Destination Swapping at Crewe Station 23/2/24

[david l]

Happens quite often, particularly at Preston where the crews change-over. Other things happen as well, recent examples involve cancelling a Blackpool-Euston (not unusual in itself), and the train sent to Glasgow (starting at Preston with the Euston-Preston bit cancelled), whilst on another day a Glasgow-Euston direct (running 60 late), terminated at Preston and sent to Euston via Birmingham in the path of the next one (Glasgow-Preston bit of that cancelled).

 

[Metrolink]

Looking at RTT that actually seems quite clever in terms of the unit swap. The execution of it at Crewe doesn’t sound like it went quite as slick for the passengers, however.

From what I can work out using RTT, 390016 coming down from Glasgow got delayed on the way down (no idea whether this was down to the unit, congestion or whatever) and as you say swapped for an 11 car that was going to Manchester at Crewe.

016 then went up to Piccadilly, arriving 20 mins late at 1305. What seems to be the return working, 1A42 to Euston, was then cancelled due to a problem with the train (M8). I imagine it then went to Longsight.

138, the 11 car returned south on its new working, arriving Euston over 30 mins late, but then worked the 1416 to Edinburgh.

So, presumably, something was wrong with 016, and this is how Avanti managed to get it to a depot, with only one casualty 1A42 which they may have deemed the less busiest of potential trains to cancel

Yeah, I agree it seemed clever to do it after seeing 1A42 was cancelled, and that the execution was far from slick. It did seem that regardless of whether 1A42 would be busy, the next Manchester service would've been inevitably involved in the swap and lead to a cancellation from Manchester, of which those services were already very busy.

I don't think these kind of swaps are bad, but lack of communication and coherency doesn't factor in nicely. The transfer of a couple hundred on each train between platform 6 and 11 isn't ideal, especially when XX10 is one of the busiest times of the hour at Crewe in terms of arrivals and departures, but I also understand that couldn't be helped at that moment.

 

[43096]

Used to happen at Plymouth and Edinburgh to name two examples, though Plymouth less so in past 10 years or so. Pretty sure it was happening in Edinburgh well into the 21st century. Probably other locations as well?

It was only likely to happen at those locations with an HST maintenance depot close by. So Plymouth and Edinburgh are obvious ones. Bristol was normally a set swap if they needed to change a demic, with set to SPM.

Having said that, there was once a power car swap done at Blackburn on a railtour. Fault with a power car, so Neville Hill sent a pair over back-to-back to swap one out.

 

[QueensCurve]

A year ago I was on a TfW train when we got swapped at Shrewsbury. We were on a full 2 car train when we were asked to move to a 4 car train. Good idea but the 4 car train had one car locked out of use and from Shrewsbury to Birmingham more and more people got on.

I have experienced that. When I asked the set that had come from Brum International was not equiped with ETCS so it had to be swapped with the one that had come from Pwllleli.

 

[Deafdoggie]

I remember once London Midland (as then was) cancelled a Birmingham to Liverpool at Crewe, with the unit then forming a Crewe-Euston just 2 minutes later. It appeared to be very last minute and even the crew off the Birmingham knew nothing other than the train was terminating at Crewe! Someone asked the guard if it was the London train, and he replied (jokingly) "the only thing I know, is that it's definitely not going to Liverpool!"

 

[DavidGrain]

One thing I am getting out of this is, What happens to the crews? Do they end up in another part of the country and have to be sent home as passengers? I can remember at Birmingham New Street being told that our XC train would be departing late because our driver was driving a late-running inbound train. A similar event also happened to me at Malmo in Sweden.

 

[185143]

One thing I am getting out of this is, What happens to the crews? Do they end up in another part of the country and have to be sent home as passengers? I can remember at Birmingham New Street being told that our XC train would be departing late because our driver was driving a late-running inbound train. A similar event also happened to me at Malmo in Sweden.

The traincrew would almost certainly swap over as well.

 

[Peter0124]

I've been detrained at Warrington BQ on a southbound 1M15 Glasgow-Euston, because a northbound 9S80 Euston-Edinburgh that arrived 20 minutes later had a crack in the window.

But instead of swapping us onto that train, we were told to board a 9M86 Edinburgh-Euston via Birmingham on the adjacent platform.

Our original train then went up north as the Edinburgh service and the train with the window crack formed 1M15 with a ~45 minute late start and probably empty as we weren't told to board that train.

Meanwhile we were standing in a doorway on 9M86 as far as Crewe, were the Guard told people for Euston to get off and board a Liverpool-Euston to overtake this train. We got off at Crewe with 150 or so passengers, but when we noticed there was a free table seat on 9M86 we got back on and just sat there, worth doing the detour via Birmingham to avoid a potential standing room only 9 car Liverpool-Euston.

As we had taken the 9M86 via Birmingham service and arrived into Euston around 100 minutes later than planned, we were denied the 60-119 minute delay repay (probably because of the guard announcement for ppl to get off at Crewe, as the Liv-Euston arrived 50 minutes later than 1M15's scheduled arrival)

 

[Cambrian359]

A year ago I was on a TfW train when we got swapped at Shrewsbury. We were on a full 2 car train when we were asked to move to a 4 car train. Good idea but the 4 car train had one car locked out of use and from Shrewsbury to Birmingham more and more people got on.

A regular occurrence at Shrewsbury I believe, had it happen a few times to myself. Presumably for maintenance purposes at Mach 158 depot, or if something other than a 158 has been used/needs to be used to Birmingham.

 

[317 forever]

When heading home to Stockport from Newport in March 2022 we were told just before reaching Crewe that our train was being diverted to Chester and that we would need to change onto another train at the adjacent platform. I forget whether it was already there or came soon afterwards but there was no long wait or anything.

 

[Sid Edwards]

A year ago I was on a TfW train when we got swapped at Shrewsbury. We were on a full 2 car train when we were asked to move to a 4 car train. Good idea but the 4 car train had one car locked out of use and from Shrewsbury to Birmingham more and more people got on.

Swapping of sets with TfW at Shrewsbury happens quite frequently with Holyhead to Birmingham International workings as many of them return as Birmingham International to Aberystwyth/Pwllheli workings.

The units have to get swapped between down and up trains at Shrewsbury which is fortunate as every two hours for much of the day the workings cross in Shrewsbury station.

The swaps take place if the train originating at International is formed of one 158 and one 150/2 or one or two 153s.

The swaps are necessary as apart from class 97s only 158s are fitted with the necessary in cab equipment to operate between Sutton Bridge Junction, just outside Shrewsbury, and Aberystwyth/Pwllheli until presumably the tail end of the 197 delivery programme happens when some of these units are expected to displace the 158s many of which are based at Machynlleth depot.

 

[childwallblues]

Many years ago I boarded a train for Glasgow ttravelling first class at Warrington Bank Quay and was served breakfast within five minutes. On arrival at Preston we were informed that thw train would not be proceeding any further due to windscreen wiper failure but we were asked to remain in our seats. Five minutes later we were asked to leave the train and cross to the adjacent Platform 4. This train had arrived from the north and its passengers also had to swap trains. On leaving Preston the attendant came round and served everyone another breakfast. We said nothing.

 

[43055]

Following on the discussion of set swap's I found this interesting one at Derby this morning on 1V44 (0611 Leeds - Plymouth).

The service was formed of a double voyager but only half of the service actually swapped sets. With 220017 leading 220032 into Derby but then became the rear set with 220029 going forwards.

1V44:

Realtime Trains | 1V44 0611 Leeds to Plymouth | 04/04/2024

Real-time train running information for 1V44 0611 departure from Leeds to Plymouth on 04/04/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Empty stock moves from/to Central Rivers:

Realtime Trains | 5V44 0645 Barton Under Needwood Rsmd to Derby | 04/04/2024

Real-time train running information for 5V44 0645 departure from Barton Under Needwood Rsmd to Derby on 04/04/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 5Z44 0750 Derby to Barton Under Needwood Rsmd | 04/04/2024

Real-time train running information for 5Z44 0750 departure from Derby to Barton Under Needwood Rsmd on 04/04/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[voyagerdude220]

Following on the discussion of set swap's I found this interesting one at Derby this morning on 1V44 (0611 Leeds - Plymouth).

The service was formed of a double voyager but only half of the service actually swapped sets. With 220017 leading 220029 into Derby but then became the rear set with 220029 going forwards.

1V44:

Realtime Trains | 1V44 0611 Leeds to Plymouth | 04/04/2024

Real-time train running information for 1V44 0611 departure from Leeds to Plymouth on 04/04/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Empty stock moves from/to Central Rivers:

Realtime Trains | 5V44 0645 Barton Under Needwood Rsmd to Derby | 04/04/2024

Real-time train running information for 5V44 0645 departure from Barton Under Needwood Rsmd to Derby on 04/04/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 5Z44 0750 Derby to Barton Under Needwood Rsmd | 04/04/2024

Real-time train running information for 5Z44 0750 departure from Derby to Barton Under Needwood Rsmd on 04/04/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

I'm curious as to whether the platform at Derby can accommodate all 12 carriages worth of Voyagers at the same time, or would they have to shunt sets along the platform?

 

[Purple Train]

Quite impressed that they managed it with just seven minutes of delay as well!

 

[43055]

I'm curious as to whether the platform at Derby can accommodate all 12 carriages worth of Voyagers at the same time, or would they have to shunt sets along the platform?

Belive most platforms at Derby can hold 12 coaches. Have seen a 7 and 5 car 222 together on the old platform 6 once before.