CallySleeper
Established Member
Report from Friday's venture into the arena will appear ITT tomorrow (Sunday) evening. Pics & discussion included!
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Trip Report: Doncaster and the windstrewn ECML!
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CallySleeper
Established Member
Because the internet is a serious business and, as such, does require a certain level of anticipation.
Anyways, the report has been written for the last 48 hours...
Anyways, the report has been written for the last 48 hours...
CallySleeper
Established Member
Following on from further disruption this evening, I have only just got home so the report will be postponed until the morning.
CallySleeper
Established Member
N.B.: Most pictures, while hyperlinked, generally aren't suitable for dial-up fans. Sorry!
A bit of background:
The ECML journey was from Grantham to York. It also involved taking 2 trains (changing once) to get to Grantham. On long distance journies I usually buy Advance Purchase, and almost always have a plan and then at least one backup. For some reason, this time I couldn't be bothered to make plans weeks in advance, so settled for a saver return (it only being about 50% more than 2 of the cheapest advance tickets, most of which were sold anyways. The situation was obviously not helped by the fact that there wasn't really an actual timetable available after the disruption caused the previous day, so for the first time ever it was really just a case of get on the network and then make it up as you go along.
I start my journey (that is, I arrive at my first station) at around 11:25. I had, therefore, nothing to go by timetable wise - except that the 15:32 (or something) departure out of Doncaster was, under normal circumstances, an HST because it was on an Aberdeen run. Therefore, I had to be in Doncaster by half past 3 - 4 hours to get to Doncaster. It can normally be done in under 2 hours, not counting station waits.
The first train, scheduled for 11:45, has been cancelled, oweing to the fact that the previous working was delayed. Next train's at 12:15 - 50 mins wait and haven't even boarded a train yet! There were, apparently, signalling problems at my connection station - there wasn't any evidence that there were or had been.
Journey time is around 30 mins. 40 mins wait for the next train (although I could have boarded one staight away, I chose not to and decided to wait around.) The only thing really I had to go by, especially during the first part of the journey was LDB on my phone - I used this mostly to find out in advance what was going on on the ECML.
Left my connecting station at about 13:35 (train slightly delayed out of the station because of toilet problems.) 30 minute journey, got to Grantham at about 14:10. (Already been going over 2 and a half hours - only about an hour of this was actual travelling - I tend to usually wait around at stations for ages, it shouldn't in theory take this long.) The information that I had gained through LDB was that all GNER trains were running on average around 30 mins late northbound, and that there was a train for Edinburgh slightly delayed but due into Grantham at 14:17. This train, however didn't actually exist on my arrival at Grantham. Therefore about a 10 minute wait for the 13:47 to Newcastle - left Grantham at around 14:20.
The cause of the delays - still not fully established. One was because of weather-related disruption in the Peterborough area, another reason I later heard was because of line problems in the New Barnet area. Whether New Barnet could be described as in the Peterborough area is, well, debatable. Either way, trains were being delayed northbound by about half an hour and, as I later found out, in some cases by even more than that. I thought later that trains may have been diverted through Hertford - I'm not sure if this was actually the case or not.
The train from Grantham was Newcastle-bound, staffed by Scottish folk but an HST. It was generally every Standard seat taken and half a dozen people standing in vestibule ends. (For the record, First Class coaches on one northbound train I passed were only half full!) Even though it was an HST, I couldn't be bothered to go standing all the way to York so I disembarked at Doncaster as planned to get the Aberdeen train. The Aberdeen train was delayed until about 15:50 - being stuck behind an Edinburgh train and a 222 for Hull - both of which were supposed to depart before 15:10 so in effect the 3 trains were bunched together. Therefore, I had a little time to waste at Doncaster to take a few pics:
Given the amount of delays and cancellations on the ECML, it could be surprising that a Mallard set was stabled in the sidings adjacent to the station. Attached to the front loco, 91111 “Terence Cuneo”, was 67021:
http://img19.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74287_DSC00065_122_320lo.JPG
with orange men surrounding the coupling between the driving loco and the first passenger coach. The 91 was decoupled from the passenger coaches, assisted by the class 67. The end result looked like this:
http://img107.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74281_DSC00064_122_551lo.JPG
another view of 91111 blunt end and 67021:
http://img41.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74264_DSC00061_122_440lo.JPG
Further down from the 67-91 combination, in another siding, Cotswold Rail’s 47528 rusts away with a Wabtec Rail shunter 08669 just behind it:
http://img145.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74258_DSC00059_122_472lo.JPG
Meanwhile, VXC were running a somewhat normal and disruption-free service. My favourite Voyager, 220008 "Draig Gymreig" ran 1E45, the 15:17 service to Newcastle:
http://img153.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74270_DSC00062_122_326lo.JPG
http://img19.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74276_DSC00063_122_555lo.JPG
GNER weren't running direct London - Leeds trains, instead they were running Doncaster - Leeds shuttle trains. 91104 “Grantham” is pictured here preparing for a Leeds departure:
http://img107.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74252_DSC00058_122_556lo.JPG
222101 “"Professor George Gray” arrived at just after 15:50 with 1H04, the 15:12 Hull train from London Kings Cross. Behind it is 156475 on 1J29, the 15:48 Northern service for Sheffield:
http://img170.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74262_DSC00060_122_423lo.JPG
My HST was a few mins behind 222101. This train was less crowded, albeit most seats were taken. I left Doncaster at about 16:05, got into York at half past. That's about 5 hours.
Most of the time I somehow avoid being disrupted, although I have had my moments (including being stuck on a 156 going nowhere because of a power cut at one in the morning) and in such cases I'm not terribly frustrated - forward thinking and a case of calmly working out what options are available next. Thursday was really a pre-warning to expect disruption, so I knew really what I was letting myself in for. I could have easily decided to go XC which would have been quicker, but I wasn't in a rush and I hadn't been on the ECML properly in a while anyways.
So what have I seen today which are issues that I feel need talking about?
I think, like in the event of a terrorist attack, there should be a predetermined contingency plan in the event of such an incident taking place. I understand that weather-related incidents are somewhat less predictable and managable than a terrorist attack, that is, you can't easily tell where fallen trees are going to block the line, however, I think that an emergency plan should be made ready for use in the event. For example, on the ECML, it would be useful to have an emergency timetable ready to apply if the section of line between two stations became blocked. So for example, if the line between Doncaster and York were to become blocked, a predetermined timetable could be put into place fairly immediately, comprising of, say, London - Doncaster and Leeds trains, and York - Newcastle - Scotland trains, with rail replacement transport made available, or alternative routes found. To me, Thursday seemed quite pandamoniac, given that on 7/7 the LUL network and central bus network shut themselves down fairly rapidly. I understand that a good stiff breeze isn't quite the same as a terrorist attack however they both disrupt and I think TOCs and Network Rail should have firm plans in place for most possibilites for things which could go wrong, and then be able to efficently execute them reasonably rapidly.
On a side issue, I have been disappointed by the level of BTP presence at Doncaster station, given that the place seems to be teeming with the usual scum at times. In the space of less than an hour I did also witness one theft during my time there. Although unfortunately, BTP presence seems to be generally minimal at all stations I go to, Doncaster seems to be one of the places that could actually do with the bobbies. It only seems to me as if they generally only appear when there’s an actual problem and hardly go on tours of the station.
BONUS PICS!
Here’s 185138, running 1F69, Sunday’s 14:45 Transpennine Express service to Liverpool Lime Street from Scarborough, pictured here on the approach to York a few minutes delayed:
http://img147.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74293_DSC00081_122_487lo.JPG
And 185128, running 1E81, Sunday’s 13:22 TPE service to Scarborough from Liverpool Lime Street:
http://img28.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74298_DSC00084_122_409lo.JPG
* * * * * * *
That report was written on Friday afternoon. Fast-forward 48 hours to Sunday evening. Time to go home!
Hello, what’s this?!
http://img24.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74566_DSC00104_122_341lo.JPG
http://img24.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=th_74564_DSC00103_122_419lo.JPG
Platform boards inform me that my train, 1E22, the 19:05 GNER HST to Newark North Gate from Aberdeen, has been delayed, due to problems with the brakes in the Durham area. It was unfortunate that the delay came up after I had left my accommodation (as I had been checking LDB right up to before I left). So then, with a wait at York looming (the 5th or 6th in about the last 3 weeks or so) here are some more pics.
Stabled in platform 2 were 86901 “Chief Engineer” and 86902 “Rail Vehicle Engineering”. Both owned by Network Rail, these locos are used at night to clear ice and other debris off the OHL. Just on the left is 156497, preparing for 1R96, the 19:10 Northern departure for Hull:
http://img174.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74555_DSC00096_122_310lo.JPG
Meanwhile, over on Platform 5, 43107 “Tayside” was leading 1S25, the 19:16 service to Edinburgh which originated today at Newark North Gate, because of engineering work between Newark and Grantham:
http://img140.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74557_DSC00101_122_351lo.JPG
Somewhere along the line between Durham and York, the backlog of trains which had developed behind the wounded HST were able to overtake. These included 1M08, the 19:28 Virgin Voyager for Birmingham New Street from Edinburgh, and 1E23, the 19:30 to Newark North Gate from Glasgow Central. Both were running around 20 minutes late, and still without any information as to the extent of the delay on 1E22. 91118 “Bradford Film Festival” was at the back of 1E23:
http://img24.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74572_DSC00107_122_486lo.JPG
It was at this time that 1E22 was given an ETD of 20:21, a delay of 76 minutes (and for me a wait of about 95). Also able to overtake 1E22 was 1E24, the 20:05 GNER service to Newark North Gate from Edinburgh, now around 10 minutes late. Although booked as an HST, 82225 turned up running the show, with (pictured) 91124 “Reverend W Awdry” at the back:
http://img169.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74578_DSC00109_122_330lo.JPG
Finally, 1E22 showed up, shortly behind 1E24. The convicted offenders were, at the front, 43039 “The Royal Dragoon Guards”:
http://img153.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74580_DSC00113_122_442lo.JPG
And at the back, 43110 “Stirlingshire”:
http://img148.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74586_DSC00116_122_521lo.JPG
1E22 was terminated short at Doncaster, which meant having to wait 20 mins for the next train to Newark. The said train was 1A48, the 21:10 departure from Leeds. Working 1A48 was, at the front, 82208, with 91116 “Strathclyde” at the rear. Arrived into Newark at about half past 9, 90 minutes down on planned. In addition, 2 teenage boys (who were already under supervision) on 1A48 were witnessed using fake ID to purchase alcohol. Poor show GNER.
A bit of background:
The ECML journey was from Grantham to York. It also involved taking 2 trains (changing once) to get to Grantham. On long distance journies I usually buy Advance Purchase, and almost always have a plan and then at least one backup. For some reason, this time I couldn't be bothered to make plans weeks in advance, so settled for a saver return (it only being about 50% more than 2 of the cheapest advance tickets, most of which were sold anyways. The situation was obviously not helped by the fact that there wasn't really an actual timetable available after the disruption caused the previous day, so for the first time ever it was really just a case of get on the network and then make it up as you go along.
I start my journey (that is, I arrive at my first station) at around 11:25. I had, therefore, nothing to go by timetable wise - except that the 15:32 (or something) departure out of Doncaster was, under normal circumstances, an HST because it was on an Aberdeen run. Therefore, I had to be in Doncaster by half past 3 - 4 hours to get to Doncaster. It can normally be done in under 2 hours, not counting station waits.
The first train, scheduled for 11:45, has been cancelled, oweing to the fact that the previous working was delayed. Next train's at 12:15 - 50 mins wait and haven't even boarded a train yet! There were, apparently, signalling problems at my connection station - there wasn't any evidence that there were or had been.
Journey time is around 30 mins. 40 mins wait for the next train (although I could have boarded one staight away, I chose not to and decided to wait around.) The only thing really I had to go by, especially during the first part of the journey was LDB on my phone - I used this mostly to find out in advance what was going on on the ECML.
Left my connecting station at about 13:35 (train slightly delayed out of the station because of toilet problems.) 30 minute journey, got to Grantham at about 14:10. (Already been going over 2 and a half hours - only about an hour of this was actual travelling - I tend to usually wait around at stations for ages, it shouldn't in theory take this long.) The information that I had gained through LDB was that all GNER trains were running on average around 30 mins late northbound, and that there was a train for Edinburgh slightly delayed but due into Grantham at 14:17. This train, however didn't actually exist on my arrival at Grantham. Therefore about a 10 minute wait for the 13:47 to Newcastle - left Grantham at around 14:20.
The cause of the delays - still not fully established. One was because of weather-related disruption in the Peterborough area, another reason I later heard was because of line problems in the New Barnet area. Whether New Barnet could be described as in the Peterborough area is, well, debatable. Either way, trains were being delayed northbound by about half an hour and, as I later found out, in some cases by even more than that. I thought later that trains may have been diverted through Hertford - I'm not sure if this was actually the case or not.
The train from Grantham was Newcastle-bound, staffed by Scottish folk but an HST. It was generally every Standard seat taken and half a dozen people standing in vestibule ends. (For the record, First Class coaches on one northbound train I passed were only half full!) Even though it was an HST, I couldn't be bothered to go standing all the way to York so I disembarked at Doncaster as planned to get the Aberdeen train. The Aberdeen train was delayed until about 15:50 - being stuck behind an Edinburgh train and a 222 for Hull - both of which were supposed to depart before 15:10 so in effect the 3 trains were bunched together. Therefore, I had a little time to waste at Doncaster to take a few pics:
Given the amount of delays and cancellations on the ECML, it could be surprising that a Mallard set was stabled in the sidings adjacent to the station. Attached to the front loco, 91111 “Terence Cuneo”, was 67021:
http://img19.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74287_DSC00065_122_320lo.JPG
with orange men surrounding the coupling between the driving loco and the first passenger coach. The 91 was decoupled from the passenger coaches, assisted by the class 67. The end result looked like this:
http://img107.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74281_DSC00064_122_551lo.JPG
another view of 91111 blunt end and 67021:
http://img41.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74264_DSC00061_122_440lo.JPG
Further down from the 67-91 combination, in another siding, Cotswold Rail’s 47528 rusts away with a Wabtec Rail shunter 08669 just behind it:
http://img145.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74258_DSC00059_122_472lo.JPG
Meanwhile, VXC were running a somewhat normal and disruption-free service. My favourite Voyager, 220008 "Draig Gymreig" ran 1E45, the 15:17 service to Newcastle:
http://img153.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74270_DSC00062_122_326lo.JPG
http://img19.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74276_DSC00063_122_555lo.JPG
GNER weren't running direct London - Leeds trains, instead they were running Doncaster - Leeds shuttle trains. 91104 “Grantham” is pictured here preparing for a Leeds departure:
http://img107.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74252_DSC00058_122_556lo.JPG
222101 “"Professor George Gray” arrived at just after 15:50 with 1H04, the 15:12 Hull train from London Kings Cross. Behind it is 156475 on 1J29, the 15:48 Northern service for Sheffield:
http://img170.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74262_DSC00060_122_423lo.JPG
My HST was a few mins behind 222101. This train was less crowded, albeit most seats were taken. I left Doncaster at about 16:05, got into York at half past. That's about 5 hours.
Most of the time I somehow avoid being disrupted, although I have had my moments (including being stuck on a 156 going nowhere because of a power cut at one in the morning) and in such cases I'm not terribly frustrated - forward thinking and a case of calmly working out what options are available next. Thursday was really a pre-warning to expect disruption, so I knew really what I was letting myself in for. I could have easily decided to go XC which would have been quicker, but I wasn't in a rush and I hadn't been on the ECML properly in a while anyways.
So what have I seen today which are issues that I feel need talking about?
I think, like in the event of a terrorist attack, there should be a predetermined contingency plan in the event of such an incident taking place. I understand that weather-related incidents are somewhat less predictable and managable than a terrorist attack, that is, you can't easily tell where fallen trees are going to block the line, however, I think that an emergency plan should be made ready for use in the event. For example, on the ECML, it would be useful to have an emergency timetable ready to apply if the section of line between two stations became blocked. So for example, if the line between Doncaster and York were to become blocked, a predetermined timetable could be put into place fairly immediately, comprising of, say, London - Doncaster and Leeds trains, and York - Newcastle - Scotland trains, with rail replacement transport made available, or alternative routes found. To me, Thursday seemed quite pandamoniac, given that on 7/7 the LUL network and central bus network shut themselves down fairly rapidly. I understand that a good stiff breeze isn't quite the same as a terrorist attack however they both disrupt and I think TOCs and Network Rail should have firm plans in place for most possibilites for things which could go wrong, and then be able to efficently execute them reasonably rapidly.
On a side issue, I have been disappointed by the level of BTP presence at Doncaster station, given that the place seems to be teeming with the usual scum at times. In the space of less than an hour I did also witness one theft during my time there. Although unfortunately, BTP presence seems to be generally minimal at all stations I go to, Doncaster seems to be one of the places that could actually do with the bobbies. It only seems to me as if they generally only appear when there’s an actual problem and hardly go on tours of the station.
BONUS PICS!
Here’s 185138, running 1F69, Sunday’s 14:45 Transpennine Express service to Liverpool Lime Street from Scarborough, pictured here on the approach to York a few minutes delayed:
http://img147.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74293_DSC00081_122_487lo.JPG
And 185128, running 1E81, Sunday’s 13:22 TPE service to Scarborough from Liverpool Lime Street:
http://img28.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74298_DSC00084_122_409lo.JPG
* * * * * * *
That report was written on Friday afternoon. Fast-forward 48 hours to Sunday evening. Time to go home!
Hello, what’s this?!
http://img24.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74566_DSC00104_122_341lo.JPG
http://img24.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=th_74564_DSC00103_122_419lo.JPG
Platform boards inform me that my train, 1E22, the 19:05 GNER HST to Newark North Gate from Aberdeen, has been delayed, due to problems with the brakes in the Durham area. It was unfortunate that the delay came up after I had left my accommodation (as I had been checking LDB right up to before I left). So then, with a wait at York looming (the 5th or 6th in about the last 3 weeks or so) here are some more pics.
Stabled in platform 2 were 86901 “Chief Engineer” and 86902 “Rail Vehicle Engineering”. Both owned by Network Rail, these locos are used at night to clear ice and other debris off the OHL. Just on the left is 156497, preparing for 1R96, the 19:10 Northern departure for Hull:
http://img174.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74555_DSC00096_122_310lo.JPG
Meanwhile, over on Platform 5, 43107 “Tayside” was leading 1S25, the 19:16 service to Edinburgh which originated today at Newark North Gate, because of engineering work between Newark and Grantham:
http://img140.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74557_DSC00101_122_351lo.JPG
Somewhere along the line between Durham and York, the backlog of trains which had developed behind the wounded HST were able to overtake. These included 1M08, the 19:28 Virgin Voyager for Birmingham New Street from Edinburgh, and 1E23, the 19:30 to Newark North Gate from Glasgow Central. Both were running around 20 minutes late, and still without any information as to the extent of the delay on 1E22. 91118 “Bradford Film Festival” was at the back of 1E23:
http://img24.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74572_DSC00107_122_486lo.JPG
It was at this time that 1E22 was given an ETD of 20:21, a delay of 76 minutes (and for me a wait of about 95). Also able to overtake 1E22 was 1E24, the 20:05 GNER service to Newark North Gate from Edinburgh, now around 10 minutes late. Although booked as an HST, 82225 turned up running the show, with (pictured) 91124 “Reverend W Awdry” at the back:
http://img169.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74578_DSC00109_122_330lo.JPG
Finally, 1E22 showed up, shortly behind 1E24. The convicted offenders were, at the front, 43039 “The Royal Dragoon Guards”:
http://img153.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74580_DSC00113_122_442lo.JPG
And at the back, 43110 “Stirlingshire”:
http://img148.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74586_DSC00116_122_521lo.JPG
1E22 was terminated short at Doncaster, which meant having to wait 20 mins for the next train to Newark. The said train was 1A48, the 21:10 departure from Leeds. Working 1A48 was, at the front, 82208, with 91116 “Strathclyde” at the rear. Arrived into Newark at about half past 9, 90 minutes down on planned. In addition, 2 teenage boys (who were already under supervision) on 1A48 were witnessed using fake ID to purchase alcohol. Poor show GNER.
How did you know it was fake?
If they were on child tickets, you could have tipped the guard off
CallySleeper
Established Member
Conversation & body language. I told the guy who sold them afterwards. They didn't look 18 anyways.
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