As the title says. Apart from Heathrow Express and Connect services, has any railtour been down to the airport?
The need for ATP will soon be replaced with ERTMs - so in the medium term it will be technically possible if you use the Cambrian 37s
Well, in principle a tour could run with stock that meets these requirements (e.g. class 332s!). Maybe there could be a 332 farewell tour in a couple of years' time...Can't see it happening either, busy line, need for ATP, tunnel emergency evacuation issues, etc.
That is true, as you can imagine I had a take of knackered Mark 1s in mind!Well, in principle a tour could run with stock that meets these requirements (e.g. class 332s!). Maybe there could be a 332 farewell tour in a couple of years' time...
More than once, @bluegoblin7 ... the picture below... I took before the Terminal 5 loop was opened to the public; the two original 1938 Stock farewell tours, a week apart from each other, ran round the loop and paused for a pathing and photo stop at the Terminal 5 station.
Your picture, I think, is one of the more recent tours as it's not a full 7 car rake?
View attachment 58987
Not disbelieving you but... why? Ordinary passenger trains run on the line every few minutes. A tour would just be another passenger train. It's not like it would run on 'non-passenger' route.Speaking as someone who worked at the airport for nearly 20 years, I suspect the Aviation Security Acts and general security considerations would make any such railtour a non starter!
Not disbelieving you but... why? Ordinary passenger trains run on the line every few minutes. A tour would just be another passenger train. It's not like it would run on 'non-passenger' route.
I don't know why that would affect general security, though.Maybe because such a tour wouldn't have 'ordinary passengers'
Presumably such a tour would want to visit Terminals 4 and 5, in which case you are looking at the middle of the night for paths. That would cost a bit to organise, and who would pay all that when you can go to both for free from T2/3.
Anyone else notice the train reporting number?
Your pic is, of course, Heathrow Terminal 4 rather than T5, but the point stands.
Not disbelieving you but... why? Ordinary passenger trains run on the line every few minutes. A tour would just be another passenger train. It's not like it would run on 'non-passenger' route.
(Boeing) 747Anyone else notice the train reporting number?
(Or whatever it is, before someone dives in with chapter and verse. No need!)
Silly question but does the NR test train have ATP or is it run as if in an engineering possession?If you are lucky enough to work on the NR Test Train you could get your own 37 thrash down there
Can't see it happening either, busy line, need for ATP, tunnel emergency evacuation issues, etc.
AwesomeThere is now ..see the LT Acton Museum site
OR this thread post 96
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/1938-stock-future-running.146785/page-4
Not sure that it would be in the long term health interests of the tour participants or anyone using the stations for a long time afterwards to take 37s down the Heathrow tunnels.
This is expected to happen again, on Sunday 19th May 2019.