Colas 37s on NR measurement train

[AC47461]

Hi all, not sure if this is the right part of the forum to ask this.

Whilst watching the trains go by for an hour about a mile south of Hatfield Peverel on the GEML yesterday I was pleasantly surprised when Colas liveried 37175 & 37219 growled past going south on an NR measurement train. I say surprised because it wasn't on Realtime trains.

I'm sure there is a logical explanation but does anyone know why it wasn't listed? Had I have known I'd have got out of the car to get a few pictures.

 

[Freightmaster]

...I was pleasantly surprised when Colas liveried 37175 & 37219 growled past going south on an NR measurement train. I say surprised because it wasn't on Realtime trains.

I'm surprised that you're surprised because it was listed!

1Q79 - http://realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H20141/2017/03/29/advanced

I'm sure there is a logical explanation but does anyone know why it wasn't listed?

All I can think of is that you didn't notice it because it ran as a class one
and you were expecting a test train to be a class 3??

This is what you should have seen at the time:
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/HAP/2017/03/29/1405


MARK

 

[DarloRich]

There was also one down at Bristol with what looked like the SGT.

 

[AC47461]

I'm surprised that you're surprised because it was listed!

1Q79 - http://realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H20141/2017/03/29/advanced



All I can think of is that you didn't notice it because it ran as a class one
and you were expecting a test train to be a class 3??

This is what you should have seen at the time:
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/HAP/2017/03/29/1405


MARK

Hi Mark,

Thanks for all that
What I neglected to say was that I was there between about 1630 and 1710, that link seems to imply it would have been just after 2100.

This is approx what I had on the phone at the time:
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/HAP/2017/03/29/1630?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt although I thought it wasn't updating properly as the phone signal where I stop is appalling.
I think it chuntered past in between 1N47 and 1F53, but I can't quite remember.

Cheers
Adrian

 

[Freightmaster]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for all that
What I neglected to say was that I was there between about 1630 and 1710,

Ah. Now I understand the problem!

On routes such as the GEML, there are only a few locations which
are 'mandatory timing points' for non-stop trains such as freight
services and test trains and as you might imagine, Hatfield Peveral
is not such a location!

RTT attempts to fix this shortcoming by very cleverly 'inserting' passing
times between mandatory passing points on the day, but for various reasons,
this doesn't always work correctly, so if you want to be absolutely sure
of seeing a listing of all trains, you need to select the nearest mandatory
location (Witham in this case).


MARK

 

[InOban]

This top and tailed measurement train gets everywhere. It was in Oban recently..

 

[DarloRich]

This top and tailed measurement train gets everywhere. It was in Oban recently..

There are several trains

 

[MichaelWells]

I was "On It"

 

[E_Reeves]

How come there are no reports between Maryland and Theobalds Grove?

 

[Freightmaster]

How come there are no reports between Maryland and Theobalds Grove?

It missed that part of the route out (hence going from 32 to 125 minutes early!)


MARK

 

[AC47461]

Ah. Now I understand the problem!

On routes such as the GEML, there are only a few locations which
are 'mandatory timing points' for non-stop trains such as freight
services and test trains and as you might imagine, Hatfield Peveral
is not such a location!

RTT attempts to fix this shortcoming by very cleverly 'inserting' passing
times between mandatory passing points on the day, but for various reasons,
this doesn't always work correctly, so if you want to be absolutely sure
of seeing a listing of all trains, you need to select the nearest mandatory
location (Witham in this case).


MARK

Hi Mark,

Thanks for that, very helpful. I've just had a look at Witham and found it, and of course, there's no passing time for Hatfield Peverel southbound for when it passed me. That's a useful tip to remember next time

Bit annoying though, because were I sit about a mile south (saves a whopping £4.30 in the car park when you only have 40mins or so) is a really good spot

AC