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Haulage for Pathfinder Tours Autumn West Highlander

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cambsy

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I am booked on the Autumn West Highlander on 30th September to 4th October, from Exeter to Fort william etc, last few times, these seem to have been DRS 2x37's, which am hoping is the haulage, if not what else is cleared To Fort william,Mallaig and Oban? thanks
 
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37038

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It'll be DRS 37s as booked. Has to be RA5 for the Oban line unless specially cleared. Keep an eye out for the locos coming off Crewe a week tomorrow heading to Eastleigh for the stock.

Should be formed 2x37-genny-kitchen-6x FO-kitchen-TSO for the run north

Locos have to be fitted with the new version of RETB for north of Craigendoran Jn (of which there are a limited number of 37s) which could result in a swap during the stock servicing break at Carlisle depending on what Crewe chuck out.
Last year was:
37059 37610 Eastleigh - Carlisle
37409 37610 Carlisle - Fort William/Mallaig/Oban - Carlisle
37602 37610 Carlisle - Eastleigh

Hopefully be as good as April!
 

Crossover

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I'm just been tracing the stock through the weekend. It looks to have arrived RT this morning from the depot then stayed there for copious hours. Fort Bill therefore looked to be working on a single platform for a few hours which had a knock on effect on other services (e.g the Cally Sleeper was delayed for 30 mins whilst a platform became available for it, and such like)
 

Tim R-T-C

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The line was blocked outside FW by an engineering train that required an inspector to come up from Scunthorpe! The length of the PF train meant it was unable to get past. Other services including the sleeper could apparently pass but that is what caused their delays.

Sounds like the tour is going to push on, but with morning arrival in Exeter. Hope the seats are comfy.
 

Crossover

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Well, it last reported at Coatbridge Central around 45 mins ago - can't work out if it is stopped or diverted
 

Crossover

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Heading for an afternoon arrival at Exeter then!

EDIT: Interesting, the onward journey from Carlisle has now been cancelled!
 

Tim R-T-C

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Routing has changed in England to speed up but avoid engineering. Presumably on a VSTP now.
 

Crossover

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Presumably though not in the system yet if so. I wonder whether they will miss out some destinations and arrange alternative transport. I can't foresee some signalboxes being open all night either
 

Kite159

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Routing has changed in England to speed up but avoid engineering. Presumably on a VSTP now.

I can see the diversion via Shrewsbury being ditched (with any passengers from Shrewsbury getting put into taxis/a minibus from Crewe), with the service heading straight towards Wolverhampton, probably some of the routing afterwards getting cut so it heads straight towards Cheltenham Spa, then direct towards Exeter, with any passengers from Kidderminster/Worcester getting taxied/mini-bused.

Either that or an extra night on the train at Carlisle or somewhere further south depending on signal boxes being open/someone sat at the control centre desk
 
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Shaw S Hunter

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Either that or an extra night on the train at Carlisle or somewhere further south depending on signal boxes being open/someone sat at the control centre desk

Nothing "extra" about a night on the train, it was a "land cruise" type tour with overnight accommodation in hotels!
 

Tim R-T-C

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Arrived 6.30 am Exeter. 5 or so hours down.

Good time retention through England.
 

MadCommuter

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RTT showing an arrival in to Exeter at 0626 this morning. 5 1/4 hours later than the original arrival time
 

Cowley

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The ecs is sitting in Riverside yard at the moment, does anyone know what time it'll head back north?
 

theblackwatch

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I think a 'well done' is due to DRS for managing to resource and operate this train throughout the night. I do feel sorry for those on board, both the passengers as well as the stewarding team who will have had a lot to deal with.
 

Crossover

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I think a 'well done' is due to DRS for managing to resource and operate this train throughout the night. I do feel sorry for those on board, both the passengers as well as the stewarding team who will have had a lot to deal with.

I was thinking similar - aside from anything else would have been getting the necessary crews as it is quite possible that the crews who should have taken it forward weren't available due to the delays, coupled with the re-routing causing potential signed route problems
 

LeylandLen

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So any compensation due to passengers for late arrival ? It would be interesting to hear from anyone on the tour from Fort William to Exeter as well as something here from DRS/Pathfinders who organised it .
 

LeylandLen

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What/why do you need to hear from them if you weren't on it? We already know the reasons why it was delayed.

ok I Nothing wrong in asking !! Just wondered if passengers were well looked after and kept informed .From a human point of view !! Obviously DRS staff worked hard .

Anyway , so what was the haulage from FW to Exeter? I saw the 2 37s in Scotland and wondered if they changed at Carlisle.I assume so as train had different ID
 

cambsy

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I was on this land cruise, sat in dining in coach A second coach behind the locos, The morning started ok, with timely coach transfer from hotel to Fort William station, stock even came in early, with an on time departure looking good, the time came and went, then we started to hear rumours of problems up the line with an engineers train at Bridge of Orchy, which had paper work problems, it had rails left on board when it shouldn't have done, which had to be secured and signed off safe to run with, which meant inspector coming from Scunthorpe, and with us being too long to get past we had to wait for line to be cleared, passenger trains were ok, there was talk of splitting the train and running through that way, but it wasn't allowed, which meant in the end we left at 14.48, 6hrs 23 mins late or 383 mins late, the managers and stewards worked hard to get things sorted and look after us, we had breakfast and tea and coffee in the platform, they connected us to shore supply,

so we departed for the south, and straight away the DRS drivers meant business, lots of thrash and hard driving, we gained time to Tulloch but lost time due to waiting passenger train train,this carried on down the West Highland line, so no time really gained, we had dinner on the West Highland line, but plenty of thrash, round Glasgow was as booked and time gained and lost, then we came through Rutherglen and turned towards Glasgow Central and went round Larkfield curve, to take GSW route to Carlisle, with mixed running, got stuck behind freight train, there had been power failure at Motherwell signal centre, which heard resulted in 40 trains stuck and not able to go forward, we were lucky as we were diesel hauled and could go down GSW, so we arrived Carlisle about 7 hours late, where we waited for a 2x86 freight liner, and a Pendolino to go through ahead of us, we then left 23.26 for Preston etc, and this driver meant business, we absolutely stormed to Preston, in only 76 minutes, absolutely thrashed it, would say speeds were 90-100 mph mark, we had mixed running running to Crewe as think went slow line for a bit, we had late supper about 11pm, at Crewe we went Shrewsbury line, with more thrash and good running, i fell asleep around Wolverhampton for a bout 30 mins, woke to find we had stopped at Wolverhampton and Birmingham New street around 3am, then went via St Andrews and Kings Heath line, then Lickey bank, stopped at Worcester Shrub Hill, then Cheltenham, it was now into proper overnight running, the driver thrashed it out of Cheltenham and stormed it to Bristol Parkway, we had last tea and coffee about 4am, the dinning crew did a stellar job with very long hours in trying circumstances, with a smile and banter, so kudos to them, we stopped Bristol Temple Meads about 5am, then Weston Super Mare and Taunton, we arrived 06.26 at Exeter, after very long but for me great day, having had chance to have an overnight thrash with 2x37 which is rare these days, I took train to Tiverton Parkway and then taxi home, all the DRS drivers thrashed the 37's, so lots of noise all night, and special mention to 37 601 and 37 612 for not putting foot wrong and not missing a beat and for being hellfire beasts for over 1000 miles, I'm already looking to do next land cruise.

Pathfinder Tours did a great job all weekend, looked after us well, we had great off train options with some great memories, they have got these trips well oiled and know what they are doing, they organised onward transport for passengers on the way back so no one was left stranded, as most stops were vey early morning, with taxis etc.
 

37038

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ok I Nothing wrong in asking !! Just wondered if passengers were well looked after and kept informed .From a human point of view !! Obviously DRS staff worked hard .

Anyway , so what was the haulage from FW to Exeter? I saw the 2 37s in Scotland and wondered if they changed at Carlisle.I assume so as train had different ID

I was on as a steward in Coach X. Everyone well informed and people knew nothing could be done. Buses and taxis arranged for the missed set downs on the way south. Don't know how well informed the premier diners were that weekend though but it seemed everyone was happy enough.

37601 37612 for the full weekend. They were booked to change for 37607 37609 at Carlisle but that went out the window with the late running.

Our trundle via GSW was a kick whilst we were down but it kept us moving at a decent speed instead of being sat at Carstairs for a long time.

Got a couple of required curves in too because of it :roll:
 

LeylandLen

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Thanks for that nice long well informed account , Cambsy with additional info from 37038. Nice to know the 37s earned their corn and didnt let you down from FW.
Obviously the original departure from Carlisle to Exeter was cancelled. (about 1600 ?)The replacement service that you were on was a late addition although diversion via GSW didn't show on RTT So Network Rail did well to fit ina path .

There was chat on social media about the unusual delay to the tour caused by that train. I assume your body clock is back to normal now after that interesting thrash through the night. !
 
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