Last Virgin Hauled services this weekend

[DEAN MURPHY]

Hi everybody.
do we know what is hauling the 18.43 Euston to Crewe tomorrow night yet, and the 'drag' on Saturday from Crewe to Holyhead and return?
I am booked on both!

Any help would be appreciated.
Dean

 

[Philip Elliott]

There is no drag on Saturday - double Voyager instead.

 

[SprinterMan]

There is no drag on Saturday - double Voyager instead.

No, Virgin staff told me Saturday 8th December would be the last ever 57+390 North Wales drag.

Adam

 

[AlterEgo]

No, Virgin staff told me Saturday 8th December would be the last ever 57+390 North Wales drag.

Adam

It was planned to be, but has now been substituted for a Double Voyager.

Philip is correct.

 

[Crossover]

It was planned to be, but has now been substituted for a Double Voyager.

Philip is correct.

Ooooooo that's going to annoy some people :P

 

[Boothby97]

90044 reported for tommorows Prentendolino duty (18:43 Euston to Crewe)
And double voyager in place of Pendolino drag on saturday!
Hope this helps, Sam

 

[SprinterMan]

It was planned to be, but has now been substituted for a Double Voyager.

Philip is correct.

Awww

So that's it then. The drag didn't run last week either, so the final drag was with 57314 on 24th November.

Adam

 

[ATW Alex 101]

Ooooooo that's going to annoy some people :P

It's annoyed me, I was hoping to see it.

Is there a problem with the 57's? Why are they not being used?

 

[SprinterMan]

It's annoyed me, I was hoping to see it.

Is there a problem with the 57's? Why are they not being used?

57 working with 390s are unbelievably unreliable. I have attempted to travel on the 1438 HHD-EUS 5 times, which is the southbound drag working, and on only 2 occasions has a 390+57 formation turned up.

Adam

 

[ATW Alex 101]

57 working with 390s are unbelievably unreliable. I have attempted to travel on the 1438 HHD-EUS 5 times, which is the southbound drag working, and on only 2 occasions has a 390+57 formation turned up.

Adam

Well the few times I traveled it, the first time we had to de-train and get on another Pendo, second time the same third time a Voyager turned up.

Is it something to do with the computers?

 

[SprinterMan]

Well the few times I traveled it, the first time we had to de-train and get on another Pendo, second time the same third time a Voyager turned up.

Is it something to do with the computers?

Yeah, Pendolinos were not built to be dragged, and so their on-board computers hate it and tend to apply the emergency brake. Also the ETS on 57/3s is rubbish and breaks quite often.

Adam

 

[crewmeal]

So the only loco hauled train left will be the sleepers. Unless when things go drastically wrong , then they'll drag the pretendilino out.

 

[Jordy]

East Anglia 90s? Chiltern 67s? Fife Circle 67s? WAG? etc :P

 

[ainsworth74]

So the only loco hauled train left will be the sleepers.

On the WCML maybe but there's still a fair bit elsewhere.

 

[bb21]

90044 reported for tommorows Prentendolino duty (18:43 Euston to Crewe)
And double voyager in place of Pendolino drag on saturday!
Hope this helps, Sam

:roll:

Again?! Twice I have done this train and 90044 was on duty on both occasions. Now for a third time tomorrow.

 

[fgwrich]

Can actually be a variety of reasons, ranging from the ETS on the 57s to the ETS on the Pendos / Pendos not accepting it, to coupling issues, to the air brake systems on the Pendos - Pendo's are alot less tolerant to any moisture in the system, whereas a 57 is.

 

[SprinterMan]

Was anyone on the "final drag" today? Can they confirm that it was a double Voyager?
Adam

 

[Crossover]

Was anyone on the "final drag" today? Can they confirm that it was a double Voyager?
Adam

So instead of being the "final drag", it was the "non-final clag"

I'll get me coat :P

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

No, Virgin staff told me Saturday 8th December would be the last ever 57+390 North Wales drag.
Adam

Until the next time...
Somehow I think they'll be back to allow Voyagers to serve Blackpool and Shrewsbury.

 

[fgwrich]

Was anyone on the "final drag" today? Can they confirm that it was a double Voyager?
Adam

Twas a Double Voyager as changed / booked. Much to Chris Greens bemusement as it seems he also thought it was due to be the final drag yesterday too.

 

[SprinterMan]

Until the next time...
Somehow I think they'll be back to allow Voyagers to serve Blackpool and Shrewsbury.

That will be with 68s and baby pendos though, this was the last "real" drag :P

Twas a Double Voyager as changed / booked. Much to Chris Greens bemusement as it seems he also thought it was due to be the final drag yesterday too.

Do you mean Chris Green as in this Chris Green:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Green_(railway_manager)

If so, do you know him? He is kinda an idol of mine :P much more so than people like Branson, who quite a few people I know idolise.

If anyone is interested, 221118 and 221106 worked the "Drag" yesterday.

Adam

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

That will be with 68s and baby pendos though, this was the last "real" drag :P
Adam

If the DfT wants services to Blackpool and Shrewsbury this time next year, existing stock will have to found somehow by jiggling round the 221 and 390 fleets.
57+390 remains one of the options, either on the new routes or to free up Voyagers where it works better (locos still being welcome at HHD).
I can't think of another solution deliverable in 12 months.
68+baby-P is still in fantasy land until a long franchise is let.

 

[SprinterMan]

If the DfT wants services to Blackpool and Shrewsbury this time next year, existing stock will have to found somehow by jiggling round the 221 and 390 fleets.
57+390 remains one of the options, either on the new routes or to free up Voyagers where it works better (locos still being welcome at HHD).
I can't think of another solution deliverable in 12 months.
68+baby-P is still in fantasy land until a long franchise is let.

Wow, I didn't know they were happening next year! I thought they were starting in 2016. In that case we may have drags again in a little while

EDIT: Just found this....

http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2012/12/07/shropshire-joy-at-new-direct-rail-link-to-london/

Shropshire joy at new direct rail link to London
Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said yesterday that new services could be running between Shrewsbury and London from next December.

The news has been greeted with joy by the Shropshire MPs and business leaders who say tourism in the county will see a big benefit.

Virgin Trains said: “Our aim is making this happen in time for December 2013.”

I hope this happens but I will believe it when I see it.

Adam

 

[tonytat]

i have a ques if there going to use pendo and a drag loco there going to have too leave some drag locos permenatly in blackpool i live right next too blackpool north and there is no way to get the loco that has pulled it into blackpool out and round to the other end so how would they manage that sort of situation all blackpool gets is tpe 185 and the various northern dmus

 

[SprinterMan]

i have a ques if there going to use pendo and a drag loco there going to have too leave some drag locos permenatly in blackpool i live right next too blackpool north and there is no way to get the loco that has pulled it into blackpool out and round to the other end so how would they manage that sort of situation all blackpool gets is tpe 185 and the various northern dmus

If the BPN service does indeed start next year, I am sure it will be 221 operated.

Adam

 

[tonytat]

That is my thoughts be bit of hard work with drags but they should be staring on the upgrade I would love it if the 57s were to Come in to blackpool
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I still remember when they had class 43 doing the service from here