Thunderbirds ( Standby Engines )

[lincolnshire]

Looking at the loco the other day at Kings Cross Station, who provides the driver for it if required?, where does he spend his shift then and how often do they test it to see if its ok and ready to roll.
Is there one a Doncaster as well then? as seeing two stood there in same spot for 15 hours its a lot of DB asset doing nothing.

 

[swt_passenger]

...and there's one at Newcastle too.

 

[theblackwatch]

They aren't 'doing nothing' - they are on hire to a TOC and therefore earning money.

 

[FQ]

...and there's one at Newcastle too.

And Edinburgh.

 

[carriageline]

Virgin ones (from AIUI) constantly have a virgin driver on standby incase it's needed


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Suraggu]

They are manned by East Coast Drivers.
EC thunderbirds at Kings Cross, Doncaster, Newcastle & Edinburgh. Driver depots also at those locations and their is always a driver on a spare or thunderbird warming turn.

Also when one is used the others are moved to fill the vacant position. So say if Kings Cross Thunderbird is used to haul a train north, the Doncaster one is moves to London, Newcastle to Doncaster etc.
I have seen in Edinburgh the Thunderbird is used and a 67 from Millerhill sent to replace the Edinburgh Thunderbird.

 

[badassunicorn]

theres one based at Colchester (well last time I was up that way anyway!) which is driven by a GA driver as required.

 

[lincolnshire]

They are manned by East Coast Drivers.
EC thunderbirds at Kings Cross, Doncaster, Newcastle & Edinburgh. Driver depots also at those locations and their is always a driver on a spare or thunderbird warming turn.

Also when one is used the others are moved to fill the vacant position. So say if Kings Cross Thunderbird is used to haul a train north, the Doncaster one is moves to London, Newcastle to Doncaster etc.
I have seen in Edinburgh the Thunderbird is used and a 67 from Millerhill sent to replace the Edinburgh Thunderbird.

Thank you for explaining the above and my question has been answered, a previous reply said they are earning there keep as they are on hire to a TOC I did know that. I wasn,t sure how many was at which locations thats why I did wonder about 2 been at Doncaster. It also answered me question about who drives them.

 

[jopsuk]

Presumably even if they're not used they get regularly changed?

 

[ExRes]

Presumably even if they're not used they get regularly changed?

The locos or the drivers

 

[Photohunter71]

Edinburgh T'Bird usually stabled at Craigentinny yard.

 

[Minilad]

Not strictly a thunderbird engine as such but XC have a spare Voyager and 170 at New St. Ready to be used if required. There isn't a specific turn to cover them but any driver sitting spare (if there is one) would be used to get it ready for service and take it where it was required

 

[dk1]

theres one based at Colchester (well last time I was up that way anyway!) which is driven by a GA driver as required.

Not anymore. The locos & drivers are used on the short hauled set on the Wherry Lines.

 

[matt]

Not anymore. The locos & drivers are used on the short hauled set on the Wherry Lines.

Is the thunderbird not a class 90 now?

 

[noddingdonkey]

Also when one is used the others are moved to fill the vacant position. So say if Kings Cross Thunderbird is used to haul a train north, the Doncaster one is moves to London, Newcastle to Doncaster etc.
I have seen in Edinburgh the Thunderbird is used and a 67 from Millerhill sent to replace the Edinburgh Thunderbird.

Is that a light engine move or do they couple the loco to a suitable train?

 

[dk1]

Is the thunderbird not a class 90 now?

When available one will be at Norwich but not specificly crewed. All previous crew diagrams changed with the Summer timetable.

 

[tsr]

Southern have a Class 73 Thunderbird (73202 - in a new livery, too). It's usually based at Stewarts Lane. Staff are regularly advised of its status - for example, any issues with it being available for immediate departure. It has been known to be regularly sighted en-route to smouldering 442s...

There are also various Class 57/3s which NR can use for Thunderbird duties around the South-East & Central Southern England.