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Your experiences of unbelievable rolling stock diagram allocations (past and present)

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4REP

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An 8 car 321/9 leeds to KX in 1998 when 225s were grounded for wheel checks.
A few years later a 6 car 159 on waterloo to Weymouth express
 
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30907

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Believe that slam door EMUs with no toilets also did that run back in the 1960s on summer Saturdays.
Mostly on excursions from South London stations not regular trains (though of course SR semi-fasts were 50% non-lavatory through till the VEPs came.
There was a booked Waterloo-Portsmouth 12-SUB fast on summer Saturdays though.
 

PHILIPE

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In the early FGW days the Bristol TM to Weston-Super-Mare stoppers were normally operated by 143 or 150s, but there was a short period where they ran some mk2s top-and-tailed by Class 67s. After my first journey on this set, I set in some feedback saying how lovely it was to travel on a comfortable, quiet and spacious service when the usual provision was none of these. FGW's response was to appologise and assure me that it was only a short term measure (while work was being done?) and promised things would be back to normal as soon as possible. Unfortunately this was a promise they kept.

Yes, they ran through from Cardiff to Taunton and prior to the 67s, 57s worked them.
 

PHILIPE

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In the first 2 years from the start of ATWs term between 2003 and 2005 ATW "encroached" on to other TOCs "territory" and operated to Waterloo and Penzance. There was a 0640 Carmarthen to Penzance booked for a 158 but due to a failure a 143 worked it on one occasion. It must have been on the last drop of fuel by the time it got back to Cardiff. In December 2005, the SRA took all these cross-border services away, moving them to more fitting TOCs
 

Kieran1990

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Northern’ use of Class 180 on morning peak into Leeds.
Previous Northern franchise leasing 180’s in the North West on the Blackpool/Preston-Victoria/ Hazel Grove must have been a nice upgrade from 150’s & 142’s
 

GLC

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Did 2 and 4 car 158s not used to run on the E-G on a half hourly frequency? Compared with 8-car 385s every 15 minutes now.

I know it has been a very recent change, but it idea of any diesel unit on E-G seems like a lifetime ago!
 
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Until December 800s ran some Reading - Newbury stoppers, calling all stations (think some still run (virus aside), but continue to Paddington, so less surprising).

A few years ago 150001 and 150002 ran the Reading to Basingstoke stoppers. The route they served was suited to them, but it was surprising because they were the only ones within about 30 miles, and all other similar routes out of Reading were turbos. I assume it must have been because of a shortage of turbos
 

PHILIPE

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Until December 800s ran some Reading - Newbury stoppers, calling all stations (think some still run (virus aside), but continue to Paddington, so less surprising).

A few years ago 150001 and 150002 ran the Reading to Basingstoke stoppers. The route they served was suited to them, but it was surprising because they were the only ones within about 30 miles, and all other similar routes out of Reading were turbos. I assume it must have been because of a shortage of turbos

After FGW (at the time) acquired them, it was the most convenient route to deploy them
 

Taunton

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I know it has been a very recent change, but it idea of any diesel unit on E-G seems like a lifetime ago!
One of the most annoying events, and indeed it was just a few years ago, just having missed the previous service, was waiting at Queen Street for the 1830 to Edinburgh, first train after the peak it turned out on which off-peak tickets were valid. Rolled in as a 6-car 170, whereupon we all waited while three cars were detached and sent off to Cowlairs sidings for the night, the remaining shortened formation setting off with more standing than seated.

But the biscuit for this practice was at London Bridge one morning, around 0830. A 10-car diesel arrived from Uckfield, and formed the next departure to East Croydon and beyond, but first 8 of the 10 cars were detached and sent off empty to Selhurst depots, while the service departed behind it with just 2 cars. People couldn't even get in before departure.

It does seem that nowadays diesel services are more prone to this sort of thing than electric. 2-car sets from Paddington to Slough have fortunately finally gone, but the issue remains out of Marylebone, where crushed 2 or 3 car sets on major workings, including to Birmingham (referred to above) remains an issue.
 

virgintrain1

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Virgin CrossCountry hiring Deltics must have surprised a few.

 

Class455

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Didnt a 455 once operate to Brighton? That would not be a good journey! :lol:


Also the LNWR Euston to Liverpool via Northampton and Birmingham can sometimes be a 350/2. Anyone who actually decides to take the full journey would be in for quite an uncomfortable and long journey.
There has been numerous occasions where a 455 has been down to Brighton, in January 2017 during the strikes four went down as extras. There was also an occasion in 2013 I think where due to a shortage of 377's two 456's and a 455 ran down to Brighton.
I'd personally love to have a 455 on a Brighton service.
Has an SWR 455 run in service anywhere further than Guildford or Haslemere?
 

Hadders

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I believe that when all the class 91s and Mark 4s were withdrawn for safety checks in the late 1990s an emergency service of 365 and 321s operated from London to Leeds.
 

Clansman

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What was the story of a pacer making it to Inverness? Was this in service or just as a trial run?

Another mention for the thread I can think of is 150001 working up to Oban (and Mallaig?). What a torturous few hours that must've been compared to a rake of Mk1s.
 

61653 HTAFC

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What was the story of a pacer making it to Inverness? Was this in service or just as a trial run?

Another mention for the thread I can think of is 150001 working up to Oban (and Mallaig?). What a torturous few hours that must've been compared to a rake of Mk1s.
A 141 and a 142 visited Inverness depot for work, not in passenger service thankfully!
 

PHILIPE

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There were the regular workings of 156s to Portsmouth Harbour from November 1988 for several months on the Cardiff services. The fairly newly introduced 155s had had door problems but when one opened whilst in passenger service the whole fleet was grounded. This happened on a Friday afternoon and as a result a batch of brand new 156s on the way to Scotland from the factory were diverted to Canton and over the weekend crash conversion courses were held for Cardiff crews to enable them to start working the Portsmouth services on the Monday. In all, 25 x 156s were loaned to Canton to cover the 155 duties which saw them working to Manchester, Birmingham and the West of England.
 

Kieran1990

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There has been numerous occasions where a 455 has been down to Brighton, in January 2017 during the strikes four went down as extras. There was also an occasion in 2013 I think where due to a shortage of 377's two 456's and a 455 ran down to Brighton.
I'd personally love to have a 455 on a Brighton service.
Has an SWR 455 run in service anywhere further than Guildford or Haslemere?

SWT/SWR have been known for running the Class 455‘a down ti Haslemere during engineering work when a shuttle operates to Woking with a half hourly from Pompey going up the New Line.
Haslemere is on the destination blinds of the Class 455’s as well
 

Clansman

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Did 2 and 4 car 158s not used to run on the E-G on a half hourly frequency? Compared with 8-car 385s every 15 minutes now.
156s also. 2 coach 75mph sprinters doing a journey of 60 minutes between 2 major cities on a half hourly frequency; replaced over time by a journey of double the frequency that's now served by 8 coaches and can be done in 40 minutes.

Only 20 years down the line, it's as perfect example as any. You certainly wouldn't get away with that now!
 

davetheguard

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I seem to remember an early edition of Rail -or Rail Enthusiast as it was then- doing a spoof about a Pacer being operated from Waterloo to Paris!
 

Beebman

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Back in June 1987 I was travelling around southern Scotland when I fell onto 81022 with a set of early Mk2s working a morning peak service from Ayr to Glasgow Central which I assume was in place of 318s, it definitely wasn't the Royal Scot working which in those days ran there.
 

Dr Hoo

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Back in June 1987 I was travelling around southern Scotland when I fell onto 81022 with a set of early Mk2s working a morning peak service from Ayr to Glasgow Central which I assume was in place of 318s, it definitely wasn't the Royal Scot working which in those days ran there.
The 'Nightrider' set (remember that, with the blue lighting and video screens?) was known to deputise for the Royal Scot set if there was a problem with it - e.g. defective coach being substituted or repaired at Polmadie. The Nightrider could pop down to Ayr ECS after arrival in Glasgow from London. I was a Resources Manager in Glasgow at the time and we were rarely short of 318s. There were some 6-car diagrams that could be dropped to 3-car if need be.
 

Beebman

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The 'Nightrider' set (remember that, with the blue lighting and video screens?) was known to deputise for the Royal Scot set if there was a problem with it - e.g. defective coach being substituted or repaired at Polmadie. The Nightrider could pop down to Ayr ECS after arrival in Glasgow from London. I was a Resources Manager in Glasgow at the time and we were rarely short of 318s. There were some 6-car diagrams that could be dropped to 3-car if need be.

The coach I travelled in on that train was definitely a regular Mk2a with second-class seating. The departure time from Ayr was around 0800-0830 and there were a number of 'normal' commuters on it going into Glasgow. Also earlier that week I'd been at GLC when a six-car 303 set was announced as going to Ayr in the evening peak so I jumped on it only for it to be subbed for 318s at the last minute involving everyone having to make a dash! Threfore maybe there were some issues with 318s that week?
 

py_megapixel

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Milford Haven to Manchester on a 153 - that was pretty recently. I'm very glad I just saw it passing and wasn't subjected to the pain of 6 hours on a Sprinter.

Given the frequency of poor allocations to that route, it's very likely to have been a Pacer at some point.
 

Dr Hoo

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The coach I travelled in on that train was definitely a regular Mk2a with second-class seating. The departure time from Ayr was around 0800-0830 and there were a number of 'normal' commuters on it going into Glasgow. Also earlier that week I'd been at GLC when a six-car 303 set was announced as going to Ayr in the evening peak so I jumped on it only for it to be subbed for 318s at the last minute involving everyone having to make a dash! Threfore maybe there were some issues with 318s that week?
Sounds like very much a 'one off'. The only 'systemic' problem with the Class 318s that I can recall was with icing up in the first severe winter (not in June, obviously!) and having Class 303s down to Ayr was very rare. I don't think that Ayr drivers signed them.

Besides the 0845 'Royal Scot' LHCS working from Ayr there was, of course, also the 0700 Stranraer-Glasgow, through Ayr at 0827 but that wouldn't have been hauled by a Class 81.
 

ChiefPlanner

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Anglia in very early days had a franchise commitment to run a through Sheringham to Liverpool St service , which they did by using a class 150 unit ! - I suspect it was a late evening job on the up , and it formed a very early departure (0700 or so ?) , on the down. Do not think it lasted very long as a practical train.
 

gazthomas

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Summer Saturdays early 90s saw
1. Class 47 network southeast livery loco and a mixture off ex mk2 and mk1 chiltern lines and Thames livery coaching stock liverpool Lime st to great yarmouth holiday maker special
2. Other direction great yarmouth to liverpool Lime Street Saturday holiday maker special was class 31 x2 and the Anglia intercity livery mk2 and dvt set.
3. Also on Saturdays was a afternoon 2 car 142 from stalybridge to holyhead always full from Manchester Victoria
On point 3 they run them from Hull on more than one occasion
 

route101

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Northern 156 on Glasgow Central to East Kilbride service. There was someone who said a 158 was put on an EK service and made it half way!
 

ChiefPlanner

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I seem to remember an early edition of Rail -or Rail Enthusiast as it was then- doing a spoof about a Pacer being operated from Waterloo to Paris!

That was a superb spoof - a Liverpool to Paris "pacer" - only spotted when "long temps dans le Tunnel" , and a set swop due to "un brigue a casser un fenetre a Edge Hill" (sic) - followed by a promise of the receipt of Black Pudding" to the "Chef de Circulation" at Paris Lundy. Wonderful bit of railway banter
 

adamedwards

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A very long time ago in BR days I turned up for a late night Kings Cross to Welwyn Garden City stopper which should have been a 313. The 313 broke so they substiuted what they had which was an IC125. All stations to Hatfield with slam doors and loosing time all the way. Epic!
 
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