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Gatwick Express Class 73 formations

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hexagon789

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Not really.

If there was a need (eg. uneven wheel wear) it would presumably apply to all vehicles in the train. I can’t imagine all the individual carriages being turned then reshuffled into the correct order. Similarly, class 91s were never turned. Even HST’s were only usually turned if first class got into reverse formation or in an emergency when a cab was out of action.
I could understand turning for other reasons but seems unnecessary for wheel wear
 
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Western Sunset

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Similar to the Glasgow - Edinburgh push-pulls; the Cl 47/7 was (almost) invariably at the Edinburgh end of the train. Don't want those diesel fumes under the roof at Queen Street.
 

gimmea50anyday

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I think the idea was to test out an alternative London terminus in case of disruption or engineering work.
But did they ever end up at London Bridge after the launch? I don't recall seeing any pictures.

the only significant diversions I can recall was following the purley crash in 1989. GatEx services were diverted via three bridges and Horsham before heading to London. Given the entire route from Gatwick to Victoria is minimum 4 track any engineering diversions would usually be from fast to slow lines or through redhill rather than bypassing it although service trains ran via redhill routinely.
 

32475

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Just before the services started with the 73 formations, they ran shakedown/training runs from London Bridge-Gatwick, which were open to the public. I caught and photographed one in 1984. I think the idea was to test out an alternative London terminus in case of disruption or engineering work.
But did they ever end up at London Bridge after the launch? I don't recall seeing any pictures.
They also did runs down to Brighton and I distinctly remember one providing a service from Brighton to Eastbourne
 
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