6z22

[Harbon 1]

This service first appeared around this time last year, in the form of a Class 70 (Liverpool Bulk Terminal - Radcliffe Power Station). This was then changed to a different identity a while ago, with slightly amended timings.

Then, early this morning (29/12/12), 60074 and a rake of HTAs was heading that way and turned out to be 6Z22.

My question is, is 6Z22 kind of a 'test run' for services, seeing how they get on, amending the timings, and running it under a different reporting number?

The reason this confused me was because I thought the only place 60 hauled coal was to fiddlers ferry power station.

Cheers,
Matt

 

[Phil6219]

I can't help you out with the 6Z22 but the 60s have been recently used on other coal turns.

60099 hauled the 6M39 Milford - Warrington Arpley a few months back, though weather they were loaded or not I don't know. Either way it allowed Tug 099 to join the coal circuit over there for a few weeks. In hindsight I think it was just positioning up to Warrington and had to take over from a dead shed.

Another one did haul a Liverpool - Ratcliffe P.S train around two weeks ago (deleted the gen message with the number and headcode), it certainly got my attention as I'd have loved to have seen that go through Acton Bridge at speed

One idea about the 6Z22 is that perhaps the contract had been switched from Freightliner to DB?

Phil

 

[33056]

I wouldn't read anything into the 6Z22 headcode as it was a VSTP (very short term planning) schedule.

It is more likely that someone has used the 6M22 (23:18 Liverpool BT to Ratcliffe) schedule as a framework for a special or a train starting elsewhere but taking the same route or that xZ22 is the code often used for something heading to Ratcliffe PS in the same way that anything heading for Wembley is often input as xZ27 or Bescot xZ98.

 

[wbbminerals]

60099 hauled the 6M39 Milford - Warrington Arpley a few months back, though weather they were loaded or not I don't know. Either way it allowed Tug 099 to join the coal circuit over there for a few weeks. In hindsight I think it was just positioning up to Warrington and had to take over from a dead shed.

The train was empty I believe, and I think the shed was only there as a translator, due to 60s not having the correct couplings for the majority of HTAs?

 

[Harbon 1]

Thanks for the replies guys

The train was empty I believe, and I think the shed was only there as a translator, due to 60s not having the correct couplings for the majority of HTAs?

Yes, the 60's dont have any 'buckeye' coupler, therefore they have special HTA's with buffers and a 'screwlink' coupling. See here.