Seems to be going to plan at present tonight.
There is an evening service from Glasgow to FW, but it doesn't get in until after 10pm, which would make checking in to the hotel difficult. The previous train leaves Queen Street at 1223. Allowing time for the bus transfer from the airport, check in at Heathrow, getting to Heathrow in the first place, etc you need quite an early start, and at the relatively short notice the best we could find was an 0820 flight. (Although we got to Queen Street with two hours to spare)
Thats your choice really though to get a bus from Glasgow Airport 10 miles in the wrong direction to wait 2 hours for a train that only runs 3 times a day and takes over an hour longer than the direct bus from the airport. Its not the only alternative. You could have easily left home 5 hours later and been in Fort William for 6.15 pm
In a normal 2021 they probably would. With reduced staffing due to low visitor numbers just now, a lot have reduced their reception hours.
All points noted. Blame poor/limited choice in the short notice to re-arrange plans after the strike was confirmed.
A 73 has operated Waverley to Carstairs in the past on at least one occasion. (Edinburgh portion of the Lowlander)
Only the modified 73s or 92s can couple directly to the sleeper stock; the 66s used are always leading with a 73 between them and the train to provide both ETS and also the coupling adapter.
There certainly have been cases in the past where they have been dragged.
I'm pretty sure they can go to Euston if need be, although of course this has never happened, and is extremely unlikely.
Only the 6 73s and 10 92s can work with the Mark 5s. Any locomotive can haul the 73s or 92s. One of the strangest sights was a 92 being used as a 'translator' vehicle at Crewe for the Mark 5s with a class 47 following the brake lock incident at Stafford
73s could only go to Euston with an 8-coach train, and even then you would probably want two. It would be quite unlikely as you say.
I guess you could stick a Class 90 on top of the 73.
For clarity @norbitonflyer there are 2 key limiting factors. The first, as has been stated is the dellner couplings which are only fitted to the 6 73/9s and 10 92s, though these can be used as translator vehicles. Regular example being the Highlander "shed + ed" (66 in front of 73) combo.
Is there something about the 73s ETS wiring which would prevent two of them doubling-heading such a train? (or more, if you want to keep to time over Shap!)
Had a 73 from Glasgow to Carstairs after trouble with a 92.
What I meant by top and tail was for the front 73 to supply the front half and the rear 73 the rear half, electrically independently (so don't connect ETS between the two portions).
Only a 92 can supply ETS for the full length train.
HSTs are not wired in such a way, only one power car (normally the rear one) provides ETS at a time. There is an interlock that prevents ETS being provided simultaneously from both power cars.
ETS is only ever supplied from one loco.
I took the sleeper in January 2016 and it was two class 47s via the GSW.
But the question was how many were providing power to the coaches, and the answer to that is one.
The question was actually whether one loco on the front was supplying ETS or whether the train was electrically split in the middle with a loco at each end powering half the train. Thinking back, I’m pretty sure you’re right as I can remember it arriving into Glasgow in the morning with either 2x47 or 66+47 on the front and I think nothing on the back until something arrived from Polmadie to take the ECS away.
I worked for CS for a while and I can state categorically that the trains were never electrically split in the middle.
Was the train re-routed? On realtimetrains.co.uk there are no reports between Newbridge Junction and Westerton.
