FGW 47's and sleeper stock

[techno-phobe]

Hi all,

I just wondered if anyone knows when the FGW sleeper stock and 47's move to Paddington before they're workings ?

I'd love to try and catch them sometime in Paddington.

Cheers, Nick

 

[bolli]

Hi all,

I just wondered if anyone knows when the FGW sleeper stock and 47's move to Paddington before they're workings ?

I'd love to try and catch them sometime in Paddington.

Cheers, Nick

I presume you move 57s?

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C43981/2014/07/27/advanced
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
And in the mornings
1A40: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C46928/2014/07/27/advanced
5A40: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C43698/2014/07/28/advanced

 

[FQ]

I presume you move 57s?

Oh... I had my hopes up then

 

[Topgun333]

Does the 57 haul the sleeper ECS into Paddington and then run around?

 

[richw]

Does the 57 haul the sleeper ECS into Paddington and then run around?

Afraid not, they use another 57, or the depot 08 normally.

 

[158747]

The empty train arrives at Paddington from Old Oak Common with a 57 at each end, the one at the front on arrival is then uncoupled and then returns to OOC after train has departed.
In the morning the reverse happens, a 57 arrives from OOC and couples to rear of train, which then departs to OOC with a 57 at each end.

 

[richw]

The empty train arrives at Paddington from Old Oak Common with a 57 at each end, the one at the front on arrival is then uncoupled and then returns to OOC after train has departed.
In the morning the reverse happens, a 57 arrives from OOC and couples to rear of train, which then departs to OOC with a 57 at each end.

What are they using at present to haul the empty train in? They have had to hire in Network Rail's yellow 57 due to only having 1 working 57 of their own at the moment.

 

[causton]

As said above, there is an 08 as well which is used.

Is the green 57604 Pendennis Castle the only working one? As that's the one that I had on the Par - Exeter Saturday daytime service...

 

[richw]

As said above, there is an 08 as well which is used.

Is the green 57604 Pendennis Castle the only working one? As that's the one that I had on the Par - Exeter Saturday daytime service...

Yep 57604 is the only working one at present, Network Rails 57305 was on the "up" on Friday night.

 

[David Goddard]

We saw the stock coming in before using The Riviera on 4 July and was amazed at the effort needed by the 57 pulling the stock into the platform. The same happened a week later when we returned to London so it appears normal.
Sleeper coaches are heavy so I suppose this should be expected, but I did not expect it to the degree required.

 

[455driver]

57s always sound as if they are working flat out even when they are only idling, especially if they are supplying ETS as well.

 

[fgwrich]

What are they using at present to haul the empty train in? They have had to hire in Network Rail's yellow 57 due to only having 1 working 57 of their own at the moment.

The most common loco's used at the moment are either the OOC 08 Fleet Or either a normal or Semi Demic 57 - I.e if it can't provide ets or has other faults that wont allow it to make it to PZ then they can sometimes be sent out to work the drags.

All the 57/3s bar 313-316 are now under the leasing of Direct Rail Services now too and about to undergo repaints into DRS's livery - so it quite possibly won't be long before any of the other ex Virgin 57/3s turn up on the Night Riviera again either!

 

[DarloRich]

When i did the FGW sleeper on my rover from Paddington to Penznce Pendennis Castle was at the buffer stop end with 57305 at the business end.

At Penzance the train engine propelled the stock out of the platform to Long Rock.

 

[jopsuk]

Who owns the FGW 57 fleet? Given the long history of unreliability it's long surprised me that they've not switched to hiring in something more reliable, ideally on a "service provision" basis- i.e. hire say 67s from DBS on a contract that means that it is up to the provider to ensure there is working loco.

 

[theblackwatch]

The 57s are owned by Porterbrook.

 

[Yew]

Who owns the FGW 57 fleet? Given the long history of unreliability it's long surprised me that they've not switched to hiring in something more reliable, ideally on a "service provision" basis- i.e. hire say 67s from DBS on a contract that means that it is up to the provider to ensure there is working loco.

It wouldn't surprise me if this happens next franchise. Probably 67's or 68's. I suppose I should take that as an excuse to use the night riviera!

This set works similarly to how the Caledonian Sleeper works at euston. Loco #1 pulls the rake (with loco #2 on the back, not providing any tractive effort) then loco #2 is turned on and pulls the rake out after boarding. Finally loco #1 leaves the station and returns to the depot

 

[fgwrich]

Who owns the FGW 57 fleet? Given the long history of unreliability it's long surprised me that they've not switched to hiring in something more reliable, ideally on a "service provision" basis- i.e. hire say 67s from DBS on a contract that means that it is up to the provider to ensure there is working loco.

Given that Chiltern have dropped the 67s partly in terms of their reliability I'd be surprised if they were lumped onto the FGW Franchise, but little surprises me anymore! The 57s can be good locos, but have always needed the correct maintenance and weren't really designed to do some of the jobs they've found themselves on (although certain aspects and areas of the locos weren't very cleverly designed with maintenance in mind, esp on the /3s!). I wonder too if the locos they were converted from didn't help either, as most of the 57/3 Fleet for VT were converted from Cross Country Class 47/8s - with the odd 47/7 and 47/3 at the end of it, whilst the FGW 57/6 fleet were converted from fairly tired former Freightliner 47/0 & 47/3s.

Although, that said, 57605 Has been the most reliable 57 in the FGW Fleet having made the most faultless running trips between Padd and Penzance this year, 603 however.

Speaking of the Night Riviera for a moment, all the Mk3s now have WIFI installed and as of last Friday night too is now active.

 

[jopsuk]

by "all the mk3s" do you include the SLE/SLEP coaches? Do FGW's SLE/SLEPs also have 230V AC outlets?

 

[al.currie93]

To go at a bit of a tangent (to the topi of the title :P ) what were FGW 47s used for before replacement? I read somewhere that 47s and Mk 2s worked Paddington to Plymouth and Penzance other than the sleeper but cannot find anything else for this anywhere :/

 

[richw]

To go at a bit of a tangent (to the topi of the title :P ) what were FGW 47s used for before replacement? I read somewhere that 47s and Mk 2s worked Paddington to Plymouth and Penzance other than the sleeper but cannot find anything else for this anywhere :/

47830 was in fgw green, pictures on Flickr of it operation the 1433 Pad to ply on 25/6/01

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Do any of the 57/6s that are not currently working have an "expected OK" date showing at all?

 

[hairyhandedfool]

To go at a bit of a tangent (to the topi of the title :P ) what were FGW 47s used for before replacement? I read somewhere that 47s and Mk 2s worked Paddington to Plymouth and Penzance other than the sleeper but cannot find anything else for this anywhere :/

FGW had use of 47811/813/815/816/830/832/846 with others hired in on occasion. These were used on the sleeper trains, a mix of Mk3 and Mk2 coaches at the time, and, as you note, some daytime services to the West Country. 57601 was also tested on these daytime services. Do a google images search of "fgw" followed by your loco number of choice and you should find some images of the daytime workings.

 

[WestCountry]

With FGW's frequent 57 shortages, is there any possibility of 57601 coming back from WCRC?

 

[CC 72100]

FGW had use of 47811/813/815/816/830/832/846 with others hired in on occasion. These were used on the sleeper trains, a mix of Mk3 and Mk2 coaches at the time, and, as you note, some daytime services to the West Country. 57601 was also tested on these daytime services. .

I think I actually had 57601, in purple, between Bath and Bristol TM, so I presume that was on a Bristol working, unless it was a Paignton via Bristol or something.

Also had one of the 47s in the West country - can't remember which one now, it was a loooooong time ago!

 

[fgwrich]

With FGW's frequent 57 shortages, is there any possibility of 57601 coming back from WCRC?

I rather doubt it - there's a fair few differences between the prototype 57601 and the production fleet of 602-605. Another is that it's now owned by WCRC themselves - you've got more chance of a DRS one being hired and DRS Taking on the 4 57/3s WCRC have than 601 being converted to match the rest of the /6 fleet I'd say!

 

[CosherB]

I rather doubt it - there's a fair few differences between the prototype 57601 and the production fleet of 602-605. Another is that it's now owned by WCRC themselves - you've got more chance of a DRS one being hired and DRS Taking on the 4 57/3s WCRC have than 601 being converted to match the rest of the /6 fleet I'd say!

Why would WCRC just give up their 57/3s? Surely a better solution would be for DRS to pick up the Porterbrook lease on 57602-5 from FGW and give DRS the loco contract for the sleeper until the end of the franchise? Sounds too much like common sense to me ....