37s down the HoW

[The Planner]

As the title says, Grand Union are looking to get a weekend Shrewsbury - Cardiff and back via the HoW and district line with a 37/4 and 5 MkIIIs from the Dec timetable.

 

[Phoenix]

Maybe this is why EWS are looking to reinstate and dust of so many 37/4's.

 

[laseandre]

Sounds like a good plan. Is it the Grand Central-related Grand Union?

 

[Techniquest]

Nothing quite like a 37 storming up the banks of the HoW...

I shall be keeping an eye on this one!

 

[Crompton Karl]

Bet they won't accept BR box passes

 

[Krispo]

Now that would be something!

 

[mbonwick]

37/4 and 5 MkIIIs

I didn't think that there were any more Mk. IIIs available?

 

[Crompton Karl]

Surely means Mk2's, are MkIII's cleared to traverse the HOW line?

 

[mbonwick]

Yeah, that's what I thought. Using WCRC stock perhaps?

 

[37402]

Well, you've gotta admire their spirit. That's about the only thing you can admire...

 

[me123]

Sounds like a trip to Wales is needed, then...

 

[Galvanize]

I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[thefab444]

Ditto.

 

[The Planner]

Schedules are in the Dec 08 timetable. Something like 0930 off Cardiff, return obviously much later off Salop.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

There must be Loco hauled Mk3s (a/b) left, or NXEC wouldn't have been chasing some for it franchise commitments, can't say about the route availablity though.

 

[Galvanize]

I'm sure Mark 3s can go along at least part of the HoW, I seem to remember a Cotswold/Heartland tour used Mark 3s along there!

 

[Royston Vasey]

One for the bashers this!!

Have any Mk IIIs actually been scrapped other than accident victims? There must be plenty in storage, the ex-WCML stock for example, isn't the issue their condition and cost of refurbishment rather than a physical shortage? Or have NXEA taken much of the displaced West Coast stock?

 

[matt]

One for the bashers this!!

Have any Mk IIIs actually been scrapped other than accident victims? There must be plenty in storage, the ex-WCML stock for example, isn't the issue their condition and cost of refurbishment rather than a physical shortage? Or have NXEA taken much of the displaced West Coast stock?

I believe the majority of the MK3 stock is "reserved" for National Express East Coast.

 

[yorkie]

Surely means Mk2's, are MkIII's cleared to traverse the HOW line?

Apparently so, it's happened before! See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H59pTkGhfQ
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I believe the majority of the MK3 stock is "reserved" for National Express East Coast.

But NXEC appear to want to go with 180s now (although I believe that's only because NXEC were originally going to do York-London stoppers, but then GC/HT said they would go to Harrogate, and NXEC felt they needed to match those 'bids' for paths)

 

[class 313]

Could this mean a come back for 410?

I can only hope!

 

[theblackwatch]

There are a couple of companies which Mk. 3 stock could be spot hired from, namely DRS and Cargo-D.

 

[37412]

Nothing quite like a 37 storming up the banks of the HoW...

I shall be keeping an eye on this one!

I always found the HoW a complete stagger when ATW ran there week of loco hauled stuff down there, had 37406 on the 21st of July 04 on the 0605 ex Rhymney from Cardiff down the HoW followed by 402 the following day. The following year they ran from the 18th to the 22nd of July if I remember right on the 0705 out of Cardiff with 37425 on. Other time i went down there was a tour with 37401 & 37405, Ealing Broadway starter, think it was a Kingfisher thing and it did the HoW on the way out to Shrewsbury.

 

[Techniquest]

It's not fast, but going north up Sugar Loaf it's usually good for thrash

 

[anthony263]

from what i know i am sure that there was was a railtour in the 1980's/1990's that used a hst that went via the heart of wales line.

there are plenty of mark 3 stock coaches in ireland only problem is that these will require new boggies to allow them to be used on british tracks, with bogies likely to come from stored mark 3 sleeper stock.

thsi might only be a smal venture because from what i am being told if the maesteg trains are increased to every 30 minutes then there may not be any available paths between bridgend & cardiff, unless trains go via the vale of glamorgan line

 

[Techniquest]

Definately been a HST or two down the HoW a couple of decades back, much to my annoyance. I can only imagine what it would look like coming through some of the more obscure backwaters of Mid Wales...

 

[EE Type 3]

I'll believe it when I see it.

Same here.

 

[The Planner]

thsi might only be a smal venture because from what i am being told if the maesteg trains are increased to every 30 minutes then there may not be any available paths between bridgend & cardiff, unless trains go via the vale of glamorgan line

Paths are in the Dec 08 timetable already.

 

[37402]

There must be Loco hauled Mk3s (a/b) left, or NXEC wouldn't have been chasing some for it franchise commitments, can't say about the route availablity though.

All Mk3's that are spare or about to become spare are ringfenced by the DfT for use with franchised operators. The only vehicles that are available for the taking are RFOs, DVTs and FOs.

However, Grand Central appear to have 5 loco hauled Mk3 vehicles (1xFO, 1xRFO and 3xTSO) in their stored pool. Not sure if these are for eventual conversion to HST as TOPS doesn't seem to have been updated in a while.

 

[matt]

Presumably FOs could be re-fitted at a cost back to standard class but I can't see that happening before December.

 

[richa2002]

The HoW is RA5.