CrossCountry HST Diagrams

[Train Boy]

Nice to see the XC HST back at Glasgow, when will this start?

Monday 22nd May

 

[1529]

Have you had any luck today? Hope so.
Yesterday I went south from midlands and north back again from Plymouth and tho both trains were subject to delays of between 15 and 30 mins roughly it was nothing serious enough to cause any problems for me.
1st class was very lightly used (no more than 2 or 3 pre booked reservations and v few walk up users) and Weekend First is not promoted by on train announcements as far as I was aware so easy to get great seats. Std class was busy and well used but not crowded.

Thanks both of you for the help!


Yes 1V48 was indeed a HST last Sunday. I went with it from Sheffield to Cheltenham Spa before I had to turn north to reach Edinburg in reasonable time. I had a first class Interrail (first class pass is good value in UK!) and i was alone in the coach from Sheffield but got some company later. Not more than that everybody could chose the own table though... Standard class was pretty full and the catering didnt show up until Birmingham, and then stationary in the second coach due to staff shortage, so im glad I had breakfast before i went to the station. A nice trip.

Less fun was my return from Scotland on Monday night (24/4 from Inverness). I was booked on the Caledonian Sleeper from Inverness to London, but due to “technical problems” (=break problems) the train was canceled from Inverness to Edinburg. We were transferred with bus to Edinburg and could finally board half past twelve after watching some shunting at Edinburg Waverly. Not really the restaurant car and sleeper experience I had expected… The train was brought empty to Edinburg earlier, and as I understood it when talking to the conductor (or would a britt say guard?) there had been some kind of break failure that couldn’t be solved in Inverness. Anyone who knows what the problem was?


/Johan

 

[WesternLancer]

Thanks both of you for the help!


Yes 1V48 was indeed a HST last Sunday. I went with it from Sheffield to Cheltenham Spa before I had to turn north to reach Edinburg in reasonable time. I had a first class Interrail (first class pass is good value in UK!) and i was alone in the coach from Sheffield but got some company later. Not more than that everybody could chose the own table though... Standard class was pretty full and the catering didnt show up until Birmingham, and then stationary in the second coach due to staff shortage, so im glad I had breakfast before i went to the station. A nice trip.

Less fun was my return from Scotland on Monday night (24/4 from Inverness). I was booked on the Caledonian Sleeper from Inverness to London, but due to “technical problems” (=break problems) the train was canceled from Inverness to Edinburg. We were transferred with bus to Edinburg and could finally board half past twelve after watching some shunting at Edinburg Waverly. Not really the restaurant car and sleeper experience I had expected… The train was brought empty to Edinburg earlier, and as I understood it when talking to the conductor (or would a britt say guard?) there had been some kind of break failure that couldn’t be solved in Inverness. Anyone who knows what the problem was?


/Johan

Glad the HST went well - yes, sadly I'd never get on a UK train now for a long trip without a back up food option, even in 1st class as I've been let down too often - tho if you have the chance do try to get on a Great Western Pullman Dining service. The meals are not included in the price but are well worth paying form IMHO.

Sorry to hear about the sleeper - there is a long running sleeper thread and the answer to your question may be there or you could ask it and no doubt get the info for what went wrong. Bus to Edinburgh bad as you could have had a decent train down no doubt and just joined in Edinburgh anyway.

Caledonian Sleeper

I’m surprised about how little this has been publicised! I don't think it has gone any further than allusions on forums, let alone being publicised. Do you want to go further?

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

I understand that annoyingly there'll still be 2 XC HST diagrams from this months timetable change. Apparently then from September in a few months time it goes down to 1 til they're gone.

2 diagrams are bad enough let alone 1.

However I'd rather there were 2 than 1.

Is anyone able to shed some light on this?

 

[WesternLancer]

Hi - does anyone know what the impact of industrial action might be on the XC HST services scheduled for this Saturday, 13th May?
are the services likely to be running and if so with HSTs or not?
Thanks

 

[43055]

Hi - does anyone know what the impact of industrial action might be on the XC HST services scheduled for this Saturday, 13th May?
are the services likely to be running and if so with HSTs or not?
Thanks

Very unlikely as previous strike days has produced no HST's.

 

[WesternLancer]

Very unlikely as previous strike days has produced no HST's.

Thanks for that insight.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 May 2023 ==

Very unlikely as previous strike days has produced no HST's.

Does indeed not look like any HST's out on sat 13th from what I can see on realtime trains, now the stock allocated is showing.

 

[Rhydgaled]

Nice to see the XC HST back at Glasgow, when will this start?

Monday 22nd May

Will it though since, assuming the 'normal' weekday diagrams remain the same, RealTimeTimes (RTT) is showing the 12:27 from Plymouth as a VAR schedule for that week? The VAR schedule on RTT is showing it running via from Edinburgh to Glasgow via Shotts (I'm assuming it would normally run via Carstairs but is diverted due to the work there) so does XC have the route knowledge etc. to allow the IC125 to be used on this route?

 

[route101]

Will it though since, assuming the 'normal' weekday diagrams remain the same, RealTimeTimes (RTT) is showing the 12:27 from Plymouth as a VAR schedule for that week? The VAR schedule on RTT is showing it running via from Edinburgh to Glasgow via Shotts (I'm assuming it would normally run via Carstairs but is diverted due to the work there) so does XC have the route knowledge etc. to allow the IC125 to be used on this route?

They have operated that way before using the HST.

 

[DarloRich]

Are the north bound HST services on Friday 19th the same as usual:

12:27 Plymouth > Edinburgh
15:27 Plymouth > Leeds

Also are any HST out on Sunday. The XC route is closed south of Brum so I assume it will be all Voyagers

 

[43055]

Are the north bound HST services on Friday 19th the same as usual:

12:27 Plymouth > Edinburgh
15:27 Plymouth > Leeds

Also are any HST out on Sunday. The XC route is closed south of Brum so I assume it will be all Voyagers

Should think so for Friday.

Last Sunday it was HST's running north of Brum. Looks like it will be the same diagrams which were:
0811 Leeds - Birmingham
1103 Birmingham - Edinburgh

1608 Edinburgh - Birmingham
2203 Birmingham - Leeds

Means both sets are in Edinburgh for a total of 4 mins.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Should think so for Friday.

Last Sunday it was HST's running north of Brum. Looks like it will be the same diagrams which were:
0811 Leeds - Birmingham
1103 Birmingham - Edinburgh

1608 Edinburgh - Birmingham
2203 Birmingham - Leeds

Means both sets are in Edinburgh for a total of 4 mins.

Plenty of delays due for the return then.

 

[43055]

Plenty of delays due for the return then.

No as the sets swap over with the departure coming from the depot and the arrival then heads to the depot.

 

[DarloRich]

1903 from brum this evening is a 4 car voyager. It is, erm, cozy!

 

[APT618S]

1903 from brum this evening is a 4 car voyager. It is, erm, cozy!

Despite being a 9 car voyager the 1703 was full with perhaps 50-100 standees. Not helped by the Nottingham just before it being terminated at New St.
Fortunately it had emptied out by Sheffield.

Editted for typo 1703 not 1803 !

 

[Spartacus]

Despite being a 9 car voyager the 1703 was full with perhaps 50-100 standees. Not helped by the Nottingham just before it being terminated at New St.
Fortunately it had emptied out by Sheffield.

Editted for typo 1703 not 1803 !

A few Nottinghams cancelled this evening, mostly crew issues.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 May 2023 ==

1903 from brum this evening is a 4 car voyager. It is, erm, cozy!

Guess that’ll explain the overtime at Burton…

 

[Apedlar12]

Hi, would anyone happen to know what the diagrams will be for this coming Saturday (27th)?

Thanks.

 

[Peterthegreat]

Unless they have changed recently
06.13 Leeds to Plymouth via Adwick and Toton
13.27 Plymouth to Edinburgh via Toton and Adwick

06.58 Edinburgh to Plymouth via Adwick and Toton
17.27 Plymouth to Leeds via Toton and Adwick

 

[gabrielhj07]

Hi, does anyone know what the diagrams will be tomorrow, in particular southbound?

 

[43055]

Hi, does anyone know what the diagrams will be tomorrow, in particular southbound?

Still the normal 2 diagrams on weekdays:

1V44 Leeds to Plymouth
1S51 Plymouth to Glasgow

1V50 Edinburgh to Plymouth
1E63 Plymouth to Leeds

Looks good for both to be HST's tomorrow.
43184+43239 are currently on the way to Glasgow
43285+43357 are currently on the way to Leeds

 

[gabrielhj07]

Thank you very much

 

[rick pike]

I've just been browsing RTT for XC services at Sheffield on Bank Holiday Monday 29/5/23 and if its correct there's 3-4 HST diagrams that day.
That can't be right can it?
Or is it just some diagrams are HST but will be 220/221 worked instead?

 

[gabrielhj07]

I've just been browsing RTT for XC services at Sheffield on Bank Holiday Monday 29/5/23 and if its correct there's 3-4 HST diagrams that day.
That can't be right can it?
Or is it just some diagrams are HST but will be 220/221 worked instead?

That may be the timing load you’re looking at, which doesn’t necessary reflect what will actually run.

 

[rick pike]

That may be the timing load you’re looking at, which doesn’t necessary reflect what will actually run.

I did wonder if that was the case.
Is it still just two sets of stock that's currently fit for traffic?
Is there any power cars that are stopped and never to return?

 

[louis97]

I've just been browsing RTT for XC services at Sheffield on Bank Holiday Monday 29/5/23 and if its correct there's 3-4 HST diagrams that day.
That can't be right can it?
Or is it just some diagrams are HST but will be 220/221 worked instead?

Just the two diagrams on Monday 29/05/23.
1V46/1S53 and 1V52/1E67.

 

[Rhydgaled]

Is it still just two sets of stock that's currently fit for traffic?
Is there any power cars that are stopped and never to return?

Good questions; I would also be interested to know the answers.

As far as I know, 5 rakes of mark 3s (35-40 vehicles) were overhauled with power doors for XC. If I recall correctly, there were reports a year or so ago that an additional two power cars (for a total of 12) were being/to-be leased to XC, to allow an increase to 4 diagrams (ie. 4 out of 5 rakes and 8 out of 12 power cars in service) once all 12 had been through a major overhaul. Do XC still have all 5 rakes and 12 power cars to cover their measly two diagrams?

 

[lammergeier]

Good questions; I would also be interested to know the answers.

As far as I know, 5 rakes of mark 3s (35-40 vehicles) were overhauled with power doors for XC. If I recall correctly, there were reports a year or so ago that an additional two power cars (for a total of 12) were being/to-be leased to XC, to allow an increase to 4 diagrams (ie. 4 out of 5 rakes and 8 out of 12 power cars in service) once all 12 had been through a major overhaul. Do XC still have all 5 rakes and 12 power cars to cover their measly two diagrams?

Yes. Were it not for the recent cuts the plan was for four daily diagrams from the May TT change. Don't blame XC, blame the DfT/Treasury.

 

[louis97]

Yes. Were it not for the recent cuts the plan was for four daily diagrams from the May TT change. Don't blame XC, blame the DfT/Treasury.

However 1 of the rakes is currently at Doncaster for overhaul. I'm not even sure given how long it took for XC03 to come back they'd have had enough sets for 4 diagrams from the recent timetable change anyway. 4 diagrams would have required 100% set availability on at least some days of the week, certainly not viable.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 May 2023 ==

I did wonder if that was the case.
Is it still just two sets of stock that's currently fit for traffic?
Is there any power cars that are stopped and never to return?

There are 4 sets which are not at Wabtec, so assume they are available for traffic. However XC04 has not been out for a little while, suspect its next for overhaul (assuming it isn't just stood down). It did drop to 3 sets whilst XC01 and XC03 were both at Doncaster from January until last month. Not sure on the power cars however.

 

[Train Boy]

I note on July weekends there are Newport diversions. I appreciate we're early on at this stage, does anyone have any ideas of the typical diagrams as it were for these diverts?

Cheers as ever.

 

[Halish Railway]

I note on July weekends there are Newport diversions. I appreciate we're early on at this stage, does anyone have any ideas of the typical diagrams as it were for these diverts?

Cheers as ever.

Seeing as the Newport diversion adds an hour on to the journey (two hours for a round trip) as per the current Erewash Valley diversions which continue to see two HST diagrams per day, I'd imagine it'd be the same set up, that being;

1V46 06:XX Leeds to Plymouth, returning as 1S53 13:27 Plymouth to Edinburgh
1V52 06:06 Edinburgh to Plymouth, returning as 1E67 1627 Plymouth to Leeds