Odd/otherwise unheard of workings as a result of incidents

[Blindtraveler]

just wondering about some of the oddest weardest stock allocations youve worked or ridden on after power failures, weather problems, strikes and the like when the regular diagrams are unworkable.

 

[Hydro]

465's between Dover and Ramsgate via Deal when the Shakespeare Tunnels were shut for relaying and modifications for 395 working.

 

[Class172]

3 LM 153s together on a BHM-HFD service as opposed to the normal Class 170/6. I don't have a clue why it was like that or even a 170/5+153.

 

[Southern]

465's between Dover - Faversham via Canterbury (Most workings were a /9 + a regular unit) when the snow was bad a few years ago. It might not seem rare as 465's are no stranger to the line but it certainly was when they ran all day in 8 car formations.

 

[466.networkers]

465/0 or /1 on the Sheerness Line in the snow ... the units are technically not meant to run on the line for some unknown reason.

 

[route:oxford]

just wondering about some of the oddest weardest stock allocations youve worked or ridden on after power failures, weather problems, strikes and the like when the regular diagrams are unworkable.

Shortly after the 158s were introduced, they had to be withdrawn at short notice in Scotland due to units seperating whilst in service.

Absolutely anything and everything was pressed into service in Scotland in order to provide services. The end of siding heritage unit "dregs" were being run with crossed fingers, isolated engines and blown exhausts.

From memory, even an HST was used to deliver a suburban service in Edinburgh.

It also meant that 156s were being pushed to their limits to operate to 158 diagrams/timetables.

 

[Hydro]

465's between Dover - Faversham via Canterbury (Most workings were a /9 + a regular unit) when the snow was bad a few years ago. It might not seem rare as 465's are no stranger to the line but it certainly was when they ran all day in 8 car formations.

The formation is strange, but they used to be regulars in Connex days. Dover used to be the only place locally you could see something other than a slammer.

 

[starrymarkb]

The formation is strange, but they used to be regulars in Connex days. Dover used to be the only place locally you could see something other than a slammer.

didn't see myself but a FGW 158/9 and an SWT 159 working in multiple Westbury to Salisbury via Yeovil due to a blockage at Warminster

 

[philjo]

When the entire GNER MK4 fleet was temporarily withdrawn for checking after the incident involving one of the wheels at Sandy WAGN supplied some 317s to run a service from Kings Cross to Doncaster/Leeds.

 

[hmp455]

Think it was a Wessie farewell tour, but I saw a 442 on either the Teddington Loop or Shepperton Branch Lines (seen at Kingston)

Not sure whether this would count, but 465s ran on the Shepperton line in 1991 (despite not being born)-read this somewhere

 

[150222]

An FTPE class 175 i believe has made it to Hull. Anyone care to confirm this?

 

[driver9000]

An FTPE class 175 i believe has made it to Hull. Anyone care to confirm this?

Unlikely as they have never been passed for the route.

 

[chrisdoward]

Not really an odd stock working, more an odd stopping pattern. Sometime in the early 90's there was a fire somewhere in the Queenstown Road(Battersea) area where the South Eastern lines out of Victoria cross over the lines out of Waterloo. I was waiting for an Orpington serivce to be advertized and when one was it was announced as being non-stop to Sydenham Hill and then Bromley South. Luckily Sydenham Hill was the next station down the line from me so I took the train and walked the extra distance home. I seem to remember that a Ramsgate service went out of platform 19 at Victoria during the disruption as well.

 

[150222]

HST's on the Exmouth/weymouth line?

 

[richw]

3 LM 153s

a common sight in weymouth this summer, or even more 153s together.
Seen on another forum a photo of 5 153s in weymouth on a saturday, consisted of 4 FGW 153, with a LM 153 in the middle
so went fgw, fgw, Lm, Fgw, fgw

 

[driver9000]

There was the famous instance of a single HST power car that ran in passenger service on a Western region branch (Newquay?) following the derailment of its train in the 1990s. The passengers off the derailed train and were carried in the luggage van of the power car.

 

[ValleyLines142]

Although not uncommon, and quite regular, I've been on the formation of an Arriva 142/143 + 150.

I must admit, London Midland's 3-car 170 + 153 together is very strange, but interesting none the less!

The most recent interesting formation was 2U11, the 06:19 Bristol Temple Meads - Cardiff service, formed of a 3-car 158, a 150 and two 153's (seven carriages altogether).

Of course, about five years ago you could see about 10-car formations, a variety of 150's, 153's and 158's together in various positions!!

Also the 20:15 Sunday's only Cardiff - Milford Haven is a double-formed 175, very nice when it passes my house!

AND OF COURSE 153399, the temporary hybrid of 153369 and the 57221 car of 150221. 52221 of 150221 caught fire and 153399 has temporarily been formed.

 

[richw]

There was the famous instance of a single HST power car that ran in passenger service on a Western region branch (Newquay?) following the derailment of its train in the 1990s. The passengers off the derailed train and were carried in the luggage van of the power car.

luxulyan on the newquay par branch,
more info can be found here

 

[Blindtraveler]

that must have been a noisy trip for those
pacs

 

[Class172]

I have seen a video on YouTube of an HST hurtling through Didcot Parkway… missing the rear power car!

 

[ushawk]

Think a 455 may have made its way down to Brighton once i think i recall someone on here posting a few weeks back.

Other than that, all i can think of is a 4-car 171's operating on East Coastway and the 7 and 11 car 377's running on Southern at the moment due to faults.

 

[ChrisCooper]

I have seen a video on YouTube of an HST hurtling through Didcot Parkway… missing the rear power car!

At one time they had some big problems with the HSTs, I think it was to do with the coolers, which lead to quite a few sets running with just one powercar. To allow recovery from both ends in the event of a failure a barrier vehicle was on the rear, as the Mk3 coaches have fixed buckeyes can't couple to most locos which have screw couplings. Other sets were formed with barrier vehicles on both ends and 47 hauled (I think one of the barrier vehicles was fitted with a generator for train supply, which were also used with the single powercar sets to reduce the load on the powercar). Because of the way brakes on HSTs work they were limited to 100mph without the rear powercar. Not sure what they did when arriving at the terminus as they would either have had to turn the powercar or provide another powercar facing the right way. It couldn't be done on the mainline as production powercars lack cabs, lights, horns and yellow ends on the rear to enable reverse running on the mainline, so I presume they had to be dragged to sidings for that.

 

[Class172]

I couldn't find the one I wanted but I managed to find another on a MML HST set:
[youtube]zdG51J2RUjE[/youtube]

 

[12CSVT]

Class 304 units have worked as far as Carlisle on more than one occasion in the 1980s as a result of disruption further south on the WCML

 

[Southern]

Think a 455 may have made its way down to Brighton once i think i recall someone on here posting a few weeks back.

Other than that, all i can think of is a 4-car 171's operating on East Coastway and the 7 and 11 car 377's running on Southern at the moment due to faults.

An 8-car 455 made it to Brighton (last summer, I think) with the 19:36 from Victoria, filling in for faulty 442's. More recently, I believe they even turned up on the Gatwick Express.

 

[Minilad]

158 to Redditch on the Cross City line. Has happened a couple of times on the last service of the day in Central Trains days

 

[ChrisCooper]

I couldn't find the one I wanted but I managed to find another on a MML HST set:
[youtube]zdG51J2RUjE[/youtube]

Must have changed the rules because I'm pretty sure HSTs never used to be able to run with just one powercar without a barrier coach on the back. Maybe the fact there are plenty of buckeye fitted 66s around these days helps. Still be 100mph restricted though, although with one powercar it would struggle for much more than that anything but downhill anyway.

 

[150222]

A 3 car 144 + a 2 car 144 on the 17.00 manchester victoria to leeds.

 

[The Crab]

Would that single HST power car trip be allowed to happen today?

 

[shedman]

In the past I've sent a couple of HSTs out into passenger service with 1 power car to work the 0710 Leeds-Aberdeen (starting at York). They were booked to recieve a rear power car in Waverley Station. Neither time had a barrier on the back. Once had an failed HST with a class 67 and a 91 on top because the 67 had also failed.