FGW HST Diversions - December 2010

[The Planner]

Those really interested in planning ahead, you will get FGW HSTs running up to Banbury, reversing and back down the Chilterns to Greenford in December this year.

 

[route:oxford]

Those really interested in planning ahead, you will get FGW HSTs running up to Banbury, reversing and back down the Chilterns to Greenford in December this year.

Sounds interesting.

Where will the blockade be?

 

[Techniquest]

Those really interested in planning ahead, you will get FGW HSTs running up to Banbury, reversing and back down the Chilterns to Greenford in December this year.

Got the gen on this late last decade, seriously looking forward to that. All due to Reading re-signalling IIRC.

 

[Aictos]

Ah well, expect me to get a high as possible mileage out of the workings as is humanly possible especially as it's a First TOC

Cheers for the tip, will have to make a note in my diary to ensure I get them done.

 

[devon_metro]

West of England - Paddington HSTs diverted via Salisbury and into Waterloo as far as I know.

 

[SWT Driver]

If that's the case then I can see some trips occuring.. Possibly some photographic ones as well, provided mother nature doesn't intervene.

 

[Techniquest]

West of England - Paddington HSTs diverted via Salisbury and into Waterloo as far as I know.

Please tell me you're being serious. If so, when? Assumingly the same time as the Banbury diversions? That's some rather rare track there, Yeovil Junction to Clapham Junction on a HST, although the final few miles haven't seen a HST in over 5 years if memory serves correctly.

Could be a good Christmas 2010...

 

[Aictos]

West of England - Paddington HSTs diverted via Salisbury and into Waterloo as far as I know.

Bl***dy hell! I'm certainly going to be doing them then, what about the Night Riveria though, will that end up at Waterloo, Paddington or even Marylebone?

My day just gets better and better, currently high thanks to the coffee,

 

[SWT Driver]

Get a Tassimo machine, install it next to your bed & drink gallons of it, especially the Columbian blend!

You'll be high as a kite on caffeine! hock:

 

[devon_metro]

Please tell me you're being serious. If so, when? Assumingly the same time as the Banbury diversions? That's some rather rare track there, Yeovil Junction to Clapham Junction on a HST, although the final few miles haven't seen a HST in over 5 years if memory serves correctly.

Could be a good Christmas 2010...

Not sure, but running them Penzance - Taunton - Bristol - Oxford - Banbury - Paddington would take hours so I believe FGW wish to run west of england services into Waterloo via the SWML. "The Planner" might know more!

 

[The Planner]

Deffo Banbury and reverse, there are signalling changes planned at Banbury and Aynho to allow it.

 

[43034 The Black Horse]

Basingstoke - Clapham Jnc is all time HST track for passenger.... Still should be an interesting December.

 

[fgwrich]

Not sure, but running them Penzance - Taunton - Bristol - Oxford - Banbury - Paddington would take hours so I believe FGW wish to run west of england services into Waterloo via the SWML. "The Planner" might know more!

The only issue i can think of is the clearance of the bogies...As odd as this may seem, there are a few differences between on the mk3s with the BREL BT10 design - i only found this out as a result of the 6 ex FGW off lease Mk3 Buffets, with the 6 here cleared for use all regions, whilst the few that have gone to Long Marston not cleared for use on the southern...

Either way, itll be interesting to see what will happen with the Padd to Bristol/Exeter/Plymouth/Penzance bound services...

And well, this will be interesting for us, and for FGW...

 

[TGVDUDE]

right okay now hang on....HST's will be diverted via banbury and into London Waterloo?

 

[royaloak]

No, via Banbury then into paddington.

 

[TGVDUDE]

okay, and what this about Waterloo?

 

[royaloak]

Somebody has mentioned that the West of England ones MAY be routed via Salisbury to Waterloo. Dont think it is anything concrete though (not even jelly ).

 

[TGVDUDE]

i get excited easily, once i hear things... that would be cool though, thanks for clearing that up

 

[SWT Driver]

If I remember correctly you can only use stock which has SSL bogies on areas which are electrified with the 3rd rail.

I would imagine that they'd also run straight up the mainline as there are some pretty torturous speed restrictions if they're routed via the Byfleet Curve & onto the Windsor side, it would be far easier and faster to go via Wimbledon & do the move onto the Windsor side via the UR or at QTR.

 

[royaloak]

All the LSL bogies have been modified to be more like the SSL so it may be different now, I know that they are mixed up in the sets now so it would take a lot of reforming to get all the SSL coaches together.

 

[fgwrich]

If I remember correctly you can only use stock which has SSL bogies on areas which are electrified with the 3rd rail.

I would imagine that they'd also run straight up the mainline as there are some pretty torturous speed restrictions if they're routed via the Byfleet Curve & onto the Windsor side, it would be far easier and faster to go via Wimbledon & do the move onto the Windsor side via the UR or at QTR.

Ahh, That was it - The SSL Bogies

Cheers SWT Driver & Royal Oak

As for the pretty torturous speed restrictions on the Byfleet Curve / Virginia Water / Staines route - Your telling me, thats one thing the 01:05 service teaches you...not to miss the 00:05

Mind you, some of the drunks on the 01:05 can be pretty funny sometimes but i spend most of my time with my headphones in my ears just listening to god knows what ive got on my plastic c*ap that is my phone:roll:

Back on topic though, i do wonder how FGW are going to pull this off, With the oxfords (and presumably some of the cotswolds?) going via banbury, then itll be intersting to see what comes next really - unless fgw do pull the cat out of the bag by reorginising most of the HST sets to only include SSL bogies...

As for the Night Rivera, Well the 57s are cleared for use on the southern, just comes down to the BFO & Sleepers...

Fortunatly, im right in thinking all SSL Mk3s have the sticker on each end with SSL...

Intersting times...

 

[fgwrich]

All the LSL bogies have been modified to be more like the SSL so it may be different now, I know that they are mixed up in the sets now so it would take a lot of reforming to get all the SSL coaches together.

Just had a look through some pictures of mine and the LSL And SSL difference does appear to be still in place

Example - The TSD is cleared for the Southern as the SSL notice is on the end, just above the filler flap, whilst the TRFB isnt - LSL - again, above the filler flap.

The technical side of these i cant remember, but ill be finding out next time im back in paddington or eastleigh...

 

[The Planner]

Its one Plymouth and one Swansea an hour apparently.

 

[devon_metro]

A large proportion of the fgw fleet is SSL anyway so wouldn't be too difficult to organize.

 

[Techniquest]

I was told that most of the SSL trailers ended up with AXC, next to none with FGW. Possibly duff gen though, usually too busy enjoying my journey on a HST to take too much notice of the sticky letters on the ends of the trailers (which aren't entirely to be trusted, again according to what I've heard).

As for The Mule, apart from Yeovil Junction to Exeter (which last happened according to memory in November 2008, don't recall it since), when was the last time a HST did a run up through Salisbury and Andover to Wimbledon and Clapham? Indeed, the last time HSTs were used into Waterloo was 2004 from what I remember.

If it all pulls off, my round trip for this will be interesting. Trowbridge > Bath > Paddington via Banbury > Tube moves > Exeter SD > Bristol TM > Bath > Trowbridge

Going to be a good year for me, conquering more destinations and routes on HSTs

 

[SWT Driver]

AFAIA, HST's have never passed through Wimbledon and Clapham, but they'd be OK as the 442's were Mk3 stock so there shouldn't "in theory" be any clearance issues or speed issues, unlike going via the Windsor side.

 

[turbo mick]

I remember some fgw exeter drivers signed reading to waterloo via wokingham stains and that during the slough blockade.

I dont know whats going to happen with my depot at reading 150+ drivers when the signal box closes for xmas maybe xmas off with pay i doubt

 

[Techniquest]

AFAIA, HST's have never passed through Wimbledon and Clapham

A good mate of mine who used to frequently visit Wimbledon years ago (looking about 16 years back) reports hearing one (not seeing it, must have been something in the way) and having to cover his ears as the unmistakable sound screamed through. No idea where it was going, but it definately went through Wimbo.

 

[Drsatan]

AFAIA, HST's have never passed through Wimbledon and Clapham

I think it's unlikely they'd be diverted through Wimbledon and Clapham due to pathing issues unless SWT agreed to cancel a few Weymouth/Portsmouth Direct services that use the fast lines to Basingstoke, which is very unlikely. Pathing issues also apply from Salisbury to Yeovil given that the line's mostly single track and any HSTs would need to contend with the hourly service to Exeter.

 

[SWT Driver]

It would probably run in the path of an SWT Salisbury (Not Exeter) service it would be quite easy to transfer the 3 extra stations from the Salisbury local to Exeter service without much impact & besides WoE services terminate at BSK anyway in times of disruption & as it's only (purportedly) going to be an hourly service anyway it would be able to run in that local service's pathway.

It will probably call additionally at Basingstoke & Woking too, like the Salisbury local before running Non Stop into Waterloo.

Besides it's NR that do the train planning, so I expect that they'll be able to come to some "financial" agreement with SWT.