Fantasy: Highland Cheftrain hijack from Falkirk to Llanelli !!

[Butts]

If I boarded The Highland Chieftain at Falkirk Grahamston and was somehow able to divert it to Llanelli (by hijacking it ) so I could visit the Town of "The Famous Frog" and perhaps even share Afternoon Tea with a roll up in his case and a Benson in mine.......

Which would be the quickest route and how long would it take if the lines were cleared for me.

Imagine the Highland Chieftain pulling into Llanelli with the bagpipes playing and the whisky flowing (even Welsh Whiskey will do )

 

[Monty]

One would think you would have had quite enough whisky by the time you arrived at Llanelli.

 

[IanXC]

One would think you would have had quite enough whisky by the time you arrived at Llanelli.

I'm not even sure there'd be enough on board; should we include refreshment supply stops in the potential journey time?

 

[Greenback]

An interesting thought, if the train is hijacked then I would guess that the penalties for that would be far in excess those for smoking on board the train, so you could puff away all the way down to Wales! In for a penny...

 

[tbtc]

Well, this is less silly than some of the "Fantasy" suggestions that I've seen on here recently (hourly service on the Heart Of Wales, Crossrail Nine etc).

I'd suggest that you'd be better to hijack the northbound "Chieftan" (i.e. westbound through Falkirk) and set sail via Cumbernauld, to the WCML at Motherwell, then turn off at Crewe (for the Marches line to Newport), taking the much-discussed Swansea District Line to get beyond Abertawe.

Dunno about timings though - you'd be restricted to 110mph on the WCML and probably even lower on the Marches.

 

[ainsworth74]

Dunno about timings though - you'd be restricted to 110mph on the WCML and probably even lower on the Marches.

You think someone who has hijacked a train is going to be particularly worried about linespeeds

 

[Statto]

You think someone who has hijacked a train is going to be particularly worried about linespeeds

depends if the OP get's co-operation from the signaller as well.

 

[ainsworth74]

Well if we're going to start being serious then the problems with the OPs plan are really going to mount up very very quickly!

 

[causton]

Well if we're going to start being serious then the problems with the OPs plan are really going to mount up very very quickly!

Go on then, what are they? Apart from HSTs not potentially being cleared for somewhere... can't see any major issues!

 

[ainsworth74]

Well I'd have thought signalling and specifically route setting might be an issue

 

[Butts]

Assume the whole network was cleared for me with priority over all other traffic, how long would it take ?

 

[tbtc]

You think someone who has hijacked a train is going to be particularly worried about linespeeds

I was going to suggest a crew change at Crewe may need to be factored in too, but next you'll be telling me that crazed hijackers aren't too fussed about complying with the Working Time Directive...

 

[ainsworth74]

but next you'll be telling me that crazed hijackers aren't too fussed about complying with the Working Time Directive...

Well I hate to break it to you but...

 

[Greenback]

I think the best plan would be for Butts to recruit an accomplice...

 

[Trainfan344]

Surely he'd need an entire gang, him and an acomplice to drive the train, someone to staff the bar, someone to get more whiskey to the train...

 

[deltic1989]

Could I request a stop off in Nottingham please? This sounds like a real 'Jolly Boys Outing'.
I could arrange a couple of pallets of whiskey and maybe some cigs courtesy of John Player.

 

[Butts]

I think the best plan would be for Butts to recruit an accomplice...

Any volunteers
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Surely he'd need an entire gang, him and an acomplice to drive the train, someone to staff the bar, someone to get more whiskey to the train...

A Downton Abbey on rails
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Could I request a stop off in Nottingham please? This sounds like a real 'Jolly Boys Outing'.
I could arrange a couple of pallets of whiskey and maybe some cigs courtesy of John Player.

The Whisky/ey is welcome but only Benson and Hedges acceptable -sorry

can someone tell me the duration of the journey please !!!

ps sorry about lateness in responding been up in the Highlands for a few days.

 

[Searle]

By looking at only timetabled trains, (excluding all the waits for interchanges), it'd take you 7 hours 2 minutes via Cardiff, or 7 hours 31 minutes via HOW (By going Falkirk - Whifflet - Motherwell - Crewe - Shrewsbury first). Obviously factoring out time for passenger stops, it'd be much quicker though :P

 

[Butts]

By looking at only timetabled trains, (excluding all the waits for interchanges), it'd take you 7 hours 2 minutes via Cardiff, or 7 hours 31 minutes via HOW (By going Falkirk - Whifflet - Motherwell - Crewe - Shrewsbury first). Obviously factoring out time for passenger stops, it'd be much quicker though :P

Thanks for that, time for a decent dinner, brandy, cigars and a good card game