1Z99 and 1Z40 on WCML

[aal7]

During last night's WCML disruption, I saw 1Z40 and 1Z99 heading south on opentraintimes maps, but these codes were not showing on RTT. Anyone know what they were?

 

[455driver]

1Z99 is the standard headcode for a rescue loco, dont know about 1Z40 but could possibly be the same.

 

[Tomnick]

1Z99 is reserved for anything going to assist a failed train or otherwise clear the line - no idea what, in this case, though.

Edit: too slow!

 

[aal7]

1Z40 eventually went straight past the KL area and into Euston. Maybe it was a rescue train that wasn't required by the time it arrived at the scene.

 

[user15681]

3 rescue locos were sent out, so 1Z40 could well be one of them.

 

[Tomnick]

Anything going to clear the line should be 1Z99 - 1Z40 sounds more like a passenger service that's been arranged at short notice to try and keep a service running beyond the area of disruption.

 

[oversteer]

There was a DRS 37 at Euston this morning in front of (but not coupled to) a Pendolino so I think it might have been that one.

 

[GB]

Anything going to clear the line should be 1Z99 -

True, but what happens when you have multiple rescue locos going to the same incident? I assume they can't be all 1Z99s can they?

 

[user15681]

I believe 1Z99 was 57309 which hauled the badly damaged unit that was originally involved back to Longsight.

 

[bb21]

On reading the thread title, my first reaction was that the Night Riviera were diverted, with the up train normally 1A40 and the down normally 1C99.

 

[Tomnick]

True, but what happens when you have multiple rescue locos going to the same incident? I assume they can't be all 1Z99s can they?

An interesting question - I wondered about that when I wrote my first response! In days gone by, where duplicated headcodes were far more common (all locos returning to a depot, for example, would often be allocated the same headcode, specific to that depot), it'd be easier to accept. I can see the potential for confusion though, with two or three 1Z99s all needing to be talked past signals!

 

[455driver]

Anything going to clear the line should be 1Z99

Not if there are 3 of them in the same area!

 

[Tomnick]

As above...I really don't know. I'm sure I've seen two 1Z99s going to the same 'problem' before - and the Rule Book's quite clear that they should run as such!