Extra ECS workings London-Worcester Thursday 17 June?

[ABB125]

A couple of class 3 STP workings between London and Worcester have appeared for Thursday 17 June (and also Monday 21). They appear to be planned to be IETs, operated by GWR. The only stop is Oxford. Here's one of them: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:X00310/2021-06-17/detailed
Does anyone know what the purpose of these is? Thanks

 

[TM Hopeful]

They are hitachi test trains, and have lots of monitoring equipment onboard to see the effects on the IET sets of the various stretches of track that they’re running over this week. They’re also doing jaunts to Penzance and Swansea I believe, and possibly other routes in addition to the Worcesters that you mention.

 

[ABB125]

They are hitachi test trains, and have lots of monitoring equipment onboard to see the effects on the IET sets of the various stretches of track that they’re running over this week. They’re also doing jaunts to Penzance and Swansea I believe, and possibly other routes in addition to the Worcesters that you mention.

Thanks.

 

[Horizon22]

Thanks.

Yep they're running a few services each day and travelling across all of the GWR IET network eventually. Not sure if LNER are planning similar.

 

[HST274]

In the end the 3Z22 from London was cancelled and the return (3Z23) as well, apparently due to a delay not investigated.

 

[Horizon22]

In the end the 3Z22 from London was cancelled and the return (3Z23) as well, apparently due to a delay not investigated.

Ran back to North Pole depot by the look of it.

 

[Peter C]

Does anyone know if these 3Z2x workings are running today (21.6.2021)? 3Z20 doesn't seem to have left Paddington. https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:F02005/2021-06-21/detailed

-Peter

EDIT: Just noticed it's been cancelled.

 

[Horizon22]

They generally are planned to run every day but if a passenger service is at risk of being cancelled accordingly, then that 80x set will be swapped in.

 

[Peter C]

They generally are planned to run every day but if a passenger service is at risk of being cancelled accordingly, then that 80x set will be swapped in.

Ah OK - I hadn't thought about that, and there had been delays on the Cotswold Line this morning so that explains it.

Thanks!

-Peter