378s on AC at Euston

[jopsuk]

As I was boarding the sleeper last night, I noticed a 378 with its pantograph up in a non-platform road next to my train. As I was sitting in the bar, another arrived and appeared to couple up to the first.

The Watford DC services run on DC all the way into the station- what were these units up to?

 

[AlterEgo]

They may well have been running ECS to Willesden.

 

[87015]

Plenty of 378s stable at Euston overnight or spend a hours there either side of a trip to Camden for the wash road. Often a few parked up at weekends also, especially if there is engineering work somewhere reducing the service requirement.

A small number of DC services (and a decent number of ECS moves) are booked to pan up at Camden and run into AC platforms/stabling roads and v/v.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Plenty of 378s stable at Euston overnight or spend a hours there either side of a trip to Camden for the wash road. Often a few parked up at weekends also, especially if there is engineering work somewhere reducing the service requirement.

A small number of DC services (and a decent number of ECS moves) are booked to pan up at Camden and run into AC platforms/stabling roads and v/v.

After the Euston remodelling I was surprised that the DC route was retained from South Hampstead (or even Queens Park) into Euston.
You would have thought wiring the short bit to Primrose Hill would provide much-needed flexibility in the layout and improve safety by removing the 3rd rail on the last mile.

 

[Bald Rick]

After the Euston remodelling I was surprised that the DC route was retained from South Hampstead (or even Queens Park) into Euston.
You would have thought wiring the short bit to Primrose Hill would provide much-needed flexibility in the layout and improve safety by removing the 3rd rail on the last mile.

It was looked at. Alas 1) the DC line tunnels are too low for wires, and 2) Silverlink were operating, or planning to operate, some DC only stock on the service. Not sure what the 'much needed flexibility' in the layout it would release is either!

 

[ChrisCooper]

I've been on a 313 which left from an AC platform before dropping it's pan and continuing on DC power. That was a weekend and I think was due to engineering work though.

 

[johnb]

Not sure what the 'much needed flexibility' in the layout it would release is either!

Running Pendolinos into the LO platforms, of course. A plan with absolutely no drawbacks

And yup, Silverlink and then LO were using DC-only 508s for Watford services right up until the 378s came into service.

 

[thewolf]

Running Pendolinos into the LO platforms, of course. A plan with absolutely no drawbacks

As far as I'm aware, all of the platforms at Euston have overhead wires, if that's what you are getting at?

It's just that the Overground platforms (9 & 10?) are the only ones with DC as well.

 

[33056]

It's just that the Overground platforms (9 & 10?) are the only ones with DC as well.

Yes the DC platforms are 9 and 10. DC services always used to use 10 until around 18 months / 2 years ago then they were switched to 9 as that works better signalling-wise with the other services that use platforms 8 to 11.

Even longer ago, some of the later evening trains on the DC were booked to terminate in other platforms - one in particular that I used to catch (something like the 21:31 from Watford) used to go into platform 17; a long way from 8 to 11 when you only have about 5 minutes to change trains

 

[johnb]

As far as I'm aware, all of the platforms at Euston have overhead wires, if that's what you are getting at?

It's just that the Overground platforms (9 & 10?) are the only ones with DC as well.

I was thinking more of the length of the platforms being short enough that it wouldn't be a terribly good plan to use them for Virgin diversions in any case. But yes, indeed, everything at Euston already has OHLE.