The 1404 path was generally used in July and August for 180 testing and training runs, running the booked 0918 path and returning at 1404, I did speculate at the time that since it was a validated path, GC would seek to use it as the basis for a "fifth" path.
I don't know why they are running these additional services for sure, but I suspect that they might be a sort of prooving run for a fifth path? The times for the new up service shock me slightly, being only 40 minutes ahead of the existing 1A61. I would have thought that commercially a path closer to 0745 allowing a London arrival approx 1120 would have made more sense, but I have no idea if a path would exist for such a departure from Sunderland.
I am also shocked that they have approval from the ORR to run these services, usually an operator can run additional services for a special event, but there is nothing particularly exciting happening that day, and surely if they are running 5 York-London returns this will increase the ammount of revenue they will take from EC, and I would have thought that these paths would need to have gained regulatory approval prior to running.
It's great to see GC expanding further if I am indeed correct in my theory about a prooving run for a 5th path M-F and I suspect a 4th path on a Sunday.
I was on 1A60 on Sunday morning, and I was shocked to see nearly 90 people boarding at Sunderland alone!
