Caledonian Sleeper discussion

[cf111]

So, refurbished locos which at the moment are glorified ETHELs but can't even managed to do that consistently? Do they dislike the cold or something?

 

[Blindtraveler]

Well there was many who said thatd happen

 

[adrock1976]

Regarding the Class 73 locos, were they not designed specially to be used south of the mighty Thames, as they can run on 750V DC?

 

[gsnedders]

Regarding the Class 73 locos, were they not designed specially to be used south of the mighty Thames, as they can run on 750V DC?

The 73/9s are essentially entirely rebuilt; very little remains from their as-built state aside from the body. That they were designed as-built for the SR is scarcely relevant at this point.

 

[Highland37]

I do feel for the staff at Serco who must be looking for light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe the 67s aren't such a bad idea afterall....

 

[Chris999999]

Why have we got to the situation where there seem to be no locos that can be relied on to travel from London to Scotland on a daily basis?

It is only 400-500 miles and other means of travel; cars, lorries, planes, ships etc seem to manage it generally without problem, but locos breakdown with regular monotony.

 

[185143]

Why have we got to the situation where there seem to be no locos that can be relied on to travel from London to Scotland on a daily basis?

It is only 400-500 miles and other means of travel; cars, lorries, planes, ships etc seem to manage it generally without problem, but locos breakdown with regular monotony.

91s and HSTs do alright...

 

[marks87]

90s seem to be generally OK as well.

The issue at the moment is with the 73s which only do north of Edinburgh anyway.

 

[adrock1976]

Could it be attributed to the fact that the Class 73s are operating on a foreign part of the network that it was not designed for when originally built?

 

[marks87]

Could it be attributed to the fact that the Class 73s are operating on a foreign part of the network that it was not designed for when originally built?

Sigh...

The 73/9s are essentially entirely rebuilt; very little remains from their as-built state aside from the body. That they were designed as-built for the SR is scarcely relevant at this point.

 

[PHILIPE]

Perhaps a lesson to be learnt going for an "unknown quantity" even though extensive work was done on the 73s.

 

[cf111]

90s seem to be generally OK as well.

The issue at the moment is with the 73s which only do north of Edinburgh anyway.

The Highland Mainline and West Highland Lines are by far the most challenging parts of the route for the locomotive though.

I realise and accept they are for all intents and purposes new locos, but I am doubting the logic in employing them at the moment. I really hope they prove me wrong as I like the look of them and they must be cheaper to run and easier on the track than a big heavy 67.

 

[Highland37]

Maybe they are good on paper, but just not that good, so far, in practice. When the 67s took over from the 37s on the WHL there were issues with the brake blocks but no reliability issues.

So far, the 73s have been poor.

 

[robbeech]

What's the output like in comparison to their original output. I'd have thought that armed with their original engines they'd be somewhat underpowered to do lines like that when you take into account what must be a fairly high amount of auxiliary power too. I can only assume that the newer engines improve upon this figure. Last time I went up to Aberdeen on the sleeper we were pulled by a pair of 73's. Are they still running in pairs? I have 2 runs to do next week. Up to INV. Then down fromABD a couple of days later.

 

[43096]

What's the output like in comparison to their original output. I'd have thought that armed with their original engines they'd be somewhat underpowered to do lines like that when you take into account what must be a fairly high amount of auxiliary power too. I can only assume that the newer engines improve upon this figure. Last time I went up to Aberdeen on the sleeper we were pulled by a pair of 73's. Are they still running in pairs? I have 2 runs to do next week. Up to INV. Then down fromABD a couple of days later.

They are now equivalent on electric and diesel power - so around 1600hp. Basically they are now a Type 3, so not dissimilar to a Class 33.

 

[najaB]

I have 2 runs to do next week. Up to INV. Then down fromABD a couple of days later.

Or down to Inverness and up to London. Ain't railway parlance funny?

 

[sprinterguy]

The issue at the moment is with the 73s which only do north of Edinburgh anyway.

If you exclude the well documented and long running difficulties with the class 92s, which is the only reason that the 90s are still running the service. Serco haven't had a great deal of luck with their traction provider, compared to the longstanding agreement that the previous operator had with EWS/DB Schenker.

 

[CosherB]

Some are very quick to criticise the new 73/9s, but the problem with them is known and there is a fix for it. You can't expect perfection straight away for what is, essentially, a new locomotive.

A laugh when I read some of the hyperbole on here when the 67s are being shouted for once again!

 

[Russardo]

The Highland Mainline and West Highland Lines are by far the most challenging parts of the route for the locomotive though.

I realise and accept they are for all intents and purposes new locos, but I am doubting the logic in employing them at the moment. I really hope they prove me wrong as I like the look of them and they must be cheaper to run and easier on the track than a big heavy 67.

You're doubting the logic, yet your next sentence states the logic.

They are essentially new locos and will follow the bell curve. Most failures at the start and end of life. I'm sure they'll be good locos in the long run.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

[Highland37]

Some are very quick to criticise the new 73/9s, but the problem with them is known and there is a fix for it. You can't expect perfection straight away for what is, essentially, a new locomotive.

A laugh when I read some of the hyperbole on here when the 67s are being shouted for once again!

I don't think "quick" or "straight away" are terms that apply in this situation. The issues have been on going for some time.

Last night the Inverness sleeper was a 66+73.

 

[wingsoveryorks]

I was wondering. If you are using a sleeper service and it arrives late, do you get charged more for being able to have a lie in?

 

[godfreycomplex]

I was wondering. If you are using a sleeper service and it arrives late, do you get charged more for being able to have a lie in?

Don't tempt fate!

 

[BRX]

Some are very quick to criticise the new 73/9s, but the problem with them is known and there is a fix for it.

What is the problem, in fact?

 

[47271]

Last night the Inverness sleeper was a 66+73.

It has been this for months - the 66s are cracking and I haven't heard of a single problem with them unless anyone else has? The 67s sat down on a regular basis and aren't missed.

The problem with the 73s now seems to be that they're not even providing hotel power reliably as both the Aberdeen and Inverness up sections discovered on Sunday night. The weather was exceptionally cold, but still. It's a shame because they should be nice little engines.

 

[Highland37]

I don't think the 67s were unreliable. I live in Inverness and see them most mornings. Usually on time and without assistance unlike the 73s.

-4 isn't that cold. Other countries seem to be able to deal with it fairly well. I took a couchette to Bourg St Maurice some years ago. It was -12 when we arrived and no problems at all. In fact you can get a TGV to Bourg.

 

[47271]

I don't think the 67s were unreliable. I live in Inverness and see them most mornings. Usually on time and without assistance unlike the 73s.

-4 isn't that cold. Other countries seem to be able to deal with it fairly well. I took a couchette to Bourg St Maurice some years ago. It was -12 when we arrived and no problems at all. In fact you can get a TGV to Bourg.

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=118901

Oh, the 67s were really quite unreliable, which is why they were run in tandem on the sleeper for quite a few months after this most memorable of incidents. The post is very well written to make us smile, which is why it bears further exposure if anyone hasn't read it before, apologies who those who have...

However I agree that they probably did better than the 73s and, of course, the 73s should be able to cope with -3C. My point about the temperature was that it was funny that both the Aberdeen and Inverness sections flaked out on the same cold(ish) night.

 

[CosherB]

What is the problem, in fact?

Main alternator.

 

[Scotrail84]

1S25 North of Edinburgh was a 66 and a 47 this morning, 47 739 to be exact and it will be the same combination that brings 1M16 down to Edinburgh tonight. 90 045 diagrammed to work 1M16 south from Edinburgh.

47 used because of another 73 failure at Craigentinny depot this morning.

 

[crewmeal]

Maybe who ever is in charge of diagramming motive power north of Edinburgh should realise the worst weather is yet to come and realise the 73's aren't up to the job of providing a reliable service, rather than keep letting the public down on what seems to be regular basis.

 

[Scotrail84]

Maybe who ever is in charge of diagramming motive power north of Edinburgh should realise the worst weather is yet to come and realise the 73's aren't up to the job of providing a reliable service, rather than keep letting the public down on what seems to be regular basis.

There are no other locos available, 73s are here to stay for the foreseeable future