314 on E&G

[delt1c]

driving on the A89 at approx 20.00 just after Broxburn tonight I am sure I saw a 314 cross the viaduct Eastbound. Was in Saltire livery. All happened so quick I was stunned. Anyone confirm?

 

[Highlandspring]

I don’t know what you saw but I can confirm it definitely wasn’t a 314.

 

[delt1c]

Stunned me as I am well aware of the PEP derived stock roof profile and cab ends. Was a 3 car.

 

[hexagon789]

driving on the A89 at approx 20.00 just after Broxburn tonight I am sure I saw a 314 cross the viaduct Eastbound. Was in Saltire livery. All happened so quick I was stunned. Anyone confirm?

I would suggest a 318 as they look not dissimilar but that seems almost as unlikely.

 

[delt1c]

That was my thought initially. I know the 385 has a semi flat roofline but the cab end looked flat not gangwayed

 

[hexagon789]

I hope I've got the location right, but Broxburn would be past Livingston to the North a bit with the A89 crossing the E&G before Newbridge Junction?

 

[Highlandspring]

I’ve checked, they’re all accounted for.

 

[Mag_seven]

What does "EG" mean?

 

[delt1c]

What does "EG" mean?

Edinburgh Glasgow

 

[delt1c]

I hope I've got the location right, but Broxburn would be past Livingston to the North a bit with the A89 crossing the E&G before Newbridge Junction?

Correct

 

[hexagon789]

Correct

In that case a 314 or 318 would be rare, and if it was the latter as the former has been ruled out, quite interesting.

I can't think of anything other than a 318 that looks like a 314.

 

[Highlandspring]

What does "EG" mean?

Edinburgh Glasgow

When referring to the line between Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh Waverley the universal convention is to write it with an ampersand in the middle - ‘E&G’.

In that case a 314 or 318 would be rare, and if it was the latter as the former has been ruled out, quite interesting.

I can't think of anything other than a 318 that looks like a 314.

I’ve just quickly checked 318s as well but they are all accounted for too. My bet is a 385/0 seen from a funny angle (the road is well below Newbridge Viaduct). In any case Edinburgh, Stirling and Queen Street men don’t sign 314 or 318 traction so would require a Central, Motherwell, Gourock or Corker man to be conducted and there are no diagrams or plausible circumstances really that would take these units to the east. Class 318s did used to operate to North Berwick years ago but obviosly that was via the Cobbinshaw.

 

[hexagon789]

I’ve just quickly checked 318s as well but they are all accounted for too. My bet is a 385 seen from a funny angle (the road is well below Newbridge Viaduct). In any case Edinburgh, Stirling and Queen Street men don’t sign 314 or 318 traction, so would require a Central, Motherwell, Gourock or Corker man to be conducted and there are no diagrams or plausible corcumstances that would take these units to the east.

Are 318s possible on the line from Airdrie/Bathgate?

 

[Highlandspring]

Are 318s possible on the line from Airdrie/Bathgate?

West of Bathgate, yes.

 

[hexagon789]

West of Bathgate, yes.

But not past Bathgate into Edinburgh?

 

[Highlandspring]

But not past Bathgate into Edinburgh?

No, not on the E&G anyway. Barred from Bathgate to Haymarket East Jn.

 

[hexagon789]

No, not on the E&G anyway. Barred from Bathgate to Haymarket East Jn.

I thought that might be the case, as you never see 318s outside of Glasgow, BT I wondered if that was just the diagramming.

On the point of what the unit was, I think a 385 seems most likely, simply the viewing angle altering it's appearance as you suggested.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Looking at Real Time Trains for Uphall, which I take to be the nearest station to Broxburn, the working is likely to have been 2H02, the 18.25 Helensburgh to Edinburgh, which was at Uphall at 19.59 and Newbridge Junction at 20.04.

So if we establish what was on that? A 334 I would think - and they have a flat front...

 

[Highlandspring]

Trains at Uphall don’t pass over Newbridge Viaduct over the A89, which is on the E&G (Queen Street - Edinburgh Waverley via Falkirk High) line.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Trains at Uphall don’t pass over Newbridge Viaduct over the A89, which is on the E&G (Queen Street - Edinburgh Waverley via Falkirk High) line.

Ah... I was going by looking for Broxburn and then looking for the nearest station. I forgot to check the road numbers on the map!!!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Looking at Newbridge Junction itself, then, 1R18 at 20.08 looks the closest match, and that's certainly 385 isn't it?

 

[Highlandspring]

I’d say 2J60 is more likely as it was a 3 car 385.

 

[alangla]

I saw a long 385 rake crossing the M80 at Castlecary over the weekend, so similar situation to the OP - from the side & at speed, the gangway bellows kind of disappear & the shape and livery makes it look like pretty much any other flat-fronted SpotRail electric. It’s an odd effect you need to really see for yourself

 

[delt1c]

Must have been a 385 just a strange angle.

 

[kidman123]

There was no 314 yesterday in Edinburgh maybe just maybe could have been a 156 or 158 or as others alluded to a 385 you might have seen but definitely not a 314

 

[yorkie]

Edinburgh Glasgow

Thanks but can you please edit the thread title to reflect this, as we do require thread titles to be descriptive. Many thanks in advance

 

[delt1c]

Thanks but can you please edit the thread title to reflect this, as we do require thread titles to be descriptive. Many thanks in advance

Will do when io return to normal service , but travelling and cant at present.