Cross Country HST withdrawals?

[class397tpe]

14 XC departures north from Plymouth yesterday - of which two were HST (7 cars), six were 4-car 220 or 221, five were 5-car 221 and one was 9-car 220+221 (5-car forward from Bristol). Bristol - Manchester back to hourly so there will be limited scope for running double Voyagers and some departure times will always be more popular than others.

Although only 1 and a half diagrams yesterday - as the 0612 Leeds - Plymouth was covered by a Voyager, and a HST supplied from Laira for the 1227 return.

And only 1 HST diagram today - with the 1227 Plymouth to Glasgow Central leg seemingly covered by a 4-car Voyager... Cosy.

Are they having some reliability issues?

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

I'm confused. Before they're withdrawn, are the 2 booked diagrams staying as they are subject to no issues?

 

[Towers]

Although only 1 and a half diagrams yesterday - as the 0612 Leeds - Plymouth was covered by a Voyager, and a HST supplied from Laira for the 1227 return.

And only 1 HST diagram today - with the 1227 Plymouth to Glasgow Central leg seemingly covered by a 4-car Voyager... Cosy.

Are they having some reliability issues?

Presumably just avoiding using them at every opportunity?

 

[AndrewE]

Presumably just avoiding using them at every opportunity?

Why? are they paying per mile? If the HSTs were put in as congestion-busters, what is the justification for replacing them with 4- or 5-car trains?
I suppose it's just the DfT cutting costs with no care for the "customer experience." Isn't there some sort of a Rail Regulator which is supposed to ensure that the fragmented "privatised" railway is responsive to passengers' needs?

 

[Towers]

Why? are they paying per mile? If the HSTs were put in as congestion-busters, what is the justification for replacing them with 4- or 5-car trains?
I suppose it's just the DfT cutting costs with no care for the "customer experience." Isn't there some sort of a Rail Regulator which is supposed to ensure that the fragmented "privatised" railway is responsive to passengers' needs?

In essense, yes. I understand that XC only pay for them when they’re actually in use.

The current government cares very little for the railway or its passengers, there are a number of recent examples of rolling stock being sent off lease without replacement despite obvious capacity issues; this would seem to be something of a policy currently.

 

[Wyrleybart]

Presumably just avoiding using them at every opportunity?

Erm no. The set for 1V44 failed on Neville Hill this morning so a voyager substituted. The voyager turned round at Plymouth to form 1S51 but all eastbound trains were delayed by a signaling issue and it was known that 1S51 would be clobbered. The HST was given good on Neville Hill so there were plans formulated at lunchtime for the HST off Neville Hill to restart 1S51 at Leeds on time, then couple the late running 1S51 voyager to the following 1S52 voyager.

Not sure if this happened but theoretically an HST on Craigentinny for 1V50 on Wednesday morning.

 

[43096]

I understand that XC only pay for them when they’re actually in use.

If that was the case the XC would have been directed to stop using them by the DfT some time ago to avoid paying for them. As I understand it the XC HSTs are on a dry lease until October this year - so XC continue to use them as they'll be paying the lease regardless.

 

[class397tpe]

Erm no. The set for 1V44 failed on Neville Hill this morning so a voyager substituted. The voyager turned round at Plymouth to form 1S51 but all eastbound trains were delayed by a signaling issue and it was known that 1S51 would be clobbered. The HST was given good on Neville Hill so there were plans formulated at lunchtime for the HST off Neville Hill to restart 1S51 at Leeds on time, then couple the late running 1S51 voyager to the following 1S52 voyager.

Not sure if this happened but theoretically an HST on Craigentinny for 1V50 on Wednesday morning.

From real-time trains it seems that the 1S51 Voyager made up enough time, and was simply swapped for the HST set at Leeds.

Realtime Trains | 1227 Plymouth to Glasgow Central | 23/05/2023

Real-time train running information for 1227 departure from Plymouth to Glasgow Central on 23/05/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Wyrleybart]

From real-time trains it seems that the 1S51 Voyager made up enough time, and was simply swapped for the HST set at Leeds.

Realtime Trains | 1227 Plymouth to Glasgow Central | 23/05/2023

Real-time train running information for 1227 departure from Plymouth to Glasgow Central on 23/05/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Haha. Thew perils of being a long distance train operator !!!

 

[class397tpe]

Haha. Thew perils of being a long distance train operator !!!

Haha seems like it! Thanks for the info that it was set issues - I was worried they were reducing down to 1 HST diagram ahead of time with the timetable change...

 

[-Colly405-]

Erm no. The set for 1V44 failed on Neville Hill this morning so a voyager substituted. The voyager turned round at Plymouth to form 1S51 but all eastbound trains were delayed by a signaling issue and it was known that 1S51 would be clobbered. The HST was given good on Neville Hill so there were plans formulated at lunchtime for the HST off Neville Hill to restart 1S51 at Leeds on time, then couple the late running 1S51 voyager to the following 1S52 voyager.

Not sure if this happened but theoretically an HST on Craigentinny for 1V50 on Wednesday morning.

Would that explain why the rear 220 on 1S35 was detached at Newcastle at 1130 (leaving the remainder of the journey and 1V66 as 4-car vice 8), to provide a unit in the north east to replace the one that had headed sough on 1V44?

 

[Wyrleybart]

Would that explain why the rear 220 on 1S35 was detached at Newcastle at 1130 (leaving the remainder of the journey and 1V66 as 4-car vice 8), to provide a unit in the north east to replace the one that had headed sough on 1V44?

Yes. The 1S35 detachment at Newcastle was a unit balancing move for Tyne Yard to avoid cancellations the next day.

One of the controllers' considerations is to ensure there are enough units of the right type and length at each stabling point overnight to try and avoid shortforms, longforms and cancellations due to imbalance of stock.

 

[Thomas cooper]

Does anyone actually know the date of the last passenger HST all I can find is October but its october 11th today and theres still 2 diagrams?

 

[Iskra]

Does anyone actually know the date of the last passenger HST all I can find is October but its october 11th today and theres still 2 diagrams?

It’s September today

 

[Thomas cooper]

It’s September today

Oh yeah

 

[WesternLancer]

so is it confirmed that Oct 11th will be the end of XC passenger HSTs? It's coming up soon if so...

 

[matt]

Please see this thread https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/crosscountry-hst-diagrams.176519/