ATW WAG Evacuation of train (19/12)

[PHILIPE]

1V91 0533 Holyhead to Cardiff Central "WAG Express" was a complete failure at Wrexham this morning, with DVT (leading) on platform and remainder of train off.

Eventually a controlled evacuation was arranged and passengers transferred to buses to Shrewsbury.

In the meantime, the "Paupers WAG" 0738 Chester to Manchester Picc was held back and replaced by a 175, then ran at 0955 as 1Z99 to Wrexham and attached to the rear of 1V91 and ran empty coaching stock (ECS) to Cardiff with the formation "DVT, stock, 67016 (failure) 67015 stock and DVT".

The Manchester stock ran back to Crewe as 5Z23 tonight via Chester to turn the formation.

67014 replaced 67016 to form 1W96 to Holyhead with 30 minutes late start.

 

[Gareth Marston]

The fleet size is too small to maintain any level of reasonable reliability
It's hopefully due for the axe ( or massive expansion) in new franchise.

 

[greyman42]

Why is it referred to as the WAG express?

 

[All Line Rover]

It transports members of the Welsh (Assembly) Government between North and South Wales in luxury.

 

[greyman42]

Cheers. I would never of worked that one out.

 

[sprinterguy]

That sounds like quite the cavalcade: Are there any previous occasions in the UK where two push-pull formations have been combined like that? When testing and driver training on the mark 3 DVTs was taking place in the late eighties it was common practice to couple the loco in the centre of a formation with DVTs either side, but when it comes to a full passenger rake, historically it was far more usual to just stick a loco on top of the DVT.

 

[BestWestern]

Presumably only one of the locos was powering, or was it the DVT or coaching stock which failed?

 

[PHILIPE]

Presumably only one of the locos was powering, or was it the DVT or coaching stock which failed?

The OP says that 67016 failed, was complete loss of air

 

[CardiffKid]

Why is it referred to as the WAG express?

It transports members of the Welsh (Assembly) Government between North and South Wales in luxury.

Cheers. I would never of worked that one out.

It links north Wales to south Wales.

It was established and remains subsidiesed by the Welsh Assembly Government (renamed The Welsh Government back in 2011).

To say it transports AMs from north to south anymore than any other service is nonsense. At best there are only 14 AMs who need to travel north of Shrewsbury and as members of this forum loves to point out there is an hourly service between north and south Wales.

The return service leaves Cardiff at 17:16 Plenary rarely finishes before 6 on a Wednesday and the only reason for AMs to stick around until Thursday evening would be if they had an all day committee meeting which only happens every other week (unless they're really unlucky).

 

[PHILIPE]

It links north Wales to south Wales.

It was established and remains subsidiesed by the Welsh Assembly Government (renamed The Welsh Government back in 2011).

To say it transports AMs from north to south anymore than any other service is nonsense. At best there are only 14 AMs who need to travel north of Shrewsbury and as members of this forum loves to point out there is an hourly service between north and south Wales.

The return service leaves Cardiff at 17:16 Plenary rarely finishes before 6 on a Wednesday and the only reason for AMs to stick around until Thursday evening would be if they had an all day committee meeting which only happens every other week (unless they're really unlucky).

And a flight between Ynys Món (Anglesey) to Cardiff also

 

[Starmill]

The train used to leave Cardiff Central later but its departure was brought forward to maximize capacity.

ATW now only refer to the service as the "North South Express" or merely as the train with "Business Class" accommodation. When it was new the "official" title was 'Gerald of Wales'. "WAG Express" was just something people mad up.

 

[BestWestern]

The OP says that 67016 failed, was complete loss of air

Apologies, I skim-read and got myself all excited!

 

[PHILIPE]

Apologies, I skim-read and got myself all excited!

Don't worry, I do it myself sometimes

 

[headshot119]

That sounds like quite the cavalcade: Are there any previous occasions in the UK where two push-pull formations have been combined like that? When testing and driver training on the mark 3 DVTs was taking place in the late eighties it was common practice to couple the loco in the centre of a formation with DVTs either side, but when it comes to a full passenger rake, historically it was far more usual to just stick a loco on top of the DVT.

Yes the final two WSMR services coupled up for the ECS to Wembley the next day.

 

[sprinterguy]

Yes the final two WSMR services coupled up for the ECS to Wembley the next day.

Thanks, didn't know about that. That's the thing about the railway - there's a precedent for everything!

 

[tiptoptaff]

ATW now only refer to the service as the "North South Express" or merely as the train with "Business Class" accommodation. When it was new the "official" title was 'Gerald of Wales'. "WAG Express" was just something people mad up.

Staff refer to it as either Gerald or the WAG - in Control it was both depending who was in the chair

 

[PHILIPE]

Staff refer to it as either Gerald or the WAG - in Control it was both depending who was in the chair

Or "Gerallt" ?