Local services operated by 'express' stock for operational convenience

[py_megapixel]

Just before covid, in order to save an extra turbo having to be kept overnight at Oxford, GWR introduced an early 9 car IET Oxford to Didcot class 2 calling at Radley, which then came back empty stock to Oxford. The set was stabled overnight at Oxford, but not required to start its express work until later on, so they made use of it on the stopper. There's normally never more than 5 passengers on it. But because of the Radley stop, they had to taxi a guard from Reading to Oxford to work it because it ran before the first train from Reading got to Oxford. I think it still runs now, but with a 5 car.

Why did the Radley stop mean it needed a guard?

 

[dmu fan]

The summer Saturday HSTs will run to Weymouth once again this summer.

If this is true, when will it start and what services will it run please?

 

[Watershed]

Why did the Radley stop mean it needed a guard?

There's no agreement in place for 80x to run DOO on GWR without dispatch staff. Alleged issues with the bodyside cameras (which mysteriously don't seem to exist on Lumo, who run DOO, or other operators that instruct drivers to monitor them during dispatch/departure).

I'm rather more curious why they don't/didn't just put an Oxford guard on that service?

 

[Annetts key]

There is a formal agreement between GWR and the unions on where DOO can be used.

But discussion on the subject of DOO is not wise in this topic.

 

[WessexRails]

Back in the day, I used to be very happy with a 442 on the last service (0015 I think) from Woking to Walton-on-Thames

 

[HamworthyGoods]

If this is true, when will it start and what services will it run please?

Sadly, whilst this was in the initial plan it’s now seemingly planned to use spare Thames Valley turbos on the Weymouth additional Saturday trains this year. The 09.00ish Bristol to Weymouth was initially re-timed for HST operation.

 

[nw1]

Another one from old marshalling books.

In 1984 there was a 10:35 Paddington-Paignton hauled service formed of air-conditioned Mk-II stock. (I do remember actually seeing this for real at Reading on several occasions that summer).

After reaching Paignton it then formed a number of local shuttles into the evening, returning on a local to Exeter, then back to Paignton, then Newton Abbot, then Paignton, then Newton Abbot again, arriving 20:30 before finally going ECS (it's not clear where to from the marshalling book).

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Mar 2022 ==

Back in the day, I used to be very happy with a 442 on the last service (0015 I think) from Woking to Walton-on-Thames

Still runs (at least pre-Covid) I believe, albeit with a 444. Something like the 22:00 from Bournemouth, 23:00 from Southampton Central, I have used it in the summer from various New Forest stations after an extended pub visit and recall noticing that it stopped at all stations to West Byfleet, then Weybridge, Walton-on-Thames and (I think) Surbiton and Wimbledon before the usual Clapham Junction stop.

 

[Saj8]

There's no agreement in place for 80x to run DOO on GWR without dispatch staff. Alleged issues with the bodyside cameras (which mysteriously don't seem to exist on Lumo, who run DOO, or other operators that instruct drivers to monitor them during dispatch/departure).

I'm rather more curious why they don't/didn't just put an Oxford guard on that service?

Because Oxford isn't a guard's depot, we don't have any. They also have to taxi a second Reading guard over every morning to work the 05.10 turbo to Worcester.

I suspect (but dont actually know for sure because I havent had any experience with Lumo) that the very much real issues with the bodyside cameras do exist with Lumo, but because all the stations their trains call at have (again, I suspect) dispatch staff, they are able to run their trains DOO just as GWR are. Incidentally we also monitor them during departure. We just can't perform the train safety check using the monitors.

The issues are well documented. This isn't an anti-doo rant, because I am more than happy to drive turbos and 387s DOO from non staffed stations, because the technology provided to enable me to perform the train safety check is adequate on those trains. On IETs, the technology is just not good enough.

 

[Watershed]

Because Oxford isn't a guard's depot, we don't have any. They also have to taxi a second Reading guard over every morning to work the 05.10 turbo to Worcester.

I suspect (but dont actually know for sure because I havent had any experience with Lumo) that the very much real issues with the bodyside cameras do exist with Lumo, but because all the stations their trains call at have (again, I suspect) dispatch staff, they are able to run their trains DOO just as GWR are. Incidentally we also monitor them during departure. We just can't perform the train safety check using the monitors.

The issues are well documented. This isn't an anti-doo rant, because I am more than happy to drive turbos and 387s DOO from non staffed stations, because the technology provided to enable me to perform the train safety check is adequate on those trains. On IETs, the technology is just not good enough.

My mistake, I hadn't realised that Oxford was only a driver depot. Bit of a bizarre one, that.

Lumo call at Morpeth, which has no dispatch staff, so they definitely use the bodyside cameras. Perhaps they've insisted that they actually work, though.

 

[Parallel]

Lumo call at Morpeth, which has no dispatch staff, so they definitely use the bodyside cameras. Perhaps they've insisted that they actually work, though.

Last time I was at Morpeth, there were dispatch staff for some services

 

[BJames]

Just before covid, in order to save an extra turbo having to be kept overnight at Oxford, GWR introduced an early 9 car IET Oxford to Didcot class 2 calling at Radley, which then came back empty stock to Oxford. The set was stabled overnight at Oxford, but not required to start its express work until later on, so they made use of it on the stopper. There's normally never more than 5 passengers on it. But because of the Radley stop, they had to taxi a guard from Reading to Oxford to work it because it ran before the first train from Reading got to Oxford. I think it still runs now, but with a 5 car.

Does indeed appear to run with a 5 car - e.g. yesterday's (14th) working https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L88246/2022-03-14/detailed#allox_id=0