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He supplied it to the RCTS, who Peter Hands used as an authoritative source. Hands used a lot of already published information in compiling his books. Hands storage data was a tad assumptive too. The principal problem is that Zulu supplied dud sales information, trying to fill in gaps with pure...

We discussed this reported sighting of 42732 working after withdrawal at length last year and, given its sale and move to T.W.Wards, it was probably a mis-identification.

The learning from other people’s mistakes comes from a proper investigation, not hot takes. The former takes time - for example, what is the vehicles maintenance regime, is it appropriate, was the work required done, who signed it off, who monitors this kind of thing at the operator, what do...

It’s not a franchise. The DfT will decide what they spend their money on and when and, if other TOCs are anything to go by, they will decide on what gets done on the units. The owning group is only a management agent for the DfT. They and the TOC management do not make the key decisions, as...

The guiding mind will not be a controlling one, apart from the 14 DfT operators. ROSCOs are private companies as are OA operators and if anyone in Government tried to tell them what they can lease (and to whom), the courts will soon sort the Government out. Basically, whether it is GBR or the...

Absolutely. The RAIB will be looking closely at the maintenance and inspection history of that wagon and what was done or not done. Coupler incidents on the main line are unusual and almost always classed as serious.

For a rough shunt, not usually. Take the set out of traffic, visually inspect, lift each vehicle to examine the centre castings and examine the buffing gear and couplers on each coach, effectively doing an old BR no 7 exam on the couplers, to make sure things like the buckeye support pins...

No, because when I see a blank departure board in times of disruption, I always assume that all trains are cancelled. I am then looking for the first one to be advertised that will get me to my destination. The unknown factor for me is always when is that train going to run to my destination...

On a 50 it will be a dead generator! The KV10 will allow it to happen and it will be fizz, bang, spizzle.

I think you are going round in circles because you are not agreeing with anyone who has a different view from a passenger perspective, like myself. From that perspective, I absolutely hate seeing trains up on a screen that will not run. If I was at a main line station in a period of disruption...

No, that was 20, ordered for the signal works. It was a larger type of Ruston, an 88DS, the same type that was used by the North Eastern Region as departmental locos. DS1169 was a 48DS.

The most advantageous place to stand on a disrupted station when you want to punt for a train varies with the station. I am more used to the blanking out of all information at London terminals as the norm and then, as the trains are made ready, the screens start to liven up. As a punter, I...

Directly? It’s the TOC who pays for the taxis but they are not on risk for this as the DfT effectively picks up all TOC costs now. If it is a NR fault, the TOC will get schedule 8 but that gets wrapped up into the DfT net funding for the TOC. Avanti can’t “make” on costs or revenue anymore.

No, they can’t. Charging policy is determined by the ORR.

Or the cabling or cabinets or relay room are in poor condition and getting piecemeal repairs instead of a complete re-wire or renewal.

It might be an aim but NR don’t decide - that will ultimately be an ORR decision under the current TAA regime, unless both parties to a TAA agree to only operating electric.

The approximation is the key takeaway here. You can get a sense of whether the train is empty or full but the extent gets a bit dubious especially if you are dealing with really low or really high numbers. It’s a bit like the old manual counts on an HST when the guard used to report a 400+...

Unfortunately, the counting equipment on the 80x is not accurate. Manual checks have proved it to both under read and (more often) over read.

That was the last normal Deltic arrival at KX. If No 2 hadn’t have been stopped the day before, it would have been on the train. I was on the platform at KX chatting to Murray Brown who was on No 17 for the last departure and he confirmed that No 15 was due to come south on the 1550 as the...

185, you are obviously referring to Dean Finch, the power behind the throne at FG at the time, who thought the American adventure was a good punt and all but sunk FG in the process. It is a major miracle that it survived. The Government has gone through the whole EMA/ERMA/NRC contract process...