That 395 Charter to Hastings, questions and more questions?

[4-COR 3142]

I've just found yet another article about the Javelin charter that ran between Eastbourne and Hastings on Jan. 30th and I find myself asking a lot of questions about the logistics and the internet grapevine too.

This latest article - on an excellent site for EMU's and historical BR era stuff generally - http://www.bloodandcustard.com/arse001.html explains about what the 395 was doing on the Sussex coast but what it doesn't say - and I haven't seen anywhere else so far - is how it reached Hastings in the first place or indeed how it got back? Routed via Tonbridge both ways presumably?
I've also got to ask when if ever one has run between Eastbourne and Hastings before?
If so when? And if not how does ‘route clearance’ actually work?

Regarding the Internet it’s stated in a couple of places that this was a private charter, so how come on all the places I look on-line – here, SEG website, SEG facebook page etc. – there was no mention of its running in advance?

Looking at the number of individuals who saw and photographed it, it would seem that there were a number of people who knew what was happening somehow - a question of not what you know but who you know maybe?

In this day and age why wasn’t it there even a hint that this service was operating on a website such as this? Or do things like media blackouts actually happen?

 

[JamesRowden]

It was discussed in advance on this site at: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=98725&page=4

 

[Bald Rick]

Via Tonbridge and Battle.

Private charter, in that it was chartered, and private ie invite only.

 

[4-COR 3142]

That'll teach me to look on the infrastructure page as well!

I would've thought that Traction and Rolling stock would be more appropriate but still that's just opinion, or do we need an events/ special workings page?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

It was discussed in advance on this site at: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=98725&page=4

I'm intrigued by the 'it was cleared especially for this I believe' quote in post #53 on that thread.
How is it done? and how come a 458 cannot go south of Haslemere what stops a Juniper but doesn't stop a Desiro?

 

[yorkie]

I would've thought that Traction and Rolling stock would be more appropriate but still that's just opinion, or do we need an events/ special workings page?

The Traction & Rolling Stock section is to discuss the actual stock itself, not railtours or special workings.

If it was a railtour it should have been posted in Railtours, which is where I've moved this thread to. For a thread generally about any other working other than a railtour, it would best belong in Allocations, Diagrams & Timetables

Unfortunately some people prefer to use existing threads rather than create new ones when appropriate, despite several reminders asking people not to do that! That's why you missed it. An example of this is about half a dozen attempts to ask fares related questions in the Landslip between Banbury and Leamington Spa thread, some posted even after reminders

 

[4-COR 3142]

Hi Yorkie,
Fortunately I’ve learned most of what I’ve wanted from this thread already, i.e. there were people who’d posted details about the charter in advance – although not in a location I would personally thought appropriate and not in a new thread either.
I’ve also had confirmation of the route taken.
I’m still interested to know how Route clearance was obtained in this case and to a lesser degree how it works generally. I hope that moving this thread to railtours now will still give someone the ability to enlighten me in the near future.
As a daily visitor to Railforums - where I read almost exclusively 3rd rail related posts – can I say what I personally find useful about say the Class 387 thread in Traction and Rolling Stock is that it covers deliveries and regularly shows the diagrams being worked that day all on the one thread. (Provided you can sift through the ‘Great seat debate’ to find them).
As a user I think this is better than having to constantly jump - as a reader or a poster - from A to B and back again.
To ask about the three aspects of this charter that I was interested in would you have advised three different posts in three locations?
If I don’t receive info on route clearancing where would it be most appropriate to post? Even I can work out it wouldn't belong in Careers or Railtours but after that I could argue a logical reason why it could go in any of the other four!

 

[yorkie]

As a daily visitor to Railforums - where I read almost exclusively 3rd rail related posts – can I say what I personally find useful about say the Class 387 thread in Traction and Rolling Stock is that it covers deliveries ....

Yes, I agree it makes sense for deliveries of new trains to be in the same thread that discusses the trains themselves in that case.

Sometimes there is no clear answer as to what is the best approach. Sometimes it may become apparent later.

...would you have advised three different posts in three locations?...

No; we don't allow duplications like that.

If I don’t receive info on route clearancing where would it be most appropriate to post? Even I can work out it wouldn't belong in Careers or Railtours but after that I could argue a logical reason why it could go in any of the other four!

I'm confident you'll get a reply here, but if not, how about contacting the Southern Electric Group; if there's a branch near you perhaps you could consider attending one of their meetings?

 

[user15681]

Equally, my thought process at the time was that the Ashford-Hastings thread happened to become active again, I had a read of it and it made me think about the move which I'd heard about a few days beforehand. I didn't think a whole new thread was appropriate for just one series of moves and what was essentially just another train visiting an unusual place. It's hard to judge what people will find interesting or not and whether that warrants a new thread. So I just decided to add it to that thread, as I thought it was relevant. I'm always conscious when posting to consider whether it's relevant to the thread or whether it needs a separate one.

Point noted though that it probably wasn't appropriate for the Infrastructure sub-forum, that was my mistake, I thought it was just a general Ashford-Hastings HS thread and can only blame a tiring week.

Oh, and there was no such thing as a media blackout on it at all. It was definitely mentioned in other places beforehand, probably before I'd even posted it.

Not 100% sure about the route clearance on this occasion, sorry.

 

[4-COR 3142]

I'm confident you'll get a reply here, but if not, how about contacting the Southern Electric Group; if there's a branch near you perhaps you could consider attending one of their meetings?

Fortunately I am currently a member of that reputable institution so may well send a letter to 'Live Rail' - the SEG's journal- on the topic.

As for the Sussex Branch meetings I can safely say they are well worth attending, well organised and diverse.

This years topics are here:

http://www.southernelectric.org.uk/activities/sussex-branch.html

There is a branch at Eastleigh too
http://www.southernelectric.org.uk/activities/southhants-branch.html


and we have got a 4-COR receiving some tlc at the East Kent Railway but it could always do with more.
http://www.southernelectric.org.uk/preservation/3142/index.html