LSL running (and WCR try to run) mainline 'extras' this week on behalf of Avanti West Coast

[woodend01]

I’m guessing a staff dated box will be valid on the LS services? Going to head to London tomorrow to catch one.

 

[mangyiscute]

Is the WCRC running today from Lancaster to London or there is also a service from Chester to Carlisle on RTT

 

[yorkie]

I’m guessing a staff dated box will be valid on the LS services? Going to head to London tomorrow to catch one.

LS services are treated as a standard Avanti service for ticketing purposes.

 

[JonathanH]

Is the WCRC running today from Lancaster to London or there is also a service from Chester to Carlisle on RTT

Chester to Carlisle is the Dalesman day trip.
https://westcoastrailways.co.uk/dalesman/settle-to-carlisle-line

STEAM ON THE SETTLE TO CARLISLE LINE​

Running from 26th May to the 6th October 2022​

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To Carlisle from Chester. Outbound journey via the Settle to Carlisle line, (with steam from Hellifield). The return journey is via the West Coast Mainline, (with steam to Carnforth):​

Running Tuesdays on 7th June, 5th and 26th July, and 20th September 2022. Departing from Chester, Frodsham, Warrington Bank Quay, Leyland and Preston. View Journey​

The WCRC trip to London isn't running.

 

[Rhydgaled]

When do these additional LS services end?

I believe tomorrow is the last day

Are the 'Friday Charter' services that have recently appeared on the inter-city website something different then?

 

[Watershed]

Are the 'Friday Charter' services that have recently appeared on the inter-city website something different then?

They are a completely different concept, although they run along the same route with essentially the same rolling stock. The Friday Charter ran for four weeks before these extras and is currently scheduled to run until the December timetable change.

 

[mangyiscute]

i guess the main difference is that the friday charter requires a separate ticket whereas these current relief trains are ticketing wise avanti services

 

[crosscity]

i guess the main difference is that the friday charter requires a separate ticket whereas these current relief trains are ticketing wise avanti services

The WCRC and LS trains that ran yesterday were run as reliefs and were available to anyone with a valid orange ticket (or digital equivalent). To get the seventies vibe I caught the WCRC train from Lichfield to Nuneaton. At Nuneaton both services were on adjacent platforms, and the LS one (90-powered) overtook the WCRC (86-hauled) as the LS one was timed for 110mph and the WCRC at 100mph. What a hoot!

Here are some photos:

19Sep22. Lichfield Trent Valley. BR Class 86 86401 (Ex E3199). Queens Funeral Relief. [VID_20220919B] by Ray Honke, on Flickr


Mon 19 Sep 2022 at 10:18. Back to the seventies on the West Coast Main Line! Inside a Mk II air-conditioned coach which formed part of [1Z86] the 08:15 Lancaster-London Euston WCR 'Queens Funeral Relief' - a special government funded train to supplement the recently reduced service provided by Avanti. by Ray Honke, on Flickr

19Sep22. Nuneaton. BR Class 90 90002. Queens Funeral Relief. [VID_202209199H]

by Ray Honke, on Flickr

 

[43096]

19Sep22. Nuneaton. BR Class 87 87002. Queens Funeral Relief. [VID_202209199H] by Ray Honke, on Flickr

I think the caption needs changing: that is very clearly 90002 Wolf of Badenoch.

 

[andythebrave]

On the lunchtime today, here at MK.

I have to say it was a most pleasant throwback.

Only just over two minutes longer than a 390 too and a lot more comfortable.

 

[sk688]

what are the timings for any stopping at MKC tomorrow ?

 

[JaJaWa]

what are the timings for any stopping at MKC tomorrow ?

There won’t be any more except the Friday charters now

 

[crosscity]

I think the caption needs changing: that is very clearly 90002 Wolf of Badenoch.

You are not wrong. In my excitement I copied part of the caption from when I first saw the Friday LSL train a couple of weeks back.
I was all of a fluster after my 70's throwback experience yesterday!

 

[6Gman]

Yes, the noise of the brakes is quite noticeable in the coaches. However, at least you don't tend to get much of the brake block smell, as you do on Mk3s!

There was a faint whiff on the LSL set on Saturday.

Certainly brought back memories!

 

[Bletchleyite]

On the lunchtime today, here at MK.

I have to say it was a most pleasant throwback.

Only just over two minutes longer than a 390 too and a lot more comfortable.

I dunno, I've done those in 1st on GA and Pendolino 1st and I would put them about equal.

Clearly nicer than Standard on a Pendo but most proper 2+1 1st would be!

 

[mangyiscute]

This is probably a very controversial opinion but I found that the LSL service was a lot less comfortable than a modern intercity train - perhaps because I never had a chance to go on these before, but the fact that you had to sit at such a large angle to be flush with the backrest meant I had to slouch, whereas modern seats I find ensure you sit up well and if you sit right back in them you get a good amount of lumbar support too.

Plus, I know everyone loves the window alignment but I think having airline style seats are great, I personally prefer them to table seats because I can easily prop my phone up and also I'm less likely to have to sit with a stranger - pendolinos do always feel very cramped and have unnecessarily large areas of window cut off but I way prefer the class 80x to these mark 3 carriages on the LSL service.

Having said that, hearing the noise of the doors shutting made the whole experience worth it.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I am curious as to why the 19.23 Euston - Manchester tonight ( 20th ) is shown as "cancelled" on RTT when it did in fact run - someone I know was on board it as far as Crewe and he even sent me a photograph of 90 002 leading it at Euston moments before departure...

 

[Watershed]

This is probably a very controversial opinion but I found that the LSL service was a lot less comfortable than a modern intercity train - perhaps because I never had a chance to go on these before, but the fact that you had to sit at such a large angle to be flush with the backrest meant I had to slouch, whereas modern seats I find ensure you sit up well and if you sit right back in them you get a good amount of lumbar support too.

Plus, I know everyone loves the window alignment but I think having airline style seats are great, I personally prefer them to table seats because I can easily prop my phone up and also I'm less likely to have to sit with a stranger - pendolinos do always feel very cramped and have unnecessarily large areas of window cut off but I way prefer the class 80x to these mark 3 carriages on the LSL service.

Having said that, hearing the noise of the doors shutting made the whole experience worth it.

Agreed on most fronts. IC70 seats are really nothing to write home about - they are fine if you are short and don't mind slouching, but otherwise they get uncomfortable after a while. This is in stark contrast to 80x seats which, whilst needlessly hard, are highly ergonomic and don't make me ache, even after a long journey.

There is something really nostalgic about the sound of slamming LHCS doors...

I am curious as to why the 19.23 Euston - Manchester tonight ( 20th ) is shown as "cancelled" on RTT when it did in fact run - someone I know was on board it as far as Crewe and he even sent me a photograph of 90 002 leading it at Euston moments before departure...

View attachment 121020

View attachment 121021

This is the Avanti duplicate path for the LSL service. I presume it was only put in so that the service would show up in journey planners (as LSL is not an operator that most journey planners would recognise). As with all the other duplicate paths, it was cancelled because it never ran in its own right.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The LSL train doesn't have IC70 seats (unless the one Standard coach at the end does), it has newer ones found only in the Mk3B First Class coaches which are similar to the APT seats. I think they may be called IC80s? Unfortunately Greater Anglia removed the recliners and fixed in a reclined position, but otherwise they are really rather good.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

This is the Avanti duplicate path for the LSL service. I presume it was only put in so that the service would show up in journey planners (as LSL is not an operator that most journey planners would recognise). As with all the other duplicate paths, it was cancelled because it never ran in its own right.

Interesting... so it ran but still gets shown as cancelled on the system?

 

[Watershed]

Interesting... so it ran but still gets shown as cancelled on the system?

The Avanti duplicate (9Yxx) gets cancelled. The original LSL path (1Zxx) is what runs and that's the identity of the train as far as everyone on the ground (driver, guard, signalled) is concerned.

 

[fgwrich]

The LSL train doesn't have IC70 seats (unless the one Standard coach at the end does), it has newer ones found only in the Mk3B First Class coaches which are similar to the APT seats. I think they may be called IC80s? Unfortunately Greater Anglia removed the recliners and fixed in a reclined position, but otherwise they are really rather good.

They were indeed mostly IC80s, however they were still pretty low down and uncomfortable, and as an added bonus the recliners were even less reliable than the IC70s.

I think there is a small handful of IC70s on the Intercity rake though, as the ex Greater Anglia Mini-RFMs were standard class. I’m not entirely sure if they have kept them the same or reseated them with IC70s or IC80s.

 

[boiledbeans2]

Yes, the noise of the brakes is quite noticeable in the coaches. However, at least you don't tend to get much of the brake block smell, as you do on Mk3s!

Were the loud brake noises on the Mk2s present when new? Or is it just getting old and is out of calibration?

I'm unfamiliar with the brake system on the Mk2s, but on my bicycle, if I feel that the brakes are pulsing and making rubbing or squealing noises, it means it's time to get my Allen keys out - the brake calipers are misaligned.

On the LSL Mk3, yeah, on some of the carriages, there were strong brake block smells. But on other carriages, there was nothing. So I guess it varies between carriages.

But on the WCRC Mk2s, the loud brake noises were quite consistent - most (if not all) carriages were making the brake noises.

 

[JonathanH]

I think there is a small handful of IC70s on the Intercity rake though, as the ex Greater Anglia Mini-RFMs were standard class. I'm not entirely sure if they have kept them the same or reseated them with IC70s or IC80s.

10411 reseated as first class using IC80s. 10416 retains the standard class IC70 seats.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Were the loud brake noises on the Mk2s present when new? Or is it just getting old and is out of calibration?

I'm unfamiliar with the brake system on the Mk2s, but on my bicycle, if I feel that the brakes are pulsing and making rubbing or squealing noises, it means it's time to get my Allen keys out - the brake calipers are misaligned.

On the LSL Mk3, yeah, on some of the carriages, there were strong brake block smells. But on other carriages, there was nothing. So I guess it varies between carriages.

But on the WCRC Mk2s, the loud brake noises were quite consistent - most (if not all) carriages were making the brake noises.

Brake noise is totally normal on tread braked vehicles. All of them do it to some extent.

 

[DarloRich]

I enjoyed travelling on these trains. Spottery behaviour was pretty good although a couple of youth team prospects got a bit over stimulated as kids do! ( good to see so many kids involved mind)

I did find it amazing that yoof you tubers were filming opening and closing doors on a train! kids today!

 

[Steddenm]

I enjoyed travelling on these trains. Spottery behaviour was pretty good although a couple of youth team prospects got a bit over stimulated as kids do! ( good to see so many kids involved mind)

I did find it amazing that yoof you tubers were filming opening and closing doors on a train! kids today!

There was a couple on yesterday's Manchester to Euston morning run who took the InterCity branded antimacasters from the seats on arrival into Euston which i thought was a bit wrong. Especially as they said "we will get money for these on eBay".

 

[357]

There was a couple on yesterday's Manchester to Euston morning run who took the InterCity branded antimacasters from the seats on arrival into Euston which i thought was a bit wrong. Especially as they said "we will get money for these on eBay".

My coach had none on the afternoon Manchester to Euston run! Other coaches had them, but not one in mine and various others missing throughout the train.

 

[L401CJF]

I enjoyed travelling on these trains. Spottery behaviour was pretty good although a couple of youth team prospects got a bit over stimulated as kids do! ( good to see so many kids involved mind)

I did find it amazing that yoof you tubers were filming opening and closing doors on a train! kids today!

To be fair it must be exciting for the younger spotters having to chance to see/ride a real train working an actual service, I feel sorry for them growing up in an era of plastic same old same old with such little variety.

Remember the days when an hour in Crewe resulted in loads of locos ticked off? All sort of bizzare BR allocations, freight locos subbing for passenger workings etc. These days you're lucky if you see much at all in a hour at Crewe let alone anything decent!

 

[DarloRich]

There was a couple on yesterday's Manchester to Euston morning run who took the InterCity branded antimacasters from the seats on arrival into Euston which i thought was a bit wrong. Especially as they said "we will get money for these on eBay".

they want a back hander!

To be fair it must be exciting for the younger spotters having to chance to see/ride a real train working an actual service, I feel sorry for them growing up in an era of plastic same old same old with such little variety.

Remember the days when an hour in Crewe resulted in loads of locos ticked off? All sort of bizzare BR allocations, freight locos subbing for passenger workings etc. These days you're lucky if you see much at all in a hour at Crewe let alone anything decent!

I know - I felt very old after I stopped chuckling and thought about it a bit!