Can anyone help me with this one?
To what degree do units run with 'incorrect' formations these days? i.e. with other than their designated vehicles.
In the 'good old days' first generation DMUs ran in all manner of weird and wonderful combinations, not just within Classes, but often with sets of mismatched vehicles e.g. Chester would turn out a MC power car with a Park Royal trailer etc. In other cases unit formations seemed inviolable - for example I never saw a North London set (Class 501) in anything other than its prescribed order.
The impression I get is that units now stick pretty well to their formations (presumably because of the computer software issues of swopping vehicles around?), but I do remember seeing a misformed 175 a couple of years ago.
So do vehicles ever swap among units of other Classes?
To what degree do units run with 'incorrect' formations these days? i.e. with other than their designated vehicles.
In the 'good old days' first generation DMUs ran in all manner of weird and wonderful combinations, not just within Classes, but often with sets of mismatched vehicles e.g. Chester would turn out a MC power car with a Park Royal trailer etc. In other cases unit formations seemed inviolable - for example I never saw a North London set (Class 501) in anything other than its prescribed order.
The impression I get is that units now stick pretty well to their formations (presumably because of the computer software issues of swopping vehicles around?), but I do remember seeing a misformed 175 a couple of years ago.
So do vehicles ever swap among units of other Classes?