Crewe - Derby strengthened today

[6Gman]

Anybody know why Crewe - Derby services were beefed up today. 3x153 on 1507 departure; Meridian on 1707.

Usually done for Uttoxeter Races or WCML blockades - don't know if either apply today.

 

[LowLevel]

Anybody know why Crewe - Derby services were beefed up today. 3x153 on 1507 departure; Meridian on 1707.

Usually done for Uttoxeter Races or WCML blockades - don't know if either apply today.

Midland Grand National at Uttoxeter.

 

[43096]

Anybody know why Crewe - Derby services were beefed up today. 3x153 on 1507 departure; Meridian on 1707.

Usually done for Uttoxeter Races or WCML blockades - don't know if either apply today.

Uttoxeter races today so all sets strengthened: one 3-car Sprinter, 222023 and 222102 in use. Possibly in connection with this there is an HST out on a St. Pancras-Sheffield diagram.

 

[brompton rail]

Also an EMT HST set used to run an extra from Sheffield to Nottingham- non stop at 17.34 (just ahead of 17.41 Norwich). Football?

The set ran empty from Nottingham to operate the extra service.

 

[6Gman]

Ah!

I did look in a paper to see if it was Uttoxeter Races - couldn't find it; must have been looking in the wrong place.

 

[43055]

Anybody know why Crewe - Derby services were beefed up today. 3x153 on 1507 departure; Meridian on 1707.

Usually done for Uttoxeter Races or WCML blockades - don't know if either apply today.

Uttoxeter races today so all sets strengthened: one 3-car Sprinter, 222023 and 222102 in use. Possibly in connection with this there is an HST out on a St. Pancras-Sheffield diagram.

Yes the races was on, the 3 car unit was 153319 and 156473, 222023 and 222102 was on the daytime circuits as well, 222014 was on the extra special from uttoxeter to derby after the last race. It was certainly unusual to have more 222s than 15x on the Crewe line yesterday.

 

[gazthomas]

Good that EMT were able to bolster the trains

 

[43096]

Also an EMT HST set used to run an extra from Sheffield to Nottingham- non stop at 17.34 (just ahead of 17.41 Norwich). Football?

The set ran empty from Nottingham to operate the extra service.

Yep - Sheffield United vs Nottingham Forest yesterday.

Bit more complex than as you describe to resource it, as the usual Saturday swap out at Nottingham (1415 STP-NOT goes ECS to Etches on arrival, with fresh set off NL for 1632 NOT-STP) didn't happen. Instead set ex-NL arrived at Nottingham and went ECS back to Sheffield for the footex.

 

[43096]

Good that EMT were able to bolster the trains

In fairness EMT are usually very good at strengthening and providing additionals for such events given the limitations of their Sprinter fleet. It helps, of course, having a high capacity go-anywhere HST fleet that has spare sets on Saturdays.

 

[pemma]

I'm pretty sure I saw it reported yesterday that most Liverpool-Norwich services were short formed due to a shortage of Sprinters!

 

[embers25]

Yep - Sheffield United vs Nottingham Forest yesterday.

Bit more complex than as you describe to resource it, as the usual Saturday swap out at Nottingham (1415 STP-NOT goes ECS to Etches on arrival, with fresh set off NL for 1632 NOT-STP) didn't happen. Instead set ex-NL arrived at Nottingham and went ECS back to Sheffield for the footex.

Of more note was the 125 then went back from Nottingham to Etches Park via Lincoln, Peterboro, Grantham, Nottingham and Chesterfield!!!

 

[bb21]

In fairness EMT are usually very good at strengthening and providing additionals for such events given the limitations of their Sprinter fleet. It helps, of course, having a high capacity go-anywhere HST fleet that has spare sets on Saturdays.

EMT imo are simply the best TOC at strengthening for special events.

 

[43096]

Of more note was the 125 then went back from Nottingham to Etches Park via Lincoln, Peterboro, Grantham, Nottingham and Chesterfield!!!

Yes, I noticed that! I assume some form of traction knowledge retention for the "local" crews?

Anyone know which set it was? Working was 5D98 1857 Nottingham to Etches Park.

 

[Class 170101]

In fairness EMT are usually very good at strengthening and providing additionals for such events given the limitations of their Sprinter fleet. It helps, of course, having a high capacity go-anywhere HST fleet that has spare sets on Saturdays.

Assuming that East Coast haven't pinched any HSTs to cover shortfalls there.

 

[43096]

Assuming that East Coast haven't pinched any HSTs to cover shortfalls there.

Another East Mids passenger with a chip on their shoulder....

I'm not aware of any EMT additionals not running due to hiring out stock to others. In any case, there are normally two spare HST sets on a Saturday in EMT land and only one extra was in use yesterday.

 

[Class 170101]

Another East Mids passenger with a chip on their shoulder....

No chip on shoulder, merely an observation. And as for being an EMT passenger well I'll leave you to your assumption there

 

[43096]

No chip on shoulder, merely an observation. And as for being an EMT passenger well I'll leave you to your assumption there

So you're making snide comments about a service you don't use, which have no basis in fact. Says more about you than anything else!

 

[LowLevel]

Another East Mids passenger with a chip on their shoulder....

I'm not aware of any EMT additionals not running due to hiring out stock to others. In any case, there are normally two spare HST sets on a Saturday in EMT land and only one extra was in use yesterday.

To be fair the reduced availability of HST sets nearly put paid to the second summer Saturday Skegness service last year as Neville Hill weren't sure they could provide enough serviceable sets on a weekly basis - it was only saved at the eleventh hour.

 

[Mugby]

Last time I got a 222 on a Crewe - Derby service, I noticed that one or two special conditions apply;

At Blythe Bridge, the front of the unit stops inside the platform even though the rear is not platformed and fouling the road crossing.
At Tutbury, the rear of the unit was platformed but the front was beyond the platform end.

Does anyone know of any other special arrangements for short platforms on this line?

 

[Deafdoggie]

Crewe, Alsager, Kidsgrove, Longport, and Stoke can all take a 4 car without problem, not sure on a 5 car set though (obviously Stoke can, and Crewe in certain platforms) saw the 5 car set at Alsager on Saturday night-was held in my car at the barriers waiting for it!