Late night Loco hauled during the Olympics?

[jopsuk]

the Olympic delivery agency are tendering for someone to provide late services. Specced as locos and carriages, to run from Kings Cross, St Pancras, Euston and Padington.

 

[Aictos]

Great idea BUT where are they going to find all the rolling stock though?

 

[sprinterguy]

Undoubtedly the usual deal when it comes to the running of additional trains: Class 67s, or class 90s on electrified routes, with coaches provided by Cargo-D or Riviera Trains or someone similar.

 

[PhilipW]

The article was written as a lot of legalised waffle which was incomprehensible to understand.

I could not even grasp where the services were going to run to.

 

[Deerfold]

I don't think you find that out unless you register. Which is useful...

 

[matt]

The ODA is seeking expressions of interest for the supply, management and operation of a number of sets of locomotives and coaches for use during the 2012 Olympic Games. The trains will provide late night additional capacity (as required) from any or all of the following London terminals: Euston, Kings Cross, Paddington and St. Pancras.

The short description is basically what the tender is for.

 

[Deerfold]

But gives no idea how far out of those terminals trains might go...so from Kings X could it be Potters Bar or Edinburgh?

 

[bangor-toad]

Hmmm, this is interesting.

Here's a paragraph from one of the various buried pages:
Project DescriptionIn association with a number of TOCs and Network Rail, the ODA is facilitating the operation of a number of additional late-night trains from major London termini to cater for the predicted demand from Olympic spectators. Given the nature of some sports, it is possible that the competition will run on beyond the scheduled finishing times, potentially leading to substantial numbers of spectators arriving at major London termini later than predicted and, consequently, outstripping the train capacity available.

To address this issue, the ODA has identified the need for additional, flexible train capacity to be available late at night from certain London main line termini.

It seems to me that the tender is for standby services that may or may not be used. It seems that this tender is asking for the provision of a service at each of the main London terminals that can be used late at night. That's going to be four sets. Wonder where they'll go?

Cheers,
Jason

EDIT: (Beaten! I'm too slow...)

 

[Deerfold]

Interesting that they're all northern (and western) terminals. I wonder if there'll be another for southern Terminals?

 

[jopsuk]

Perhaps it'll be requested that the TOCs cover the rest- if these are for long-distance cover, maybe the local TOCs will still be providing the late-night capacity on the Kings Cross etc routes as well. It would be a lot easier (barring sorting out staff rosters and cutting back on maintenance for a couple of weeks) for the ex Network SouthEast area TOCs to provide extra services/carriages on their routes AND get all units back in position for the morning that it would be for ex InterCity TOCs.

 

[ukrob]

Why specifically loco and stock? Maybe they have just phrased it that way without thinking. Who will run these trains? Is there anything to stop a TOC bidding? Why were they not asked first?

 

[87015]

Perhaps it'll be requested that the TOCs cover the rest- if these are for long-distance cover, maybe the local TOCs will still be providing the late-night capacity on the Kings Cross etc routes as well. It would be a lot easier (barring sorting out staff rosters and cutting back on maintenance for a couple of weeks) for the ex Network SouthEast area TOCs to provide extra services/carriages on their routes AND get all units back in position for the morning that it would be for ex InterCity TOCs.

TOCs have (or should have...) put in there plans for extra Olympic services they plan to run a while back. If I was a guessing man the TOCs serving those terminals mentioned may not have been very forthcoming with additional services.

 

[route:oxford]

Great idea BUT where are they going to find all the rolling stock though?

Start building now!

Apply for lottery funding to build say sixty gangwayed 75mph 3-car 172s (each fully DDA compliant from new).

Form these into 20 9-car sets for the late-night Olympic standby services.

After the Olympics, have smiley politicians in newspapers delivering "An Olympic Dividend for Public Transport in the XXXX Community" by allocating 5 lots of a dozen units to various operators on a peppercorn lease to improve services.

 

[Aictos]

But that is so simple, it won't even get a second glance!

Mores the pity though!

 

[jopsuk]

TOCs have (or should have...) put in there plans for extra Olympic services they plan to run a while back. If I was a guessing man the TOCs serving those terminals mentioned may not have been very forthcoming with additional services.

I'm going to go with it being Virgin, East Coast, EMT and FGW HSS that are the issues- as I said above. It's one thing to get an extra formation or two back from the sidings at Cambridge to form a couple of extra services back to there (which will then be in the right place for the morning anyway) but if they plan to run additional long-distance services, the stock and staff juggling is much more difficult.

 

[route:oxford]

But that is so simple, it won't even get a second glance!

Mores the pity though!

Indeed

If Fraser Eagle were still around, I'm sure they would have found a solution to this particular problem.