Could HSTs work freight?

[gazthomas]

Bo-Bo's with relatively low tractive effort and plenty of spare freight locos (if you're DB Schnenker that is) would negate this!

 

[Chris125]

Why would you want to operate 25 year old LHCS with up to 40 year old power cars that currently have incompatible power supplies? Another solution to a problem that doesn't exist!

I'd have thought the 'problem' was obvious - the cost of upgrading mk3s with power doors, retention toilets etc when a large fleet of mk4s will soon become available and which could be used at relatively little cost.

 

[CosherB]

I'd have thought the 'problem' was obvious - the cost of upgrading mk3s with power doors, retention toilets etc when a large fleet of mk4s will soon become available and which could be used at relatively little cost.

Depends what the cost of converting the Mk4 LHCS to an HST power supply is - not insignificant I would have thought.

 

[Aictos]

Depends what the cost of converting the Mk4 LHCS to an HST power supply is - not insignificant I would have thought.

Wouldn't it just be cheaper to just use the existing 91s but regeared perhaps or use 68s then convert the Mk4 LHCS to work off a HST power supply?

 

[najaB]

Wouldn't it just be cheaper to just use the existing 91s but regeared...

Yup. Right up to about 100 yards past the end of the OHLE.

 

[Emblematic]

Depends what the cost of converting the Mk4 LHCS to an HST power supply is - not insignificant I would have thought.

On the other hand, converting an industrial three phase supply to 1000VDC is straightforward, pretty cheap, and plenty of room in the 43s.

 

[Aictos]

Yup. Right up to about 100 yards past the end of the OHLE.

Haha, my point is still valid though

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

As for the Deltics, as far as I am aware they were retained on East Coast passenger workings until the end of their lives in regular revenue earning service: Even at quite a late stage in 1981, the locos were being considered for a second lease of life hauling North Transpennine trains starting from the following year.

There are records of them working small freight in the early 60s (parecels mainly), some of them did newspapers to and from Hull, 55011 substituted a failed DMU on a local stopper which must have surprised the locals, one was used to tow an EMU to Hornsey, and I know that at least one of them worked a Civil Engineer's train in October 1981