GWR Sleeper ECS via Theale (5Z50) | 14/07/22

[XCTurbostar]

Hi all,
I was fortunate to witness a GWR Empty Coaching Stock working from Paddington to Reading TCD via Theale at Reading West yesterday.
I have not been able to find a schedule for this working on Real Time Trains (5Z50) so I assume it was a VST path.

Would anyone happen to have the timings for this specific working and why it required a reversal at Theale and Tilehurst?

Locos were 57603 and 57605.

Thanks,

 

[Rhysdabeast]

Hi all,
I was fortunate to witness a GWR Empty Coaching Stock working from Paddington to Reading TCD via Theale at Reading West yesterday.
I have not been able to find a schedule for this working on Real Time Trains (5Z50) so I assume it was a VST path.

Would anyone happen to have the timings for this specific working and why it required a reversal at Theale and Tilehurst?

Locos were 57603 and 57605.

Thanks,

Train 56848 On Is No Longer Valid

Live Train Times for Train to departing on | Rail Record

live.rail-record.co.uk

 

[XCTurbostar]

Train 56848 On Is No Longer Valid

Live Train Times for Train to departing on | Rail Record

live.rail-record.co.uk

I knew you would know Rhys! I don't use Rail-Record much but it seems to have triumphed over RTT, thank you.

 

[Andypandy1968]

So what was the point of this convuluted move?!

 

[FGW_DID]

So what was the point of this convuluted move?!

It takes it round the triangle at Reading therefore turning the stock.

 

[Andypandy1968]

Round the triangle yes but as far as Theale?!
Why does it need to be turned? Why is it an issue if the coaches are back to front?

 

[JN114]

Round the triangle yes but as far as Theale?!
Why does it need to be turned? Why is it an issue if the coaches are back to front?

As far as Theale (goods loop) as that’s the first sensible location to change ends. The traffic through Reading West is far too intense to block the line for 10 minutes while 1 loco is shut down, driver changes ends, other Loco fired up etc.

It needs to be turned because they were turned the wrong way round earlier in the week.

It matters for all kind of commercial reasons - seat reservations for “forward facing” seats will now be facing backwards as seats are individually numbered; working in Cornwall with short platforms is complicated when train is in reverse to get the right coaches on the short platforms.

 

[XCTurbostar]

As far as Theale (goods loop) as that’s the first sensible location to change ends. The traffic through Reading West is far too intense to block the line for 10 minutes while 1 loco is shut down, driver changes ends, other Loco fired up etc.

It needs to be turned because they were turned the wrong way round earlier in the week.

It matters for all kind of commercial reasons - seat reservations for “forward facing” seats will now be facing backwards as seats are individually numbered; working in Cornwall with short platforms is complicated when train is in reverse to get the right coaches on the short platforms.

The formation was (Eastern End at Theale) 57603 - A - B - C - D - E - F - G - 57605 (Western End at Theale)
Both locos were ON when passing, there also appeared to be a driver at both ends.

EDIT: It also appeared to reverse at Newbury Racecourse P3 rather than Theale as well.

 

[Andypandy1968]

Another magical mystery tour for the empty sleeper this morning, belching out fumes on the good folk of west Berkshire.
I hope GWR never boast about their green credentials
So how come just 9 days after the last turn it needs turning again??

 

[JN114]

Because tomorrow it goes via Yeovil, which will turn the set. It has been deliberately put the “wrong” way round ahead of running so that it ends up correct on arrival into Penzance Monday morning.

I expect similarly the other sleeper rake will get turned on Monday either on the way back to Reading or at some point Monday daytime, as it too will have turned via Yeovil.

It isn’t a rare occurrence - it happens twice per weekend every few weeks and has done ever since old oak closed and the sleeper moved to Reading.

 

[fgwrich]

Because tomorrow it goes via Yeovil, which will turn the set. It has been deliberately put the “wrong” way round ahead of running so that it ends up correct on arrival into Penzance Monday morning.

I expect similarly the other sleeper rake will get turned on Monday either on the way back to Reading or at some point Monday daytime, as it too will have turned via Yeovil.

It isn’t a rare occurrence - it happens twice per weekend every few weeks and has done ever since old oak closed and the sleeper moved to Reading.

Indeed, and Newbury isn't the most rarest of route's the NR has been turned via. I responded to an incident a few years ago in the confines of the Oxford area, where to our good fortune, the NR Empties were passing through and could be utilised to our advantage.

 

[Dren Ahmeti]

Indeed, and Newbury isn't the most rarest of route's the NR has been turned via. I responded to an incident a few years ago in the confines of the Oxford area, where to our good fortune, the NR Empties were passing through and could be utilised to our advantage.

I think I heard about this one - Penzance sleeper crew ended up in Oxford!

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

A Q-path for ‘last resort’ purposes is maintained via Greenford, High Wycombe, Bicester and Oxford on Mon-Sat mornings if for whatever reason the usual STP move via Didcot/Theale etc is not available. To my knowledge it has never been used, and would require route conducting as GWR do not sign Wycombe, but it shows the operational importance of the sleeper stock orientation that such a (bonkers) contingency is seen as worth maintaining in the timetable.

 

[Dren Ahmeti]

A Q-path for ‘last resort’ purposes is maintained via Greenford, High Wycombe, Bicester and Oxford on Mon-Sat mornings if for whatever reason the usual STP move via Didcot/Theale etc is not available. To my knowledge it has never been used, and would require route conducting as GWR do not sign Wycombe, but it shows the operational importance of the sleeper stock orientation that such a (bonkers) contingency is seen as worth maintaining in the timetable.

Has route knowledge fully lapsed on Paddington-Oxford via the Chiltern?

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Has route knowledge fully lapsed on Paddington-Oxford via the Chiltern?

I don’t think GWR/FGW have had that route knowledge for a very long time. Any time there have been STP diversions, the trains have been route conducted?

 

[JN114]

I don’t think GWR/FGW have had that route knowledge for a very long time. Any time there have been STP diversions, the trains have been route conducted?

Paddington TMs did hold route knowledge, and some maintained it long after the last diversions were run (2017?) - drivers were always route conducted via the Chilterns

For a while after the sleepers moved to Reading, the ECS work was done by hired-in drivers from Freightliner - if I recall it took a couple of years for it to come back in house. These did have the requisite route knowledge and I believe the Chiltern route was used very occasionally for set turning.

 

[Dren Ahmeti]

Paddington TMs did hold route knowledge, and some maintained it long after the last diversions were run (2017?) - drivers were always route conducted via the Chilterns

For a while after the sleepers moved to Reading, the ECS work was done by hired-in drivers from Freightliner - if I recall it took a couple of years for it to come back in house. These did have the requisite route knowledge and I believe the Chiltern route was used very occasionally for set turning.

Would you have any idea when the last time the sleeper actually ran on the Chiltern? I can’t seem to find its path…