longer or ending up on a bus.
 
cactustwirly

cactustwirly

Established Member
Joined
10 Apr 2013
Messages
7,455
Location
UK
gazthomas said:
Have they been returning their HST sets prematurely?
Click to expand...

Sort of. The first 2 sets went off lease without being replaced by 800s, which led to a reduction in maintenance spares. But GWR had no choice since the lease passed onto Scotrail.
So the HSTs are being worked hard and there's hardly anything to cover them when they fail.
It's the same situation for the turbos in the Thames Valley, somethings probably been shortformed to provide this turbo.
 
G

greyman42

Established Member
Joined
14 Aug 2017
Messages
4,941
ChiefPlanner said:
What world do you live in ? - hiring a loco and coaches at short notice - this is not "Rent a car" - you need minor issues like a safety case , a Track Access agreement , qualified driver or pilot drivers and Trainmen / Conductors.

A 3 car 165 is the only option in a "distressed" situation....there are professional managers who make these decisions ...better a train within a TOC than nothing.
Click to expand...
Would it be possible to double it up to relieve overcrowding?
Sprinter153 said:
It forms off 1W36, the 1749 from Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill, which most definitely is rush hour!
It's a 165 which is always popular given how well-used First Class is on the North Cotswolds.
Click to expand...
Would it be possible to double it up to relieve overcrowding ?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top