All the castle mk3s are either Angel or First Rail Holdings. Only 5 43s are franchise assets.
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GwR HSTs to be stood down
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43096
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It’s four power cars and one TGS that are franchise assets.
norbitonflyer
Established Member
43009 seen coming into Penzance this afternoon. Didn't look like it had less than a week's life left in it. (I didnt notice what was on the other end)
IEPs now being used on Plymouth/Penzance locals - bit of a waste of their 125mph potential - not to mention the pantographs and transformers they have to lug around.
Well they are basically a commuter train spec - so perfect job for them
Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
43162 was on the other end. Worked the 11.50 to Plymouth.
PudseyBearHST
Member
How many different types of exams are there and what does each exam mean roughly? Thanks
Spaceship323
Member
A quick search finds this: (from an old thread so can't copy a link)
It depends what exam cycle a particular loco is on.
A exams are typically at around evey week to 2 weeks, depending on the vehicle useage.
Beyond A exams it could be cumulative, e.g. B, C, B, D, B, C, B, E etc. Normally F exams and above are major 'works' type attention, and the highest exam is a K/INT which is pretty much what DBS are doing to the Super 60s.
Balanced exams, however, run numerically, B1, B2, B3 etc, and over the complete exam cycle, all the major work will be done in bits and bobs, meaning there is no need for the loco to be out of service for months having a major exam (F>). There is a big variation on how many exams in a cycle, for example 6 in the class 60 cycle, but 18 in the DBS class 66 exam cycle.
Items such as oil levels will get done regularly, such as every 2 days by maintenance staffs, and the drivers will also check levels as aprt of their perparation duties. Batteries get checked every exam (typically 6 monthly). Oil changes depends on the VMOI (maintenance instructions), but most diesel engines have a monthly oil sample taken, which is analysed by a Laboratory, and any exceptional readings are acted on. These are such as high sodium, indicating internal coolant leaks, high tin, pointing at big end or main bearing wear.
It depends what exam cycle a particular loco is on.
A exams are typically at around evey week to 2 weeks, depending on the vehicle useage.
Beyond A exams it could be cumulative, e.g. B, C, B, D, B, C, B, E etc. Normally F exams and above are major 'works' type attention, and the highest exam is a K/INT which is pretty much what DBS are doing to the Super 60s.
Balanced exams, however, run numerically, B1, B2, B3 etc, and over the complete exam cycle, all the major work will be done in bits and bobs, meaning there is no need for the loco to be out of service for months having a major exam (F>). There is a big variation on how many exams in a cycle, for example 6 in the class 60 cycle, but 18 in the DBS class 66 exam cycle.
Items such as oil levels will get done regularly, such as every 2 days by maintenance staffs, and the drivers will also check levels as aprt of their perparation duties. Batteries get checked every exam (typically 6 monthly). Oil changes depends on the VMOI (maintenance instructions), but most diesel engines have a monthly oil sample taken, which is analysed by a Laboratory, and any exceptional readings are acted on. These are such as high sodium, indicating internal coolant leaks, high tin, pointing at big end or main bearing wear.
PudseyBearHST
Member
Thank you
Anyone who thinks that those door arrangements are suitable for multi-destination commuting needs their head examined.
43096
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For HST power cars it ranges from service check (S exam), then A exam (every few days) up to G exam (every 3 million miles for GWR power cars). The level of work varies considerably, of course. Those are the traditional hierarchical exam levels where each is more extensive, some operators had moved their fleet onto balanced maintenance which evens the work out.
150249
Established Member
I've heard that 009 has already retired. There were rumours that 010 had its last day yesterday but I think it's in service today.
northernbelle
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GW02 and GW03 I believe. There's a possibility of them running a few services while they're there.
PudseyBearHST
Member
Thanks
170UTD
Member
Do you know what power cars?
Now have the weekend turns starting Sunday 10 September
Saturdays
2U00 06:28 Bristol-Cardiff
2C67 08:00 Cardiff-Penzance
2U26 13:50 Penzance-Cardiff
2C91 19:54 Cardiff-Bristol
2C12 07:22 Exeter-Penzance
2P86 11:15 Penzance-Plymouth
2C22 13:43 Plymouth-Penzance
2M72 15:50 Penzance-Bristol
Sundays
No Castles in Operation
170UTD
Member
Sorry if this is already in the thread somewhere, but which power cars are owned by GWR outright and which ones are leased?
Second question, are the owned ones the ones staying or has that not been decided yet?
Second question, are the owned ones the ones staying or has that not been decided yet?
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43096
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43088/156/160/162 are the four Castle franchise assets. The others are leased from either by Angel Trains or First Rail Holdings.
Some of these four franchise assets have already been withdrawn, but I heard that the ones leased from Angel Trains will go, is this correct?
43096
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43088/160 have been stopped. 43162 is not far off a major exam, but 43156 is one of those that looks likely to be running into next year.
That seems to be the intention, yes.
150249
Established Member
Does anyone know of 43004 has been stood down yet?
43096
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43162 cannot go off lease as it is a franchise asset and is therefore not leased.
It is surprising that the franchise assets are being stood down. Logic would dictate that the 43s being leased would go, to save on leasing costs, leaving the franchise assets in service. They must have their reasons, but I'm not sure what they are.
If the franchise ones are due expensive maintenance, it may be cheaper to not do that and pay the leasing costs?
Well it’s retired then.
43096
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There is no saving on leasing costs as they are leased through to June 2025 regardless. They will have to either keep paying until then or pay off the lease now.
Up til now the stopping of power cars has been determined by mileage to next major exam and/or major engine work. 43160 - a franchise asset - was due a G exam. They're not going to spend a six-figure sum doing that regardless of the owner.
Both 098 and 162 appear to be allocated today on RTT:
Realtime Trains | 2C69 0955 Bristol Temple Meads to Plymouth | 10/09/2023
Real-time train running information for 2C69 0955 departure from Bristol Temple Meads to Plymouth on 10/09/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
TT-ONR-NRN
Veteran Member
That didn't get off to a good start. The 1400 to Plymouth is sat in Cardiff Central and is unmistakably 43092+43154.
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
Might I politely suggest (and I'm purely suggesting, wouldn't dream of trying to backseat moderate, ignore me if you wish) that people provide a source for information such as units being stood down? Else we could have all sorts of (erroneous?) claims such as these, and for all we know they could be bogus rumours from a Facebook group.Both 098 and 162 appear to be allocated today on RTT:
Realtime Trains | 2C69 0955 Bristol Temple Meads to Plymouth | 10/09/2023
Real-time train running information for 2C69 0955 departure from Bristol Temple Meads to Plymouth on 10/09/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
HamworthyGoods
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That didn't get off to a good start. The 1400 to Plymouth is sat in Cardiff Central and is unmistakably 43092+43154.
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
Might I politely suggest (and I'm purely suggesting, wouldn't dream of trying to backseat moderate, ignore me if you wish) that people provide a source for information such as units being stood down? Else we could have all sorts of (erroneous?) claims such as these, and for all we know they could be bogus rumours from a Facebook group.
I’m afraid it’s a bit difficult to provide the actual source often as lease hand-back paperwork is confidential.
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