• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Marston Vale - what's gone on here?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Bletchleyite

Veteran Member
Joined
20 Oct 2014
Messages
97,520
Location
"Marston Vale mafia"
This morning the 0811 Bedford-Bletchley terminated short at Kempston Hardwick due to a staffing issue (according to Realtime Trains). All subsequent services have been cancelled (other than the buses) and no ECS is visible so I guess it's still there.

Any idea what's happened in reality? Seems an odd one - perhaps a level crossing issue or unit failure misreported? Or a SPAD?
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

MotCO

Established Member
Joined
25 Aug 2014
Messages
4,084
This morning the 0811 Bedford-Bletchley terminated short at Kempston Hardwick due to a staffing issue (according to Realtime Trains). All subsequent services have been cancelled (other than the buses) and no ECS is visible so I guess it's still there.

Any idea what's happened in reality? Seems an odd one - perhaps a level crossing issue or unit failure misreported? Or a SPAD?

Maybe the train crew was taken ill? Realtimetrains quotes "This service was cancelled between Kempston Hardwick and Bedford due to an issue with the train crew (TG)."
 

MotCO

Established Member
Joined
25 Aug 2014
Messages
4,084
Left at 10+52 as 5S01 for Bletchley ...
... as empty coaching stock.

Is it strange to have the same identity as an ECS at 7.50 this morning from Bletchley TMD to Bletchley? Presumably it is the same unit, so do many units have the same identity for two different journeys on the same day?
 

PHILIPE

Veteran Member
Joined
14 Nov 2011
Messages
13,472
Location
Caerphilly
... as empty coaching stock.

Is it strange to have the same identity as an ECS at 7.50 this morning from Bletchley TMD to Bletchley? Presumably it is the same unit, so do many units have the same identity for two different journeys on the same day?

The parent train which terminated was (2S)01 and approx 3 hours apart so avoiding any conflict of IDs
 

eMeS

Member
Joined
12 Jun 2011
Messages
954
Location
Milton Keynes, UK
Yesterday evening's BBC "Look East" did a short piece about driver shortages on this line, and also between Bletchley & London.
 

Horizon22

Established Member
Associate Staff
Jobs & Careers
Joined
8 Sep 2019
Messages
7,443
Location
London
There was indeed a SPAD (signal passed at danger) which is still under investigation it appears. Reports of low adhesion.
 

ComUtoR

Established Member
Joined
13 Dec 2013
Messages
9,397
Location
UK
... as empty coaching stock.

Is it strange to have the same identity as an ECS at 7.50 this morning from Bletchley TMD to Bletchley? Presumably it is the same unit, so do many units have the same identity for two different journeys on the same day?

It's very typical for a service to be cancelled and then simply swap the 2 to 5 and then run it ECS. The same thing happens when we run ECS from the depot directly into passenger service. The 5 just swaps out to a 2/1 etc.
 

MotCO

Established Member
Joined
25 Aug 2014
Messages
4,084
It's very typical for a service to be cancelled and then simply swap the 2 to 5 and then run it ECS. The same thing happens when we run ECS from the depot directly into passenger service. The 5 just swaps out to a 2/1 etc.

Yes, but the unit had already run as 5S01 earlier in the day at 7.50, then again at 10.55, also as 5S01. Is this common, or would it normally be changed to say, 5S02?
 

ComUtoR

Established Member
Joined
13 Dec 2013
Messages
9,397
Location
UK
Unless there a change to go as a Zulu or a potential identical headcode at the same time. It's simple to swap out the first digit. Especially if the unit is still on it's booked route.

At my TOC this happens pretty regularly.

I'd agree a potentially unique situation where same unit was ECS, service, then ESC but as the S01 had run earlier then the likelyhood of a repeated headcode is minimal

I've always thought that swapping out the first digit was logical and the easiest solution.

No doubt a signaller will come along in a minute and explain it all better.
 

JN114

Established Member
Joined
28 Jun 2005
Messages
3,346
Yes, but the unit had already run as 5S01 earlier in the day at 7.50, then again at 10.55, also as 5S01. Is this common, or would it normally be changed to say, 5S02?

It is common.
 

Horizon22

Established Member
Associate Staff
Jobs & Careers
Joined
8 Sep 2019
Messages
7,443
Location
London
Unless there a change to go as a Zulu or a potential identical headcode at the same time. It's simple to swap out the first digit. Especially if the unit is still on it's booked route.

At my TOC this happens pretty regularly.

I'd agree a potentially unique situation where same unit was ECS, service, then ESC but as the S01 had run earlier then the likelyhood of a repeated headcode is minimal

I've always thought that swapping out the first digit was logical and the easiest solution.

No doubt a signaller will come along in a minute and explain it all better.

Normally I find it goes as you say; a 5A00 would be 5Z00 if needed, but that is normally reserved for particularly unique moves to prevent confusion.
 

sd0733

Established Member
Joined
7 Nov 2012
Messages
3,544
Yes, but the unit had already run as 5S01 earlier in the day at 7.50, then again at 10.55, also as 5S01. Is this common, or would it normally be changed to say, 5S02?
Had it on a unit I worked the other day, came off the yard as 5xxx, ran in service as 2xxx, had a fault at the 1st stop 15 mins later and ran back to the yard as the same 5xxx it began with.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top