Is it XC running the service (ie with 220/221s) or are GWR running XC HSTs?
Both traction will be in use.
Is it XC running the service (ie with 220/221s) or are GWR running XC HSTs?
Presumably the Plymouth starter is the HST and the ones that start Bristol are XC sending out Voyager stock until it is needed for their own services or that would otherwise be spare?Both traction will be in use.
From what I can see on the GWR web site, all they are offering is a refund of the ticket price if you don't travel.
Then they just refer you to the usual conditions, which would suggest that if you needed to get somewhere with an advance ticket and your train was cancelled, you need to buy a new one to travel.
I would borrow NORTHERN class 331s which would be the next best thing for those pax travelling between LEEDS/LONDON
Northern crew could act as traction conductors for the LNER crew with the route knowledge (ignoring issues around social distancing, and availability etc.) But as you say, 331s are not cleared in any way south of Doncaster. It's never going to happen.Then you need crew who are passed on the train and the route by their TOC, and no Northern staff will be passed on the ECML south of Doncaster.
No LNER staff will be passed to work 331s either.
I do agree, but tell that to the poor passengers needing to travel on these major Inter-City routes. They have had over 24 hours now to assess the seriousness of this situation. Someone in the DFT needs to get a grip and make a sensible, logical and workable decision and get it implemented as soon as possible.
Given how quickly things seem to be changing, I wouldn't be surprised if nobody actually knows for sure what's happening tomorrow. Surely the best thing to do is to ask passengers to check the website (where information can be updated as required) than to tweet information to passengers they're not certain on?I completely agree DFT should have at least or made a statement on what they plan to do with the regulator stepping in now to help get passengers refunds/compensation when it first became clear this was gonna go on for a lot longer than this weekend. Going by GWRs twitter responses now there going with the standard copied and pasted very vague do not travel check our website response. Leaving us to speculate on what the situation will be come monday/Tuesday.
There is a less than 0.00001% chance any 331s will be South of Doncaster tomorrow.
I think you're forgetting that the DfT effectively controls the former franchises. In this type of crisis it's probably an advantage, as they can just say "do it", and we'll work out any financial adjustments later.I presume the DfT would have had some input with the XC shuttles running tomorrow. I doubt XC would have volunteered their stock and staff without assurances that they would be adequately renumerated.
It might involve some route changes too, such as not running west/north of Edinburgh.I think you're forgetting that the DfT effectively controls the former franchises. In this type of crisis it's probably an advantage, as they can just say "do it", and we'll work out any financial adjustments later.
So you're saying there is a chance then?
5 car 800, they're running through to Didcot to connect with the 387s to PaddingtonI see GWR have been running some Swindon - Bristol shuttles today. What stock have they been using?
I see GWR have been running some Swindon - Bristol shuttles today. What stock have they been using?
I heard Mallard was coming out of retirement on Tuesday’s and Thursdays to do some crowd bustingOkay then. Instead of 'heard' give us a good source for the information. What we've had over the last 24 hours is a load of people looking at a situation over 20 years ago (before most of them were born!) when some EMU's made a few trips to from Leeds to London and then trying to claim that it's happening again tomorrow with all different types of rolling stock.
I'm surprised nobody hasn't relayed the rumour about LNER seeking assistance from Box Tunnel yet...........
Statistically the 5 cars should be as there are fewer coaches to go wrong.are the 5 car and/or 801's units looking less prone to this issue?
Statistically the 5 cars should be as there are fewer coaches to go wrong.
Thanks. That makes sense. I didn't notice they were running through to Didcot as for some reason the services are separated at Swindon, but the platforms and times match up so I have no doubt that in reality they are through trains. Swindon to Didcot is probably the place to focus them as they are currently no real alternatives5 car 800, they're running through to Didcot to connect with the 387s to Paddington
I heard Mallard was coming out of retirement on Tuesday’s and Thursdays to do some crowd busting
It’s notable how LNER is going out of its way to avoid ever using the word ‘Azuma’ in all its communications about this.View attachment 95858
Been to Edinburgh and back with LNER today, had no issues fortunately. Noted this notice about the fleet issues (complete with a couple of Azuma's behind)
No, this is the crux of the issue though. If a manufacturer supplies components which are not up to standard, it can take quite a while for these problems to become manifest.I've only heard of one inside frame bogie vehicle on a 9car being affect and these have the same bodywork geometry in the bolster area as the other intermediate vehicles.
This is a really good point. I know that the following article might be of interest https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/12/business/kobe-steel-japan-trains.amp.html?0p19G=0232Going back to the problems with the 800s:
My understanding was that the variations of the 800 series are part of the Hitachi AT300 family built for a similar purpose and in use in a number of countries.
Obviously there will be differences in the profile of the stock which will need to be amended to suit different loading gauges etc, and stress analysis will have been done for all variations to confirm the strength (and presumably fatigue resistance which will underly this issue) of each body design.
But, there hasn't yet been any mention here as to whether any other users have detected any similar problems, even if not to the extent of prompting action as severe as the suspension of a whole fleet.
Perhaps someone will know if there have been difficulties elsewhere?
Thanks